new2BC4bass

I assume this is what you really want to know about. Can't help there. Lots of rods in this price range. Some I have used in that price range and like are Fenwick HMG, Fenwick Aetos on sale, Tatula on sale, that unmentionable company, Falcon Original, Hurricane Redbone, Daiwa, Shimano. I'd also look at some of the Okumas. Seem to give good value. I'm like FFF. Why limit yourself to one brand of rod or reel? Reels: Pinnacle, Okuma, 13, Daiwa, Shimano, Abu, BPS, Pflueger. Rods: Abu, Berkley, Daiwa, Batson, Shimano, Tec Spec, Fewick, Falcon, Cabela's, BPS, Quantum. I have one technique specific rod.....for cranking. Versatility is the name of the game.

The Veritas and Pflueger have good reputations. Many like the Black Max casting reel for a beginner. I've no idea about the Black Max rod or the KastKing reel. Is the Tec Spec black (original) or blue (Elite)? Both have received positive comments at their price range. I have the original black model in a 6'8" MF. I agree it is a decent rod for the $60 price. Tip recovery is slower than I like, but you can't expect too mush at this price point.

12# Sufix Elite. Soft, very manageable line. Better than Big Game to learn on IMO because it will have less memory. Trilene XL is another line similar to Elite.

Congrats. You bought a great rod. Enjoy it.

Question. Wouldn't a HF rod be a little too much for a #5 Shad Rap? I thought lures this small required rods with a little less power and a little slower action to keep the hooks from tearing out If not, then I am going to start using a 6'10" HF rod for a wider range of lures than what I have been using it for. I've always read that crankbaits deserve a dedicated rod with a Moderate or Med-Fast action although I must admit to using a MF or ML-F most of the time as I personally feel if a rod will load with a lure less than 1/4 oz. then its tip should be flexible enough not to rip treble hooks out of a fish. Especially if the drag is set right.

12# mono or Co-polymer.

Line conditioner does help. If I am going to use it, I normally spray the line before spooling it onto the reel. Occasionally before heading out the door if a certain line is giving me too much memory problems.

I've never used anything over a 17# mono. Admittedly no problems with it. I'm curious as to what kind of memory you guys have with a 25# mono. Especially with Big Game since I have memory problems with the 8# and 12# Big Game I use until a few casts have been made. I almost never use a line conditioner.

They only list one on their website.....which is one I already have. Would love the 7'4" Heavy.

From what I have read probably none beat the Tat at $100. Couldn't personally claim that as there are a lot of $100 reels I've never used....nor will ever use. You could look at the Pflueger Supreme. I think Pfluegers are under-rated. Have owned a couple $100 and $250 Pflueger reels. They each performed very well in my book. Also take a look at Pinnacles. They have gotten good reviews from bassresource testers. I like my Tats, but love the Primmus. I wouldn't be afraid to try some of their other models.

Check out Spyderwire Ultracast Ultimate Mono and Silver Thread Excalibur. Possibly Izorline XXX.

I can't answer that question, but personally I would be looking to buy a smaller reel designed for BFS. Never owned (or used) a Citica, but I think they are about the same size as my Curado 201E7. The E7 is just too good at what I consider "normal" size bass lures to consider trying to turn it into a light lure reel....provide it can be done. How light do you want to go? You can easily cast a true 3/16 oz. weight with quite a few stock reels that aren't considered BFS reels, and they won't break the bank.

I started using right hand baitcasters because 1) not all reels come in left hand, and 2) I wanted to be able to take advantage of any good deals that came up regardless of which hand they were. Why limit yourself if you can use both. I always cast with the right arm if accuracy is a priority no matter which side the handle is on. Casting distance doesn't suffer on either side.

No sir. I don't believe you are too old to learn. I am 7 years and 3 days older than you. I started using baitcast reels in 2009...so about how old you are now. I cast with either hand. I reel with either hand. Up until recently my reels were nearly half and half. Half RH, half LH. However, I will admit that you probably won't learn as quickly as a teenager would. More than likely you will never be as good as you would have been if you had started 50 years ago. You no doubt are smarter than any 16 year old, but if anything like me, the mind (and muscle memory) ain't what it used to be when it comes to learning new stuff.

It is a Shimano. What is there to think about. Just buy it. EDIT: A little more information on the reel. http://forums.tackletour.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=55685&sid=0f65af00ff4aacf3d2586f4466527c40

Both rods are listed as having a Fast action. I have a feeling the Medium is really an Extra Fast action. That is the rating as my 6'9" M-XF Elite Tech Smallmouth casting rod.

