new2BC4bass

Do yourself a favor if you can. Stretch that $80 to $95 and get the 7' MF Aetos from Fenwick's website. It is a $180 rod that I'm pretty sure will blow away the rods you mentioned. I don't know if shipping is free. FFO has the 7' Veracity (a $150 rod) for $79. Shipping should be free. It was for the $75 rod I bought from them.

My Cumara 7'2" MHF that I believe was listed as a Fat Ika/Senko rod when in production. Currently has 12# mono on an older model Fuego. Not sure what will go on it the next time it needs a line change. Will have to see what the majority on this thread feel works best and maybe give that a shot.

Man we bought the Forester from said in Maine many parking lots look like Subaru dealers because there are so many parked there. He has no problem selling 200k mile plus vehicles.

Depends on what technique(s) you plan on fishing the most. I love my 6'10" MH-MF Smallmouth rod. $75 at FFO. Who could pass up an Aetos for $95 on Fenwick's site? FFO has the Supreme XT for $89. A Tatula for $95 is always a good option. Tournament MB for about $110 is another excellent option. Dobyns Fury is well like on here by some, but I have zero experience with the model. Same thing can be said for the new Mojo rods. I only handled the older Mojo rods, but couldn't seem to cozy up to them. Said performance of the new blanks has me changing my mind regardless of what I might think of their looks. I'm very tempted to try a Cashion CRT rod. Others will be along to give you even more options. Getting so the $100 price point for rods and reels is becoming a hotly contested market.

Another good idea is to take it someplace to be checked out. My mechanic died from cancer a few years ago. Since then I take my car to Meineke. They told me to bring in any car I was looking at buying, and they would go through it to see if any work was needed. This is done for free.

I've watched it before. I watched it again. This time I paid closer attention. Glenn calls the cast control knob...at least what I've always understood to be the cast control knob (or more appropriately, spool tension knob)...the centrifugal brake control at the beginning of the video I thought he had mis-spoken when watching previously. Early on Glenn has a sub text apologizing for calling the "centrifugal brake" (which he states is the correct term)...the "pin brake". Then at about 2:32 Glenn apologizes again with another sub text stating that what he had previously called the "centrifugal brake" is actually called the "spool tensioner". So in order to keep things straight in my mind, I will consider centrifugal brakes as being the pins inside the side cover, and the knob under the handle either the cast control knob or spool tension knob. Makes more sense to me then calling both centrifugal brakes.

I asked what rod and reel he got, but received no answer. I'm confused, Tom. I thought the spool tension adjustment knob was often called the cast control knob. On my reels the centrifugal brake adjustments are either inside the side cover, or a separate dial on the side cover such as on my Scorpion 4x4 SVS. As far as I knew the centrifugal brakes had nothing to do with spool tension. However, you have years and tons more experience than I so give me the skinny. I learned that way. Actually when I first started using a b/c reel my cast was made with the rod starting from the rear position. Not a good way to learn. I would suggest learning with a roll cast. That way the rod tip is much easier to keep loaded throughout the cast. The roll cast doesn't require timing. I do use an overhead cast...straight back, straight forward...when extreme accuracy is required otherwise I even use a slight roll cast on my overhead casts.

I don't use much braid. I think Sufix Performance is a very good low cost option. I liked it better than the PowerPro Original that replaced it. I like Samurai for what little time I have used it. Probably should put some braid on another reel of two. Smackdown is sounding like a good braid to try. I've got some 30# 832 Ghost that came on an Alphas F. So far it has handled very well. Color doesn't fade either.

With your username you'd better be slick at something.

You are going to need an older vehicle to meet that price. Look for a Corolla with low miles. Not sure which years, but I was told there was a period of several years when Toyotas were being made here in the USA that they weren't very reliable. My '88 Camry had 325k on it when I junked it. My '94 Sentra had 294k when I totaled it. I did nothing to the Sentra but change oil, tires, brakes and rotors. Same for the Camry except it didn't have a stainless steel exhaust system so it required new muffler and exhaust a couple times over its life. The automatic transmission in the Camry was starting to slip when cold. I never touched the transmission fluid. Sentra 5-speed never needed work. As luck would have it, I just helped my daughter get a vehicle. What she wound up with was a 2003 Forester with just over 136,000 miles. Total with everything came to your budget. Rebuilt title, but we got lucky and happened upon a small, local dealer that specializes in Subarus. Doesn't advertise. Strictly word of mouth from happy buyers. Three generations of families buy from him. Apparently Subarus need the timing belt changed at around 170k miles, but otherwise are very reliable. Daughter got to drive it in rain the first day she had it and loves how well it handles wet roads. She also has a 3 year old so safety is paramount. It pains me to say this because I work in manufacturing and take extreme pride in doing a great job, but I would hesitate suggesting any American made vehicle. My '04 LaSabre was the nicest car (and most expensive new) I've every owned. However, the $179k miles (when I had to get rid of the LaSabre) on the more expensive American made car cost me more than the total monetary output of the 614k combined miles on the 2 previously mentioned foreign made cars. A sad reality that depresses me as I would prefer to buy American. To be honest, I would buy a Hyundai before I'd buy American.

