new2BC4bass

Read enough posts and you will find people in both camps as to which is easier to learn on. And which is easier to untangle. However, I think most will agree you will cry less if cutting a spool of mono off your reel versus braid. I will say that (so far) I have always put about a half spool of cheap mono on my reels before finishing off with braid. I'm sure I would get my picture in the newspaper if I ever caught a bass big enough to take me into the backing. As I said above, Sufix Elite is a good line with little memory. It's a good line to learn on, and a good line to use once you have learned. Probably not the best line if you are in a situation requiring a line with excellent abrasion resistance.

I've weighed very few lures. Two were spinnerbaits....both listed as 1/2 oz. A Strike King Cricket weighed .62 oz. A War Eagle weighed .82 oz. No idea actual weight of a 3/4 oz. spinnerbait, but I'm sure I would prefer a Heavy for that weight. Currently have 17# mono on one of my Heavy's and 50# braid on another. Don't know where my one lonely 3/4 oz. spinnerbait is, but as luck would have it, that is the lure I was using (on a 7'6" Zillion HF with 12# Elite) to catch the only bass I've ever caught at the fishing pier at Lake Nockamixon. Nice little 16 incher. Normally I don't fish over 1/2 oz. spinnerbaits. I use a MH for those. Most of the time with a 12# mono or co-polymer. I have to admit that I seldom use a trailer, so that helps with keeping a 1/2 oz. spinnerbait within a MH's rating.

I'm partial to 12#. For the OP, I would suggest Sufix Elite. Personally don't think it has as much memory as Big Game. I do have more Big Game than Elite. I started using the Uni Knot somewhere around 16 (years old, not 16 AD). I have never had one break with braid although I have straightened out some jig hooks (3/8 oz. jigs) with 30# braid.

Paragraphs please. Let's hope TexasBass1975 has been fishing his rod for the past 18 months.

My experience is extremely limited with spinning reels. I like my Daiwa BG. Bit heavier than some, but feels like it is built like a tank.

Got the same rod for $149 plus tax ($172.73 total). My 7' MF Regista weighs 4.2 oz.

That's the one I have. Had 2, but gave one to a young guy with 2 kids, trying to go to school and working part time. He seemed to like it a lot. Unfortunately he broke the new rod I gave him when a jig hit it. Paid $30 on closeout for the Daiwa Procaster 100HN. Feels like it's worth a lot more than the $69.95 MSRP. I keep it on a dedicated short range spinnerbait rod.

Same here. Consider yourself lucky if you can limit it to 20 or so. I thought you WERE a drunken sailor given your username! ? I wanted to try a baitcast reel when I got back into fishing in 2009. Love them. It can be deeper than any (real) rabbit hole. Spent more than I should have even though I buy used, closeouts, or sales. The problem is I could double what I already have just because I like BC reels that much, and there are plenty new and old ones I haven't tried yet. OP. Sorry I can't be of any help. Not used any of those. I am partial to Daiwa, so I'd most likely go that route.

Some good suggestions. Spinning or baitcasting? Baitcasting has a steeper learning curve. Not bad for some, worse for others. I was in the second group. Should have looked up some videos. Now I hardly ever touch spinning. No experience with them, but several on here have mentioned Lew's Carbon Fire fishes above its price....currently $70, normally $80. As you have already discovered, the Aird X is also highly rated for the $$$. I couldn't get past the color of the older Berkley Lightning Shock rods, but I have an old Lightning (not the Shock) that has been good to me for a long, long, long time.

And still underrated by many. Liked the first one well enough to buy a second before TW ran out of them. Few years later I picked up a third one in excellent condition. Yup. Sent it out for cleaning at the end of the first year I had it. Guy that did the work on it was impressed enough to buy a couple to keep for non-fishing friends to use when they went out with him.

I assume you are referring to Dobyns rods as I have 11 MHF rods from various brands rated 1/4-1 oz. Heck, I have 2 Fenwick MF rods rated 1/4-1 oz.

$144 and change. At least that is what I paid on closeout. However, not a sleeper reel for me as I had read tackletour's review of it a time or two. Can't speak for durability as none of my reels get fished hard, but the older Pflueger Trion is a surprising caster once I went to heavier line and mounted it on a HF rod. I didn't know what to expect from the Pinnacle Primmus HS Xi, but I love that reel. The Cabela's Prodigy (older gray one) has also proved to be quite good.

Kinda got the answers I was expecting. Guess I will put the 103H on a rod rated in the 3/8 to 1-1/4 oz. area, the 100SHL and EX 100H on rods in the 1/4-1 oz. area and the SV on a ML or M rod in the 1/8-5/8 oz. area. Now to select which rod to pair up with them!

I definitely would let his sidekick in (1999 one).

Same. Yup. Times 1000. BTW, I no longer try to one-hand cast a 13 Fishing Omen Black that I bought from a guy that only casts one-handed and didn't like the rod. I made one cast one-handed and darn near threw the rod/reel into the lake. Strictly a two-hand casting rod for me, too.