I think it is a safe bet to say that everyone on basssresource not only loves fishing, but is very willing to help others when possible. In the OP's case he has 3 other Daiwas. He is new to using them, but also has BP Qualifiers he has been using. He is only complaining about one reel. I think it is another safe bet to say that he has no problem with this lure when using the other combos. Hence I felt there are 2 possible problems. Either 1) something is wrong with the reel, or 2) he is using the wrong rod. I don't think it is because he somehow forgets how to cast when using this particular reel. I've often seen the comment, "It's not the reel, it's you." Now I have a lot of respect for Raul and would love to have him for a mentor, but he made the same comment in a post of mine about 1-1/2 years ago when I mentioned I couldn't get the side cover off my (used) Curado 51E and that the spool was sticking on a (used) Fuego that had seen very little use. Guess what. Sometimes it is the reel. I had no problem getting the side cover off my other (bought new) Curado 51E. I had no problem with a spool sticking on my other 2 (bought new) Fuegos...or 40 plus other b/c reels for that matter. I sent both to DVT. Mike straightened a pin in the Curado as best he could. I can get the cover off now, but it does comes off hard. Mike didn't want to charge me $10 shipping on a .50 cent part which is why he didn't replace the pin. The Fuego spool no longer is sticky. I am fully aware that no brakes and no spool tension is going to result is the longest casts. I also know that I am a long ways from being able to reach that point. Seriously doubt I ever will be. I also feel that not everyone has the ability to develop the "touch" required for running a reel set up that way. I might be one of them.

You guys that can cast with zero brakes and very little spool tension have to realize that not everyone else can. From what I've seen, every one of you that can cast this way look down your noses at the rest of us. I grew up when baitcast reels had no brakes. Unfortunately I never used a b/c reel until 2009. Maybe I could learn to if I fished 3-4 days a week....and that is a very small "maybe". I'd stand a much better chance learning if I were a teenager, but I am fast approaching 70. I've already proved with my guitar lessons that I can't learn like I did at 16. You are asking me and others to ignore the braking features on our reels. I don't see that happening for the Average Joe. Learning to cast without brakes and very little spool tension is going to take a lot of time for most of us, and we will probably go through a few 3000 yd. spools of mono. I don't mind my occasional overruns, but I don't want the frustration and loss of time that occurs from removing professional backlashes. Or retiring that reel until I can re-spool it. Instead I invested in reels that will cast lighter weights while still allowing the use of brakes. A person only needs so many reels that will cast below 1/4 oz. I can guarantee that at least 7 of my reels will do an honest 3/16 oz. and the PXL Type R will do less...........and I use brakes on every one of them. No doubt many of you could cast 1/64 oz. with them. I'll just have to break down and use a spinning outfit for weights that low.

Is it the new model Zillion or the older model? What rod are you using it on? My research before ever buying a Zillion (older models) suggested that 3/8 oz. was the minimum this reel would comfortably cast. (No idea about the new model.) Therefore mine are on MH rods and normally get used with 1/2 oz. or larger. It is suppose to be warmer later this week. Hopefully it will still be warmer this weekend as I already had plans to work with a couple of my reels. I will try to use a Zillion with a 3/8 oz. lure, and see how well it will cast for me. If I know the power and action of the rod you are using, I will mount it on a similarly spec'd rod.

How is your health, my friend? Good to see you posting again. If you read the linked thread, then you know I was a bit disappointed with the reel as well. However, I only used it a few minutes, so I am hoping to be impressed after I get to spend a bit more time with it. As you know I am a bit of a fan of Daiwa reels. Two reels that did impressed me from the get-go were the Pinnacle Primmus and Okuma Helios Air.

Got to be something wrong with the internals. I believe 25 grams is just over 7/8 oz. That sucker should fly a mile. I don't see how it could be you since you are using 3 other Diawas without a problem. Time to get it looked at. If new, exchange it. EDIT I see the lure itself weighs about 3/8 oz. Are you casting both the lure and lead or only the lure? Still in all a Zillion should have no problem casting 3/8 oz. a decent fishing distance....provided that the rod is loading sufficiently.

They are on the up n up. Bought a couple spools from them.

I don't use any reel day in and day out. Don't get out that often. I try to switch gear so that all see some use although I do have a few favorites that see more use than others. Many of my reels were purchased used so the only way I'd know their possible age would be to research the years they were made. My oldest reels that I purchased new, and still use on occasion, are a 40-45 year old 5001C Ambassadeur and a Penn 430SS spinning reel from approximately the same era.

Only items the Walmart nearest to me carries that are worth anything are Rapala lures and Zoom worms. I have to drive to the one further away to find something as good as a Bucoo rod. They also carry 4 times the lures. However, it looks like $130 rods are going to be too much for this store as well. There were only about 3-4 Jupiter rods left. A line only made for Walmart and running $70. Must also be too rich for the average clientèle. Looks like Berkley and Shakespeare are go to be the only lines left. Online shopping at Walmart is the best way for me to go. I did get 2 Tatula rods for less than $100 from the Online site.

I put a 5.7 oz. reel on a 7' MF Techna AV and noticed right away it was tip heavy. Once on the water I didn't notice a thing. Yup. I'm clueless. Only thing I paid attention to was my casting and reeling.