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I prefer my Lexa 3000 to the Stradic FJ. Smoother, better line management and more durable finish. To me a more rugged rotor especially since shimano warns you not to oil the neoprene o-ring, something dunking and yak splash might require you do. My Lexa has handled snook to 45" and tarpon to around 36" without a glitch, more than I can say for the Stradic CI4 which is supposedly better than the FJ. Local tackle shop has had 2 Symetre's returned with complaints and when he opened them the gear compartment was devoid of grease.

I use reel covers religiously. Both casting and spinning. The neoprene shimano's offer the most cushion/protection but your line will cut them easily if you dont put some slack between the reel and first guide. Shimano's spinning reel covers have velcro closures that are only glued on and come off after only a few weeks. Daiwa used to offer one that had a window to avoid this but like they do, they never offer something for more than a season or two. The older BPS ones are more like a ballistic nylon and much more rugged but tight line will still cut them. They are worth using and have kept my reels in like new condition and allowed me to sell them for more $ when the time comes.

Berkley Big Game. Buy in bulk, change often.

An hour ago I was at the Bass Pro and looked at the carbonlites. All of them seem tip heavy to me. Not impressed with build quality either or the weird foregrip. The grip material is a neat idea.

Well instead of suggesting rods you didn't ask about.......or rods not available at Bass Pro like you suggested I'll tell you from experience with 2 of the 3 you asked about. The Mojo's I have are tip heavy. The rear grip is tiny and rounded and even though I have small hands, I dont feel like I have enough grip to cast them confidently. The Bucco is noticibly lighter and crisper. The Compre I havent owned but Ive had the older Crucial which is the same blank they now use for the Compre. It is well and one of my favorite rods. Not sure if it has the over the counter replacement warranty, if it does then its a no brainer! Remember St. Croix's actions are heavier than everyone elses, a med. is more like a med hvy. and a med. hvy is like a broomstick.

Spinnerbaits.

Very true, that goes for the rods and reels too. Where are Rapala's made, at least the newer plastic ones? I "think" the classic balsa models are still made in Ireland. I saw on t.v. where one of the offspring of Rapala has gone back to making them hand made individually in Sweden. Dont know what name or company he goes by but they sell for 100 Euro's each.

My local BPS employees are almost all college kids, they seem to make an effort to help out kids from the local colleges. Thats fine with me that they have no idea about fishing stuff. I have never gone there wanting advise. I have never been approached by the time share folks, I still have the 'cop look' thank God and can pretty much get the point across with a stare. I just wish BPS would get back to concentrating on fishing tackle instead of nic-nacs and fancy boy clothes.

More people practicing catch and release

Gambler Ace, Fat Ace Big Bite stickbait Mr. Twister/Exude Cormida All good alternatives

Fl. saltwater guides swear by giving hard lures a go over with a Scotch Brite pad to dull up color. It works well at getting off the dried up fibrous algae that clogs up my local waters, that stuff dries into concrete.

I second the go to ffo and check out their reels. Right now they have a few Euro market Cardinals that are capable of more than a few seasons for serious cheap.

Be careful with those lews with the drain holes. I fish out of a Jon boat and with the rods sitting across both bench seats reels hang upside down. During a sudden Fl. afternoon rain I had 3 curado's take in a lot of water. My Daiwa Sol's stay'd dry inside.

More inches per turn I pretty important in a lot of inshore fishing. Mac's, blues, Jacks even Snook sometimes want a bait running as fast as it can be done. As long as there's power in the reel. I think that plus constant winds is why spinning reels are preferred by the majority of inshore anglers.

Just a few dinks on Senkos wacky style for me. A couple weeks ago we went to Istokpoga and it was blowing a hurricane. Found them bedding and aggressive on EZ Swimmer's up the creek. Here at home the spawn is long over. Every day off is blue bird sky the day after a front and they're pretty closed mouth.

It isnt "my" way. Its the right way. Always has been, long before I was a thought in Daddy's mind. You dont loose pressure when doing either, nor develop slack, nor any other term it could be coined.

If an angler is fighting a fish and the sideplate flexes, they are not fighting the fish correctly. Apparently too many people don't know how to fight a fish correctly. The simple pump and reel. The rod fights the fish, no torque should ever be placed on a reel. A reels drag is there to protect the line and a reel is simply a way to store line. Style, competition, copying pro's and flipping has made a whole generation of angler's who don't know the basic's.

Pure Fishing seems much more predominant in FLW, you'd have to wonder why.

Gambler EZ Swimmers and Skinny Dippers. They've been bedding here and it's about over.

There is an angler in Germany who has written books and writes for 'Fisch und Fang' Magazine. He specializes in catching huge Wels Catfish pushing 7 and 8 feet and only uses Quantum Spinning Reels. They are probably the most popular spinners in my area. I look forward to the local stores having some of the newer versions on the shelf to try out.

I used to be willingly to pay high dollar for hard lures. Not swimbaits, I'm not willing to use that heavy tackle. I'm not anymore, I think I graduated to preferring to fish my own creations and that is where the big bucks really start adding up.

Have you been to Capt. Harry's down your way? I have heard they have everything parts wise here in S. Fl.

I always hit those 3 fingers and have done very well there in the past, just not recently. Canoe is a good bet but it'll be a bit of a paddle. Hit the left side just before the bridge and go into the cove where the Peace River Water Plant has their pick up/discharge. Lots of cover to fish in that cove. Also the left side after the bridge as you get to the 3 fingers. It has lots of sunken trees and had been a good spot for snook, especially with a topwater.

Almost all the water I fish in Florida is gin clear or tannic. Visibility of braid is a factor I cannot get over, let alone tons of other negatives I see with braid. But most importantly I fish a combination of wood and marl (sort of like prehistoric coral) rock. Braid has the poorest abrasion resistance of any line. It cannot even stand up to the gill covers of a snook or the mouth of a tarpon. Both species that occupy my bass waters. Other than use on a spinning reel to avoid memory or twist, I see braid as only a negative.

I hate braid. I hate braid so much that when I was getting ready for a dream trip to Lake Istopogka I was dreading buying the braid I knew I'd have to use for all the pads. I was going to toss the braid as soon as the trip was done because I hate braid so much. So i wanted to go on the cheap if possible. I got regular power pro even though I knew all the bad experiences saltwater anglers report on floridasportsman forum. I got a spool of Spiderwire Stealth and a spool of PPSS8. I used each one on my trip. Just like others reported on the other forum, the original power pro broke easy. The spiderwire didn't break but fuzzed up and looks like twine. Both bleed so bad my reels and rod seats were green as if from algae in the water. But it was the line, now nearly white. The SuperSlick8 stayed close to original color and kept its slick coat. None of the reels spooled with it had any green residue on them. I still hate braid but the super slick was transferred to my spinning reels and is worth keeping. The other 2 are just a trip expenditure!