new2BC4bass

If it isn't at least 45% off, not many will buy it on many fishing sites. I like the ones that are 50% off.

When you start talking about how many rods you own instead of how many you take with you, then I am in the same boat. Except I am not thinking of unloading some even tho I should. It is worse with reels.

Good luck with that my friend.

I spooled up some 10# Fluoroclear for my Florida visit last year. I found out the first day that it broke too easily. Luckily I had spare reels with me so I switched that reel out.

Since when is it possible to have too many rods? I bet your arsenal puts mine to shame.

Yup. Already had 3 older Patriarch XTs so I went with a Supreme XT and a Patriarch. Great deals.

Find a used 6'10" MF Fenwick Elite Tech Smallmouth. New I couldn't say.

My brother-in-law takes 2 spinning rods while I usually have 4 baitcast rods. This is in a 14 foot Gheenee. I have taken 5 but that is too many. If going by myself while at home, I will take 8-10 combos with me. Occasionally one will be spinning, but usually all baitcast combos. I fish from shore. Two with me while I walk the shore is the norm. I have done three, but I don't have that nifty gadget islandbass uses.

I've already been properly chastised. Didn't realize there are so many people on here aware of the differences in materials. I'll try to be more careful next time.

Brass is not on the periodic table so yeah, an alloy. I was referring to 'brass' brass as in the material we get for jobs specifying brass. You know...that material that is a pleasure to machine, but with tiny chips that love to stick you. I haven't looked up the makeup of an alloy in years. I let the engineers decide what is best for the intended use. I just machine the part....sometimes. Mainly I program the jobs. That is nice to know. Thanks.

From what I've read brass gears hold up better over time than aluminum. Someone like WRB could give you a more definitive answer. Brass is easier to machine. A brass alloy is something different.

I used a MF for crankbaits until purchasing my first 'crankbait' rod. I've got to agree with DVT that you will probably be happier with a Fast action rod. And that a MH/Mod-Fast or MH/Med-Fast might be a good compromise. I'm assuming you don't want to spend a lot of money. Maybe something like the Fenwick HMG 7'2" Medium-Moderate Fast or an original Tatula 7'2" MHR (Regular action). Also agree a 9.3:1 ratio isn't likely to serve you very well as a cranking reel, and that something like a 7.1:1 ratio would be a better compromise. I don't know how those good ole boys caught fish on jigs when a 5 ratio was a fast reel.

I'll be the first to ask....what price range?

Think you will like the BG. Bought the 1000 for my Ned Rig rod. Personally I like its looks and it feels like a little tank.

Thanks. I have one spool each of Excaliber and XXX to try. AN40 also handles very well.

Apparently you aren't fully reading Catt's posts. I don't see where you are getting the idea his practicing is at water targets. The last post even says they are set on a football field with a judge standing at each target. Sounds to me like he is talking about formal competitions. Just because you and I can't hit a 75 yard target doesn't mean no one else can.

One particular MH of mine rated 3/8-1 1/4 oz. barely casts 1/2 oz. decent fishing distances (I fish from shore). Couldn't find a 1-1/4 oz. jig at DSG, but they had 1-1/2 oz. ones. (Saltwater with hair-like tails only purchased for this test.) This weight should cast great with your reasoning. Nope. I was careful lobbing that weight as the extra 1/4 oz. felt like way too much for the rod. It is not much, much harder for me to cast lighter baits (3/8 oz. or even 5/16 oz. on most MH rods) then it is to cast something like 3/4 or 7/8 oz. Sure a 7/8 oz. lipless crankbait will cast further than a 1/2 oz. one on a 1/4-1 oz. MH......but is it hard to cast that 1/2 oz. lure? No. It will zing out there with no problem whatsoever. The rod will load deeper into the blank thus imparting more energy with the 7/8 oz. lure, but will cast a 1/2 oz. just fine as long as the rod will load up with that weight. See previous example for the only MH rod I have that doesn't do well with 1/2 oz. My frog rod is a HF rated 1/2-2 oz. 1/2 oz. is only so-so for distance, but a 5/8 oz. frog cast very well and it is nowhere near the 2 oz. upper limit. Maybe its because I am tired, but I don't understand your last sentence. Spool tension, brakes, weight of spool, weight of line, how slick the line is, bearings, lure and rod all provide resistance. The less resistance the better except in the case of the lure. The lure has to provide enough resistance to overcome the rod's resistance to bending. BUT if 3/8 oz. will load the rod, then 3/8 oz. is not harder to cast than 1oz., and easier if the rod doesn't handle the upper limit very well. Rod speed during the cast can help overcome the lack of lure weight...but IMO this requires excellent thumb control. There are guys on here that can cast 1/8 oz. lures on a MH rod because of their excellent thumb control. I can't. And I think they could do it with many different reels.

That's it right there. I'd love any rod I caught a lot of bass on. Might be way under powered, but obviously it is getting the job done.

You do realize that 1/2 to 1-1/4 oz. is the same window as 1/4-1 oz.? Just moved up the scale by 1/4 oz. 3/4 oz. range for both. I can't agree with your other statements. I'm definitely not as good a caster as 90-95% of the people on this forum, but I have no problem casting 3/8 oz. on my MH rods. Nor is the reel a factor. I use reels from at least 9 brands. Any of them will cast 3/8 with zero problem....whether it is a finesse reel like a Pixy or a reel such as an OG Zillion. As stated elsewhere, if a reel can't handle 3/8 oz. (a true 3/8 oz., not 3/8 oz. jig plus skirt, plastic, etc.), then it needs some work. Nor do I agree most brand name bass rods on display will cast 1 oz. like a champ.

Mine are guesses. I did decide to see how far I was casting a 1/8 oz. spinnerbait. I used to be able to pace off yards fairly accurately...as measure after pacing off. Bit older now, tho. Was getting 29-31 paces with the 1/8 oz. spinnerbait. 3/16 oz. Shad Raps do better. This was a few years ago when I was learning to cast lighter weights in hopes of eliminating my spinning gear. Spinning rods aren't going anywhere.

How does it handle? Have you used AN40 so you can offer an opinion on their differences? I have 3000 yard spools of 8# and 12# AN40 and like the line.

Have very limited experience with Shimano rods. Found a new Compre for $75 while visiting relation in Florida a few years ago. I keep it there. A 7' MF rated for 1/4-3/4 oz. To me that is MH territory. Curious if Shimano rods are similar to Abu and St. Croix. That is 'heavy' for there power rating. Never really checked Shimano rods out. Like the OP said, you don't see much about them. I have read that the Expride line is excellent, but don't recall if it was mentioned that they fish at their rating or somewhere else.

If it is your first baitcaster, then I wouldn't suggest going below 30# until you get used to the reel. 40# even better. Thin braid can dig in if you don't know how to keep it spooled correctly. One of my used reels came with 30# braid. First 15-20 minutes of casting with it were spent removing tight spots. I use braid on a few reels, but prefer mono or co-polymer. As you can see everyone has their own idea of what to use. I feel there are a lot of options and none would be wrong. For something other than braid I would suggest 12#-15# as a good starting point until you find what 'you' prefer. Brand=your choice. Lot of good lines.

A statement I have made on more than one occasion.

Yes. EDIT: But as I added in an edit to my other post......not what we think of as drag. EDIT2: That dial is for Magnetic Brakes.