new2BC4bass

Found a couple games I can use. Mint Solitaire. If I lose, it takes 2 taps to start a new game. If I win, it takes 4 or 5 taps to start a new game. if the 'Recent Apps' button doesn't come up, then it takes a little more effort to start another game. Sudoku Master. Similar tapping as Mint Solitaire. Problem is the games are addictive. 🤣

Upgraded my camera gear. Small camera bag I have will no longer work. I'm giving it and the gear that I had to my daughter for Christmas since she will never be able to afford one. I need a bag to carry these components. Olympus E-5 with battery grip. Lenses (all Olympus) are 50mm f2 Macro, 12-60mm f2.8-4 SWD, 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD, and 70-300mm f4-5.6. Only the Macro is a small lens. Flash like the Metz 48 or similar size. AFAIK all bags have pockets for spare batteries, cords, memory cards, etc. If I add anything to this kit, it would be the Olympus 25mm f1.8. I know from experience the 28mm would fit in the same compartment as the 50mm lens. I'd like a bag just large enough to hold what I have. Don't want one that will have room for another 3 lenses. I have considered getting in touch with Adorama or B&H Photo for their recommendations. Figure plenty of guys on here have similar equipment so they can give me real life experience options. Thanks.

Falcon rods often fish a bit light. I think some of the newer rods might be listed correctly. Ask casts_by_fly as he will have a good idea how many Falcon rods fish. The only MHF spinning rod I have was purchased by mistake. Wasn't paying close attention late at night. It is a beautiful $300 rod I got for $75 shipped on closeout. Used it a few times on the river, and it has been sitting since (several years). Casting is the way to go with a MH rod (for me).

Many of my reels came from used market forums. Only had a problem with one. Sent it out for repair, upgrading and tuning. A couple washers were missing. Great reel now. Send reels to DVT for cleaning. Let him know they aren't casting as far as they used to. He will check the bearings. May only need a deep cleaning. I'm cheap too. Only buy steep discounts new or used reels at excellent prices. Have purchased several reels from Aliexpress with no problem. They weren't knockoffs.

I've not had braid breaking from a birds nest. Believe me. I can bird nest any reel. I did cast a 1/2 oz. jig have way across the lake when 30# braid got wrapped around the rod tip and I didn't notice it. This was on a MHF spinning rod. My first braid was 40# because that was the lightest suggested at that time for use on a baitcast reel. Now some use way lighter than that nowadays. Purchased a used reel with 30# braid spooled on it. Spent first 10-20 minutes I used it casting, removing a tight spot, and repeating. No problems after that. However, I don't cast 6 inch swimbaits. My personal opinion is go heavier if you want to use braid. Too much chance for the line to dig in with that combo IMO. Should I ever start using big swimbaits my choice of line would be like yours...20-25# mono or co-polymer. Less chance of a breakoff. I'd about pass out spending that much on a lure. Breaking one off would have me crying a river of tears.

Why not? I'm not against Big Game. Actually have large spools of 8# and 12# but if I had to chose using only one line between Big Game and Siege, it would be Siege. Is Big Game more abrasion resistant? Fortunately that doesn't figure in where I fish...or ever fished.

Didn't work for me. I posted a few years ago about my T3 MX (spooled with fluorocarbon when I bought it). Left hand reel and line built up on left side upon retrieve. Checked out ideas (that I could do on my own) offered in that thread. None worked for me. I would make a cast and use my finger on the retrieve to get the line even on the spool. Make another cast, retrieve, and line built up on left side again. I've yet to send it to a professional given that I have about 20 more reels than rods. I've wondered if new line would help, but being somewhat frugal, I'd hate to throw away a perfectly good spool of fluorocarbon line. Would be cheaper than sending the reel out....if it worked.

Although I 'added' to this thread, it didn't cost me a dime...unlike other times! 🤣 I've decided that I may 'want' other rods and reels, but am going to try and persevere against the Bait Monkey. Instead I am upgrading my camera equipment. From E-510 to E-5. Daughter can't afford a camera so her Christmas present will be the E-510 plus the two kit lenses I bought with the camera (14-42mm f3.5-5.6 and 40-150 f4-5.6), Metz 48 flash, new Sandisk Extreme Pro 32GB SD card, two batteries, etc. All in mint condition. I upgraded those two lenses to an Olympus 12-60mm f2.8-4 SWD ED and 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD ED to go with the E-5. Used, of course. Am keeping the 70-300mm f4-5.6 and 50mm f2 Macro lenses that I later purchased for the E-510. Will need a nice flash. Maybe another Metz 48 or a Godox. BTW, my Megabass rods are limited to one. Wouldn't have that one if it hadn't been basically a gift. An older Orochi XX Diablo Spec R.

Books cost money. A deck of cards would be lovely, but I'd have to clean off one end of my table.

8# and 12# Sufix Neon Tangerine. See above comment. Easy to see.

Fell face first into a rock pile with an OG Expert. Broke 2 pieces off the tip each about 4 inches long. Thank you boater for passing so close to shore. Only rod I've ever broken.

