new2BC4bass

Your mono must have been garbage. Most monos handle better than fluoro. At least that has been my experience with my limited use of fluoro. I've only tried about 3-4 kinds, and one of them came on a used reel. Besides Super Natural you can try Sufix Siege. I have good luck with it in 12# and 8#. Sufix Elite is a bit softer and thus handles slightly better. Most people use Elite on a spinning reel, AFAIK. I don't see many people suggesting it for b/c reels, but I've had the same line on my 50th Zillion for several years now. Trilene XL handles quite well. Big Game is a good line, but I personally feel it doesn't handle as well as Siege until you get it good and wet. Both coil after setting awhile, but Siege does't give me loose coils on the reel for the first few casts like Big Game does. You might consider a co-polymer or hybrid. McCoy and Silver Thread AN40 get good reviews. I use AN40 in 12# and 8#. Yo-Zuri is very well liked on this forum. Almost forgot. Last year a friend raved about Spider Wire Ultracast Ultimate Mono. Said it is the best mono he has ever used. He was a tournament fisherman so he has used quite a few lines. I'm currently trying some 10# on a reel.

Welcome to the forum. A 6'6" to 7" MF or MHF would be considered a good all-around rod. Lure size and cover would help determine the correct power for you. Do you fish from shore or a boat? A shorter rod is better if there are any obstacles that would interfere with a casting stroke. Budget is also important for making suggestions.

OP grew up like you. First b/c reels were LH retrieve. An Alphas ito came up for sale at a decent price....RH retrieve. Now my reels are about half and half. Cast with either arm, but overhead LH cast isn't as good as RH and I cast RH when top accuracy is needed. Side arm roll casts are about the same on either side. Almost always have both hand reels when practicing, and always have both when out fishing. Switching from one to the other is no problem. BTW, I was 61 when I bought my first Low Profile b/c reel. Had an Ambassadeur 5001C that never got used because I didn't know how to set it up. That was about 35-40 years ago. Thankfully we have the Internet now, or I probably wouldn't have bought a second b/c reel as I still didn't know anyone fishing with that type of reel.

Dobyns not being able to sell a new "old" model rod makes me curious as to how St. Croix can sell new "old" models in their Bargain Room. Are they taking a hosing on every rod in the Bargain Room? I'd hope they are at least getting the cost of manufacturing them back. I am not against a company making a profit for their efforts. They wouldn't be in business very long otherwise. I just don't want to pay 2 to 3 times the cost of manufacturing a product. Some items...such as jewelry...have so much mark up it makes me want to cry.....or change my profession. I work in manufacturing. We get pennies for the individual parts we make. Our customers assemble them and make a very tidy profit. I'd be curious as to how much a company actually pays per rod versus its asking price.

You could add Silver Thread AN40 and Excalibur to that list. I seriously want to try McCoy and Yo-Zuri, but it would have to be a small spool as I have 3000 yard spools of AN40 in my 2 favorite line sizes. I've also got some XXX to try. So many good lines...so little time left.

I'm sorry, but no way is Dobyns going to lose money by swapping your rod for a current model. This isn't China where a 5 cent part costs the native consumer $50 by the time 50 people (plus the Chinese government) make a profit on it while on its way from the factory to his door. Falcon sent me a $200 rod for $80 when I broke an Expert. Told them it was my fault as I fell face first into a pile of rocks. Now it is very possible they lost money on that particular rod, but they gained a customer. Falcons are my second largest group behind Fenwick. Missed the third eye from the end of a Fenwick while stringing a new-2-me rod. 15 minutes of casting wore a groove in the finish (and maybe into the blank) even though I was using mono. Fenwick offered me any replacement rod I desired at 45% off MSRP. I seriously doubt $85 off on a $340 rod would wind up causing Dobyns to lose money.

Darn nice suggestions. Here is another reel to consider...a $250 reel for $161.21 (LH a $ less) plus a little for shipping. http://www.manventureoutpost.com/products/Okuma-HM%252d273-Helios-Air-LP-Reel-8%252b1-BB-7.3%3A1-Right-Hand-739998141524.html Comes with ABEC5 bearings. Excellent casting distance. 5.7 oz. 130yds 12#. If they get more Pinnacle Primmus reels in, I can also highly recommend one. Liked my first one well enough that I now have three. The more expensive GLoomis rods are always a good option as is an Avid or up St. Croix. I've also been reading some good things about Hammer rods. I'd suggest a MHF 1/4-1 oz. or 1/4-3/4 oz. as a good all-around rod for the one rod fisherman. If you can find one of the original Fenwick Aetos rods in that power/action, then I can also recommend it. A beautiful rod, sensitive and better priced than many equivalent rods unless on sale. EDIT: Just noticed this is your first post. Welcome. I think you are going about it the right way. One very good outfit at a time. Use it. See what other techniques you want to try. Consider another good outfit for that. Hopefully one that also does several things well. Actually most rods are multiple use. However, I wouldn't use a rod I fish 1/2 oz. jigs with for shallow cranks.

I've never compared my Tatulas and Zillions side by side, but imagine you won't like the Zillion if you didn't like the Tatula. My 50th Anniversary is one of my favorites. I am not fussy when it comes to reels. Some might even call me clueless.

