Arv

I just don't mess with it. All the gear I have has good warranties, but I don't want to have to use it if I don't have to.

Depends on what rods/reels you're looking at. The Citica and Curado reels are already under 200 and there are a lot of good rods to be had for around 100.

T/C rig, weightless, swim it weightless or w/ a weight, tried it wacky rigged with no luck so far. Finally, I love it on a shakey head!

IMO, that's an excellent suggestion

Search the review that *** did. They had a lot of positive stuff to say. Everything else I've heard has been good as well. I might look into getting one in the future as well.

Action and taper are the same thing. If you are primarily throwing crankbaits I would not recommend an Abu Garcia rod unless it was the Veritas Winch series (which is for cranking). Abu Garcia rods, while I like them, tend to be pretty stiff. I like a moderate action rod for treble hooks, and since this is the primary type of lure you plan on throwing, I would look for something with a moderate action. TW has the Rick Clunn Reaction rod on sale for the price range of the other two rods. I don't have experience with it, but if you are trying to stay below $100, that might be a good option. If your price range is around $100 you will have a lot more options, especially with some of the sales that TW has going on right now. You can get a steal on some rods. Also, what type of crankbaits will you be throwing on this rod? Around what cover/structure will you be fishing? Information like that will also help to determine which rod will be best suited for your needs.

I've never bought one, but I've also never heard of anyone have anything go wrong with a reconditioned reel either.

Medium Heavy describes the power. This is what people usually describe as the "backbone" or a rod. The heavier the power, the heavier lures you will be able to throw, the heavier line you will be able to use, etc. Moderate would refer to action. A moderate rod will bend much further down the blank than a fast or an extra fast. The link below gives a simple description if mine didn't make sense. http://www.stcroixrods.com/content/rod_action_and_power I have jig/worm rods and crankbait rods that are both MH. The crankbait rod has a moderate action though, so it flexes much more than my jig/worm rod which has a fast action, which flexes much closer to the tip.

My guess is a medium heavy, but its hard to say. Check how far down the rod bends and that will tell you if its a moderate action.

x2, that's part of the reason I'm selling all my right handed reels

I tend to stick to "natural colors." A lot of browns and greens for plastics and jigs, and mix in black/blue/purple and that about covers it there. Anything that will look like a bait fish (cranks, spinners, etc.) I generally go for white/silver and gold/yellow, or anything else that would resemble a bluegill, shad or a perch. I still have different color schemes that vary from what I mentioned above (fire tiger, chartreuse, red, orange...) but that's generally how I choose.

NorthStar Flip and Swim. I've probably had most hook ups on the "Simply Watermelon" color with a paddletail swimbait trailer. Any color is good though. I haven't been out to try the "New Gill" color yet but it looks awesome. As far as retrieves, theres no right or wrong way. Steady retrieve, pumping action, yo yo, rip it off the bottom, hop it on the bottom, retrieve it and kill it, etc, etc, etc. I like the Flip and Swim because it does a good job of fishing like a craw imitator as well. I like a Rage Craw on the jig in these circumstances. I also have a few of the Strike King swim jigs what do a good job as well.

Centrifugal brakes will use the speed of the rotation of the spool to, in turn, slow down the spool. The faster the spool spins, the more the brakes act on it. The spool will be spinning fastest during the initial part of a cast, which (at least for me) is when the big nasty back lashes happen. Magnetic brakes work according to the distance between a magnet and the spool. This system allows for brakes to be applied ALMOST directly proportional to spool speed. This means it will act on the spool, especially towards the end of the cast, but does not act as well during the initial high speeds of the spool during a cast. If you can find a reel with both, great. There are obviously some nice ones out there. But, between the two, I prefer centrifugal. On a reel like my Lews Tournament that has both, I rarely have the mag brakes on. On most casts I am able to use my thumb at the end if I need to. Obviously this is near impossible to do in the beginning. I have no experience with the SX, but from my understanding, the problem with the Gen 2 was that it was very difficult to dial in, which led to a lot of backlashes. The new Gen 3 SX sounds as if the problems have been fixed, or at least improved upon. However, for my first casting set up, I would be leery of purchasing a reel with only magnetic brakes. I feel the centrifugal system will be easier to dial in and not present as steep a learning curve. I could be wrong, but that's my 2 cents.

Cent brakes all the way for me. Even if I have a dual braking system I turn the mags off most of the time.

Short answer on action, its basically how far down the rod will flex. Faster = less flex, slower = more. Try a google search and you'll find a lot of good resources that explain it in more depth. IMO, I would get a different rod for treble hooks and single hooks. I want a stiffer tip (fast/extra fast) to get a better hook set with a single hook, which will primarily be bigger than the hooks on a treble. I want a softer tip (moderate) for treble hook presentations so I don't rip the hooks out of a fish's mouth, and to help the hooks stay set better when fighting a fish. Length is personal preference. I prefer around 7' for my rods, but you could range from 6'6 to 7'6 or longer for either application. In general, 7' will do fine. IMO, an all purpose gear ratio would be 6.5:1, but there are still stipulations that will help determine an appropriate ratio. For example, deeper diving cranks or slow rolling a spinnerbait a 5.5:1 might be more appropriate. A jig and worm application might be better suited for a 7.1:1 ratio. I would recommend doing some reading on here and maybe some other places and form your own opinion. Honestly, a lot of this comes down to personal preference and your own waters you fish.

Treble hooks - moderate action Single hooks - fast - extra fast action Power will be determined by how heavy your line/lures are, cover present, etc.

IMO, especially for crankbaits, I would look for a moderate action rod. If you got a MH/M rod I would say you could throw spinnerbaits on there as well since it will have more backbone to set the single hook of the spinner. I prefer a MH/F rod for spinnerbaits/chatterbaits/swim jigs though. I throw soft plastics on a rod with a faster tip. The power depends on the application (drop shot/shakey head vs. T/C rigs for example). Overall I feel that treble hooks and single hook presentations require different rods.

You may want to check out what I have for sale in the flea market. I have some rods and reels that might be exactly what you're looking for.

Some rods will balance better with certain reels, but theres no specific requirements per se. I would focus more on what type of lures/conditions/etc. you plan on fishing and let that determine the characteristics of your rod and the gear ratio of your reel. If you give us that information you will get a lot of good feedback from people on here.

Is that fish actually as big as you? Because it looks like it in your picture. Nice fish man!

I have both a Powell Endurance and Dobyns Champion. Both are great rods. Everything I've heard about the GL2 is that its overpriced for what you get. I'll also throw in the Phenix M1 and Recon. Most will say these rods perform well above their price... AND the Recon is on sale for 130 at TW right now. I'm assuming they are getting ready for the second generation Recons, but it may be worth the look.

Check out the Phenix M1 or Recon. Most will say those rods perform above their price range. I still have yet to try out a Cashion but I really want to. Especially since they're made right here in Raleigh.

I got a Citica 200G7 spooled with 50# Power Pro for $70 if you want it. You got the reel and the line you're lookin for for a lot less than you'd spend otherwise. Also got a few rods in the 7' MH/F range you may want to check out too .

Fat Ika's and Flukes