kickerfish1

I guess I am more interested in how it came down to these two brands? Most of the guys that I know that use Denali are sponsored by them. For some reason when these sponsored individuals go to sell the rods they struggle to move them. Have only handled a few Cashion rods and they seem ok but didn't seem like they would be something I would enjoy.

The Alphas SV just recently came out and will be available for a while. MB reels seem to have shorter life spans when looking at how long their available and some are very limited runs. If you can buy either in the same condition for $200 I would get the FX68. If you throw heavier baits you will probably enjoy the T3 reels. If you haven't fished a T3 or an Alphas SV it would be worth while to at some point get both. They are both incredible reels and platforms.

Nice post Smalljaw! Pictures and reading were good as usual.

Thanks IAY! Yes, the FX68 is 190 while the Alphas is 175. Not a huge difference nor all that noticeable. I prefer the palming of the Alphas over the T3 platform. Also the T3 reels are not overly good with the light stuff. I prefer mine for 3\8 oz and above baits.

I have a T3 MX which shares many of the same qualities and internals as the FX68. I have an Alphas SV as well. They both are outstanding. For that price I would get the FX68. The Alphas will handle lighter weights better and be a lighter weight and slightly better parking reel. Plenty of tuning options for both should you need/want it.

Hmmm. So be it. Perhaps the reel was used in salt or it wasn't taken care of. I have never heard of that issue but yet again I dont own a Calais DC. Purchase what you want but I know I will be adding a second Exscence DC and a Met XG.

What is wrong with the DC breaking system?

100% agree with this.

Bought one years ago and sold it shortly after. Not worth half of what they charge and the yellow is just too much.

Some of the bigger bass clubs will have these as well. Basically a garage sale type of thing with tables setup. It allows guys to move gear in the off season and others to pick up things for a good price. If you don't have a flea market in your area we have one online here at BR and many other places.

It's all relative. Frankly I could assemble $100 worth of tackle to try to cover a good chunk of bass techniques. If you buy used or from flea markets and the like you may find better deals. What you want to do is try a bunch of things that cover the entire spectrum of the water column to see what baits you like and work for you.

Looking into taking a trip to the SD area in the next year or two to visit family and get a day or 2 of fishing in. I will NOT be bringing the boat, nor any of my gear to fish with since I will be flying in there. For the folks that live there or have been there I would like some ideas on guide recommendations and fishing opportunities that exist there. At this point I am looking for ocean fishing opportunities but I am not opposed to freshwater ones as well. I have never spent any time ocean fishing so it will be a bucket list thing. Thanks for any replies/advice!

You couldn't pay me to fish a Duckett reel. The Curado I is a love it or hate it reel. The Abu is way over priced. However the criteria I would use vs what the OP may be looking for in a reel is vastly different. Also the budget seems all over the place. Can't understand why someone would drop $500+/- on a reel they will be attempting to use for the first time. I would much rather spend under $150 for a reel to learn on than 3x that much. I have my suggestions but I don't won't to suggest something other than what he is considering.

Frankly, I wouldn't get any of those to learn for your FIRST baitcaster.

Well, given the price difference and what I paid for each they are both great buys. The NRX is a much better rod in my opinion and has greater feel. The H3 is a good buy when they are on sale for around $200. My biggest gripe is that the raw or unfinished blanks on the H3 are more prone to scratches even when used gently.

Finally finished up a few near identical twins!

Sure, but given the size of some saltwater fish that could even be incidental catches there isn't a lot of line capacity.

I wouldn't get the Brenious. The review was poor, the price is higher than other 50 series reels like the Curado and Chronarch. Outisde of the gears I see no reason to own this reel.

Hoping to service this Bantam reel and get it going again. It has sat idle for at least 10 years.

That is sick! The next time I am out to eat I will ask for some extra straws. This will give me something to do as I wait for the food to come.

Oh, ok if you are talking about the silver oval shaped cap over the handle nut you just need to use a small screw driver on the small clip like pieces on the back side of the handle. It will pop off when you do this and it just snaps back into place. Similar to the Daiwa BBS handle or TDZ 100m handle.

A standard paper clip should do the trick. Simply straighten out one end of it. Then take a pair of pliers and crimp the end as to form a small hook or "L". This should be pretty small and just enough for the paperclip to grab ahold of the inner wall. Also if you ever bought any aftermarket knobs there typically is a tool that comes with them to use.

So I am assuming by your post that you have an Esxscence DC. In that case you probably know about the reels capabilities. There are several reviews I have read that layout the finer details of the reel's features and uses. I use mine for a variety of techniques. Currently use it for a lot of bigger jigs, plastics, and soft body swimbaits. It would also be a phenomenal frog feel too. The only thing it may not be great at it is cranking or when you want a low IPT. Casting, gear ratio, palming, retrieve, and build quality are all reasons I bought it along with the fun factor of the DC breaking system.

I think it just bothers the OCD guys that like consistency and standards. A 4cyl, a V6, V8, etc are all different measures of a cars engine size. There seems to be no problem that all auto manufacutes can agree upon these terms. Same thing can be said about horsepower. Rod manufacturers just don't use the same standardization. Most companies interchange power and action while others distinguish between both. When in doubt call the company and ask to speak to one of their rod gurus if you are in doubt.