Thanks. Although I purchased a few more reels over the winter, all were models I already have. Feeling the urge to try something new. Although I have something like 7 brands of reels, none are Quantums. It is either one of these or try another Lews. Only Lews I have was grabbed by a grandson for his use when we go out. Therefore I seldom use it because I like to keep it set up for him. A recent Lews thread has me wanting one for myself. P.S. I see you like guitars. What kind? Wanted to start taking lessons and simply had to have an electric. Don't use an amp where I take lessons, so a few months later I got an acoustic so we both could hear my mistakes. Turns out I love acoustic guitars.

When I got into baitcast reels, and decided to try braid on one, the consensus was to use 40# or heavier to avoid it digging in. Since then I have read of quite a few using less with no problem. A used reel I bought two years ago came with 30# braid. First thing it needed was to make a long cast and then pull off more line before retrieving. Repeat. However, it worked fine for me after that. Took it to Florida where I sometimes got snagged on lily pads. Still didn't have any digging in. I guess the trick is to keep the braid reasonably tight on the spool.

For me memory is more critical on a spinning reel than on a baitcast reel. Big Game is good line, but I don't think I would use it on a spinning reel. I use 8# on a baitcast reel, and do okay with it. Especially once I've made a few casts. I like Trilene XL and Sufix Elite, but I haven't tried many lines on spinning reels since I seldom use one. Because of line memory, I feel a softer line works better for me. I realize many love braid for spinning. I have braid on two of my spinning reels, but prefer a mono or co-polymer....same as for my baitcast reels.

Smoke PT SL100SPT or EX100HPT ? Why? Your experiences with them are....??

Guess my mind is failing. I know you pointed this out before. For some reason I keep thinking Yo-Zuri has a larger diameter. What this means to me is that I can buy a lighter pound test. FAIAC a true 12# breaking point is hard enough to break.

I'm going to bet that the overwhelming choice will be the Lews. I own reels from both companies, but not those models so no advice other than to say if you buy a used SX make sure it isn't the Gen 2 model. Casts very long distance (according to some posters), but was/is very finicky in its set up. Lots of posts complaining of how easily it would backlash. Gen 1 was highly regarded.

I think it was Yo-Zuri 12# that I have seen posted as breaking at 19#. That is why the line has a larger diameter. Personally if I wanted a line that breaks at 19# then I would buy a line rated for 19#. That is the main reason I can't seem to work up a lot of enthusiasm for Yo-Zuri.

Piece of tape works good. I like how Silver Thread ships their narrow spools. They have a wide stretchy band with a piece sticking out to grab ahold of for removal.

Trying new lines can get carried away same as trying new reels...or rods. I've got some Silver Thread AN40 and Excalibur, Ultracast Ultimate Mono and Izorline XXX on hand that I am already trying out or still have to try out and want to get some McCoy, Iron Thread, Yo-Zuri plus a few Sunline products as well. Already trying Sunline Super Natural. We have it made today.

X2. My sentiments exactly. I own more Diawas than any other brand, but fish something like 7 brands.

It might help to know the part of the country you are from and the type of water you fish. I have zilch experience with any of your reels. Given those line choices, I would use the the XXX on both Medium rods and the Kastking on the crankbait rod. I would probably use the CXX on the MH and the braid on the Heavy rod.

My only Abu rods are 2 Villains...one I like, one I don't. Like all my Fenwick rods regardless of model line. The Aetos is a beautiful rod, but I've got to say the Smallmouth series are exceptional rods for the money. Nothing wrong with my HMGs or Tecnha AVs either. Mike L has mentioned before how great the Technas are. Got to start fishing mine more often now that my rod acquisitions have slowed to a stop.

First let me thank you for giving me more than a 30 word reply. Second, if you couldn't stick a bass with a spinning rod and hollow-bodied frog, it was your rod, not the reel although if you were using mono that could also contribute. I visit Florida each year and keep one spinning rod there...a MHF with 40# braid. It hardly ever gets used. I rarely use a spinning rod locally. Preaching to the choir. My b/c rods outnumber spinning rods by 7:1 while my b/c reels outnumber spinning reels 9:1. Not much a b/c rod can't due as long as the operator puts in enough practice....including light crankbaits and skipping. I think you and I would get along fine in a boat. Yup, the OP needs both kinds, but looks like he only bought a spinning combo. Like I said, give him time. Short post for me. Do I win anything?

Hey!! I like the purple accents on my T3 MX. However, the purple on this new reel looks to have a lot of blue in it and is much lighter colored. Maybe Daiwa is starting to make it easier for us old farts with bad eyes to see the settings. Too bad the indicator isn't also highly visible. What good is seeing the numbers if you can't see the indicator to know where the brake setting is at? Tat vs Alphas SV....for me it currently is the Tat. Although I like the looks and ergonomics of the SV, its casting performance is a disappointment. However, I think I need to spend more time with it before considering sending it out. Has to be me. Maybe I'm trying to cast too hard. Everyone else has nothing but praise for the SV.

Same here. Whenever I fish braid I am retrieving a worm through junk so I have tension on the line pretty much all the time.

Good luck with that. Rod selection at my 2 local Walmarts sucks. I normally buy all my lures at Dick's Sporting Goods, because a sale at Walmart is unheard of in my area. Only deals I have gotten from Walmart is there Online prices.

MHF rods make fine all-around rods. Not the best for treble hooks, tho. Personally I use them for everything else.