ChiCityBasser

I don't have any $25 lures in my box but I do have a couple of LC that I was scared to lose initially cause of the cost . Fishing from the shore there is always a chance of getting snagged and i use to fear losing a more expensive lure but if it has a better action and better chance of me putting a bigger fish on the line then I'm using it. Most of the lures I use are Custom Painted and the most expensive being a Strike King Custom Painted King Shad in Bluegill off ebay for $24. It's been tossed but don't worry bout losing it.

You are right and impatience does have a price and some are just willing to keep going up. I don't think the price started there but the bidding has pushed it to that price. I have gotten most if not all of my custom lures off ebay and think the max I have paid is $12-15 or about the same as a Lucky Craft or some of the other more expensive baits out there. Like you said there are lots of custom painters out there and most of the ones off ebay have other sites. You can send them your lure and they will paint whatever pattern you want from your pic or imagination or there catalog of lures.

Thanks Ghost and yeah going into Cabelas is what made me think about the Fuego cause it was on clearance $160 at the Hammond, IN store. Prior to seeing Fuego on clearance I was getting the HSTLA and thinking I will get the HSTLA since the once difference isn't a big factor Thanks for all the feedback

If you caught 2 snapping turtles, maybe you need to fish it a little faster. I've seen turtles move and there is no way they're catching my Red Eye when I'm reeling it. I really like the Red Eye Shad. In my opinion, the Sexy Shad color is not the main reason why this bait has been successful for me. The action of the baits is responsible for the strikes. If you changed the color to any of the popular brand shad colors it would still be successful. The Red Eye Shad has worked for me in many colors with more bites in other colors that on the sexy shad color. I agree its more of the action of the bait as well.

The color produced well for me last year on certain lakes but on others it didn't work so well but it did become one of my confidence colors/baits towards the end of the season

Thanks for the feedback an opinions and Cabelas has an in store clearance on the Fuego at $159 which is also the same price as the HSTLA which isn't on clearance. Both felt good also

I want to add another B/C to my collection and since my other B/C's are the Daiwa Megaforce and the Cabelas Prodigy(Daiwa Tierra) for the most part I wanted stick with the same brand. I have read the reviews on the Daiwa Advantage 153HSTLA on Tackletour.com and it was an editors choice wit a 9.0+. I will be using it for primarily jigs and heavier spinner baits and possibly frogs in heavier cover and pairing it with either a 6'6" Cabelas MH XMLti or the New Cabelas Prodigy 7'0" MH. Looking for any and all comments good or bad on both reels Thanks

NIcely Put Natural... I have a couple of Quantum Spinning reels and haven't had any problems with them at all. I think they are pretty good and so is there customer service as well. Just my .02

All my rods are 2 piece and yes it is for ease of transport since they are back in forth in and out of my vshicle and the people I go fishing with lots of times. I would love to try a one piece myself and sure there will be a difference but I want to see what the others have to say as well

I prefer Cabelas over Bass Pro Shops but haven't had a bad experience with either. I shop them both online and in store as well and the shipping times for both have been fast with my experience. Fortunate enough to live on the far south side of Chicago with BPS being in Portage, IN and Cabelas in Hammond, IN and also a BPS in Gurnee, IL and a Cabelas in Hoffman Estates. I visit the 2 Stores in Indiana quite often for the online Cabelas Bargain Cave deals and the in store sales and deals. The customer service has been great with both stores but the selection from one store to another can be different. Least thats what I found when visiting the Cabelas/Hoffman Estates store versus the Cabelas/Hammond store. The rod selection or availibity wasn't even close between the 2 stores with Hammond having a 3-1 selection over the Hoffman estates store. Other than that they are both great and just prefer Cabelas Cabelas just recently had an in-store deal on Shimano Spinning reels and got a Shimano Sahara at regular price and the Cabelas XML at 50% off the sale price of $100. They also have an in-store clearance on the Daiwa Fuego B/C at $159

Just left Cabelas and the Fuego is on in store clearance now for $159.99 and just checked the site and its not on the site not even in the Bargain Cave. Nice reel

I have some on my BPS Viper setup and like someone else said it is an opaque white under water and used it a couple times . I made the mistake of using it on a pretty clearwater lake and the bluegill would follow the line into the shore so I know they could see it.

