thehooligan

I'd look around for the last gen shimano Sahara, might find one in your price range.

I'd go with the new ci4 2500. Great reel

Ive owned a dobyns champion and coalition, and handled the savvy and dx rods. Never used a duckett, but handled them at a fishing expo and wasnt impressed. I definitely think a duckett is a downgrade from a dobyns rod, my two cents....

Nice bass man, im in the area as well

Topwater morning and night, dropshot and flickshake for deeper water.

I agree with this, its all practice. I have 25 years of practice with a spinning rod, 3 years with a baitcaster. Way more accurate with a spinning rod...

Whats even better, fishing crystal clear water with straight yellow power pro, haha. I always fish a 6-8lb leader and decided to try straight braid and didnt have a problem

Got a 3lb'er lastnight on a flickshake. Was pulling drag like crazy, the ci4+ definitely is a solid reel

Lately ive been going out in the kayak or the banks with my 6'8 mh cumara and 1000 ci4+. Rod is rated 3/16-5/8 so it covers everything i throw from dropshot to frogs. Tip is soft enough to throw a flickshake or dropshot, and theres enough backbone for a frog/jig.

I like the 1000 for bass fishing, but if your fishing saltwater id go with the 2500.

Im curious how the k2 blank compares to a nrx. Its one rod ive been considering if i went the custom route...

6'8 medium fast cumara. Great rod for all finesse fishing. Can throw a 4 inch wacky senko and 1/16-1/8oz shakeyhead as well.

Its actually the vagabond airbait slim worm, one of my favorite dropshot baits. TW has them.

Core = 5.5 oz's cumulus = 2.7 oz's 8.2 oz combo, really hard to put that one down.....

Pline Flouroclear fan here. $10 a spool and the green mist color works so well for clear to lighly stained water.

I agree with you on the stellas, a few times now ive almost pulled the trigger on one. But shimano made the fj - sustains so nice, its not worth paying that much for a stella...

If my braid is getting low on a one of my deeper spool reels, i reverse it and spool it up on one of my shallow spool reels.

I love pline flouroclear.

Ok, this thread derailed, lol. Ive shipped my share of rods, ive used usps and fedex. I started using fedex lately cause theres a 24-7 office around here so i can ship out after work and on weekends. I know how to ship rods btw, i ship mine exactly how capt bob said. Im very careful, and i always hope someone is going to do the same when i order a rod. The cardboard tube i used was damage free so i know it wasnt my fault. Worst thing is i payed full price on the rod at $150. Sold it for $100 cause i wasnt using it. Payed $23 to ship it. So i lost out big time on that rod. Filed a claim cause when i saw the tube back on my doorstep it literally looked like the fedex truck drove over it. I got a few really ignorant people on the phone that claimed it was my fault and i now refuse to use them anymore. I have a friend that works for ups and he said rod tubes break all the time. Guys just throw them in the truck, jam them in there, throw heavy items on top of them. That why ill never ship a rod in a cardboard tube again....

Thanks

Nice bass !!

Nice bass from a fellow jersey fisher

I've been doing well on buzzbaits as well.

Wow, I'd love to get down there....

Fishing & riding motorcycles are my stress relievers....