Can I add my Limited Edition OG Tatula Type R? Also purchased used, but looks like it never was used. I've taken it out of the box to look at a couple times.

Over the past few years I've picked up 4 used Steez baitcast reels. Even used they are a substantial investment for me. Because of their cost, I don't want to use any of them on a technique that might put stress on the internals. Or cause premature wear. Not really looking for rod recommendations as I'm about done buying rods. I do want to pick up a Falcon Expert Head Turner, tho. Steez 100SHL Steez 103H Steez SV103H Steez EX 100HS with I'ze factory Steez SV105 spool I'm thinking a MH rod for the 103H as from what I've read it can be a wild child for the inexperienced with light lures. Not sure if I have the necessary skill to use it with light lures. I put some 8# AN40 on the SV103H and mounted it on a 6'10" ML Villain 2.0, but unfortunately I've gotten out fishing much less the past few years. However, thinking to move near my in-laws in Florida by next year, so hoping that will change. Therefore I'd like to get these reels paired up with appropriate rods. Basically I'm looking for techniques NOT to use them for, but I want to use them as much as I can. Love the looks of the reels plus I can't see spending that kind of money to just let them sit. Thanks.

No idea. Check out the reviews on TW. Looks like they are very well thought of. I don't know what is the best rod in the $130 range. Personally I like my Falcons and Tatulas, but if you want to try something different, check options by 13 Fishing, Ark, iRod, TFO or maybe a Denali AttaX or Fenwick HMG or Lew's TP-1 Black. Lots of options for those willing to give them a try. Don't know anything about TFO rods, but they have a pretty good reputation in the fly rod sector for giving good bang for the buck.

I quit fishing for 23 years because it is so bad in the area I moved to for work. When I decided to get back into fishing, I wanted to try a baitcast reel. Bough my first one in March 2009 so many of the reels I own were already old. I am not familiar with the TD-1. I have 3 of the Purple Alphas reels (another favorite) that I believe were made in 2004...5 years before I got back into fishing. EDIT: Apparently I missed the Golden Era for reels.

I used a MF for crankbaits before finally getting a crankbait rod. I agree with TNBankFishing. Fishing them from a bank sucks. I hate spending $7-$15 on a lure only to leave it on the bottom of the lake, river, etc. Call me cheap. The lure is getting its deepest as it approaches the shallow shoreline. I've lost more than one #5 Shad Rap from shore and they don't run deep at all. I have no idea what rod you should get next. I like versatility. The Falcon Head Turner is such a rod. So are a lot of others.

Siege Neon Tangerine??

I have one TD-S. No box for it. I don't see it listed in my 'Reel List' file. Don't remember the model number. I'm thinking I typed it wrong in my file. Could it be a TD-S 103HL instead of the TD-X 103HL I have listed? No thumb bar. Lever on the side of the spool. Maybe one of you old farts know. Made in Japan. Sorry. Can't post pics. I have either 4 or 5 TD-X (depending on the above) and 7 TD-Z reels. Three of the TD-Z 105H reels which I really like. All 3 have been tuned and upgraded.

Have never been able to answer the 'Favorite Reel' question. I like reels, and have many 'favorites'. The list can get long, but these three are near the top: 50th Anniversary Zillion, TD-Z 105H, Helios Air. Could easily add another dozen.

Yup. Hard to offer an opinion if not knowing how the rod will be used. I used to fish strictly 4# XL on spinning reels. Once I got into baitcast reels and primarily chasing bass, I went the other way. I prefer a MH for an all around rod. That isn't to say a Medium couldn't do it. Last time I went to Florida I forgot to take a baitcast reel with braid (other than the one dedicated to frogs). I had to use an older Fenwick Elite Tech 7' MF spinning rod for fishing in the lily pads because the spinning reel I took with me was the only other reel I had with braid. I managed to catch all my fish that trip on that rod.

I admit to being slightly biased against Dobyns. For one reason and one reason only. When I first joined the forum, if someone posted a remark about Dobyns rods that alluded that there were better options, they immediately got flamed by several people. They probably were disinclined to offer an opinion for several months afterwards. That turned me off on Dobyns rods. It wasn't until a couple years later that a few people were able to post that there were better options at the price of the Savvy if you were looking for sensitivity....without immediately being scorned for having that opinion. As you can see from previous posts, there are people in both camps. Use what you like. I have one Dobyns, but it isn't a bottom contact rod. I enjoy it for what it was designed for. If I could afford $350 for a rod, then maybe I'd be tempted to try a Dobyns for bottom contact. Since I can't, I would look elsewhere. Personal preference. EDIT: AlabamaSpothunter said, " A good 6'6 MH rod is perfect for fishing soft plastics and frogs" . I say it is personal preference. When I first got into baitcast reels, I purchased several 6'6" MH rods. I found I preferred 7' or longer. However, I do have a 6'6" MHF that would do just fine for frogs. It is rated for 3/8-2 oz.