Raul

You are right Ceph, I have my Alphas Itö spooled with 12 lb Big Game, I have my Alphas Type F spooled with 12 lb CXX, if I do something stoopid ( like lifting the thumb too much ) while the spool is rotating with the Type F, wohoo !, haven 't reached the point of backlash but it was very close. Both lines are 12 lbs, both have almost the same diamter, but CXX ( copoly ) is stiffer than Big Game ( nylon ). CXX is not fluoro but it 's coated with fluoro.

The supertuned version is a much better reel than the normal version for mere 10 dollars more, has all the goodies and looks, as you mention, the finish does have that > tendency to develop rash prutty fast. I don 't know, maybe the fact that it 's not a true low profile took it 's toll on how people visualizes the reel ......... they obviously don 't know it 's one of the best reels ever manufactured with the ability to perform tasks other reels couldn 't. I liked mine very much for the brief period of time I owned it, the person I sold the reel to just loves it and there are lots of reasons to do so. Great reel.

I prefer living rubber ( latex ), it flares more and has more action than silicone but it has several drawbacks: 1.- They dry out with time and become brittle 2.- They loose color with time, in the case of white it yellows. 3.- The strands can stick together for good 4.- The colors are not as vivid Silicone is a better material in all aspects except in one, the flare.

Nope, they don 't sell GYCB Ikas, but you can get Kinami 's Palm Tree, they are the same bait.

Any particular reason why you want a reel that small ?

The only thing XL and CXX have in common is the name "fishing line", they are completely different animals. XL is extra limp nylon monofilament while CXX is resistant to abrassion bonded copolymer ( core of nylon covered by a sheath of fluorocarbon ), they behave completely different. Put in other way, XL is like a personnel carrier, CXX is like an Abrams tank.

Mann 's Auger Frogs, 5 inch single tail grubs, Sweet Beavers, Smallie Beavers, Zoom Finesse worms, Zoom Trickworms, Mann 's Jelly Worms.

Both ways.

My old LRs have fast action, a lil bit stiff for baits with treble hooks specially true in the LR16 56MH.

Kew, it ain 't spiral guides, it 's spiral wrapped guides . Check out ReelMech 's website, there 's a lot of information on that subject.

The only way I would upgrade to a Sustain like ( equivalent ) from the Stradic would be to get a Japanese magnesium Twin Power with shallow spool either PG ( power gear ) or HG ( high gear ). Otherwise the most I would get would be a Stradic Mg. But of course, I 'm always ready to take a dive into a Stella.

Well, here we don 't have "secrets", you ain 't gonna find any thread revealing a "secret" bait or rigging or technique; baits, rigs, techniques are freely discussed and many "secrets" are revealed when the discussions take place. As for "new" techniques, they may be new to you, not necessarily new to many specially old farts that have been in the sport for a long time, drophsot ? we used to call that rig "hook above sinker", shakey head ? yup, we also new about that one too, rigging baits T-style on a jighead is not exactly new, the only thing "new" are the jigheads with a longer hook and a gizmo to attatch the bait. The only "secret" you need to know is: bass are bass here and in China, they behave the same way everywhere, what catches them here catches them in China; baits are universal, it 's the guy behind the rod handle what counts, catching fish is done with you have between your ears.

Forget it dude, sell the old reliable mean green fishing machine and with what you get for it use it to get a LH Shimano Castaic, same size, same reliable gearing, super free system, drilled spool and Instagage System. You get: 1.- An all around reel for regular casting 2.- A flipping/pitching reel, no switching hands and no need to turn the handle to re-engage the spool, all you need is to lift the thumbar release with your thumb and the spool re-engages. 2 in 1 purpose reel.

Nope Matt, we don 't have Academy in Mexico, I go to MacAllen every 6 months to pick up stuff I ordered on-line and to shop ( mostly clothes for my kids & nephews ).

The pus is behind the rod handle.

Nope, that was when I went to Academy to purchase a 3 gal gas tank ....... and walked out with a Calais 100A reel and a bunch of baits I wasn 't going to buy. Don 't ask me how it happened but it happened. :-?

Outboard problem: goes off when you reduce throttle Raul tries to fix problem starting by dissasembling gas pump ........ Problem not fixed Raul takes outboard to the mech Mech checks outboard, problem not in gas pump, problem: itsy bitsy hose that goes into carburator cracked allowing air to enter. Mech fixes itsy bitsy hose = 2 dollars Mech replaces gas pump Raul tried to fix Stupidity tax = 300 dollars !

There 's no such thing as "most" effective, all Rapalas catch fish. My favorite is the Shad Rap in all it 's variants ( Shallow, RS, Glass, original SR ), but that doesn 't mean it 's the most effective, it simply means it 's my favorite and because I can have several functions within the same type of lure. Another favorite is the Shallow Fat Rap, discontinued many years ago and last but not least, the original floating minnow, with those I can catch fish anywhere.

I really love to fish the gin, those two lil lakes not far from home and those irrigation ponds in my uncles farms are really clear, it 's more a matter of approach than a matter of fishing with itsy bitsy baits and ultra thin lines or about "natural" colors, long casts, standing low on the boat ( better seated on the boat ) or kneeling when fishing from the bank, not casting your shadow over the target area, wearing neutral colors in the clothing, etc.

Match the hatch = pickled quail eggs, absolutely necessary source of nourishment while fishing for us southern guyz.

You can start HERE. If ain 't there what you are looking for then use the search engine, every single discussion that has the word senko in it will appear.

Daiwa cork knobs are not compatible with Shimano handles, Daiwa handles have a straight shaft, in Shimano the shaft is grooved in the mid third. If you want cork knobs you need to change the handle assembly for a compatible one, ZPI & Bassart manufacture such handle assembly.

"Sauza" tequila Muddy. 3 or 4 banderitas ( a glass of tequila, a glass of sangrita and a glass of lemon juice ) are enough to initiate the vertical fall.