GaterB

Give them a call. A lot of times Trey Kistler will answer, and at the very least one of the employees will be able to give you all the info you'll need to make the right choice.

Wow. Again, good luck with all of that. Gotta reward yourself with a fishing trip ASAP!

They seem to do that. I got lucky that I had a moment when I could get away with spending the money that timed up with me actually having it. Good luck! They'll be around for a little bit longer I think. I'd love some more now that I have one!

I'm a braid guy. 20-40 lb on my topwater/jerkbait setup, and you can always add a fluro leader if the water is clear or you want to make the bait suspend a little deeper

I had wanted to own a Zillion for a few years now, and with them being on sale plus the Labor Day sale over at TW, I couldn't resist. Now that I own one (the 7.1:1) I see why everyone has always raved about them. So sturdy, so smooth. One of the most well built reels I've ever handled. Now, here's a question for those that have used them (I haven't been able to get mine out on the water yet): How do Zillion's stock drag system handle frog fishing? I LOVE how it launches frogs and jigs in the yard, but will it hold up to the hooksets of frog fishing?

I'm not seeing the Veritas sale on the site. One will be on the way to my house tomorrow if I find it. Any ideas?

Didn't mean to hijack the thread. To the OP, Curado's have traditionally been the "workhorse" reel in the shimano lineup, with Chronarchs being a more refined offering. IMO you can't go wrong with either. I'd suggest taking the rod you intend to use with it to a store and mount both on it to see which feels better. I've found out that a well balanced setup can make a good rod and reel into an outstanding combo, and vica versa

I just don't understand why Shimano would choose NOT to make a 50 size in the new Curado. Was the 50e not one of the most popular versions of the Curado ever made? I have never heard anyone that used one say they didn't like it. Now you add the new technology that the Curado I series has, and my guess is that Shimano wouldn't be able to keep them on the shelves!

Trust me, 40 lb braid doesn't take the fun out of fishing AT ALL. Bass will still find a way to escape I promise you. Plus, if you fish in heavy grass and have to haul a bass out with 10 pounds of salad on his face, you'll be glad you have that strength. There are many more benefits of braid that you can read about here at bassresource. Every line has it's pluses and minuses, but IMO braid is the most versatile, because you can always tie a leader on if you want fluoro or mono to change the action of your lure or visibility of your line. To answer your original question, you say that you are running low on braid. Sometimes when my line gets shallow (especially with thin diameter lines) I tend to backlash more. You also lose casting distance and inches per turn on your retrieve if your spool isn't as full as it could be.

Looking for suggestions for a 7' jig and frog rod. Open to any brands and price range is up to around $220. Thanks for any suggestions you guys have! Probably pair it up with a Tatula reel.

Great advice, thanks everyone

What size of the stradic ci4+ do you guys use for dropshot and finesse worms?? I'm looking at the 2500 or 3000

I have the T3B and the Tatula, and prefer the Tat for everything except topwater walking baits (spooks, sammys, etc) and jerkbaits because of the palming. Other than that the Tatula is the way to go IMO. Note: If you put a different handle on the T3B it transforms the reel. Makes winding so much easier. I actually put my Tatula handle on my T3B and love it. I'm going to put a HawgTech handle on my Tatula soon

I'd go with the Tatula. Solid reels that perform well above their price range. The exceler for 50 is a good deal but I'd still go with the Tat.

If that makes a person weird I'm fine with it! I think it would be awesome to be able to have a slower, super controlled retrieve and still burn a bait across the surface or over submerged grass!

Anybody used one of these? The dark green version with the skeleton reel seat is on sale at my Academy for 79.99. The one I picked up felt super light to be a 7'6" flipping stick and only 80$

My MH Duckett Micro Magic will handle pretty much everything. Compared to other MH rods I've used, the tip is a bit softer, and allows the casting of really light lures, as well as handling some treble hook duties well considering it isn't a cranking rod. I actually call it my ATV rod, and is usually my choice when I go bank fishing because it wil do almost everything pretty well.

I could see it making buzzbaits or "toads" (the kind with kicking feet) easier to keep on top. You could slow your retrieve down and still keep those things burning on the surface. I've heard that for use with pitching that reel is the most efficient because it literally takes two handle turns to get a pitched bait back for another cast.

Perfect reel for buzzbaits. You can cast it out, and engage the reel as soon as the buzzbait hits the water by pressing the hood mechanism down. For 110 its a no brainer. I use mine for a little bit of everything and love it. Tons of upgrade options as well

I've never seen a bass do it, but I once saw a small snake (I'm talking tiny) swimming close to a river shoreline taken by a bluegill. It happened so fast I didn't realize what had happened at first. I would have never known (or guessed) it was a bluegill unless I had seen it swimming away in the shallow clear water.

Absolutely smashed em in South Carolina at a family friend's pond. Pulled in over 20 in about 2 hours, with a 3lb kicker. First time this year I had caught more than 2 in one outing. I have to admit, the pond we were fishing is like cheating--I've never had a bad day there.

First off, excellent info and thanks for the reply! Secondly, the type of point I am most often trying to fish are those that I can see beginning on land, and extending out into the water. I do not fish many main lake points, as I am normally fishing from a small boat or a kayak. I see points that are at the beginnings of creeks, and sometimes within the creeks themselves. I've also attempted fishing points formed by islands within the lake. They extend down to about 35 feet at their deepest (on average). I've been fishing them within the last two weeks, and the water temps around me have been in the upper 40's and lower 50's.

Thanks for the info guys! the web app wouldn't work on my computer but i'll keep trying, and post the areas if I can find them on my local lake

Go to walmart and pick up a pack of Strike King Shim E Stiks in baby bass color. That was the money lure for myself and those that I fished with last summer down in the FL canals. Fish it weightless and let it sink to the bottom on a semi slack line. If you don't get hit, pop it a couple times and let it sink again. Good luck!

Hey everybody. I was wondering how you all approach points. I always read how great they are for holding fish, but haven't really grasped exactly how to break them down and work my lures through/over them. I have read some articles on them, but I think some personal accounts and advice will help me more. For example, do you work your lures from the shallow end (near the bank) down the slope, or across the point? Does this depend on the day? Any help would be appreciated!