new2BC4bass

Carbontex upgrades cost me $8 when someone else does it for me...along with other work. Basically almost every reel I send for cleaning or upgrading gets a Carbontex drag installed while the other work is being done. Or this review. http://www.tackletour.com/reviewdaiwaadvantage153hsta.html I can't tell which reel it is. I have the older gray colored Prodigy that was based on these reels. It is an exceptionally nice reel for the money, IMO. Feels very solid. Took to upgrading very well according to the guy that did the work for me.

Time for another SV. You can get a RH 7.3:1 Tatula SV for $124.95 from ebay. Or you could get a RH 7.5:1 Tournament MB for $99.99 from Home SXX Store. I've never purchased from them so I would do a check on there store rating first. Both with free shipping.

I wound up sending the reel to Ian Shields. He did a clean/inspect/re-lube, a full tuning polish, installed ZPI SiC spool bearings, tuned spool inductor and added a worm shaft bearing and collar. The inductor tuning is suppose to make the spool a bit faster. Of the reels I mentioned to Ian, he said this reel would be the best to learn skipping. I put it on a 6'3" M-MF Elite Tech Smallmouth for that purpose. Had it out once. Casts much better. Didn't try skipping. Embarrassed to say it hasn't been out since. I haven't been out much this year at all. Even on my yearly trip to Florida I only got out 3 times. As I remember, it no longer slows down so much in the middle of the cast. Nor was I having the overrun/backlash issues I had previously. Control is better. Distance is better although limited somewhat by the short rod. The plan is to use it for short casts and skipping. Figure to save the long distance skips (on a longer rod) for when I am good at it...should that ever happen. One reason for not having it out (besides not getting out much) is that I've added a few new and new-2-me reels and a couple rods so when I did get out I took the new gear. I also had no plans to skip so I left the 105 SV at home. I have recently added 2 more SV reels....a Tatula SV TW and SV103. I have had no problems with these reels. Both are being used straight from the box. One of the new-2-me reels I picked up was the Exsence DC Hogsticker mentioned. Came with a wire-like feeling fluorocarbon spooled. As Hogsticker stated, with the right settings no thumb is needed anywhere in the cast. I didn't touch the spool control. It is set light enough that a lure drops like a rock, but has no side-to-side play. Set at SP. BB, F or Max there is no need for the thumb...except to release the spool. I don't remember if I was able to cast that way with the Daiwa Magforce 3D braking system, but it would be the closest other braking system I have to a thumb free cast like the DC....short of tightening spool tension and brakes to the point it would severely limit casting distance. As for the SV 105, from my one time out with it after the tune, I feel that it will become a favorite now. Before I liked its looks and how it fit my hand. Now I also like how it casts. I feel it will only get better with more time spent using it. Good luck with yours.

New: Lew's Hyper Mag 5.1 oz. Lew's Team Pro Magnesium 5.3 oz. Lew's Team lite 5.6 oz. Lew's Custom Pro 5.8 oz. Revo MGX 5.0 oz. Pinnacle Primmus Xi HS 5.8 oz. Pinnacle Producer LTE 5.8 oz. Okuma Helios Air 5.6 oz. Pflueger Patriarch XT 5.8 oz. Used: Megabass Alphas ito Ai 5.8 oz. Pixy 5.7 oz. Pixy Airy Red 5.6 oz. PX68 5.6 oz. I haven't been around baitcast reels as long as many. Probably others can add to this list. EDIT: Of those I have the Primmus, Helios Air, Alphas ito Ai, Airy Red, PX68L Type R and Patriarch XT. I like them all.

This is the only such reel I am familiar with. Recently saw a picture of one someone had polished. Looked very nice. Can't remember if it still had the Lexan side plate. I'm not positive, but I think the reel was only made in 2005. Should you want to read a review of it type in "alphas ito ai review on tackletour" on Google.

Did you put a smiley face or something similar after the comment? I haven't been on FB in years, but I occasionally post a comment that could conceivably set people off on fishing forums. (On purpose! ) I always add an emoticon so they know I am kidding.

I've been using mono for a few days. I've always used 4#-8# on my spinning reels and have landed bigger fish than any bass will ever get. Of course I was fishing pretty much all open water. If there were line conditioners back in those days, we weren't aware of it. Personally I think with line that big for bass that a baitcast reel is the way to go. You know the Bait Monkey gets hungry, too.

