breezy

I don't own a Toro but have a couple Revo S's and owned a Winch for a short while, both should be similar since they have the longer 1pc spool shaft and centrifugal brakes like the Toro. I love these reels, if hey made a HS 7:1 version of the S I wouldn't need any other models. None of my reels make a noticeably different whine/hum when casting. I guess it could be the non-disengaging levelwind, you may also want to flush/relube the bearings in case some contaminants have worked their way in. All my current Revos are the older style without the "pitching" brake system so I can't help much there. TT has an article from iCast on the Toro that mentions it briefly. After looking at the picture it looks similar to some BPS reels I have (I can't tell much difference). I would just play around with the brakes and see what works best for you; don't worry about only engaging opposite brakes...old wives' tale IMO.

Same here, I love the large Zell Pop (xz3 I think?). Fished with many others but there's just something about the zell pop that I like. The zell pop is the only popper I use with a few exceptions. I also have some Mag/regular PopR's that I usually keep in a separate box that I can grab and hit a pond/creek with. If I'm fishing from shore to have a little fun I would rather use and lose a $5 vs $10 lure.

All good advice so far. I keep my color selection pretty simple (from clearest to most stained): Natural color (green pumpkin/watermelon), Brown and then Black. On rare occasions one specific color or combination of colors will out catch all others but 95% of the time one of those 3 will work. Don't over complicate things. I'm not sure if this is something specific to local lakes or holds true for more, but I tend to lean towards brown more as the water gets cooler regardless of water color. Maybe the crawdads shift colors, a new species becomes more active or it's all in my head...I don't know.

Bashing a 12yr old for catching a state record probably stems more from jealousy than any moral objections to live bait fishing. Here in KY it's fairly common to fish with live bait for Crappie, Walleye, Striper, and to a lesser extent bass. As long as the angler is within the law and keeping fish responsibly I have no problem with it. My only concern fishing with live bait is a higher mortality rate but it's dramatically reduced with circle hooks. For me, the vast majority of bass fishing is with artificial lures. We catch a lot of suckers/chubs out of creeks with cast nets to use when trolling for striper and sometimes I'll use extras for bass fishing. Usually the only time I'm bass fishing with live bait is if I'm taking new/inexperienced people along and want to make sure they catch fish or I'm heading to a pond simply to relax and catch a few fish.

I think all three reels you mentioned are so similar it comes down to small personal preferences. Which knobs do you like better, which color, etc. I would expect very little (if any) performance difference between the reels.

Every rod, regardless of manufacturer, is going to have issues. It may have been a manufacturing defect or you may have inadvertently hit the blank against something that lead to the failure. I wouldn't let a broken rod steer you away from an entire company, especially since I have seen/heard of a broken rod from every popular manufacturer. Give Dobyns a call and I'm sure they will make it right whether it's a warranty issue or no-fault replacement. As far as the Savvy goes, they're great rods for the price range IMO. A SS734c was my first Dobyns rods and I now own several Savvys and Champions. Haven't had the first issue with any rod. The 734c makes a great general purpose/jig rod...if you like it go for it. The Champion models are better rods and worth the extra cash if you have it but IMO there's a bigger jump from Champion to DX rods than Savvy to Champion.

I think I remember seeing a more recent chart with a few more oils on it but couldn't find it. Search around on google for reel oil viscosity chart and you may run across it.

I use a 7' M/F Carbonlite for small poppers and small jerkbaits (primarily rogues). Usually not fishing these around cover so I don't need a lot of power and feel like the Med action is almost perfect. For heavier jerkbaits (pointer 100's), spooks, etc I use a Dobyns 733. It's rated MH/F but the tip is softer than the 'norm' for a MH/F rod and it works well. I don't like true moderate action rods (like my LTB70MHM) for either techniques--just too hard to work the bait properly IMO. Length is a personal preference. I used to hate using a rod 7' or over when fishing a topwater or jerkbait. After fishing them with my 733 (out of necessity) on a few trips even the 7'3 rod feels perfectly normal and I have no problems working baits. For me the handle length is more important; I can adjust my retrieve to keep the tip from slapping the water but it's impossible for me to fish if the handle is getting caught on clothing.

Listed techniques for the 733 and 734 sound about right. I use a 733 for senkos, spinnerbaits, <3/8oz jigs, small t-rigs, lipless cranks and a lot of other baits. The 733 is actually a great moving bait rod but I prefer something a little faster for jigs. I use my 734c primarily for jigs (1/2oz) and it's great. You could go up to 3/4oz but I feel the rod is a little too overloaded with 3/4oz jig + trailer. It also fishes paddletails very well and I will use it for senkos, spooks, and about any other bait when needed. It's a great rod and the best general purpose stick in the Savvy/Champion lineup IMO.

