Javelin200

Mine is paired with a Revo SX, and it's been a joy to fish with. Definitely a stout stick, up to the heavy cover multi-tasking mentioned previously. The more I use it, the better I like it. I can honestly say, I've not had any issue keeping fish hooked up on it, despite the beefy action. IMO, it does well what it was designed to do....accurate, moderate distance casts into tight or heavy cover, and more than able to muscle fish out of the nasty.

12# P-Line Floro Clear

I'm not dedicated to any rod brand. I have a stable full of mutts. They all do the job they were designed to do (or I've adapted them to do). If I had to pick a favorite, it would be my Falcon Cara 5-167, paired with a Pflueger Supreme. It's a Senko slingin' machine gun.

Other....I'm a Pflueger fan.

15# Yo-Zuri Hybrid

1. Senko 2. Senko 3. Senko If there was no other lure on the planet, I'd be set.

I have a 4520. Nice little reel. What exactly are you referring to with regard to the "handle" play? The knob?

LMB = 21.5" / 5.6 lbs. - July 3, 1984 (bank fishing Crumhorn Lake, 4" purple Mr. Twister worm, 7' Heddon glass rod, Penn 300 reel, 8# mono.) SMB = 23" / 6.1 lbs. - July 20, 1998 (boat fishing Onondaga Lake, 1/2 oz. Blue / Black Strike King Buzz King, 6'6' M Diawa Eliminator, Abu Black Max Reel, 14# Berkley XT)

Where I send my poor performant reel for great casting gain?

If it's frayed, cut and re-tie...there's no generic answer. I've had a Spro Bronze-eye tied on for an entire season without re-tying, and C-rigs that needed maintenance two or three times an outing. Any number of factors can influence the longevity of your terminal rigging whether your spooling braid, mono, or floro. You're paying attention to your line condition, that's the key.

Cajuns were / are great boats. Well worth the effort in restoring. Enjoy!!

Mount it the same orientation you would if mounting on the transom....in other words, in the direction the TM is pointing.

I have Falcon covers on all my rods. Similar to Cabela's covers, but a little better quality IMO. They're great for a rod locker, but may be a little bulky / heavy for your application. No doubt they provide better protection than the web type covers though.

Yep....Square Bill.

Never handled a 703, but I do have a new 695 paired with a Revo SX. The rod is light. Balance point is right at the hook keeper with the Revo on it. Love the rod. If you're a Powell fan, I don't think you'd be disappointed.

What solid frog are you using, and what hook? I'd love to try it, but I've heard folks claiming difficulty keeping solid baits from rolling over and running on their backs.

If you're talking about Pline Floroclear, I use it pretty religiously. 12# for crankbaits and traps, 15# for senko's and squarebills, and 6# on my dropshot rod. Others may disagree, but I love it. That's not to say I haven't had problems with it....but I've learned to be diligent about checking my line, retying often, and tying clean knots. This seems to have all but eliminated any break-off issues I experienced with it early on. It's excellent handling line (in my opinion) for both baitcast and spinning gear.

Understood. Maybe a poor analogy on my part. What I was trying to say is that the implied characteristics of a 'technique specific' rod or blank provide a more accurate indication of what that rod or blank will offer in handling different types or sizes of baits. Just because it's a "Drop Shot" rod, doesn't mean that's all you can use it for. To my knowledge, "Drop Shot" rods are typically configured with faster, lighter tips to better load for casting sub 1/2 oz. baits, as well as facilitating a more subtle presentation while sporting enough backbone to hook and land sizeable fish. This makes them excellent options for casting the baits you mentioned. I often use my DS rod for light cranks, and smaller stick baits as well. It's a great smallie rod.

My spinnerbait reel is an old round Pro Qualifier 6.1:1, and AFIC, it's perfect. I can slow it down to 'slow roll', or speed it up enough to wake a bait. I have the same reel set up on another rod for traps and mid-depth cranks. I use a Powell Squarebill Rod teamed with a Revo SX in 6.4:1 for shallow cranks. Use/buy what your budget will allow, and what best suits your fishing situation. If your only option is the 5.3:1, don't sweat it, it will do the job just fine. It's more beneficial to have a rod with the right action for reaction type baits.

My guess....longer than anyone would live to be concerned about.

The Crucial D/S rod would be right direction. Light enough tip to deliver unweighted plastics or small finesse baits, while offering better hooksetting power. Whichever brand you go with, I'd say you'd be better served by a MH power. Lure wt. ratings on rods are just basic guidlines, and each blank behaves differently with like weighted lures. I'm more inclined to choose a rod based on its designation for a specific technique. Generally, it's a better representation of what to expect from the taper, action, and power of any given blank.

If it were me, I'd go Medium.

Every reel is different. Start with the tension tight enough to keep the bait from falling at all without a vigorous shake of the rod tip. Max out your brake and adjust backward until you get the best combination for your casting style. Just takes practice and familiarity with your equipment. I'm not much for the 'educated thumb' theory. I'm not that coordinated, so I try to rely on the reel's adjustments to keep things smooth.

Makes perfect sense, but I would think it fair to surmise the bait would have opportunity to run at that max depth for a greater distance....which to my way of thinking is the goal in maximizing casting distance. Good info BTW. Thanks.

After reading a few threads floating around on various fishing related sites questioning "which baitcasting rod/reel/combo casts farther?", I've become curious as to what different fisherman perceive "farther" actually is. Aside from competition casting, what is a reasonable distance for the average angler to expect to chunk say a 3/4 - 1 oz deep crankbait with today's equipment? Is there a specific 'benchmark' to strive for distance wise for any given bait or technique? What do YOU consider sufficient distance based on your equipment / ability? My best measured casting effort is 145' from my my slop frog set-up (Spro Bronzeye on 30# Spiderwire, an old Browning Aggressor reel, and equally old 7' MH BPS Walleye Extreme Spoon Rod). My crank rigs will get me close to 130'. My average maximum casting distance ranges from 100' - 120' with most of my other rigs, depending on the bait. I mean, how far can ol' Kevin Van Wattsizname sling a Redeye Shad, and should I ever expect to achieve the same results as him?