A person can't keep up with all the new reels unless he is someone like Bill Gates. I agree the Tatula is a fine reel even at full price. No experience with the new Fuego, but TT gave it a very good review and the few guys on here that have used it have been very satisfied. No experience with Caenan or Casitas. Or the new Revos. I like the Shimanos I have and a Gen1 STX has been a very good reel for me. Gen3's often got complaints (not from everyone, tho) but I've never used that generation. Hopefully the Gen4 reels are back to being the quality reels many liked in the Gen1 and Gen2 series. Never used an H2O, but it is another reel often mentioned when recommending a low cost reel.

Thanks.

I have this rod. Bought it to try learning to skip. Hasn't happened as yet. How small are the jerkbaits you use with this rod? OP, I have the 6'9" MHF, but it is the rod I missed an eye on when I strung line on it the first time. Took about 15 minutes of casting before I realized it. The mono had put a groove in the finish. I was worried about fishing it thinking it might have compromised the blank. Finally said to myself that the only way to know was to use the rod. I think I've only had it out once since then. Probably because I like 7' or more for any MH rod. The Smallmouth series do have short handles. You get use to it. Also they would probably have sold for $200 if they had a name such as Dobyns, St. Croix, etc on them. Smalljaw67 said he talked to a Fenwick representative, and the guy said Fenwick deliberately under-priced the Smallmouth series to get attention. Got mine! I own several. The 6'10" MF is one of my favorites and I will throw anything on it within its weight range. Single or treble hooks doesn't matter to me.

I posted earlier about getting my first St. Croix rod. It is the 7'1" MF Mojo Bass...SCIII blank. It is nice to know what I can expect from the rod. Thanks. OP, was it a MF or MHF? I've always like the looks of the Premiers. Didn't care for the looks of the original Mojo Bass rods, but the reviews on the new ones have all been very good so when I had the chance to get one for $109 I took it. Price was $69.97 plus tax when they rang it up. Was I ever glad for the Bait Monkey that day.

Funny you should mention that. I just got a new-2-me reel that came spooled with FC. My first thought was that it felt like wire. OP, considering you didn't know how to set the internal braking, that would be my first step. No brakes equals backlashes no matter what line you use unless you grew up with baitcasters like some of these guys. I didn't and need brakes on. What pound test are you using? Personally I think going bigger is the wrong way to go. The heavier the line, the stiffer it will be. The stiffer the line is the more trouble it will cause. That is why many are telling you to use a line conditioner. I've got a couple Okuma's, but not that model. I can recommend a reel that you can cast FC on and never use your thumb. Costs a bit tho. I just picked up a used Excense DC. That is the reel the previously mentioned FC that felt like wire is on. Used it last night for the first time. No line conditioner. No idea when it got used last. Spool has no side to side play but lure drops like a rock. I didn't touch anything other than the outside dial. Set dial on SP, BB, F or Max and no thumb is needed. No overrun whatsoever. I've only used 2 or 3 brands of FC and Sunline Super FC wasn't one of them. I do know that some FC brands are stiffer (harder?) than others. A softer one will cast easier, but also stretch more and be less abrasion resistant...as a general rule.

Excellent article. This is the first article I ever read on supertuning and I think it is still good. http://super-tuning.home.mindspring.com/i1.html However, I have to mention that I do not work on my own reels. No room of my own to do the work, and young grandsons that wouldn't stay out of my stuff if I did. Also I am not a tinkering type of person.

Not a bad idea, but I have bought quite a few used reels that were just fine. I did have problems with two of them. One seller forgot to mention...among other things... that 1) it didn't have the correct spool in it, and 2) you couldn't spool line on it. At this point I sent it to a professional. He also discovered the drag had been replaced with something inferior and a couple parts were missing. What was a good deal turned out to be my 2nd most expensive reel (my cost). The other reel had a spring come off a post after about 45 minutes of use. Handle locked up. Destroyed the gears. I can only assume it happened because someone did their own maintenance. Still it hasn't kept me from buying used. Received 2 more this week...one a gift for my brother to get him started in baitcast reels. OP, do a search for supertuning. There is a very nice article written several years ago explaining how to go about it properly. I will see if I can find it again and will leave a link here if I do.

