Hooligan

Fair enough, I understand where you're coming from. But I still maintain that there have been zero downgrades on rods as stated in the post I initially quoted. I'm still awaiting an explanation as to where that thought is coming from.

I have owned, and tested Smoke reels, yes. I do not currently own them, nor will I in the future, because they're simply not up to my standard of quality. They've had far too many clutch issues, roller bearing issues, and have had tremendous problems with pinion support bearings. In two days time fishing a SL150HPT I managed to shell the drag, and turn the roller bearing. I don't post opinions of things I have no firsthand experience with. I don't post about something that I know nothing of, it's completely counter-productive. While I'm highly biased towards Shimano reels, I'm more than fair when it comes to others, I have a huge variety in my hands through the year, from Ardent to Okuma.

The 200 is a fine reel for swimbaiting, really. I don't fish braid at all, typically I'm fishing everything from 6-8 inch soft on 17lb CXX and bigger baits on 25lb mono. I may switch to braid for big hard baits, but don't fish them a lot. In regards to low pro reels for big swimbaits- it's sort of ridiculous. You lose the retrieve rate and the capacity with them. Comparing a Smoke and a 200E is laughable at best. Lastly, the Curado 300 is a suberb swimbait reel, but not a necessity. I have a couple of Cardiff 300 reels on backup rods and they're all I've ever needed, really. They're an incredible quality reel for not a lot of money.

Uhh, what? Downgrade on Crucial and Clarus? Check again, champ. They upgraded both substantially this year with the new rods. They're both higher grade of graphite and resin, and they both got a component boost as well. They have better guide frames and better reel seats. They have better finish and fit on the rods. If you're definition of downgrade is moving from cork to EVA, you're sorely mistaken and have some in-depth reading to take care of. Lastly, the Curado might be thought of as a downgrade, but it's just putting it back in line where it should be and the Chronarch back to were it should always have been. The $300 Chronarch is something, while a beautiful and wonderful reel, should never have been. Think back to days of old and it's never been a $275+ reel. The reels are back in line with where they should be. Don't think the Curado is the quality it should be, which is still one of the best values around IMO, buy a Chronarch.

I'm glad you think that of him, Glenn. I, on the other hand, have had different impressions of him in person; obviously I don't know him as well as you. At no point, in any thing I said, did I say I don't respect him. Just because I do not like his actions, or the way he represents himself doesn't mean I don't respect what he's done. His book is enlightening, certainly, but it doesn't change the way I feel about his actions on and, in some situations, off the water.

BB is dead on, per the usual. THe 893 is one of the more veratile rods in the NRX and GLX line. It's one that will NEVER be replaced for me.

Because those are exceptional specimens that are genetically predisposed to large growth. While JF is correct to a degree, there are limiting factors involved in the theory. In the end, genes do play a part in how large a fish can get, but not because of how those genes dictate growth. They dictate where that fish forages, how it forages, what it does in regards to spawning... MANY other factors are more important, in terms of genetics, to a fish's growth, than the factor of how big their genes say that they may grow. A population of the size the OP is speaking won't stunt because of genetics, it's virtually impossible. They're environmentally limited, whether by forage, by density, or some other factor. What that factor is remains to be seen, however. In most states, a district biologist will be more than happy to work with a private landowner to improve the situation in their pond, that IS part of what they do. I know of not one state, offhand, that excludes private bodies of water from being able to utilize that resource.

Typically I average 5 full days on the water from February through November. That may be seven one, and two the three the next because of travel, however. Typically, when I'm not traveling I'm on the water at least 8 hours a day seven days a week.

No, and there's no more terrible representation of a sport that I love, as much as Iaconelli. His yelling and screaming, pounding on the decks of a boat is disgusting, at best. His behaviour and temper tantrums are juvenile; the good and the bad. I mean, really... Every two pound fish is a giant, and he's screaming about it like it's just won him $50 million. It's like Kelly Jordon said, someone needs to oil him so he'll quit squealing. As far as my behaviour, no. My tackle is out of my pocket so I don't abuse it. I have good equipment and I expect it to stay that way. I also don't scream and cuss, it's ridiculous.

Do some research rather than going strictly by hearsay. The only casting reels that are built in the Malaysian factory are the Curado, Caenan, and Citica. The only reason any of the three are lower quality is that the Caenan is a graphite frame. I've spoken to some of the folks at shimano about the facility, and have heard all of the concerns. The Malay facility is actually calibrated tighter than the Japan facility because all of the equipment is newer, the engineers and QC are all the same. They may be built in Malaysia, but they are still being built by a Japanese company. If you don't understand just what that means, you never will get the significance of it. Until you've handled and fished any of the new reels, your opinions aren't really opinions, they're hearsay. I have several of the new Green reels and they're absolutely fine.

What Vinny said. You can throw three colors of spinnerbaits anywhere in the US and not be wrong, a Chartreuse + White, a White, and some sort of 'Gill pattern. I'm partial to Northstar New Gill, myself, too. As far as blade combinations go, I'm very partial to double willow, but will often throw a wide willow as well. Both are very good in multiple situations.

