K_Mac

Just my .02 regarding rod selection. For years I have been using an older MH-F rod with a soft tip as my crankbait rod. It works fine for bigger baits, but I could never throw 1/4 oz and lighter cranks very well. I have had an old St. Croix Pro-Glass rod for years that was inherited from my brother. It had a couple of damaged guides and I never got around to getting it repaired. I lost a very big bass at the boat a few weeks ago on a 100 series Bandit and decided to get the glass rod repaired. This rod is rated 1/4 to 3/4, which is the same as the rod I was using, but loads much more quickly and casts lighter baits far better. When you are old and stubborn, as I am, sometimes the obvious is not all that easy to see...

This is one of those threads that adds no value. Have a specific like or dislike about a certain rod, that may be worthy of discussion; a general condemnation of any brand, esp one that has stood the test of time like GLoomis is just trolling in my opinion. I don't own any Loomis rods-not because I think they they are over-priced, just outside of my budget. While I'm at it: I use inexpensive rods because I have determined what is "good enough" for me. I do not think my Extreme rods are comparable with GLX-they are not, and to say they they are is just silly IMO. To say they are not worth the price to YOU is valid, but it does not mean they are not worth the premium to others. Use what you like and can afford. Tell me why you like them. Anything beyond that has little, if any value, in my not so humble opinion. One more thing: you can condemn changes in warranty if you choose. I think the changes make good business sense. How that plays out will be determined by the market. I'm done now...

When you figure the cost of all things associated with owning a boat, they generally are not cheap. I will gladly cut costs in many other areas to have my own boat though. The pleasure I get from my old boat makes it worth every nickle I've spent on it. Buy what you can afford. Financing a boat over many years as some do makes the cost too high IMO, but I can't imagine not owning some sort of fishing boat. Good luck.

P-Line CXX. 6# for spinning, 12# or 15# for baitcast. That's it.

Crankbaits, esp med and deep runners, are at great risk when I throw them. I don't fish cranks too much and don't have an extensive collection, so finding one that works on a given day dramatically increases the chance of losing it. Having only one of that particular bait in the box just about guarantees its loss. I think that is why shallow runners/squarebills are my favorites-I can usually get them back.

This is a very timely thread for me. I camped for 5 days last week at my favorite So Illinois lake. The land is owned by the Forrest Service and you have to boat everything in. We had a beautiful spot in a clearing in the woods, except for ticks and chiggers... I used the Deep-woods Off in liberal doses, and still managed to get bit up. Most years a tick or two is all you can expect-I probably found a dozen or more while there and another 5 when I had the wife do a close inspection when I returned home. The up-side is this provided a recreational opportunity...

I have been using a 4" curly tail grub lately with some success. The jury is still out...most of the time I use the trailer that comes with the original CB. A buddy swears by the Lake Fork Magic Shad without a skirt...

That right there is funny and could be true...

I will give my choice, with the disclaimer that it is exactly that. I would add a crankbait rod to the mix. My first choice would be 7' or longer in the 1/4-3/4 range. This will cover a wide variety of treble hooked baits. A longer crankbait rod in the 3/8-1+ range would be my choice if big, deep divers is your main choice in lures. Good luck.

Since the question is best for the price, I voted other. For $80 the BPS Pro Qualifier is my choice. I just added one for throwing cranks, and it does everything I need it to do. I prefer the 6.4:1 for most applications, including jerk baits. Since most of the work is done with the rod for JBs, the 7.0:1 would also be a good choice.

I agree with you .ghoti. I think while replacing or rebuilding a damaged rod for substantially less than the cost of a new one adds value to the the cost of ownership for some, it also adds cost to those of us who don't want to pay more to cover the cost of replacing rods broken or damaged by neglect or abuse. I think Gary Loomis's view is exactly right. Whether I spend $50 or $500 for a rod I expect it to be free of defects and to perform exactly as advertised; if I do something boneheaded and break that rod, replacing it is the cost of ownership in my opinion.

I have 4 PQs. They are my primary reels. I find them to be very user friendly, and could not be happier with them. I have compared them to much higher priced reels, and for the money they compare very well. That is not to say that all are perfect, but my guess is the problems mentioned are more related to the user than the reel. BPS customer service is exceptional, and if a reel does not meet expectations they would certainly make it right. I would also guess most of the complaints are from the same people who have problems with reels by all manufacturers at every price range... I find it interesting that with 570 reviews of this reel on the BPS site, the reel rates 4.8 of 5 stars. That is a 96% approval rating. I also don't put a lot of stock in the reviews, but I think with this high a number of responses and a rating this high, one gets the impression the reel is a quality product. It gets a 5 based on my experience.

