Basswhippa

I'd go 6 based on hydrilla. Gary Dobyns uses 6 power for flipping and punching.

I don't ever want to get rid of my 200's!

Thanks for the tip!

I have noticed the same. He's tested the 18 Bantam on several occasions. The interior side plate needs regular oil for maximum performance. Doubt he oiled it. That alone could account for the 2 yards the 22 outperformed the 18. I think the point I'm making, don't give away your 18s in favor of a 22 if you don't want too. There isn't much difference. I was almost casting all the 50lb pp line off my 18 with a 3/8 chatterbait recently.

I do the same. 7 wraps snd done. Iver hsnd knot on the braid tag. I call it te half Alberto. Never hss failed and often the Palomar fails first, on snags, and it's a strong knot. Glad to know the name. Shin.

The Reel Test just tested the two along with the zillion. You gain 2 yards on average with the 22. He was casting a frog 131.22 feet roughly with the 18 and 137 feet with the 22. Not a lot of difference, but the 22 casts further. Both beat the Zillion. The 22 wins by 2 yards on average with a frog.

But if he didn't self promote, he'd have to go get a real job. Someone paying $2,000 for only the first cast per fish sounds fun, if you are the guide and get the dough and the second cast!

Been in the ground millions of years. It'll be ok.

Dobyns Champ 795. Decent sensitivity but I don't think it matters a lot. Lift and feel for weight on a short distance with braid. Balance is key though or it will get tiring.

Garbage cork. Like most these days. Looks like 15 to 20 places filled on that one side. I had a $270 Dobyns Champion have a giant hunk of cork fall out. I used wood glue to put some cork back in off a broken rod.

It's a Lews. They brake.

Funny you say this. The K reputation is stellar, I'm pretty sure. That said, out of probably 50 Shimanos between my son and I, it's the only one that has blown up. After 2 trips to their recommended service center, we had to send it to Shimano. They fixed it recently, so we shall see.

The HD was Falcons practice run in sending their American made rods to China. They have been out a long time and Falcon did its best to stay American made. They are just a well made China made rod now, like a lot of others. Not judging, I'd say working in any rod makers warranty would have anyone looking for cost savings. Falcon was a favorite brand of mine. Not opposed to using them now, but there's no ",made in America" appeal to me after using them for nearly 30 years. I'm sure the HD built today is fine.

I have an old black carbon lite 7'6" Heavy with an xf tip that is awesome. It actually is more of a mh. They have a pro qualifier that is similar. Rated mh. But a Dobyns 7'3" CB glass is phenomenal. Balanced, capable, well deserved as being one of the best. It's a composite rod I believe so that might disqualify it in your search. Sensitive in my hands.

Curados were $119 and Citcas were $99 in my neighborhood. The SF were $149.99. Pricey by almost 30 year ago dollars. Calcutta 200 were $159 and Chronarch 100as were $179.99. I can't recall the Chronarch 100 SF were $229.99 I think. Pricey back in the day.

6 2

Rosewood handle!!!@??

Dn 3 congratulations. Great line. Mike then what do you consider the best and why?

Thank you N Florida Mike. We can't wait to hear what you discover. I remember the 20 pound state record too. Big Fish Lake in the 1920s I think. Not properly weighed. Probably fried. ? Thanks for sharing knowledge that dive we deep into history of giant Florida bass.

Great stuff Captain Phil. So many 18 ti 20 pounders not properly documented. I recall the 18 pound 13 ouncer taken from the St. JOHNS in the 80s. It was caught on a buzz bait and was in BASSMASTER magazine. I have seen a 16.75 taken from Orange Lake. It was swimming with a 14 and change in a bait tank. I remember the 19 pound Lake Tarpon record too. Not properly documented way back when nor was the Big Fish Lake fish. I have read an account of a fish bigger than the current state record simply caught and released due to not caring for the publicity and not wanting to kill it. Maybe an Orange Grove will give one up, but like you, I'm not betting on it.

Terrible replica. Not sure there were any 22 pound bass blanks in the 70s. Cool they were trying to replicate an almost world record.

Archie Phillips replicas are still lacking. But replicas were in their infancy and I'm sure there were very few blanks for 21 plus Florida LMB. If accurate, a meal away from a world record. It's northern Florida location has Juniper in the location that Doug Hannon suggested a world record could come from, Northern Florida. This was before the onslaught of inhabitants moving to Florida of course. Interesting to ponder this giant fish, ugly replica or not.

Yes, due to the auctioneer calling it a replica. I'm not sure auctioneer is right. I suspect the plate on the mount is accurate but who knows. Either way, taxidermy has come a long way.

Pictures and description. Fish caught by Lew Childres cousin. If link is not allowed please feel free to look on the auction site. I think the fish is an actual skin mount. JMO. People of Florida never certified much of anything back in the day. https://www.ebay.com/itm/175258608351