new2BC4bass

MY favorite crankbait rod isn't on your list. None of the rods on your list are in my arsenal.

That company is banned on this forum. Here is a thread that is a few threads below yours that is about low cost spinning reels.

No idea if the lines I am using fit your criteria or not. I just know I like them. I use a lot of AN40 and Siege. Smalljaw67 mentioned to me that Spiderwire Ultracast Ultimate Mono was the best mono he had ever used. He did mention that it had more memory in larger sizes, but he was using lighter on spinning rods. I am trying some McCoy Mean Green and Izorline XXX. Haven't used either enough to form an opinion other than to say they are handling well so far. Both get good reviews. Two other lines that I zero experience with, but reviews are very good on are Maxima and Gamma. So many lines.......so little time.

I bought a used MH spinning rod that I had shipped to my in-laws for when I visit them in Florida. New the combo would have cost me over $300. This year I gave it to my brother-in-law....after it sitting unused for a few years. He only fishes spinning gear. Any lure heavy enough to require a MH spinning rod goes on a baitcast rod....for me. I prefer bc gear whenever possible. OP, I like your options for a crappie rod, but have reservations on the MH for bass. I shipped a MF Jig and Worm spinning rod (a Fenwick Elite Tech) to Florida for this year's visit. I used a reel spooled with braid and had no problems fishing the lily pads with this combo. I feel a MF would be a better all-around rod in your situation. Of course I have no idea what weight lures you will be using or what type of cover you will be casting into so I could be entirely wrong.

I've only got one reel that spools line on one side. I asked here how to fix it, but none of the suggestions worked. It is a T3 MX 1016.

Pflueger Trion. $39.99 at Tackle Warehouse. Probably a bit cheaper Online. Okuma Avenger is the same price. Not familiar with the new Mitchell's, but they might be an option.

I use 6# mono or co-polymer on at least 4 of my baitcast reels. Obviously I don't fish lily pads with these reels. I've landed bigger fish than any bass I will ever catch on 4# XL. Edit: This year I used a spinning rod for the first time in several years. I had only taken one baitcast reel with me to Florida this year and that was spooled with braid and it was 60# braid for my frog rod. Had I remembered to take a reel with 30#-40#, then the spinning rod might not have gotten used this year. One of the spinning reels I took with me was spooled with braid. It caught the vast majority. However, I purchased two spinning rods and reels this year to use for finesse fishing. My skill with lures less than 3/16 oz. is somewhat lacking with a baitcast reel. Things might be different if I had 50 years experience with a baitcast reel instead of being on my 9th year using one. I love baitcast reels.

Little off topic, but how do I know which generation I have? Picked up a used on earlier this year.

By the woman in tights.....?

Reel should be getting dirty and dry after that many seasons of heavy use. If over greased from the factory, the lube may be getting a little thick. Check Online for some "How to" videos. IMO it isn't worth sending that reel to a professional unless it has a sentimental value to you. A good cleaning and 'proper' lubing could turn it into better than it was from the store. Bearings aren't that expensive unless you want a serious upgrade. I wouldn't consider such an upgrade for that reel. Carbontex drags run about $8 and are well worth the price of admission. Good luck cleaning your first reel. It is something I have never done, but really should start so I could save some serious bucks. Problem is I don't have a place to do the work, and am not much of a tinker.

Not in my opinion.

I think the original Tatula rods get a lot of love. Falcon doesn't get mentioned much, but they are another rod that is loved by many. Shimano, Dobyns, GLoomis all get plenty of love. Many Abu rods are well liked, but the one mentioned below hardly ever appears in a thread. Rods that get very little publicity....to name a few. ALX Okuma Major Craft Villain 2.0 Ike Fenwick Hurricane Redbone Quantum Powell Phenix Fenwick seldom gets mentioned since dropping the Smallmouth series. A great rod for the money. The Aetos ain't shabby. The Techna AV was another excellent rod that got dropped. The handle on my Smoke is shorter than I like and I'm not thrilled about where the hook keeper is, but it is a very good rod otherwise. I have a couple Tour Editions and Superlites that I like a lot. How often do you hear of them? Love my Redbone. Thank you Sirsnookalot for recommending them. Recent poster had never even heard of this rod. Love my Helios. Seems like there are a lot of decent rods out there that seldom get mentioned on the forums.

