Arv

Awesome! Glad to hear you had a good experience!

I've honestly rarely missed any fish on EWG hooks as well. I'll occasionally use offset worm hooks for the same reason but I like having a EWG hook on for the ease of switching out soft plastics as well. I can T-Rig just about anything on a 3/0 - 4/0 EWG hook so I can switch from a worm to a craw, etc. if I feel like I need to.

How many of you buy jigs with rattles on them? Any specific conditions/situations you would use a rattle or not use a rattle? Thanks.

I hear that! My Tournament was my first baitcaster so I got the itch real quick. Its not quite the same casting in the backyard as casting into the water. Let us know how it goes first time you get it out.

1) When setting the reel for your lure, turn the mag brakes all the way off because it will effect the fall rate some, nothing drastic, but there still will be some effect. Then, since you're getting used to the reel, I would recommend turning it back up to 5 to start with and you can adjust it from there depending on lure weight, wind and how comfortable you are with casting. I started out around 5 but I'm down to 1 or 2 with the mag brakes for most situations now. 2) I would set the centrifugal brakes at 2. I believe in having the brakes set up evenly (since the Tournament only has 4 brakes you would only have the option of 4, 2 or 0 if you're basing your setting off this belief). I feel like 4 is probably overkill and I've personally never been able to free spool with 0 brakes on without catching a wicked backlash. 3) The way I understand the difference between centrifugal vs. magnetic brakes is this: Centrifugal brakes are going to slow down the proportional to how fast the spool is spinning, via friction. Thus it will have a greater effect when the spool is spinning fastest - at the beginning of the cast. Magnetic brakes work to slow down the spool based on a distance between the magnet and the spool. Magnetic brakes will have a greater effect when the spool is rotating at a slower speed - towards the end of the cast, pitching, flipping, etc. This is why, I feel, centrifugal brakes are better to have on a reel. Magnetic brakes are nice to have, but you can always use your thumb to slow the spool down towards the end of a cast vs. at the beginning. Here's a sciencey explanation of the braking systems if you want to impress your friends. http://www.japantack...rake_system.htm

12# Yo Zuri if there's not a lot of cover. 50lb Braid if there is a lot of cover or I am new to the water. You could use mono but I would recommend one of the others. I love a jig because I can find out what the bottom looks like and I have found other lines, especially braid, to be much more sensitive. I only have 8lb fluoro on my spinning reel so I can't say much for what fishing a jig is like on that but I plan on putting 20-25lb on my next BC set up.

Been throwing most on a 7' MH/F Mojo with a Curado G6 spooled with 12lb Yo Zuri Hybrid. I'll also tie one on my 7'1 MH/F Villain with a Lews Tournament SS 6.4:1, also spooled with 12lb Yo Zuri

Yeah.. I've learned that now. Havent been on there since I got this reel.

I turned the spool tensor almost nearly off and I definitely got more distance casting. However I got A LOT of play side to side out of the spool, enough to the point where it knocked back and forth on the retrieve. If I turn it up to the point where theres no play in the spool I'm back to casting 20yds. I apprecieate the tip on turning the spool tensor down, I'll start doing that with my other reels that don't have any issues. Thanks DVT. I checked out everything and it didn't seem any different from my other reels out of the box (lube/oil wise). I think I'm going to wind up sending it back. Thanks for the hlep everyone

I've tried everything from a weightless baby brush hawg to a 3/4oz football head jig with a pit boss trailer. As for the tension knob, I set it up for each lure - 11o'clock rod position, depress the thumb bar, turn the knob till the bait starts to fall, and then a little more with this one to see if it adds distance. Very smooth when reeling, not tight at all. Thats one reason I was so disappointed when I took it out the first time. Yeah, I agree. All my other reels have been great out of the box so I figured it was more than cleaning it, but thought I would see what everyone thought. If its something minor that I can fix I'd like to take care of it so I don't have to send it in, but fortunately that is an option.

I know Abu is based out of Sweden. I don't know if they make their reels there anymore though.

I picked up a Quantum Catalyst PTs (saltwater) 6.4:1 for around 80 bucks, new in box, off ebay and I cannot get the reel to cast any kind of worthwhile distance with any of the brakes engaged. I'm talking around 20 yards. The only way to get it to cast anywhere is free spooling it and I get major backlashes waaay too often like that. I have it spooled with 12lb Yo Zuri Hybrid on a 6'10MH/F Shimano Sellus. I haven't cleaned/lubed it. Will that help? Should I buy new parts for it? I like the reel but casting distance is obviously pretty important factor in fishing so this one has quickly been relegated to staying at home. Thanks!

TS1SH 100 percent. Jump on that asap! Or else I might I've got a TS1H and its a great reel

Haha, I meant between a broken rod and one that's still together. I have two 2-piece rods that I use for traveling (a M/F Comrpe spinning rod and a MH/F Veritas casting rod) and, to me, I can't really tell a difference. Maybe its inexperience, but either way, I like the ability to take them apart and pack them up.

I've got both the Curado G6 and the TS1HL and I really like each reel. If I had to pick one I probably would pick the Lews too, because it fits in my hand better, is a bit smoother and I like having both braking systems. In my opinion, either reel would be a great choice. But at 118 for a Tournament SS, I might have to consider getting another one haha. I'm pretty sure someone put up two 5.4:1 Tournaments in the flea market for really cheap. But between the Citica and the SS, I would choose the centrifugal brakes over magnetic. Just my preference though.

Of the two I would pick the Mojo. I've got one MH/F and I like it. I'm not sure what to look for on a refurbishing so I'm not really a whole lot of help there, but I have heard they're usually just a tip replacement or something minor of that nature. Like I'm sure you've come to the conclusion, don't sacrifice the rod just for the name. A Lightning rod in one piece is a lot better than a Mojo in two pieces.

Free??? How'd you get 'em free if you don't mind me asking?

I would say to go with the Citica since it has centrifugal brakes. I've got two that I like a lot.

Lol x2. Probably a tie between a jig or a senko worm if I had to pick.

I love youtube. Very good videos.

Awesome link! Thanks Big - O

Easy enough. Fit back together like a hand in a glove and locked up nice and tight. Thanks RM!

Cool. Thanks guys!

Found some of these on clearance a Wally World today. I rigged it weightless with the tail up and fished it like a top water just reeled it straight back. I got one hit from a small fish, which is pretty good since the top water bite isn't very good at the lake I usually fish. How do ya'll fish this? Do you like it? Any specific cover/situations you like to fish it? Thanks!