kickerfish1

The DX 745 weighs 5.7 ounces. Because of the balance of the rods you wont notice the difference in weight.

I would say it is close to the GlX line. Probably not more but not a whole less sensitive, but they also are about $100 less. The NRX is above the champion extreme series in a more noticeable way but about $200 more. Dobyns will be releasing a new rod line called the Zeta I believe which will compete against the NRX and truly elite level rods with a price tag close to $500. After handling the rods, if you decide dobyns is best I would call Gary and have him select the perfect rod. He generally answers the phones there and will steer you in the right direction.

Can't comment on the *** but have the cumara (previous Gen) and the champion extreme. Both are great rods for jigs in this weight class. For shear power the 7'2 medium heavy cumara is pretty stout. The 744 dx is powerful but with a bit more tip which will be handy for flipping and pitching. The cumara will be a slightly lighter overall finished rod but the extreme will balance better and you wont hardly notice the weight difference. Would be hard to beat the shimano over the counter warranty but dobyns does the $60 no hassle replacement plan. I like both rods but feel the versatility of the extreme would be nice, however the price and warranty of the cumara would be hard to overlook. I know you like the *** rods but perhaps step outside that brand for a taste of something else for comparison sake. If you don't like the rod you can recoup a good amount of the cost since the market for those rods is good. Do a Google search for both rods and you will find plenty of good info. Or you could call Gary at dobyns rods or the folks at shimano to help you pick the exact rod you need. Both places have great customer service.

The dobyns dx 744 and 745 series rods retail for over your pricepoint. However when the sales come up over the 4th of July you should find them at 15-25% off. This would put them close to or within your range. Full grips, non micro guides, beyond well balanced, great finish, $60 no hassle warranty, cork grips and a fairly dark blank and sensitive. This would be my first pick. Next I would look at a current or previous generation cumara like 7'2 medium heavy xf (a very powerful rod that I believe tops out at an oz). The champion series dobyns rod you noted would be nice but the extreme would be worth the exta cash IMO. I don't think I would get a Loomis lower than an IMX if it were me. Rep sample GLX and NRX rods will push $350+ so those are out of the question. The IMX is a solid rod but I would put it under the cumara and dobyns extreme mainly because of its age and the others feel slightly more sensitive to me. Lots of good options too including the ***, so regardless you should be getting a good upgrade over the GL2.

I am not sure why anyone would need floro above 15# for general jig fishing. If you are flipping and pitching heavy cover then yes I would get some heavier line possibly or braid. If you are casting the jigs I would not go over 15#. Frankily I have moved some pretty good fish out of some thick cover using 12# shooter and never had an issue. Sorry to hear of the manageability issues, but that line # floro line in general is just going to be far and away less manageable. Tatsu and invisix are better lines for manageability but I haven't tried either above 15#.

-Okeechobee craw - Bamabug By far my two favorite colors.

When looking ay the NEW Abu reels and Okuma reels around $200 I would take the Okuma everytime. I don't own a Helios but do have a Komodo going on its second season and I have nothing bad to say about it. Picked one up for about $144 shipped. To me it is a solid general purpose reel. There seems to be to many complaints about the Gen 3 Revo line to venture that route. Haven't hadn't any problems with Komodo plus like others have said you do have a 3 year warranty to work with should anything go wrong.

I really believe you should get both reels you noted... To say one is better than the other is purely opinion not fact. He may end up getting rid of the Lews after fishing the Chronarch or vice versa. In the long run if you both and try them out and keep them in good shape you should be able to get a good price on both gently used when you sell one. I have and use both brands of reels. I like both but would pick the chronarch personally but have zero issues with Lews. The're both great products that can be had for under $160 and a great buy in that price range.

That is a great catch. Congrats on the catch!

Tatsu, Invisix, Trilene XL, Sniper, Shooter, Abrisix, Suffix Elite, Gama co-poly, P-line 100% floro, Kanzen, and 832 are all seeing aplenty of use this season.

Not sure, but if I had to take a guess perhaps around the fall. Per the website they seem to be behind and playing catch up with orders (15-18 days). Once caught up on orders and inventory levels, I am guessing it could be any time. His products are well worth the wait!

I am picky about my jigs and quality there of. Mike makes a great product that I would put up with anyones. When you figure in price per jig, shipping over $50 being free, a good selection of colors, and an unsurpassed turnaround time it is hard to go wrong. Plus he offers traileres available as well so you can custom match the jigs to the trailers without having to put in a separate order else where. My personal favorites are the blind date style and brush style heads. They are the most versatile for me. Bamabug, Okeechobee craw, bluegill, and green pumpkin black flake are good bets plus either junebug or black and blue when the water clarity tanks. Not to mention the mod pack is a great mix of colors and styles should you go that route! I will likely be putting in another order later in the summer. On a side note his spinnerbaits and chatterbaits are equally impressive. Keep up the good work Mike!