Easiest way to tell is if the jaw extends past the eye as already stated. It can be hard if not impossible to determine using coloration, lines/spots and patches on tongue. Here in KY the determining factor is the jaw and not a patch on the tongue; I have seen several fish that look like a cross and seem to have characteristics of both. A patch on the tongue is still often (incorrectly) used for identification and believe it was even used to differentiate in the F&W regs until very recently.

Ok, I'll try and keep this short and my rambling to a minimum I haven't used any PQ rods but if they're anything like the Carbonlites they're great for the money. IMO you would be hard pressed to find a better rod in the $100 price range to fit my tastes. Without a doubt the Cumara has the better blank, guides, warranty, etc. I would caution you against buying the Cumara just because it's available though; make sure it's really what you need/want. Both rods you listed appear to be in the Cumara Reaction line for moving baits. The 7' M would be great for small cranks but the mod/fast taper is not ideal for single hook baits such as jigs. The 6'9MH/xf is labeled a spinnerbait rod but without using the rod I can't comment on how well it would work for plastics. Ratings, whether it's power, lure, line or action, on rods vary so much between rods and manufacturers it's almost worthless. Hopefully someone can chime in on the 6'9MH/xf Cumara to give you some more info. With all that being said, I think the two techniques you mentioned here (spinnerbait & jig) can easily be covered by one rod: a 6'6 to 7' MH/Fast or XF action. A 6'6-7' MH rod will be the most versatile rod you own and will cover a wide variety of baits. Since you've already mentioned buying two rods, take that money and spend it on one better quality rod. You hear it repeated over and over on this forum but buying the best you can afford at the time is going to save you money down the road. The 'ideal' rod for techniques you listed are so similar you're better off with one high quality rod here. Pick up a Shimano, Dobyns, St Croix, etc or other rod with a lifetime warranty and no-fault replacement and you will be guaranteed a rod for life.

What he said was spot on. Unless you're using finesse jigs a 4 power rod is the way to go. The 734c is probably going to fall right in between the 72MH and 72MHXF. It will have similar power in the butt like the 72MHXF but a softer tip. The Dobyns rods are definitely not an extremely fast action (especially the Savvy/Champ as BassThumb said). I like my rods to load very easily in a cast and prefer the slightly slower action for a variety of reasons. The action comes down to personal preference IMO, whichever one works for you. Both great rods, hold them both in store with a reel and see which is more comfortable...you can't go wrong!

I would classify the DX as the better rod but at $100 more it should be. The DX may be heavier than the Cumara but balance better. If you prefer split vs full grips or cork vs foam that could also factor into your decision. If I was making the choice and could afford it I would definitely go with the DX but they're both great rods. One thing you may want to consider is the DX744 (Heavy power) instead. I don't own them in DX but do have a Champion 733c and 734c. The 3 power rods make a great senko and lighter jig (3/8 and under) but if you will primarily be fishing 1/2oz+ or 3/8 in/around cover definitely go with the 4 power rod. If you fish some real thick cover the 5 power may even be better. My 734c is one of my favorite rods and very versatile: jigs of all kinds, t-rigs, paddletails, spinnerbaits, etc. This was my first Dobyns rod and really made me appreciate how well-balanced most of their rods are. I know own several Either way I think you'll be happy with your choice--they're two great rods.

Fished several different paddletails but just started using Skinny Dippers this year and have had great success (Houdini or Bad Shad color). I fish them weightless with a 5/0 EWG hook or a 5/0 weighted Gama swimbait hook. Revo w/ 50# braid on a 734c provides great hooksets on the long casts but I'm looking into a 764c, 735c or similar as I would like a bit more power sometimes. I love how versatile the baits are. Weightless on a fast retrieve they're almost like a horny toad, fish them slow like a senko, with long pulls like a jerkbait etc...the options are endless.

Looks like the new Presidents are available on some websites but I've only seen the 25/35 sizes so far. I've used a pair of Trions on cheap rods to keep in the car, loan to friends, etc that get abused and my only complaint has been the wood knob. Just happened to be looking for another budget spinning reel and I'm having a hard time choosing between the old Supreme MG from FFO or buying a new President Does anyone know the drag ratings for any of these reels in 25/30 size (old or new)?