Pantera61

Just make sure to rest so your arms don't get tired!

High pay does NOT always equal high quality. Geez, some of the highest paid auto workers were turning out the biggest pieces of excrement to roll across they highways! Those stories about workers slowing down an assembly line when a personal car of theirs was being built was not urban myth.

1. As you have no independent lab tests to support your statement, it is 100% opinion. 2. Revo was designed by Swedish engineers. You tell me when you find a 35 year old Daiwa or Shimano that works as well as the day it was purchased with minimal care and maintenance and I'll show you the word "Abu" engraved on the side. THAT'S not opinion. 3. If people really cared about "Made In America", they would be buying Toyota Tundras. The Tundra is 80% domestic content.

I've used a similar set-up, except a Pflueger Patriarch XT and a Veritas 6'6" medium. I don't think you'll be disappointed especially if you pay no attention to the rumor repeaters, some of whom have already checked in.

I didn't have a paying transaction but we did have a conversation regarding various brands of spinning reels. His opinions were well-thought and made a sense. An excellent source of information!

Not at all, it's just remarkable the amount of rationalization that goes on when something like that occurs. It's an imperfect world, screws fall out. Personally, I got rid of a lot of my higher end stuff because I was starting to worry too much about breakage and theft. Now my prime cuts go out when I get the mood, otherwise it's the less expensive stuff. It's nice to focus on fishing and not where I'm stepping or who's around the ramp.

1. I really wasn't addressing you, but the point I quoted. 2. My screen name refers to one of my favorite rods, an Evergreen Pantera. I also own an Evergreen Spin Cobra, an Evergreen Tyrant HD and a Megabass F5 1/2- X68FTi "Diablo". All of which put the Loomis to shame performance wise. Since you equate price with status, the JDM rods also cost more than the Loomis. 3. I really don't care what you've spent on your bass fishing. It's not any of my business where you spend for your pleasure. Next time do a quick search on the Veritas and how it was smeared here and on other forums for the exact same thing you're complaining about. And also pay attention to who's being addressed by whom before you get your panties in a twist.

How dare you speak in such a manner about a Shimano product?

If it were a $100.00 Veritas rod you would be raising a stink about what an unbelievable POS it was.

The problem is the spool, not the brakes. The Skeet, S and SX models don't have the Infini Spool II™, the STX and Premier do.

That's one of the reasons I moved from Daiwa to Abu. It gets a bit tedious when you're fishing 7 reels twice a week + various ones and twos a few other times during the week.

If you own a high end Daiwa and YOU ARE NOT oiling the spool bearings after every outing, YOU ARE NOT following maintenance procedure per User's Manual.

It's not even challenging anymore. The memo has been sent out and a happy face has been put on.

After a few outings? I must be the luckiest ABU user on the planet ... at least on the forum! I've got 4 Premiers, 2 for a season and a half and another 2 for a season. Except for a drop of oil on the spool bearings every once in a while on the spool bearings, there's no other maintenance that's been done.

It's remarkable the level of trust people place in anonymous sources.

What he said ^

Why don't you return the rod to the merchant and exchange it for a Veritas? It's about the same price range and unless it's beat to Hell, most dealers would make the swap.

Just move up to the Veritas ... under $100.00, light, powerful, yah ...

I've read the first thing KVD does with his crankbait is to swap out the treble hooks to Mustads. Now, is that because he's also sponsored by Mustad or because SK doesn't put quality hooks on their baits? I think those Mustads run about $1.50/pair, so now you have a $6.50 crankbait. I've caught fish on cheap baits, inexpensive baits and high dollar baits. I can give you the number of expensive baits that I've had to toss because they don't run true out of the package; that would be none. I can give you the number of expensive baits that need the hooks swapped out; again that would be none. The components are quality and headache free. I fish to escape aggravation, not to increase it. Now, there are some baits that transcend quality concerns because they are outright producers. Among them, the Original Rat-L-Trap, the 1/2 oz Rebel Pop-R, Bomber "A" series baits. I make changes to all split rings and hooks and take it from there.

10 year old rod brings it to what, a 2000 or 2001 model? In the mid-90's I wrecked the guided on a Quantum Tour Edition rod in an afternoon using the old TUF line.

Have used Veritas in quite a few models for 9 months (since release) and another since before release. No problems with breakage. A couple times with excess epoxy. Excellent sensitivity and performance. You can go to the abu garcia site and see a couple of breakage tales of woe yet remarkably the review remains anonymous while those who are satisfied with the product often leave contact info. Hmm. How about that?

I was actually going to write "pressing a gerbil's head where it don't belong" but I thought it might upset the a famous actor's fan base.

I always hesitate to mention thumb pressure on the spool because without fail people put too much pressure on it, like they're pressing a hamster's head into Plaster of Paris.

Use a reel with MagForce brakes. Spool that reel with 16-18lb test FLOURO. Use a 6'8"-6'9" MH action, MF/F taper. Set the tension control knob to just under a fast drop. Use a low angle, fast sidearm cast. Use a compact bait with as few appendages as possible. Practice.

I've bought and returned many reels, rods and once even line (that was used only one trip, P-Line CXX or something like that). I'm straight forward with them, always bring the receipt and return it in a timely manner if it doesn't suit me. I have also returned new, unused items months after purchase. If something takes a bit longer to determine proper fit in my arsenal and it doesn't make the cut, it goes on a forum sale page.