Grantman83

I was wondering this as well. I don't have outdoor channel and only have ever used the extended cast.

To me it would make sense to dc the chronarch e series and introduce a curado in it's place.

I use a champion 734 because it can handle most moving baits like swim jigs, chatter baits, spinnerbaits etc. Though rated heavy, it would line up more with a st croix mh because st croix are usually alittle heavier than their rating ( if that makes sense). As long as your weights aren't too heavy, you can probably use the same rod as your regular jigs.

Don't forget that KVD is sponsored by mustad and says to switch to the hooks he uses. He is double dipping by not only telling you to buy the bait but also the hooks you should switch to. That being said, the mustad elite trebles are awesome hooks but expensive. Tack that into the original bait and you are looking at extra cost. Skeet reese is sponsored by lucky craft and you don't hear him pushing upgraded hooks on those baits because they are that good to begin with. What I usually do is buy the larger sized elite trebles and put them on bigger SK baits. I then use the original hooks to upsize my smaller baits. That way I upgrade a set of hooks and can then upsize my smaller baits hooks.

Gotta give Boyd duckett credit....that guy knows how to branch out. I mean he has his hand in what seems like is every new business venture involving the pros lol. MLF, Rods/reels and now this..

Good for them. I know hard baits are a different story but look at what john crews has been able to do. His missle baits company now has a following, pro staff and has shown continued expansion of baits. Furthermore, he is his own title sponsor and soft plastic sponsor. Several pros have been able to start their own rod companies as well. I look at it like this, if companies are going to make money off pro designed lures, rods etc then why shouldn't the pros just do exactly what these guys are doing and create and sell them themselves? Startup costs may be tough but just like rods, I'm sure they can find a factory or company which can produce what they need.

I give kistler for being open about their issues. They have an entire article on their site about the blank issues they were having. The klx has been getting a ton of praise and their revamped helium line might work to bring them back into the good graces of consumers

I use the 734 champ. It's an amazingly versatile rod. With 17lb fluoro I can throw spinnerbaits, chatter baits, jigs, t rigs, swim jigs and small swimbaits. The 4 power rods are the most versatile of the bunch. That's why I have 3 (and soon to be 4) of them.

Which is also a good argument for having reels in the same brand or line. I have zillions in several gear rations because in know their ipt is standardized. Therefore I can be alittle more precise

7.0:1- 7.3:1 for frogs, jigs, t-rigs, carolina rigs, football head jigs, jerkbaits, punching/flipping 6.2:1 - 6.8:1 - Squarebills, Medium Diving Cranks, Topwater, Rattletraps, Flukes, weightless plastics 4.9:1 - 5.8:1 - Deep cranks, swimbaits (If I knew how to use them lol). Keep in mind these are general and fluid. I can and do switch it up. I also have several rods and reels that overlap that are in the 6.4:1 range to allow for versatility and the ability to do other techniques. I'm always experimenting and trying other stuff to see where I can improve.

I go the online route...much more in depth. Worth the money imo

The original t3 palms much better IMO than the tatula. Lighter as well

My Crazy Cranker has the swept handle and shimano knobs. It is heaven lol. Best of both worlds.

I had 2 smokes which were good reels. Only problem with them was that it was IMPOSSIBLE to get the d**n side plate off. And if I did manage to, It was almost as bad getting it back on. The braking system could be abit finicky in that it would be easy to cast one second, then the next cast would be a backlash. The Tour PT I had was not a good reel. I got it on sale for 100 when it was 250 but I ended up selling it. It was rough retrieve and didn't cast well at all. Like most companies, there are going to be some eggs but Quantum has a rep as not being up to snuff. What bothers me is their high turnover in terms of reel models. They seem to introduce and then re-introduce new models of their reels which can be abit bewildering.

12-17lb fluoro depending on the size of the Spinnerbait

Gary himself states that the champion series is the backbone of the dobyns line. The extremes were made for people who want alittle more bling and a touch of sensitivity. The champ series is more than adequate with feel techniques as erll

Honestly, I thought the first generation Tec-Spec rods were amazing rods for the money. The 7ft Crankbait rod was a TRUE medium moderate and was great. They were the first series of rods I bought. They are on clearance by me for 29.97 with 25% off clearance right now. That is a steal for anyone who wants a quality rod at a low price. Their 7ftm spinning rod was also great for the price, it could do alittle of everything. The newer red ones seem cheaper to me and most of them are two piece which I don't like. The elites seem like a good deal. If they are have as good as the original tec spec, then they are worth the money.

. The swept handle is lighter and better looking IMO. It looks great on my zillion and would look great on the lexa too.

I've owned a premier g2 as well as a g2 sx. Both reels worked fine for me. The only issues were that the sx was heavy and was abit finicky on the brake system. The premier was smooth and easy to cast. Overall, most companies attempt to put out a product they believe in. Abu and pure fishing may get a bad rap sometimes especially when compared to daiwa and shimano, but I feel they are attempting to provide good product at a a good price.

If you are flipping or pitching or using power techniques, go with the t3 because of the engaging hood and twing. It holds more line, has a higher drag. Though these can be done with the core, I feel the t3 is better suited. I hAd a core 50 and it was smooth as silk though I felt it was better for unweighted plastics, flukes and lighter line presentations. Not finesse stuff, but the lighter options compared to the t3. I had it on a 6'8 mh with 12lb fluoro. Skipping docks with small jigs and senkos/flukes and it was a dream

I would also check out the new gear that gets introduced at the expo. Pure fishing usually premiers new baits and rods as the expo. I'm a tackle junkie so I would be stoked just to see what's coming out

The quantum accurist also has a flippin switch. Daiwa's clutch engages if u flip the thumb bar back into place after a cast. It's what I do.

Boom...that or the new dx 746 I plan on upgrading to though it is expensive. In all honesty, the braid is going to make many rods much more sensitive than normal. If you plan on using the frog in the thickest stuff, then the longer rod shouldn't be an issue because you won't be working/walking the frog.

I'm a huge fan and will watch as soon as they come on.

I agree...ardent first focused on a supposed long casting system (gimmick) and then went to drag tracking tech (gimmick) instead of getting a solid base product. Their flipping reels are abit gimmicky but I had the f-700 and it was great at what it did except for the weight. That being said, it was broken right out of the box and had to be sent back. It was returned not fully fixed and without the original box. If they had simply focused on solid reels, I think they could have succeeded with the pro America design.