I'm a bit biased towards Matt's baits, too. They're excellent. The BPS baits are pretty good baits on the cheap, too, though. I've caught a lot of fish on them.

I do like the 843 quite a bit. It's a rod I sill have for a long time to come.

It happens. Most often it's relating to a retailer that hasn't rotated their line stock, or sold through the quantities on hand. You get an old spool from time to time that's bunk. I've had it with Toray, I've had it with Trilene. It's partly the nature of the beast.

The information that we've been given has a little of both, actually. They don't want to correct the issue because of the cost in design and tooling; better to just flush the problem reels out of the system and revamp the line. Also, they've acknowledged the issue in current production, not just in the old series.

Just a heads up, AG has acknowledged that there is an issue with the Revos, and spool tension. They haven't said exactly what it is related to at this point. There should also be a very large markdown coming, landing the STX at $159 and the Premier at $199. From the measurements I've taken, the issue is more about spool shaft length and a single shim placement. The spool shafts are of variable length on the STX alone, I've measured 12 that were greatly different. What it boils down to, is that it isn't user error or brakes. There's a definite problem.

I'm pretty sure that's the same bait as what Snook is talking about, but it was made by Yum. Just called The Creature. Didn't last long, iirc, maybe 9 months or so. I'll see if I can find an old catalog.

I don't care who you are, where you fish. It boils down to this: big fish aren't rare because they're hard to catch, big fish are rare because they're rare. Having the best set of genetics, the best conditions, and the best water to grow in makes a big fish. So few of any species get all of those and live to tell. I've been fortunate enough in my career to fish all over the US, and have caught what amounts to big fish in all of the areas I travel to. I'm lucky. In most cases, I couldn't have caught those same sized fish on private waters. The densities are lower, and the chances are much less. I've fished some VERY large strip pits in CA and caught multiple fish over 12lbs, that's far and away the exception to the rule. Are those 12lb fish any less an accomplishment to me because they came from a private pit? Heck no, they're still a double digit bass! I don't care WHERE that fish comes from, it's just RARE to see it in the US! The kicker? My PB came from a public lake that gets HUGE amounts of pressure; probably one of top five most pressured lakes in the US. I've caught multiple fish over ten from that body of water, too. They're no more an accomplishment to me than catching any big fish out of private water anywhere I've fished. The big one? Yeah, that's a big deal because of just how big she was, don't care if it is public or private, it would've been a monster of a fish any way you look at it.

I'm headed down in the morning, plans changed. I don't think I'll meet any of you guys, but if you see a Bright Red Triton 21 HP with 2 Power Poles on it, and a single knucklehead in the drivers seat, gimme a wave. I'm intending to fish for about 6 hours or so, should we make the rest of the trip. If not, I don't think I'll have time to fish Friday at all.

Best replacement hook I've found that matched in size and weight has been one of three: Owner ST 36 #6, Gammy RB #6, Katsuage #6.

Man, that's a touch call. I have a couple that are right up there. I think that my absolute favorite is a newer custom I had built for a deep jig rod. It's on a NFC 805 HM blank, REC guides, to a length of 7-5. It's built on an 8' blank, cut back. It's a super jig rod for what I was looking for. I'm very happy with it at this point, I'd like to have another two built with a slightly modified blank to increase power in the butt and up the sizing. Currently, I have an Aldebaran on it.

The KVD cranks are great in and around grass. That's actually one of the places they excel; there are quite a few baits that are better around rock and tight wood cover. Because of the way the baits yaw, the front hook hangs fairly wide on the wobble with the 1.5 and it's slightly more prone to hanging because of that. The 2.5 is nowhere near as bad. You can tick the grass, you can slow roll them, you can rip them in the grass, you can pop them through.... They're a super bait for WI and MN waters. I disagree that people mean ticking the tips, when we talk about fishing grass, it means ripping grass. Right in the middle of it. Another very good WI bait is the Fat John series. They come through rock and slop very well. I fish them a lot up in the Oneida area for brown fish, and they're a super bait.

I'm much the same. I don't know why, or what it is. I don't do well with that style of creature bait at all. I'd rather fish a Hawg or Space Monkey.

Front. The mechanical advantage of a front drag reel is that it's more accurate than a rear drag reel. I've seen a lot of results of rear drag reels varying in consistency throughout a period of pressure. Front drag reels pressure remains much more stable during the time period, not to mention, like DVT said, they're a pain to service.

I'm not aware of anything firsthand, but have been told that there's a total revamp of the line in the works for ICAST2012. It would make sense, really. While I'm a little less than enthusiastic about the possibility of changes to one of my favorite rod lines, I suppose I'm also forced to roll with the punches, rarely have Shimano steered wrong on things like this. In terms of what the Crucial offers compared to the Cumara- there really is a pretty big difference. The crucial isn't anywhere near as light, and it just doesn't have the feel. Don't get me wrong, they're a really good stick at their price point, but they aren't in the same class as the Cumara. What I'd really, really like to see from Shimano is an expansion of the Cumulus line- Easily one of the best production rods out there.