Skinny Surfcaster. Never surfcast and haven't been skinny in about 25-30 years.

Welcome! I was 100% spinning until I got back into fishing locally in '09. (Had fished on visits to Florida for the previous 3 years.) Decided to try baitcast reels. Never looked back. It has been about 7-1/2 years of increasing my arsenal. It is easy to get carried away. I hesitate to mention how many reels I now have. Let's just say that some of the money from my second job was put to good use. And that the Bait Monkey loves me. EDIT: You have a very nice girlfriend. Wish I was young enough to have such a good one.

We have a sticky on casting with a baitcast reel. I assume you have already read it and watched the video. There are plenty of threads on using a baitcast reel. What reel did you get? What rod will you be using it on? The problem with learning to use a baitcast reel is that one is never enough. Next thing you know you will have a boatload of them. Someone has to keep the Bait Monkey happy. Might as well be you. It will take a load off my back.

Thanks. Was getting worried. I hoped that he wasn't replying because he was out on a road trip. One of the nice guys here. Seem to be quite a few. Must be because of where they spend their quality time.

I hope it continues to work out for you. I'd still see a lawyer just to cover your butt. Experience has taught me that. Now if she was a teenager, you might want to pay your ex-girlfriend to take her. Beautiful babies grow up and sometimes (thank God not all the time) get to be a pain in our you know what. Also...thankfully...they usually outgrow that phase. Enjoy her now. Time flies and the next thing you know she will want to be spending her time with friends...and boys. Little time for Dad then.

You do what you gotta do. Over 30 years ago I moved from a place with very good fishing to one that is really bad. In my case the company I worked for closed their doors after 102 years in business. Quit fishing for 23 years before getting back into it. It sucks that bad here. I like mountain areas the best, but getting so I can't stand the cold. Sounds like a great opportunity for you. Wish you the best of luck. Fly fishing is fun. I have no doubt you will adapt quickly. Keep us posted on how it goes.

alive and well? Sent a PM some time ago and he never answered. I know he could go at any time. Hoping he is just on the road with his motorcycle and wife living life to its fullest.

Whoa! Thanks. I check rod section every time I stop at DSG. Haven't seen an Escalade in 2-3 years. Called. They have 2 spinning and 2 b/c in stock. Both b/c are MH. Hopefully they will still have one left when I get there tomorrow.

X2. Congrats on the new combo, and as rippin said, the spool looks to be overfilled. I fill baitcast reels to the spool lip....spinning reels, no. If it casts fine, then forgettaboutit.

I've never fished a Quantum Escalade, but have handled one in store. Nice light rod. It impressed me. Wanted one. My local DSG only had about 3 of them. I waited for them to go on sale. They didn't. When I asked my friendly salesman about them, he said they never went on sale because they had no problem selling them at full price. I believe him. Too bad, tho, as I don't like paying full price. Haven't seen any lately so I thought maybe Dick's dropped the line. Unfortunately my local store doesn't carry many rods worth looking at. Can't help with the reels. The Silver Max seems to be well liked at its price point. I will say that you should look at the Aetos on Fenwick's website if you can afford the $95. An amazing rod at that price, and a very good one at the $180 full price.

I think that is what Raul was getting at. I only use the yardage listing on reels as a guide line. I fill to where I think the reel will perform best. What that is I have no idea nor do I care as long as there is enough line for bass fishing.

Going by the maker's advertising most are equivalent to 8 lb. mono. Samurai is suppose to be equivalent to 6 lb. mono. OP: Maybe they are figuring a row or two of 14 lb. mono as a base for the braid.

I am an Ugly Stick.

I assume you mean M or MH power rod. Personally I think you are better off with a short spinning rod considering what you are casting and the areas you are fishing. I would not want any heavier than a Medium power rod. A 6' ML might be a viable option depending on the rod's rating. How much are you willing to spend?

I'd love to be able to give one to my brother-in-law as spinning reels is all he uses....but cheap ones. Then again I'd hate to spoil him for the rest of his reels.