NorcalBassin

Oklahoma is going to run away with it this year. Best offense in the country with a solid defense as well. Once they get past Florida St, it's all downhill.

If you're happy with it, then you did a good job. It's not a Shimano, but it should suit you just fine. Next time you're ready to upgrade, ask for opinions first.

Wayne- good points across the board. You're definitely right about missed fish with the hook being parallel. I've seen guys use two o-rings crisscrossed to get the hook more perpendicular, but the shrink tubing looks like a much better option. Thanks for the input.

That's pretty sweet looking.

That is an awesome pic.

I was contemplating picking up a 50e a few days ago, went back to get it a couple hours later after I decided to buy it, and they were all out. That was an incredible deal.

I use the Gamikatsu circle hooks and have been pretty happy with their performance. Seems to get them lip hooked more often than not.

Bro- you need some 5 Hour Energy when you get to the ramp to keep you focused! I hear ya about being frustrated and thinking about it the rest of the day. The ones you miss when you should have got em stick with you.

The suspense is getting to me... I'd be happy to help if I can pass the screen.

That's a great price on a reel that gets a ton of great reviews (including by Dodge). If you're not interested in one of the discontinued Curados, then that is definitely the best reel you're going to find in that price range.

They'd win my business! How does she like the Pilot? We bought an '03 when they first came out and that thing still runs like a champ with 170k+ miles. We'll be getting another after my wife pots it over 200k.

He was awesome... both as a player and as "Hightower". Loved those movies when I was a kid.

Veritas... you'll love it.

That's a heck of a red eye in that pic. Out here in NoCal they are completely worthless. They are everywhere in the lakes I usually fish and I've never seen one over 12" (harvesters cannot legally keep them). They compete with the LM and spots, which ends up leaving less food and keeps the overall size down. I wish they were gone.

You should have kept the Shimanos... much better braking system. Sorry, couldn't resist.

If you notice any bait getting confused in the mudlines, throwing a crankbait can be fantastic. I had my best ever afternoon following the confused baitfish in the mudlines.

You'll be happy with your purchase... great reel for that price point.

That's crazy... that's one of the best sub-$100 reels ever made. Get that puppy checked out by someone because you should get years and years of service out of it.

Go with a 4" grub on a 1/8 oz darterhead jighead in watermelon. This will catch you all sorts of fish, including some nice largemouths.

Cliff... this thing's turning into a movie story line! Best of luck with the detective work.

Sounds like an awesome trip. Those on the AT have been known to inflict some harm on hikers, so probably a good thing you weren't alone. I had a similar surprise while hiking in Alaska... about 30 ft from a large brown bear that stood up, looked at us, and then decided to trot off in the other direction. Thought I was about to soil myself!

Grundle... had a feeling there was more to your prior comments consistent with abuse. Those spankings on the lawn were indicative of more severe things going on behind closed doors and far from an effective learning opportunity to the child. My wife has always taught at low income schools and I can't tell you how many times she's had to call CPS for abuse. The things some kids, such as your friend or Little Brothers, have to see and experience are absolutely awful. Spanking out of anger is never a good thing.

Nice review... Not an official member of the Shimano fan club, but I have been pleased with every one of their reels I've ever had (10+) with the exception of a Sedona I put on a catfish rod that was real stiff and whiny. Anyhow, glad you finally found a spinning reel that works like it should.

If possible, look at a few you may potentially want online, read the reviews on here and elsewhere, and then narrow it down to 3 rods to go take a look at in person. As far as Abu goes, I actually really like my Veritas rod. It's obviously not on par with my GLX, Dobyns Champion Extreme, or St Croix LTB... but then again it's not supposed to be. There are some nice quality rods in your price point, and the Veritas is one of them.

I'm a fan of Bass Angler Magazine... definitely more articles per issue than any other publication I can think of. http://www.bassanglermag.com/?page_id=5