Same here.

Big-O I like your style. Zoom is a big favorite of mine, and I am one that is not quick to change something that is working. Cost is always a factor, but I am willing to pay for results (within reason). I don't fish for a check, but I will give your lizards a try. I will not order them for a while; I have broken the tackle budget for the year according to my wife. At least for the spring anyway... The only Rage product I have tried is the 10" Anaconda. When a big worm is called for they now are my first choice. I may even try your jig trailers, but I have this thing about NetBait craws and chunks...

Amen brother BB!

Yes it is a copolymer. I could not find where it says it either. It used to say it on the spools. Go to the TW website and click-on P-LineCXX. EDIT: I asked P-Line for their description of the CXX product. I will post their response.

My neighbors all think I'm a little nuts for "fishing" in my yard all the time. I am improving my pitching skills though. I fish with a guy who is a master, and I have to get better to keep from embarrassing myself, and hit the an occasional prime spot. Watching someone who is really good has made a huge difference. I thought I knew what I was doing until I started fishing with him. Nope. Don't make it too easy when you practice...pitch under a bush, your truck, boat trailer, swing set, lawn chair-you never know where that big one will be hiding.

BPS Pro Qualifier POX70MT, a 7' MXF paired with a PQ reel. They don't make this rod anymore-I should have bought several when they last had them on sale. If I had to fish only one rod, this would be it.

Since you now know the capacity with a given diameter you can at least figure the capacity of other diameter lines. 14# Cajun Red is .36 millimeters in diameter. Lets say it holds 75 yards. 75 X.36=27 27 is your number. Now lets say you want to know how much 20# Cajun Red it will hold: 20# is .46 mm in diameter .46/27=58.7 yards. 10# Cajun Red is .3mm. .3/27=90 yards. How much backing to put 50 yards of 10# you ask? 50 X .3=15 27-15=12 14# backing at .36/12=33.3 yards of backing. Raul posted this formula a while ago, and I have used it a few times since. My teachers told me there would be real-world applications for this stuff...

Learning to control an aluminum boat in the wind is a challenge. A friend who has a Nitro Z8, and I were fishing a small lake from my aluminum boat one windy day last week. I was retying and he took the trolling motor. He was talking to himself the entire time. I though it was funny, but a tin boat is far more vulnerable in the wind than a glass boat. Working into the wind is just a fact of life when slowly fishing a bottom contact bait. I have fished with guys who did not have a weight in their box over 1/4 oz. Some days that just won't get it done, and as Lund Explorer said, leave the weightless rig in the box until you get out of the wind. There is a huge amount of info on this site that will help you learn. Time on the water is where you will learn to put the stuff you have read to the test, and find what works for you. Fishing with experienced bass fishermen who are willing to teach you will save you much time, money, and effort. A guy with a brand new boat should be able to find another fisherman or two... good luck.

I am not familiar with the rod, but have 4 PQs. Casting distance will NOT be a problem. I have a 6'6" MH glass rod that combined with a PQ and 12# CXX will throw a 1/4 oz Bandit 100 well into next week. Enjoy your new combo!

I use it for everything. I have 6 baitcast and 2 spinning rigs for bass fishing. 12# or 15# CXX on the baitcast, 6# CXX on the spinning. It is strong, abrasion resistant, offers decent sensitivity, and behaves well when treated with KVD Line and Lure. EDIT: It is also cheap!

I can only speak to the effectiveness of Zoom lizards. I have used them for years, and they have put many fish in my boat. My wife's go-to bait is a T-rigged junebug lizard. A C-rigged lizard on deep-water structure is one of my favorites. I have also caught fish dropshotting them rigged weedless on an EWG hook using baitcast gear.

Cold rain and temps has a real impact on fishing. Fishing was really starting to turn on around here until some cold rain and overnight temps down in the 40s dropped water temps from lower 70s to lower 60s. Usually slowing down and fishing tight to cover/structure is my plan in these conditions. I fished most of the day yesterday on a very good lake and caught only dinks. I threw the entire box at them, and fished depths from 6" to 20'. Although I won't say for sure, my guess is they had moved out and were suspended in deeper water. I did not spend any time proving that theory, as I have never had much luck catching those fish. We just enjoyed the day watching eagles, falcons, deer, and other wildlife. Whether the fish are biting or not, it still beats most other things...

Chris Lane is one of the good ones in my opinion. I would love to be able to attend the trip, but it just is not in the cards this year. Y'all have fun and give us all the embarrassing details. We won't tell a soul...