kickerfish1

Nice buy. For the palmability, proven reliability, and the fact that it is still one of the lightest reels in the industry even though it is more than a few years it has been around should tell you something. I don't think you will be disappointed. I would fish it stock and likely flush the bearings and properly lube them and even have the reel supertuned. Those two things together will put the performance up there another notch. Most reel techs will do it for under $30 which is great upgrade. The stock bearings in the Core are some of the nicest Shimano uses. And yes the bearings between the Curado, Scorpion, and Core are different as you progress up the line. I was told by a reel tech that does thousands of Shimano reels that once cleaned and lubed the bearings on the core are close to 10. I don't mean a 10 on the abec rating scale like the 5 and 7 series which are popular but a 10 in terms of overall quality and performance. Enjoy!

I bought this vary kit you have linked above and can comment from experience. First the snake baits are supposed to be refrigerated or kept cool due to the plastic they are made of it. Very odd, but nevertheless I have them in the basement fridge when not in use. Second, the snakes are very difficult to cast on a baitcaister for some reason. Sort of hard to explain but it is more of a weight issue and wind resistance issue. Don't expect to get respectable casting distance like you would on a standard topwater bait or weightless plastic. I fish them on a Medium or Medium heavy spinning rod with 12# mono in open shallow water areas. The biggest selling point is the action and uniqueness of the bait. After moving them and then pausing them the snake will sort of coil around like a reel snake and then stop. It trigger some very good and explosive strikes. However due to the refrigeration problem and casting distance issue It isn't something I would justify buying again.

I am not the biggest fan of Quantum reels as a whole. However I am somewhat fond of there spinning reels despite the fact I would never own a casting reel of theirs. I have some older Energy Spinning reels from the late 90s. They are still up and running just fine performance wise. I do have the Okuma RTX spinning reel. I bought one as soon as they came out. Scored it for something like $70 after a rebate and sale price did their damage. The reel is a solid buy though I was hoping it would be somewhat close to my Stradic CI4. First the reel is incredibly light. The body material is decent though not overly great. The handle knobs are comfortable and retrieve is smooth but not a refined smooth. Casting distance is average and there really isn't a noticeable line management system for this reel like what you might find in other manufacturers. I have noticed a few more "phantom loops" showing up despite doing the usual closing the bail by hand and using line conditioner. A Shimano Symetre or if you could snag a Saros used or on sale for around $100 and some change would be a better buy in my opinion.

I have 2 Savvy series rods that are in the regular rotation (734 and 735). For a period of time I was fishing Texas rigged plastics using a tungsten weight, swimming bigger California Swim jigs and fishing standard jig and craws. I wanted to see how they would operate for bottom contact and feel apps. I Have been bass fishing for years and cut my teeth on rods that were all under $100 to $150 learning. Having to feel bites on the rods of yesteryear will make you appreciate the better rods of today. In short I had zero issues detecting bites from bottom debris. I really like the versatility in their rods and the balance/casting distance/accuracy. It probably wouldn't be my 1st choice for a bottom contact in that price range unless I was sold on building an arsenal of exclusively Dobyns rods. However after acquiring many higher end rods I have the 735 as my devoted frog/toad rod and the 734 for spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, bigger swim jigs, and lighter soft body swimbaits. A good buddy of mine uses his Savvy 703 for a lot of feel techniques and he truly feels it is sensitive "enough" in his hands.

In the conversation for best overall freshwater\saltwater angler there has to be a Larry Dahlberg in it somewhere.

The Aldebaran MG or the BFS? If you have the MG I really feel that you essentially have JDM core. If it is the BFS reel than you will obviously have a lighter spool and a more finesse oriented reel than the US core. I can't recall if you said somewhere in a previous post that you had rod picked out for it or not? Perhaps the balance aspect may come into play somewhere should the rod be super light or considered normal in weight. I fish the two reels very much and just off performance (Lets say casting distance and smoothness of the retrieve only) I personally don't feel the difference in price is justified. However the selling point for me on the core was the shear weight or lack there of. If you had the reels professionally cleaned and supertuned while keeping the bearings stock in both you would be hard pressed to see a major difference that jumps out to you. The other reason I bought the core and it is somewhat sad, is to perfectly match the cumulus rod I have.

Probably a decent rod and the reason I own two of that very same model

Just like member "thehooligan" I am a huge fan of the 50 series shimanos. I currently have 4 and each has been supertuned and each has some upgraded parts. I am using the core 50mg7, the scorpion 1000xt, the chronarch 50e, and curado 50e. The differences are very slight and the prices jump considerably even when considering a lightly used reel vs new. I was told the weight of the spool in the core and scorpion are the same. Obviously the handle length and knob size is the same as is the frame. The spool bearings are basically a 9 with the scorpion and as close to a 10 in the core. The reels differ in weight by about 1.4 ounces. The drag star on the core is not plastic like that of the scorpion, probably aluminum or some higher quality material. The spool tension knob is smoother to adjust and slightly larger on the core. Performance wise I think the core will cast a tad further with your typical bass baits (say a 3/8 oz jig) but only a matter of feet. The retrieve may be a touch smoother and the gears are slightly faster. Free spool is slightly better on the core. Also the part compatibility for the scorpion is essentially the same as the curado and chronarch 50 sized reels. I purchased my core for $285 new and my scorpion for $200 in mint condition. I wanted the lightest and smallest sized reel Shimano made to mount on my Cumulus to achieve the lightest outfit I could put together. That is the only way I was able to logically justify the near $100 price difference when I bought the core. The other differences are very minor and are hardly noticeable. It is a tough decision I know but you would probably be happy with either for most bass applications...