Used reels: You can find a Steez for less than $300. Or a Excense DC. Lots of good reels with that kind of money to spend. I am somewhat of a Diawa fan. The older Zillions can be found for less than $200...as can several other worthwhile Diawa models...Alphas, TD-Z, Pixy, Fuego (original model). Add Helios Air to the used list. New reels: I'd like to suggest a few that no one else will probably recommend. Love my Primmus reels. Great out of the box. Light, smooth, good lookin' and cast extremely well. Patriarch XT. I have the older blue ones. Very under-rated reels. Okuma Helios. Limited use, but liking it so far. Anyone can recommend a Daiwa, Shimano or Lew's.

I believe it was fishnkamp that has recommended the RTX a few times. Maybe he will see this thread and give his opinion of the reel. I've no experience with Okuma spinning reels, but own 3 of their baitcast reels and am extremely pleased with them.

Check videos in this thread.

Very true. Read a thread earlier today that reminded me of that very fact. Poster knocked a rod series as having little sensitivity while I have read previous posts extolling that lines sensitivity.

My Diawa SV spool reels are set with just a tad of side-to-side play. My other Diawa reels are set nearly as loose. I definitely don't have the thumb control most of you guys have. I probably use more brakes than most, but I feel this method is better for distance. If I backlash, it is because I did something wrong. My Shimanos are older reels. I had more trouble dialing in my 51Es than many of my Daiwas. I talked to a guy unloading his boat. He had a cheaper baitcast reel that he didn't use anymore because he said he would make 4 or 5 casts and then backlash. I handed him my 50th Anniversary Zillion, RX7 Rainshadow 7' MHF, 12# Elite, 1/2 oz. spinnerbait after adding just a bit more spool tension. A few minutes later he asked me, "How do you backlash this thing?" Told him to back off on the brakes. Said he already had. I think a lot of it is what you are used to using. I've said it before....I set brakes at 3 and adjusted spool tension fairly loose when I took my Primmus out of the box. Never touched it afterwards. Until my last visit it is the only reel I have taken to Florida with me that did not need any minor adjustments to control backlashes. My reels require some minor adjusting because I am forced to change my casting stroke there. Some other reels I have taken include Zillion, Patriarch XT, Gen1 STX, Purple Alphas, tuned Alphas F, Curado 51E, Curado 201E7, older Trion, Helios Air, Helios, Excense DC, tuned TD-Z 105H, tuned Airy Red, SV 103. The Excense DC is the only other reel that didn't need minor adjustments. Probably wouldn't have needed to adjust my T3 1016, but I was keeping it as a back-up reel. The 3D braking system is great.

Have you...or someone that is not a reel tech...had the reel apart? EDIT: I asked because I received an expensive reel (when new, I bought used), that I couldn't even spool line on. The drag had been changed to something inferior and there were 2 parts missing in the reel. I also had a used reel that locked up after about a half hour's use. Someone didn't get a spring attached correctly and it wound up destroying the gears. Both reels kick butt now, tho.

Just think. It has only begun. EDIT: Love that grip.

I use MH casting rods, so I'd use a MH spinning rod.

Almost (All?) all companies underrate their braid. From what I've read very, very few break near rated strength.

Now that is a very good price. Got mine for $108 and thought I was making out like a bandit.

No. I haven't. Sorry.

I bought this rod after reading all the good reviews/opinions of it. The first frog I tried with it was a 1/2 oz. Booyah. Distance is only ok. A 5/8 oz. frog sails pretty good. Rod shipped to Florida where I got to use it earlier this year to no avail. Temps too low. Maybe next year I'll have a chance to catch a few fish on it.

Your Hurricane Redbone is sold as a saltwater rod. Best I can tell they are fairly popular in Florida. Florida is the only place I have seen them in stores. It was a member here that recommended them to me. I found two previous year's MLs for sale at the mom-and-pop shop I visit when in Florida. Bought one. Later wished I'd bought both. These were IM6...new ones are IM7. My ML is rated 3/8-3/4 oz. It will flat out launch a 3/8 oz. popper. If the action of your MH is anything like my ML, then I can understand why you don't like it as a frog rod. I often fish treble hook lures with mine. I like the rod a lot and feel it would have been well worth full price.