RichF

Brother, you just have to hold one to appreciate it. I have owned all sorts of Kistlers, Diawas, Shimanos, All Stars, etc...and I'm slowly replacing them all with GBlanks rods. Not only are they lightweight and sensitive, but you can customize them however you want. You choose the handle, guides, spiral wrap, whatever and they don't cost any more (usually less) than comparible rods from other rod makers. Check 'em out. www.imaginationbassin.com These rods sound nice but I can't seem to find any building options on the website. Do you have to call or something in order to get lists of materials like blanks, handle types, and guides, etc?

That is correct. I emailed powell with that very question and they confirmed it for me. I just sent in 2 broken shimano crucials. I was told that if the breakage was my fault, they would not be replaced. Of course breakage was my fault. Hope the warranty people at shimano overlook it. You're right, I just read somewhere it was down to a 3 year but the majority of sites say lifetime, and if you break it and it is your fault I guess it is $40 and a new rod. Is this correct?

I use the palomar knot for everything! Braid, mono, and flourocarbon. It's never failed for me.

You def got the crank setup right. Most of my reels are 7:1. I really like to have fast reels for flipping and pitching, jigs, buzzbaits and frogs. I use my 6.3:1 reels for lipless cranks, square billed cranks, and topwater baits. I've used both speeds for spinnerbaits and think they both work fine. I like to cover water and fish fairly fast so the quick reels fit my style better.

I think flourocarbon is great stuff. I've caught A TON of bass on flouro and have never broken off a fish on the hookset. Do any of u guys use the palomar knot? It's the only knot i use. I used vanish transition the last 2 years and my only complaint is the lack of abrasion resistance. I just bought a ton of triple fish flouro cuz it was on crazy clearance and it seems fine. I've used seaguar carbon pro and again, no major complaints.

Does anyone have any experience with Falcon rods replacement plan for broken rods?

I def think the new "budget" rods companies are coming out with are great for the sport. It's even better to see big names like skeet and ike using these rods. Bass fishing is starting to become out of reach for a lot of anglers out there, especially those who wanna fish tournaments. Its bad enough the way the economy is but trying to break out into this sport seems almost impossible to the every day joe. I'm speaking from my own experience of course. I want nothing more to fish the professional trail but the way the sport is heading...$$$$$ Not looking good for most of us.

Awesome info! Thanks for the input!

I have the LTB shakin and finesse spinning rods and they are fantastic! The blank is thin and the graphite is ultra rich. I use these rods for shakey heads, tubes, and occasionally drop shots. The sensitivity is outstanding!

Yeah and Im not sure if I like the huge diameter of the rod blank. I've been using a light graphite rod for my crankin. It works ok but I feel like there is just not enough give with graphite and I tend to lose nearly 1 in 4 fish (especially smallies). Havent actually used a graphite rod specifially designed for crank fishing tho.

I was wondering if anyone could tell me more about powell crankin rods. Where are they made? Glass vs graphite crank sticks? Thanks for the help guys.

I wish I had some to share. I didnt even get a plaque b/c the ABA director didnt have any that day!

Yeah we know Burnie. My dad has fished with him a few times in ABA events. He's a great guy and an awesome angler.

Thanks guys. I'm from Evans Mills which is a few miles outside of Watertown and the 1000 Islands area.

I've been fishing tournaments for 3 yrs now. I would def would cut down and go with 6 outfits at most. I have 11 outfits but only take 6 when I'm a co-angler. I go with 2 casting rods heavy enough to throw spinnerbaits, frogs, and jigs, a medium casting rod with flourocarbon line for jerkbaits and cranks, a medium casting rod with a floating line for topwaters, and 2 spinning rods that can handle finesse techniques like shakey heads, tubes, and drop shots. I also use snaps for hardbaits. They allow you to change baits quickly and don't hinder their action. Always remember to fish to your strengths too. Bring outfits to match your favorite/strongest techniques. Good luck next season!

My first win came in just my fourth ABA tournament last july at cayuga lake. There were three other tournys going on during that day and it was my first time ever fishing the lake. Midway thru the day my partner and I stopped in the middle of 13ft flat with sparce, deep grass. About 10-12 other tourney anglers from the other clubs were fishing senkos and tubes off the flat in deeper water. I went with a 3/4oz AT jig rigged w/ a zoom superchunk trailer. I was making short casts/pitches, letting the bait sink to the bottom, snapping it a couple times then bringing it in. Got a 4.5 pounder on around my 6th cast. Caught around 18 bass for the day and my weight was just over 17 pounds. My partner used the same technique and placed 2nd with over 14 pounds! Btw.. I didn't see any other angler boat a bass over 2 lbs with the finesse techniques. Long live the jig n pig!

Hi fellow bass fisherman. Its great to be a part of a community dedicated to the greatest sport out there. I'm 24 yrs old and have been fishing since the age of 4. My dad and I are competitive bass anglers fishing the ABA and the NNYBM team trail. Northern NY offers great bass fishing for both smallies and largemouth. Keep on fishin!

Hope this helps, I have used both the vendetta and the crucial, both 7ft mh. The vendetta is a decent rod for the price but is in no way better than the crucial! Crucial is more sensitive and has a better feel. The taper of the vendetta feels a bit weird when setting the hook on a fish. Def go with the crucial.