Big Bait Fishing

smooth drag ......

that's what all rod companies that have their blanks made in china or korea do , they work with the factory to make the blank to their specs . dobyns rods never felt that special to me , most people like that they put weight in their rod butts to balance them , i checked out their swimbait rods and was not impressed . every body likes what they like in a rod , factory rods never have been what i'm after .

that's what i do when i hook up on a swimbait fish , reel em in as fast as possible so the fish doesn't throw the bait . as a matter of fact i do that with most fish besides spinning/finesse situations , winding them in is not all that to me , if it was i would be on a tuna charter boat !! the anticipation of the bite and the bite is all that thrills me ....

what do you mean by '' own graphite blanks '' , dobyns doesn't make their own blanks , they are propriety blanks from an Korean O.E.M

that Metan Green Shooter is Awesome line !!!

30 lb. Izorline XXX or 30 lb. Gamma co-poly , braid should not be used unless you are fishing top water rats

all three look exactly the same , as in the frame size , big and boxy .....

throwing sinking swimbaits is always a risk , sometimes you have to pay to play , why do you think most guys want a floating swimbait !

it will come down to what feels best to you , i held each of the models of the Tatula's and Zilllions , to me , they don't feel good in hand because of the wide , flat front of the reel , to the way i palm my reels that broad front of the reel makes it feel awkward . on the other hand , Lew's reels feel a lot better to palm and fit nice in hand . like i said , a lot of these reels are great , it's up to you to decide what's best for YOU ...

they are the same blank , the factory rods differ with just components and blank color ..

carrot sticks have a removable cap in the butt that you could add weight to , they didn't supply the weight.

don't feel too bad , i've lost 15 -20 Hudds over the years ...

dobyns rods are heavier than most other rods cause they put metal inserts in the butt end of the rod to balance them .

you're talking the fun out of testing gear YOURSELF and finding what works for YOU.....

i would suggest finding a good one at Wal-mart , but before you pick one out , go to the fishing section and grab a couple 3700 boxes and other size boxes your thinking of using and take them to the backpack section and test fit the backpack with the boxes till you find one you like , that's what i did many years ago and i still have that backpack today , still funtioning great with no tears or busted zippers .

be careful with sizes , i was looking at a 100mm carbon fiber handle but looked at the fine print and saw that they were measuring to the outside of the paddles , so it was actually a 85mm handle , needless to say , i passed on it . those trim rings are sold at Mudhole , pretty much same price .

post a link

i don't see the pictures EDIT : i see them now .

i use 14lb. Sniper for jigs , i use it as a long leader tied to SX1 braid . if you're fishing 10-12 ft. of water , try a 6-8 ft. leader of Sniper , you'll have excellent handling because of the braid plus great slack line sensitivity of the Sniper , best of both worlds

ditch that stuff and get some Pro-Cure , best scent/attrachtant on the market ....

just my opinion , quite a few shimano's are over priced , then again so are daiwa's . to each their own .... another option is low profile baitcasters , i use a Revo Toro 51 , i throw baits quite a bit heavier than 2-8 oz. , in my opinion , you only need a reel to hold around 100 yds of line , easily done with 20 - 30 lb.

i use Sunline SX1 in 10lb. with a long leader of Sunline Sniper 6lb. on my spinning set up . i think a lot of people are recommending a leader of very abrasion resistant '' leader'' material , i really don't think you need that on a SPINNING set up . i totally would be for that if it was a casting set up where you are throwing lures into the nasty stuff ( rocks , brush , etc) i use my spinning set up for open water finesse ( drop shot , wacky rigging , weightless plastics , etc..) i

to me spending an extra hundred or even two hundred on a reel is not worth it to me as i find there are plenty great reels for around $200 , i'll always put the extra money towards a custom rod any day of the week !!

i originally thought these were the Artus Heavy Duty micro guides but they are not . if you replace the guides , use them , they are great guides !

if your stuck on getting a round reel , seriously consider the Daiwa Luna 300 , solid reel with plenty of line capacity . Daiwa Luna Reels The Daiwa Luna is a baitcaster reel designed for freshwater and saltwater fishing applications. The Luna Baitcaster Reel, from Daiwa Fishing, is an excellent choice for light saltwater fishing applications including bay and inshore fishing. Additionally, the Luna is a favorite among freshwater bass and striper anglers who employ the Luna for swimbait techniques that require a high line capacity and a lot power. Feel the heft—the solid feel of precision. Make a cast—absolutely awesome! These are Daiwa’s finest traditional-shaped baitcasters, built for those heavy cover and open water top-of-the-food-chain fish that demand heavier line and heavier muscle—fresh or saltwater. We offer the Daiwa Luna Baitcaster Reel in four models, both left and right hand of sizes: 253 and 300. For more detailed information on each model please consult the technical specs tab. Frame and sideplates machined from solid bar stock aluminum Five CRBB Super Corrosion Resistant Ball Bearings, plus roller bearing Free-Floating Spool for maximum casting performance Magforce®-Z automatic magnetic anti-backlash control (Centriflex automatic centrifugal system on 300 size) Ultra-smooth, multi-disc drag with Daiwa’s exclusive fiber composite and stainless washers Infinite Anti-Reverse Dura-Loc™ pinion for solid gear engagement Rugged, six-point drive train support Machined aircraft aluminum spool Cut proof Titanium Nitrided stainless steel line guide Spool click on 300 size Hard anodized to resist corrosion Simple Casting Adjustment Magforce®-Z quickly adjusts to any skill level by simply pressing and turning the sideplate. This is a fantastic feature for on the water changes. When you have different sized baits, wind, rain, a need to increase casting distance. The sideplate adjustments are a must.