Hogsticker

It's all about location under these conditions. If you can find the above referenced conditions where they have immediate access to deeper water, you should be in like Flynn. I've been using a Keitech crazy flapper 2.8 on a 1/8 Oz darter head in my local river. The action on the fall with these baits is amazing. I'll let it hit bottom and pop it up hard, letting it fall again. This, the flick shake worms, and small Keitech easy shiners on a 3/16 Oz swarming hornet are the only thing I can get fish interested in right now. I've caught a few on lipless cranks with an erratic retrieve, but not many.

I 2nd the Plano softsider bags. I have the 3700 and it's awesome. I can't stand a bag that doesn't have a hard bottom to keep everything erect and accessible.

Smallmouth, largemouth, both? If the bites are few and far between, better bring a few packs of Jackall flick shake worms. Wacky rig it on wacky jig head, weight dependant on depth. Let it drift in the current over those Eddies. My experience as of now in the rivers is they won't work real hard to come get something.

I think shim reels on Ebay is not the norm with shipping times. For some reason his merchandise takes forever. Anything I've ever ordered from Japan was here in no longer than 7 business days.

Don't forget the Jackall flick shake worms, 1/8 Oz swarming hornets, and 2-3" Keitech easy shiners / swing impacts!!

I think I'm going to use my Tdz 103ml with SV spool on it. Decisions decisions

Thanks guys. My builder sold me the blank for 125 bucks from his "overstock" supply, making it a no brainer.

Well I broke her in. Got about 90 minutes in this morning. Luckily I live about 15 minutes from the Spokane river. Had to finesse them into biting. Four smallish fish, but I didn't get skunked! This is one sensitive stick!!

Taking this bad boy out for the trial run in about an hour!! New Fuji reverse stripper guide too -

My custom 682 K2

Looks like a good time to me Evan!

The entire point of custom rod building is to maximize the performance level of the blank / rod. How could anyone know if a company has taken the time to achieve this through trial and error? Guide placement in the perfect locations to prevent line slap, dead straight allignment, minimal wraps with no excess epoxy, no slop, no gaps, perfect balance. These are all things you simply won't find in a mass produced rod. I mean everything we do in life turns out better if we take our time and do it right. To the person who simply shakes a stick before buying may not know any better, nor will you ever know if that rod you're fishing could fish better. Aside from a very few companies, what can you tell me about the blank you are fishing? Chances are jack squat. It may feel pretty good, but trust me, it can feel better. If given the choice why not know what it is you are using? Pick all my own parts based on what is good and what I like. Yes please!

5 customs. The reels would have to wait. Or 3 of each.

Yeah, long hauls with your rod under that kind of tension the whole way would make me nervous. As would keeping the drag tight enough to maintain that level of tension. I don't think boat flipping 3 pounders with a spinning rod is good a good practice myself.

I agree with Masterbait'r 100%. Smackdown is legit. Never hsd dig issues with any braid in any pound test once I learned how to use it.

There is none better than Sunline Defier. For real. Worth every penny

What kind of boat is that? The bow looks nap worthy

Are you talking about a bare blank or a fully built rod?

The inductor moves in an outward position. As the spool turns torque is created between the inductor and spool itself. These inductors create max braking at the middle of the cast. This allows greater casting with light weights and low speed casts, the system is lighter compared to mag force Z, and the braking backs off at the end of a cast rather than becoming stronger allowing for longer casts. The inductor cup does not have to travel as far to reach the sweet spot making it more forgiving. I believe the magnets on SV equipped reels are also smaller in nature. So in short you get a more forgiving stress free system that allows greater versatility and longer casts compared to previous Daiwa brake systems. I'm not comparing this to Shimano so please do not go there.

How do you like that reel seat? I used one on my Recon build and think it's super, especially when working jerkbaits.

I don't use mine for finesse because I've got pixy's for that, but I use the alphas sv for senko and light t rigged plastics on my nrx 893 and 12lb sniper. Yesterday I was kayaking and the wind was blowing me around probably around 15 mph. I cranked the brakes up a bit and threw a senko sometimes directly into the wind with no overruns and I was slinging them as far as I needed. During calm winds the reel is just off the charts. It has the "it" factor. I was fishing in the some of the nastiest weeds I've ever fished and the reel performed just fine pulling bass and 5lbs of weeds too. I didn't set out to fish in such heavy stuff, but that's where I ended up and the reel performed. I can't wait to pull some reds and flounder this summer which is something I don't do with my mg reels. I've never owned a 50mg but I did own a scorpion 1000xt. Comparing the two the alphas won out in almost every category. The alphas was smoother casted farther with less effort and was much tighter tolerance. The scorp by personal preference palmed better and had a bit more top end drag but the alphas was smoother drag. I sold the scorp and have been happy since. I run 8lb flouro and sitting on a 7' ml tatula rod I can cast down to 1/8oz and have casted up to 1/2oz with no problems. What makes the SV spool so special? Casting becomes almost too easy, short pitch or long bombs, wind or no wind it's a piece of cake. Mine is stone stock without even a bearing flush so I'm sure there's more in it. Also its aluminum so salt is ok if you head to the coast. I am loving my SH. Have it spooled with 12# YoZuri and use it for my lighter T-rigs. This thing is a casting machine, right on par with my CU50E. That SV spool is no joke, and gives you tons of control from long distance casting to short distance pitching. One of the best, if not the best, bang for the buck reel out there today. I dont think there is a current production Shimano that can touch this thing. I have zero play anywhere in this reel, and everything is silky smooth This reel continues to impress. I've been casting weightless 3 inch Senkos, 1/8 Oz swimbait jig head with a Lunker City grubster 2.5, all the way up to 5/8 Oz lipless cranks. Spool won't even fluff. Let her rip! I should have my 1st SS SV here by end of week. Curious to conduct some head to head stuff. I have to agree with everyone else. This reel is lights out spectacular! I got mine a few months ago and have it spooled up with 30# Seaguar Smackdown. For the time being I have it mounted on a GL2 853C JWR. I have been using it primarily for throwing trick worms with a 1/8oz, or 3/16oz tungsten bullet weight. I feel that I could probably throw much lighter baits with this reel, but I have a PXL-R for anything smaller/lighter. The one thing that I am very impressed with is the ability of the reel to "correct" my casting mistakes. The "SV" meaning Stress-free Versatile" is not just a marketing gimmick. I can throw with the wind on one cast, and then the next directly into the wind without the need to make any major braking adjustments, or usually none whatsoever. Add this to the fact that the reel was at $200 with shipping. A big thanks to those that posted about their orders as that was what got me to pull the trigger on this fine reel! THIS SHOULD PRETTY MUCH SUM IT UP FOR YA! GET ONE!!

Fireline is not braid. It is fused. Thinner Fireline digs way to much for me. Stiff, wirey, and rough compared to a good 8 carrier braid. Braid is worthless if you can not eliminate all slack. Just comes down to the right tool for the task at hand imo.

Why Ebay? I just picked up an SS from Japan lure shop for 246 dollars shipped. Personally I would pick up an Alphas and save the rest. Either way, Daiwa guy here. The SV spool takes these reels to another level in terms of use and versatility, and you are not paying DC prices.

There is mono, and there is Sunline Defier. I prefer the latter. Everything else gets braid. Fluoro? I'm good. One rig spooled with it and it stresses me out every time I pick it up. Keeping the fish buttoned up has more to do with the rod than the line imo

You can find the Biomaster for a few dollars more if you shop around. Unless weight is of concern. Same reel as the Stradic FJ