Tywithay

I have one sitting in my office so hopefully I can can compare the Coastal, SV, and Elite, soon.

I am sure I'll find a use for my SV, but I definitely think it's worth the extra for the Elite. I haven't really found anything the SV does that the Elite can't. I'm sure if I got a light action rod the SV would shine, but I've thrown a 1/8oz with the Elite and it flew more than far enough to be effective. With heavier baits it's not even fair. I also prefer the Elite's looks, but that's more of a personal thing. For what it's worth, I just ordered my 3rd Elite today and I just have the one SV.

If he's throwing 3/8+plastic, he'll for sure want a medium, if not medium-heavy. I don't know of any ML that will handle that, unless you look for an inshore rod. In that price range the Dobyns Fury, Daiwa Tatula, Fenwick Hmg, there's a lot of good rods. For a full cork, St Croix Premier or used Avid would be excellent, probably the 68mxf

I don't find it to be as much of a problem when you're running 15-20 foot deep with probably a 50 yard cast on something that will dive that deep. Unless you're using braid, that's plenty of line to give you a buffer.

I use separate rods for these, but I have two rods that would manage in a pinch. First is the ALX Zolo Dragger. It's rated as fast, but it's moderate enough for cranks at times. The other is a Megabass F6-72X4 Destruction. I'm not sure there's anything that rod can't do, to be honest.

I don't use my thumb with any of my newer reels. Just let it fly and thumb for the splash.

Is it the pitching version, or the long cast? Also, I'd double check the inductor to make sure it's not sticking.

Become a distributor and buy wholesale.

I use .20mm diameter fluorocarbon on my ML casting rod

It feels exceptional in the house. Haven't had a chance to get it on the water yet, but I'm excited.

I think it's just the one generation thus far. A lot of models were on clearance recently, so I'd imagine there's an update in the works. Corona may have delayed their plans.

The Tatula rods are lighter and more sensitive in my hands. The Curado rods feel good and they're quality builds, but performance was pretty underwhelming for a $150 rod, in my opinion.

A low quality bearing will often feel worse than a good bushing as well. Nothing drives me nuts more than a noisy grinding knob bearing.

I have a 6' UL, 6'6" ML, and a 7' MH lightning rods. I honestly use them about as often as rods that cost 10x more. They're great for when I'm wading rivers for smallmouth, crappie, catfish, etc., and don't want to risk taking a tumble with a $400 rod.

Had to see what the hype was about.

Longer rod and smaller diameter line will add distance. 6lb trilene is close to 10lb line in reality. With 4lb, or maybe 10-15lb braid, it'd probably go quite a bit further, without buying a longer rod.

They usually sell for 30-40% less than retail brand new, so a $279 Lews, that's bought new for $200 on ebay, will be lucky to bring $130-$150 used. Compare that to a Shimano that's $279 and can't be found for less than $250, it's going to bring $180-$200 used. Ratios are similar.

It'd take longer to rub a hole in a sweatshirt than a dri-fit. I think maybe "resistance" isn't the right word. It is abraded at the same rate, just takes longer to saw through thicker material. A fish you'd lose on 20lb might end up in the boat with 50lb, I guess.

Carbon fiber is graphite.

I was just in the market as well and settled on the Megabass Ronin. It hasn't arrived yet, but it fits the bill on paper. It was designed for fishing 110s, so it should do the job. Plus it's pretty.

Thickness of material. Same reason a 3" diameter branch is stronger than a twig, even though they're both wood.

If it was me and I was in your place, I'd opt for the NRX 894. I think 893 would be a good fit for the baits, but I like the extra power for cover.

There's a lot of variables to rule out. Usually when I get a new reel that's a little sluggish, it's from grease packed bearings. Once the spool breaks them in, it gets better and better. Flushing and lightly reoiling is even more productive.

Should add, more efficient gearing has aided the additional speed as well. Years ago the faster reels severely lacked torque. Nowadays, the 8+ reels can handle crankbaits relatively easily, with a proper handle.

Fast reels are because people watched MLF pros skipping bass across the water and burning lures in to get 10 extra casts in a tournament. They aren't really necessary, but are convenient at times. A 6.x reel can accomplish anything that a normal bass angler would ever require. Guys that spend their free time talking about fishing are the minority though and we like shiny.