new2BC4bass

Uni Knot. Check line for nicks. 10# is plenty. I've landed 35 lb. fish on 8# line in open water. "regular spinning rod" doesn't tell us much of anything. I used to fish with 4# mono a lot. Biggest fish was 10 lb. in open water. Had a 9' fiberglass rod that I had to put a 10# leader on because the lure would get snapped off on a hard cast with 4# line.

Guy in another thread found a Tournament MB for $95. Pretty tough to beat that price.

Resurrected from the dead. But for those still interested, my .02 cents is a 12# co-polymer or mono. Fits within most Medium and MH rod parameters. Brand is your choice. Lots of good ones out there. A few of my favorites: AN40, McCoy Mean Green, Siege, XXX, Big Game and Super Natural. Plenty of others to choose from. Many on here like Yo-Zuri Hybrid. Have some to try, but haven't used it yet.

Don't hang around Tackletour then. Congrats. Be sure to let us know your thoughts on the reel once you've spent some time with it. Pretty sure you will like it.

It wasn't directly overhead. Maybe 15-30 degrees off. I realize I was releasing too soon to be that far off. Which is why I feel it is more a reel thing than a rod thing. My timing was off. I've been using baitcasts reels almost exclusively for 9 plus years so my timing is normally a lot better than that. (You didn't want to see my casts when I first started. ) Internal brakes (4) come all on. From my previous reading on these reels, I left them on and started with 6 on the external dial. I left the spool tension loose. A-Jay....as I said in another post, I feel it was my unfamiliarity with the reel and braking system. I will say that this hasn't happened to me since learning to use a baitcast reel. It is not the first new reel/braking system that I have used, but the first that went so far off target on my first couple of casts. It was a surprise to me. Had me wondering if it was my fault or something else. I have to agree with craww. It has been my experience that some rods just seem to be inherently more accurate. At least in my hands. I also agree that practice makes perfect. Well....closer to perfect.

Great price on a very nice reel. Fuego CT for $25-$50 is also a great choice. But $45 for a Tournament MB would probably be my first choice. I do love my Daiwas so either would work for me.

17 Scorpion DC. I am also a fan of Daiwas....so what price range are you looking at?

I use rods and reels from several brands. Switching among them doesn't seem to cause me any trouble. I am thinking the reel was the cause. Not the reel itself, per se, but the fact I have never handled a reel with that type of braking. I was reasonably close in 4 casts which leads me to think it was my unfamiliarity with the reel. I plan on getting out this weekend. See how it goes. I can take an extra reel with me this time to see if changing reels helps....should I still have an accuracy problem. Best of luck to you guys this weekend. Hope you all land a PB.

I use mono/co-polymer within the rod's rating. I use lures within the rod's rating. Lure weights preferably somewhere near the middle. I know shorter rods are supposed to be more accurate. Personally I think practice can overcome the difference in rod lengths. I know a jig should be more accurate to cast than a spinnerbait due to its aerodynamics. I am not talking inches here...but yards. That was how far off my first two casts with the Regista/Scorpion 70 were. Both rods are 7 footers. Yes I used a swim jig on the one and a spinnerbait on the other. However, what little wind there was came from behind me. In the fall I practice at a local river using leaves, twigs, foam cups and plastic bottles that float by as my target. 99% of the time I am using a spinnerbait because I don't like losing lures just for practice. I have to make allowances for current and wind. I don't hit them often, but usually come close. I do accidentally catch a fish now and then. I don't know if it is the rod, reel or the combination of the two, but I have noticed that some combos are easier to get close to (or hit) my target than others. Apparently I am alone in this. I will admit to not having the years of experience with a baitcast reel that many on here have. Nor am I as good with a baitcast reel as many are. However, I do well enough to get by most of the time.

with some rods...or reels? I ask because I was out with 2 new outfits the other day and had a surprise. I've used a TDX before but not this one. The rod was also a new-2-me rod. Casting accuracy was fine. Then I tried the other combo. Both new. Never used that model rod or reel before. First couple casts were a lot further to the right than expected. It only took a few more casts to be reasonably close, but this reminded me of my OG Crucial. The Crucial just doesn't seem to be accurate in my hands. Haven't used the Crucial in some time so maybe that is no longer true. Maybe I just needed more practice. I have done a lot more casting since then. The new rod was a 7'M Regista and the reel a Scorpion 70HG. In this case I have a feeling the reel might be the culprit. I have a few Shimanos, but this is the first one with the SVS Infinity Braking system. I've read the spool on this reel is very fast and the reel takes some time to get dialed in. I've used an OG Fuego on the Crucial so I know it isn't the reel causing inaccuracy as my first two baitcast reels were Fuegos on closeout, and they have been used on several other rods with no accuracy problems. I am hoping in the case of the Regista/Scorpion 70 that it is simply a matter of becoming more familiar with the reel. I will be trying another reel on the Regista. Naturally the Scorpion 70 will be seeing more use. Hopefully both will prove to be satisfactory with a bit more use. I want to like both. Has anyone else experienced accuracy problems with a particular rod or reel?