When you look at the laundry list of features that each reel utilizes there are a few more on the FJ. The FJ is also slightly newer than the CI4. I had a hard time deciding but ended up getting both in the 2500 size. I would ask for the closeout Ci4 for your birthday from your parents, the FJ from the Tooth Fairy, and wait on the new CI4 from Santa. That should cover your basis and erase any bit of doubt in your mind.

X2 on what has been said. If you take a peak around on japantackle it will be as great start to learning about the reels made in Japan. It would be impossible to explain all the details but folks do buy JDM reels and pay more for them. Typically the build quality is better than US reels, have more internal tuning work done and have additional eye candy on the exterior. Some reels were in very limited production runs back in the early 2000s to today with just a few hundred made. These are in higher demand among collectors looking for shelf queens or maybe a fun reel to use for special occasions. When a new JDM reel comes out the price is pretty steep plus their is the additional shipping to get it here not to mention the fact that some are hesitant to order from Japanese sites. If your interested I would suggest reading as much as you can by just doing a Google search for a specific reel you are wanting more info on. Most casting reels I have seen don't go much lower than $125 used but in decent shape but most are going to be $150 up to a $1000+. Just be warned it would be difficult to go back to basic stock reels after fishing some good JDM reels. Good luck with your quest!

If you are a fan of the roboworm fx sculpin and alive shad you would be equally impressed with the action of both the I-Shad and cross-tail shad. Prices are buck or so higher than roboworm but the action and fish catching ability is as good as I have fished. When I am on new waters these are the products I reach for to start with over other drop shot options.

Why would anybody provide their name and address publicly, for anyone to see? Also he gave no indication he was willing to sell it as this point in time. Personally, I would delete that post or edit it.

Digging the dobyns arsenal. A good line up for sure!

Nice! I am big fan of the roboworm brand soft plastics. Actually have two binders full of their plastics. Great baits for smallies along with jackall soft plastics. Good luck on the trip!

Hang in there Eddie. What you asked was a very valid question. Considering the jump from a PQ to a Chronarch E is double at a full retail, it is a considerable purchase. For guys that are are used tossing around hundreds of dollars for reels it is a point, click, pay, and wait for the package to arrive... stroll in the park gig if you will. To others that are more hands on, and methodical, they are trying to find the best one right away that seems to feel like the pick of the litter. Eddie, I bought a chronarch 50e earlier this year online without trying one in the store. I haven't done anything mechanically to it but its performance is very good right out of the box. Obviously more work on the internals and tuning and the performance goes up. I feel confident that regardless of which reel you choose you will be happy with the performance the reel provides. If you fish regularly it would be a good idea to have the reel serviced on annual basis to ensure the longevity and performance of the reel.

Excellent product and value. These shouldn't last long!

The free spin of the spool isn't the best measure of a reels casting distance. Not until you actually get the reel out and actually cast it, can one tell what its capabilities are. If that is what is putting you on the fence I would just move past it. The chronarch series of reels are good reels and excellent casters. It would be a nice upgrade to the older reels you own.

Greaft baits at prices well under a good percentage of the competition. Mike makes some great products and this is another example. A good deal for those seeking chatterbait style baits!

I like the Lews series of reels. I have had a few for over a year and they are going strong. For the price to performance ratio they seem to be quite good. Have recommended them to a few friends and they really like them. A solid line of reels at popular pricepoints that can be found discounted quite often.

Again thanks Darren for sharing your opinion on your new reel. Enjoy!

I would suggest looking for one used or looking for a deal on a new one like goose52 suggested. Many would agree there isn't a better casting reel in its stock form that will perform like a pixy for finesse applications. The only exceptions would be a few megabass reels and a few JDM reels. The rod would have be something in the 2 power range or a medium light rod or close to. A recon would be a good inexpensive choice but if you pair it up with a similar market priced rod your combo is going to push $700+++. If you are an enthusiast or a collector it would be a good reel to own. A good quality spinning rig would accomplish the same task. If you want a decent finesse casting reel without the hefty price buy a curado or chronarch 50e. If you can score one used for under $160 it would be a good buy. Put the best spool bearings in it and have the reel supertuned. This would probably put you close $230 give or take and it would be a pretty solid casting reel for light baits. If you can afford it go for it. If not go with plan b or plan c.