Yup, don't waste them. I am a catch and release angle except when visiting relation in Florida. We always have a big fish fry before heading home. Two of us have a mini production line. Dip fillet in egg (salt and pepper), flour, back into the egg, coat with crumbled up Saltines, layer on cookie sheet. Cook in deep fryer 3-4 minutes. Apply desired amount of tartar sauce. Yum!

Ask Fenwick if they will send you a replacement tip. I received a used Hammer with the insert out of the tip. Hammer sent me a pack of 4 tip-tops for free. It is a simple job to replace the tip. Even I had no problem. I don't think it is worth sending the rod back unless you want a new one. Fenwick's offer to me was 45% off any model I wanted to replace a rod I messed up by missing an eye when I put the line on.

Never heard of that rod so I did a little research. Prices ran from $23 to $50. Most reviews were good. They seem to often be categorized as trout rods. Looks to be a low cost option. OP. Look at the Fenwick River Runner. There is a thread on TT with several posters commenting on the various lengths. I'd leave a link, but pretty sure we are not allowed to link to that website.

I own 3 house brand reels. Two older gold colored Carbonlites and an older gray Cabela's Prodigy . No idea who made the Carbonlites, but I really like the them. The Prodigy was made by Daiwa and feels as sturdy as a Zillion. I wouldn't fear buying house brand reels if they all performed like mine, but my reading says they aren't all as good. That is why I prefer to stick to name brands. However, a ton of people swear by the older Pro Qualifiers. They can't all be wrong. EDIT: How do you feel about round reels? Abu makes some lefties in 5.3:1 and 5.9:1 for $100-$120 at TW. Should be able to get them for less on ebay. I have no idea what the IPT is though on either ratio reel.

The Pro Qualifier 2 comes in a 5.6:1 in left hand. No experience with the reel, but it constantly gets mentioned as a very good reel for the money.

That rod is rated 3/8-1 oz. As you said, people claim St. Croix rods fish a bit heavy. That rod might be a bit heavy for treble lures, but lowering your drag pressure and using something besides braid should help with treble hooks. I just got a Mojo Bass 7'1" MF (rated 1/4-5/8 oz.) but can't comment on its lure range yet. Personally I like a MHF in the 1/4-3/4 or 1/4-1 oz. range. BTW, and to the forum.

Mine is also a cheap rod (price) from over 40 years ago.....a 6' Berkley Lightning. Only rod I kept from that time period. It landed many more fish back then than I have caught on all my rods since getting back into fishing 8 years ago.

Personal preference is the name of the game. Darren uses mostly spinning rods, and I am with him when it comes to spinning rods. I like 6'6" or less. However, with baitcast rods I usually prefer 7'-7'4".....but I have a few outside that range that have become favorites. To answer your questions, yes a balanced rod is a good thing and will probably feel lighter than a tip heavy rod. Dobyns rods have a good reputation for being balanced...so I read. You will notice that they aren't particularly light. My experience with them is extremely limited. I only have one...a 704CB Glass. I like it a lot. The Avid X should make a good jerkbait rod, but I have zero experience with any Avid...X or otherwise. I just know that most seem to prefer shorter rods although you will find guys using a 7 footer so what is that saying? Oh ya, personal preference.

I agree the SV spool will be more forgiving, and who likes removing backlashes. Two CTs instead of one SV can't be faulted. Both are excellent reels.

Supplies are limited right now, but I bought two 7' MM Aetos casting rods for less than $135 a few months ago, and that included shipping. These were $180 rods. EDIT: I have several HMG rods and feel they offer a lot for your money. Actually I've felt that way about all my Fenwick rods...Elite Tech, Smallmouth, River Runner and Aetos models.

Obviously not or he would know you can never get a woman to do anything she doesn't already want to do. Okay, Quarry Man posted while I was typing, but my remark is something any male should be aware of before getting married. Naturally once married it doesn't take long for a male to learn that on his own. Sounds like your wife may need a Speed Freak. I will say you are one nice guy if willing to giver her your Tat SV....unless you plan on using that gift to get yourself something even better.