I don't have either but I have a couple of other Daiwa baitcasters in the Megaforce and the Cabelas Prodigy(made by Daiwa for Cabelas) and was looking into the hsta myself. I tried it in Cabelas and felt ultra smooth and then read a review article on Tackletour.com and it will be my next baitcaster Daiwa hsta is my vote

Low rent or high rent, your livin' just the same. That is what makes the fishing hobby so great. In any other hobby I've been in, the more money you have the better you are. Not so in fishing.... I agree

Wow is all I can say looking at some of the setups that some of you guys have on your lists. I picked up most of my rods and reels at deep discounts off Ebay or Cabelas and spend alot of time in there bargain cave or at the store picking up there in store clearance items or in store discounts. Getting the clearance and discount items allowed me to step my quipment in a hurry since I started fishing 3-4yrs ago. My one brother is a Fenwick man and the other a G Loomis and myself I'm a Cabelas Rod fan. My List: Spinning: Quantum Catalyst PTI 20 / Cabalas Mag Touch 6'6" M Daiwa Regal 5ia / Cabelas Tourney Trail 7'0" M Rainbow II / Cabelas XML 6'6" M Shimano Sahara 1000 / Cabelas XML 6'6" ML Quantum Catalyst PTI-B 20 / Cabelas XML 6'6" M Split Grip /Rig & Jig Quantum Incyte 30 (Older Version) / No Name Graphite Rod 7'0" M BPS Viper 3000 / Shakesphere 7'0" MH Okuma Stinson / No Rod Cabelas Fish Eagle II 7'0" MH / No Reel BaitCast: Cabelas Prodigy / Cabelas Fish Eagle II 6'6" M (Upgrading to Cabelas XMLti 6'6" MH) Daiwa Megaforce Cabelas Golden Eagle 6'6" M All the rods were on deep discount and picked up the Shimano Reel at full price but the Cabelas XML was normally $139 on discount for $100 and 50% off with the reel purchase. Gonna have to try the New Prodigy Rods from Cabelas though so guess I need a new reel for that one also Good to see I'm not the only one addicted

If u break the tip off closing the car/truck door/hatch/bed and tell them that when you take it back to the place of purchase your limited lifetime warranty has expired. NO Replacement If you break the tip off while fishing then your limited lifetime warranty is good. Free replacement Kinda how the salesperson at Cabelas explained it to me

Glad to see there are others trying to deal with the hard water conditions like here in the Chicago area. I've been stocking up on new lures and lots ore reading and re reading issues of Bass Master. I've also purchased some dvd's to watch as well as catching the fishing shows. I've put my rods and reels on layaway at Cabelas for spring and even gotten a couple of setups out of layaway early. I reorganized the tackle box and paired the rods and reels together..lol. Picked out my new spinning reel the Quantum Catalyst PTI-B. Read as much as I can on jig fishing cause at least the chicago river isn't froze and yes I have gone out on the 40-55 degree days just to work with the jig and deep cranking and try some things. NO fish but felt good to have a rod and reel in my hand. Guess I'm addicted

Cabelas has the Quantum Accurist PT normally $130 on clearance in the bargain cave for $60 in the RH versions http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=cat21406_feat&id=0030217115659a&navCount=1&podId=0030217&parentId=cat601360&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=OG&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat601233&hasJS=true

From that list I would get the Quantum Energy PT

The best for me is what I'm using now and they are Cabelas rods for all my setups. My top setups are all Cabelas XML's with me just adding a Cabelas XMLTI 6'6" MH casting rod to my setups. Cabelas

The Prodigy Rods do look interesting and too bad I just picked up another XML ML spinning and a XMLTi casting on clearance or I would be trying to get one of both the Prodigy rods. I will be getting the New Quantum Catalyst PTI-B spinning reel once they hit the store. Other than the reel I have pretty much picked up all my rods on clearance with 4 XML's now and a XMLTi to got along with my other Cabelas setups

Great reviews and info and both look like great reels as well

I am pleased with my Quantum Catalyst and older model Quantum Incyte. Purchased my first Shimano which is the Sahara FD. Cabelas had a but the reel get an XML for half price deal but haven't hit the water with it yet.

My Quantums have been pretty durable but they are all spinning setups. I have an older model Incyte and a Catayst. KVD also used the Energy PT 30 spinning reel as well

Just have to hunt around on ebay and do searches for whatever it is you are interested in for example ..search :Shimano Sahara and it should give you not only the open auctions and stores selling them as well. I got most of my deals thru the online store: WildWestBargains and they sell both new and used Rods and Reels in open auction