Whoa! In that case I had been sleeping for about 3 hours. I was going from the time of your post. The MB is a nice reel. I am sure you will enjoy it.

Actually I had already been at work for several hours. I think that is even a better price than I paid for mine. Good thing I don't need any more reels. My pocketbook is thankful for the time off.

I am aware of that. A quick search turned up no ML Procyon or Clarus casting rods. Ergo the OP must be asking about spinning rods. If the OP goes for a Clarus, then I'd definitely opt for a Medium, but if he opts for a Procyon I'd rather have a ML rated 1/4-3/4 oz. than a M rated 1/4-1 oz....given the OP's criteria of 1/2 oz. max. Assuming the weights he listed are total weights. If...as you say...a spinning rod often has a softer tip, then the OP may be able to use lighter than the 1/4 oz. Especially on the ML version. I primarily use casting rods. A 1/4-3/4 oz. range is MH to me. Most of my Mediums top out at 5/8 oz. There are exceptions....naturally.

Daiwa Fuego CT

Pretty sure Carlos is asking about spinning rods. I've not used a Procyon, but given their lure range and the weights that he uses, I'd give the ML a shot. Lure range is 1/4-3/4 oz.

Sorry. Don't know why I was thinking you were looking for a spinning rod. My first thought is always casting.....except this time. The only casting rod I know of with that range is an OG Tatula 6' 10" MXF rated 3/32-1 oz. The rod Junger linked to looks interesting.

I have an older model Aetos spinning rod that I think is rated 1/16-3/4 oz. Would have to double check. I don't think I've ever had a reel on it so I can't tell you if it handles both ends of the spectrum. Will try to remember to look at its rating tonight.

I thank you for the offer, Tom. I've got a 7' M and 7' MH Techna AV. I've got a few 6'6" casting rods that never seem to get used...with the exception of a 6'6" MLM Aetos. Really enjoy that one. I've come to prefer longer rods. Especially in MH.

Same here. Add my TDZ and Alphas reels up and they total more than all my Shimanos.

Love the visibility of Siege Neon Tangerine. Line also handles well. Lots of good mono lines available today. I am also a fan of co-polymers.

A person will probably do better with what they are familiar with. I own both. For light lures I would rather have a Daiwa. Was out for the first time with a Scorpion 70HG (SVS braking) Sunday. Casting with a TDX (also first time out with it for me) was a breeze. Not so much with the 70. The TDX has Magforce V. I didn't get much time with either reel (wife was wanting to leave) so I didn't get to mess much with the SVS brakes. Had already read they need to be set high. I did get a backlash with it when I tried to lower the outside dial. Have all 4 on inside. There are a lot of posts on setting up the Magforce Z reels correctly. Personally I think you owe it to yourself to try a Tatula. I do have a few reels with Magforce Z. A Zillion 50th Anniversary is one of my favorite reels. But so is a Curado 201E7 and Chronarch 100B.

Yup. Nice rods. Another is the Smallmouth. Love the 6'10" MF. Kicking myself for not picking up a used one that was for sale a year or so ago.

Have you checked the Flea Market? There is a Shimano Scorpion 70XG and Tatula Type R for sale there. How much are you willing to spend? There are a few in the low $200 range on another For Sale site. I'd say over half my reels were purchase used. Only had problems with two of them (one didn't have a problem until the 3rd time out with it). The other reel would have been upgraded and tuned anyway so it didn't bother me to put the extra money in it as it was (and still is) cosmetically in excellent shape. (This is not 2 out of 5, but out of at least 40.) Used reels offer an opportunity to get a reel you either wouldn't normally be able to afford or else not be willing to pay that much.

Love the TDZ 105H. Never held one, but the Megabass TD ito would also be at the top of my list. Maybe one of the TDZs with the R+ spool?

This was my first thought. Wait for a sale. Got mine for about $175.