new2BC4bass

Thanks guys. Will have to order one when I get home tonight.

I am not familiar with Daiwa j-braid x4 but have recently read a couple posts praising it. Sufix Performance is a good braid for the money. I like it better than Original PowerPro. Quite a bit quieter thru the guides. Fades to a whitish-green, but fish don't seem to mind. I ordered some Fins after previously reading a couple posts by WRB. Only used the 60# Original PRT so far...on my frog rod I keep in Florida. Have some 45# 40G and 10# (I think) Windtamer to try. Fins has a few on clearance right now. Maybe you could find what you are looking for at a great price. 30# Original PRT Hot Orange in 150 yd. spool is $8.90...normal price $17.80.

Thanks.

I see TW is running a sale on these rods. Don't know why. Anyone have practical experience with them? Or know someone who does? Kind of like to try one. Thanks.

I thought everyone understood that about braid. EDIT: Or do you mean you use braid equivalent to 10# mono?

Be aware 10# 832 is 4# mono equivalent. I don't know how much line your reel holds, but a Mitchell 300PRO holds 210 yard of 10# mono. Use plenty of backing to save yourself a ton of money.

Check out the Villain 2.0. I didn't care much for the original, but the new generation rods are getting high marks for sensitivity. Tackletour has done a couple reviews...one each on spinning and casting rods. There are also a couple other reviews giving them a lot of praise.

This fits me to a T. We caught the occasional bass (both Largemouth and Smallmouth), but weren't bass fishermen. Bullheads, Sunnies, Bluegills, rock bass, perch, pickerel, catfish, etc. were our main catches. Never saw a baitcast reel growing up. Rod never changed hand. You can be pretty accurate with a spinning rod when it is all you use. Bought a 5001C over 40 years ago, but never learned how to cast it. Funny how well it casts today.

Someone asked which hand YOU started with. My left. Spinning only. Stayed with the left hand when I got into baitcast reels. A nice (RH) Alphas ito came up for sale. Bought it not knowing if an equally nice LH would become available. Now almost half my baitcast reels are RH. Cast both hands, but RH for best accuracy. Some lures can tire out the rod hand after awhile. It is nice to be able to switch hands. Doesn't hurt that it doesn't matter which hand a reel is when a good deal comes up.

Best buy you will ever find right at $100. http://www.pfluegerfishing.com/pflueger-reels-baitcast-reels-low-profile/pflueger-patriarch-xtlow-profile-reel/1347903.html#start=2

Anyone can suggest a GLoomis, St. Croix or Dobyns. Two $200 rods I am waiting to get a good deal on are the Abu Villain 2.0 and Ark Sniper. I wouldn't pass on an Invoker at the right price. ALX Zolo line has a rod or two that should be good. I've also read good things about the Ikos. From what I have read the Villain 2.0 is a very sensitive rod and is at the top of my "got to have" list.

Not to high jack the OP's post, but from what I hear they have the power to shut down American companies. Talked to a guy that used to wok for Johnson and Johnson in NJ making good money. He told me in order to keep Walmart's business they were forced to close down the NJ plant and build one in China. Don't know if that is true, but it is believable. The bottom line is all any business cares about.......no matter how big they get or how much they make.

I did that..........................................once.

New 6' MH Berkley Lightning $17 (plus $1.02 tax) and new Procaster $30 on closeout. This is my least expensive baitcast combo. Dedicated (so far) to spinnerbaits. Combo jumps in my hand using a 1/2 oz. spinnerbait with Colorado blade. Tough to miss feeling a strike on it no matter how new you are to fishing.

Got lazy one day when we went from one lake to another (not far). Near mint Chronarch 101A got boat rash. Naturally it couldn't have been the old Trion. Now when I put one rod down to pick up another the reel cover is automatically put on before setting the rod down.

Ugly Stick with the glass tip. For more...Witch Doctor 6'10" Medium Surman 50G or Voodoo II in a couple different lengths...down to 6'2" ML for 1/8-3/8 oz.

On ski rack.........back when I had a roof rack. Now inside car between front seats. Reels all have reel covers. That alone is over $200 so rods have none, but would eventually like to buy about a dozen to cover just the rods I am taking with me with a couple spares.

Haven't used 17# Siege, but have several rods with 8# and 12#. I like it. Bought my daughter a custom 6' MH rod from DVT. (Tried talking her into longer, but she said no.) Spooled it with Izorline Platinum after reading how good it is with abrasion. So far she only fishes Senkos thus why I went with Platinum. She didn't like it because of the memory giving her problems with backlashes. Replaced with 12# Siege and haven't heard a complaint since.

I'll even do this with 300 yd. spools of mono that I am testing. I'll put some cheap mono backing on first so I can try the line on 3 or 4 reels.

Very nice budget!!!! The 6'10" MF or 7'2" MF Shamans are rated for 1/4-3/4 oz. and 10-17 lb. line which puts them into MH territory in my book. A rod a little above what I want to spend, but would love to have is a Helium 3. I like my Falcons. For that kind of money your choices are wide open with many excellent options. Well....you just posted "cranking mostly" so that changes things up. I wouldn't recommend any of the rods I just listed for cranking. Look at Cara T7 Reaction, Avid X, Power Tackle Paragon, IKOS Hustler, Zolo Medium Crank, KLX Feel N Reel. For Witch Doctor check out the Kahuna line. EDIT: I like my Dobyns 704CB Glass a lot. A rod I just picked up at a great price is a Lew's Custom Pro Speed Stick 7'6" MF Ledge/Small Crankbait 1/8-5/8 oz. made with their LFS-X85 graphite. Obviously no chance to use it yet and is still in its plastic wrap, but the little I could find on it was all good.

Daiwa Aird X is another option.

Are we talking GLoomis NRX or Dobyns Sierra budget? My experience with expensive rods is very limited. Since you have a MF spinning I would be looking at a MHF casting rod. I can tell you some rods I am looking at for my next purchase. I really want to try an Ark Invoker or Ark Sniper or an Abu Villain 2.0. All get excellent reviews. If I can force myself to spend a bit more, I would love to get a Witch Doctor rod. I can recommend an ALX Deputy or Toadface. I have an original Megabass Orochi XX Diablo Spec R that I love....thanks to a generous offer from a fellow member. The Fenwick Aetos is also a very nice rod. Grab some popcorn because you are going to get a lot of suggestions. EDIT: The vast majority of my rods tend to be more versatile than technique specific. All 4 rods in my second paragraph fit that description.

That is quite a recommendation. Personally I would love to be able to try both in a Medium power rod.

I was 61 when I got my first low profile casting reel. I know of at least 2 people on here that only use spinning gear and I can guarantee they catch more fish than I do using both types. OP: If you were to turn out like me, then I would suggest you don't get a baitcast combo (unless financially well off). I've bought enough baitcasting rods and reels to be able to put a nice down payment on a bass boat in the (almost) 10 years since buying my first baitcast reel. And...no...I don't have a bass boat and probably never will considering my age and finances. I put too much money into baitcasting rods and reels.

This makes a lot of sense. OP: I only have one Dobyns rod and it isn't a frog rod so I can't give an opinion based on actual experience. What I have read is that Dobyns are a bit heavier than a lot of rods and this confirms that. However, many people say the balance is very good making them feel lighter than they actually are. Does the rod have to be a Dobyns? The 7' HF Okuma Helios weighs less than 4 oz. (3.84 oz.) I really like my 7' MF.