Downloaded Solitaire, played one game, and got ad to load Chinese game. Couldn't seem to avoid it, so I uninstalled, did a search for a no ad solitaire game. Said Klondike Solitaire. Downloaded. Played 2 games and was informed me I couldn't use it as it was an outdated version and to install the latest. WTH, I just downloaded the program 5 minutes before that. Downloaded a Sudoku game. Same crap. Is there a Sudoka and Solitaire game I can download to my S23 cell phone and just keep playing? Thanks.

That was my frog rod before it was stolen.

I can't add anything to what has already been said about new reels. However, if you don't mind used, look for some Daiwa T3 1016 or T3 MX reels. The Magforce 3D braking system is even better than the SV spools at controlling backlash. I've also read that a finesse spool in one of these reels works great should you want to try the BFS game with a baitcast reel.

An increase of 20 yards or more was in reference to some old posts I read years ago....not to anyone posting here. I agree with you and DVT. I sent two Curado 51E reels to DVT. One for deep clean only. The other also got upgraded bearings. Don't recall if any polishing was done on that reel. I really couldn't see any difference between them at that time. I now have much more experience with baitcast reels, so I should try them again side-by-side. They haven't been used in quite some time as I prefer my Alphas reels in situations where I would have used the 51Es. I almost always upgrade the drag. I've had the above 51E plus a few other reels either cleaned, upgraded or upgraded and tuned. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 reels upgraded or upgraded and tuned. Plus I've purchased several used reels that were already upgraded and tuned (obviously no before and after experience with these reels).

Noticeable? Yes. Significantly? Not sure how to answer this. I got started on baitcast reels late in life. Because of this I'm not the great caster many are so I like my reels to be in as good a condition as possible. Then I'm the limiting factor. Unfortunately I can't afford to send them all out. A couple posters said casting distance increase by a lot. Like 20 yards or more. I haven't seen this with my tuned reels. That's why I think their reels weren't in any kind of decent condition before the tune. Maybe there are a (very) few reels that would benefit that much by a tune, but personally I feel that is expecting too much if you are starting out with a half-way decent reel. I'd imagine the best place for a bearing upgrade is when going to a finesse spool in your reel. They would allow for a faster start up. Some of my reels came new with ABEC5 bearings. I don't know if I could notice a difference in a bearing upgrade on these reels for 'normal' bass fishing weights.

I've read a few posts where guys said it was a night and day difference. I have to think their reels were either new and packed with grease or old and dried out. Possibly the reel had a bearing problem. I've never noticed this much difference. Maybe because I'm not an expert caster like many on here. (shrug) What I have noticed is that I can get the same casting distance (or slightly better) as before, but with less effort. Often I am able to lower the brake a little. I had a new SV105 that easily backlashed. In this aspect it returned as a totally different reel.

I see you've read a post or two of mine. I had about 7 rods stolen that I kept in Florida. Apparently no Amistad in any Walmart near me. Send me a link if you know of a place where that rod is available for $70 near Deland. I haven't sold any rod or reel purchased since getting back into fishing in 2009 so, yeah, I could get a small tackle store started. LOL. Two of my options are too versatile to dedicate as a frog rod. Another is an excellent bottom contact rod. I also have an old Zillion 7'6" HF that was considered a flip and pitch rod. Since I fish from shore, I am considering using it for exactly that to drop a jig into open spots. And as many know, 'need' doesn't come into play very often.

Original dedicated frog rod was stolen. r83srock in a recent thread said the Falcon EVO 7’3” Heavy is a great frog rod, so if I have to buy a new rod, this is the one I will go with. However, I hope an existing rod I own will suffice. Obviously I will need to try them before making a decision. Normally I would use a HF, but I've read the Tharp Money Maker fishes a bit heavy. Has anyone used hollow bodied frogs on this rod? With one exception, my HF rods are less than 7' long. I'm strictly a shore fisherman. I get good distance with a Tour Edition 6'10" HF with a 1/2 oz. jig plus trailer and an old Trion with 17# mono. BUT...the few frogs I've weighed were all under the listed weight. Don't know what distance a 1/2 oz. frog will get. Reel will be a Curado 201E with 60# braid. Doubt many here have used this rod. At this time of year I will be preparing a combo for warmer weather.

All I've got to say is this....I'm glad I no longer will be adding to this thread.

I grew up using mono and it is on most of my reels. When I visited Florida, I fished straight 40# braid for worms in lily pads. Fished from my B-I-L's 14' Gheenoe then. Have since retired and moved to Florida. Fish strictly from shore now. Will have to re-spool several reels with braid. Never cared for a leader, but probably will start using one for ease of breaking off snagged lures now that I'm a foot soldier.

Thanks. I have several rods with enough power to fish frogs. Surely at least a couple of them should have a tip capable of walking a frog. If not, this rod will be added to my collection.

First, welcome to the site. I am going to assume you didn't learn on a baitcast reel with no brakes. If that's the case, replace the part.

I used 60# braid on my frog rod. I felt it hurt distance a bit. Whenever I visited Florida I fished 40# braid in the lily pads from a boat with a MHF rod. No problem. 12# mono is a bear to break with a bare hand. Have straightened a 3/8 oz. jig hook with 30# braid. Wrapped the line around a stick! Should be able to pull stumps with 65# braid. BTW, my rod was a 7'4" HF but it got stolen. Most likely will stick with another HF but not sure yet which rod.

But between youtube and here, hopefully I can get started in the right direction.