Try the Rage Tail Eliminator on a Swim Jig. During the summer it is outstanding and very few guys even try this. The action is incredible and bites are usually from good fish. I prefer it on the California style jig head over the traditional bullet head style. Typically put one on the back of 3/8 oz jig but will occasionally use them on a 1/2 oz. Either Northstars Flip and Swims or Sieberts Elite "Non" bullet style swim jig. Give it a shot if you want something completely different than typical trailer options.

Hmmm... very tough to answer. I would look for used and in mint or close to condition for both. There is/was a core 50 mg on here for $250. A steeze would be closer to $300-325 used. The core is just an outstanding multi purpose reel. The gears are very smooth and even when using light cranks and jerkbaits you don't get a geary feel. The steeze is available in both the 103 and 100 series. The 103 is more finicky. The shallower spool starts quick and requires less force. Good for finesse and flipping but not laying into a cast for max distance. The 100 series is more all purpose and less finicky. As others mentioned the 1016 spool helps tame the reel. I really don't think there is much difference in frame size. They both palm remarkably well and are light as a feather. If I was casting only soft baits and jigs I would get the steeze 100. If I wanted an all around reel that is less costly and easy to operate while using multiple types of bait I would lean towards the core. Also of note when the cores bearings are cleaned and flushed they are close to a 10 on the rating scale. Several trusted reel techs have told me this. I can't comment on the stock bearings in the steeze but I am sure they are good as well.

I have champion extremes and 2 Orochi xx rods. In my hands the Orochi XX rods are more sensitive. The difference isn't huge but enough to where it is noticeable with jigs and other bottom contact baits. I have had and fished the rods for 1-2 years all together so I feel fairly confident in my findings. Balance is equal between the two. Both series of rods are among my personal favorites and will not be going anywhere soon. Glad you enjoy the new rod. After tossing a jig on both with the same line I would be interested to know your thoughts.

This^^. My thoughts exactly.

Most of my outfits are anywhere from $300 to north of $1000. I use rod jackets, reel covers, etc.. while they are not in use. Either stored on the deck or in the rod storage. It takes me literally 20 seconds or less to add a reel cover and rod glove to them after I finish so it has become a habit to do so. I feel this helps prevent unwanted boat rash on the both the rod and reel for both my personal benefit and also if I would choose to sell it at some point. Now if I was fishing out of a canoe or kayak or even walking through a bunch of rocks to fish somewhere I would probably travel with some of my lower end gear think of attaching those rod "floaters" to my outfits should the canoe/kayak tip. I don't buy anything to sit on a shelf. Everything gets used but treated with care.

Contact Gary at the Tackle Trap. He helped me trick out a few of my Daiwa reels. He basically emailed me links to what I would need ... ie bearing sizes, conversion kits, handle options, swept drag stars, etc. If you want to add custom parts of specific color than utilize Hawgtech or Hedgehog Studios. With Hedgehog they send you the part in its anodized color while Hawgtech will need you to send the parts for them to be anodized then they will ship them back. I have used both with no complaints. Also you could post a WTB in classifieds here. Perhaps someone has some extra Daiwa parts laying around that would be exactly what you were looking for and for a good price.

If I am fishing stretches of thick grass, reeds, cabbage, etc... I prefer a worm on a texas rig. I feel it slips in and out of the vegetation much better keeping my bait weedless longer and more presentable to a potential fish. Craws/creatures/jigs I like to use when the cover is more sparse, while fishing sand, rock, stumps, and flats. I catch plenty on both styles but probably only use the various plastic worms in the rotation less than 25% of the time. The use or a rage rig plastic or even a swim jig is a nice way to fish the middle portion of the water column just above various types of structure.

Sounds like it was invented in a club.

I have been to the pool probably close to 20+ times this year. Every time I go I apply sunscreen and usually a few times. My friend has never used it and she doesn't seem to be concerned about it. I have warned her that you can get skin cancer at any age but she is stubborn. Thanks for the reminder Sam!

Best bet would be to get in touch with Gary Wood at the Tackletrap. They are an authorized Megabass dealer with warranty support should you need it. He has extensively fished all the models and would steer you in the right direction. My EMTF and shakeyhead rod are simply the best rods I have used at $300 price point. Really it will depend upon the weights of the baits you intend on using, cover, and preferred rod length. The EMTF, Tour Versatile, or Spinnerbait special could all work. Also search the tackletour archives for their reviews or the rods from that series.

Aaron Lewis.

Nice Daiwa reels! Great performers indeed.

X2 on what Ty said. In addition I can think of one person that has bought one and actually thought the rod was the price. So many better options in the $100-$200 ballpark.

Fenwick of the two. You couldn't pay me to fish a St. Croix.

Flukes you can fish on a 3/0 or 4/0 EWG hook. I was skeptical on black but I have yet to find a better color day or night and any water clarity. Flat out catches em! Horny toad is a 5/0 hook. Either a super EWG or standard 5/0 EWG. Again black or green pumpkin would be good color choices.

IMO Chronarch and Stradic level performance is all you need from the Shimano line. Beyond that all you really get is exclusiveness in ownership, slight differences here and there, tighter tolerances and tooling (but not equivalent to the price difference), and better looks. Look at the decks of a lot of the Shimano pro staffers during tournaments ... lots of Stradics being used especially on the drop shot lakes. Same can be said for the Core/Metanium vs Chronarch. It would be nice to have a deck full of Metaniums, Conquests, Antares, and Cores. However their mid level offerings are hard to beat when price, performance, longevity, and quality are all factored in.

Keep in mind rate of fall and casting distance. The trade off with either size. Most MN lakes are full of aquatic vegetation. Using a heavier weighted jig would probably increase the odds of having to pick off weeds more. Frankly I would get several of each size in natural colors like bluegill and various watermelon or green pumpkin variations and see what you may prefer.