gulfcaptain

Depends on what you were wanting to do with it. If you were gonna crank with it, well it may give you an advantage since you can hold more line which would equal less memory especially if it was flouro or mono. And the 100 is a bit narrower then the Kinetic but I like it to flip and pitch since it's really light. I'm thinking of looking into the 200 myself to put on my longer flipping rod and replace the Kinetic that's on there now.

us in CA are lucky, we get overnight shipping free if we spend $50 or more.....and a sticker....lol. But ordering on a Saturday there's no way I'm gonna get it Sunday, maybe Monday if I order before a certain time. But I figure if I'm gonna spend some money might as well spend $50 for the free shipping and use that extra $5 I would have spent for shipping on more stuff.

nevermind, read the post wrong, a tip kit would fix this problem pretty quick.

I don't think he's talking about the tip, think he's refering to the insert in one of the footed guides. But yes, tips are a simple thing to replace.

I don't think you can wear out any of the new graphite rods made that are made for bass fishing, now I do think you can soften up a fiberglass blank that you use in saltwater.....why do I say that, years of fishing and running sportboats on the west coast. I have worn out some of the fiberglass rods I have but then that took years of constant abuse being fished to their limits on a daily basis. Would a normal fisherman wear them out that quick, probably not and like I said that's an S-Glass blank, not the newer hi modulus graphite we fish today.

The fish has a curve in it if you look close, he didn't get it straight and whoever took the pic didn't do a very good job.

Why all the hate, yes it's a shame he didn't follow through like he should have. That's a big guy, and yes if you don't hold the fish with the right angles it is hard to really see an acurate picture. He probably won't get the record due to mishandling of the fish but it is still a nice SM and a sign that record fish live in the city limits.

Ok, wanted to make sure you were talking about a rod and not a reel since it just sad baitcaster. They will have to swap it out since once the insert to the guide pops out they don't really pop back in. Believe they are Fuji guides and have a ceramic insert which may be set in a plastic ring, but that's not a part you can pop in. It would have to be re-wrapped with a new guide.

you fishing from shore in the same lake you're using your boat in?

Is it an older model or a new one?

Correction not a Tracker 17'5" MOD V, was a Tracker Pro Guide V-175 SC. Sorry, been looking at a bunch of different boats lately.

Why don't you look into a MOD V. Looking to do the same here on the West Coast, but years of working offshore I have lots of respect for the water. I've seen people offshore in boats I know you would never find me in and if the weather came up well they wouldn't far very well. I have been looking at something in the line of the Tracker 17'5" MOD V so I can do both and it have enough free board to keep me dry and safe if the weather did come up with the ability to fish comfortably as well. But then that's just my opinion. If it was only freshwater I would be fishing, I'd probably opt for a Nitro or Champion.

If it cavitated and spun out, it was under pitched. He didn't have enough prop. Running a Crewboat in the Gulf, wheel size to HP make a big difference and if it's under prop'd well you just spin and cavitate as there isn't enough wheel to grab the water with the rpm's you're trying to turn.

Other then 2 300 size reels which are dedicated "larger swimbait" rigs, most of my reels are in the standard size although some have shallow spools and others deeper...IE EXO 100 has a deeper spool the a Kinetic. One I believe holds 145yrds of 12 the other 125yrds. But with backing and braid they end up about the same. But deep cranking would be the only advantage of a deeper spool in a regular sized reel as you have more line capacity.

Anyone think the warranty issue maybe caused because most now ARE pushing their equipment past what they are designed for. Most now use braid which has no stretch with much tighter drags which was fine with mono because of it's stretch. We all have up'd are game in the fishing world. We take our equipment out, and yes we push it to the limits and some past the limit. IF I believe no matter what I do to my equipment the manufacturer will replace it without questions. Maybe Shimano has seen this as I'm sure they pay attention and have seen a rise in returns as more of us use braid. Their only option to stay viable is to shorten the warranty, hope that their client base will still trust them and continue to purchase their products. If not they will fail, and then they will have to develop a better product that will hold up at the price point they are charging. Or they will jack the prices up on rods they sell that will have a lifetime warranty. I'd almost bet the next years line up will cost a lot more but will offer a lifetime warranty. I'd say these will be up in the $250-300 range.

Have had to wade in after a rod taken by a wisker fish, glad that my blank was blue and had a swimbait rod in the car to snag the line. Only thing I could see was the handle of my spinning rod. Got it back and cleaned it up. Also had a bass rod slip out of my hands fishing in the ocean off a boat. Went to make an underhand cast and the rod slipped out of my hand. Oops, picked up a different rod and just kept fishing although everyone that new me thought I was about to blow up and loose it.

I would say the retrieve, after all you fish it like a spinnerbait less the blade and as a trailer like the swimming flukes, or the Rage Menace Grub twin tail grub.

Well if I bought a rod based on warranty only, well then how am I gonna fish? I buy a rod as a tool, to be used as it was designed and if we push it past that point it will fail and to be honest if we take care of our gear it will last. Now I have broke 2 rods, both the same blank and in the same spot. I decided right there that although I liked that companys rods, well that rod wasn't going to perform the way I wanted it to in the technique I was fishing. Came to the reality that for me a flipping/punch rod needed to be more of a moderate action for me instead of a X-fast especially when you blow apart the first 18" of the rod both times into 3 pieces. Was it the company's fault, nope....it was mine. I ate the cost of the 2nd one and moved on to a different brand with the action I needed. I could have warrantied it but to me I wasn't their fault it broke, it was mine. Sounds like most people that have Shimano rods are more worried about being able to replace it when they break it then having faith that their equipment will do the job that they want it to.....although yes have a friend as stated that really needs this warranty since he breaks them more often.

you said you can somewhat pick up fish on your electronics, well go off what the average depth of those fish are. If most of the fish you are marking are at a certain depth range, doesn't matter what kind of fish they are, I would target that depth. Use it as an information tool as to the relative depth most of the biomass is located.

Gander Mountain may have them. Might also check Dicks, or Acadamy as well. They probably stock the Strike King double blades

I wont spend $4 on each either, but if you buy all the components the the twistlock centering pins and blades are about the most expensive coming to about $10 and then another $2 for the swivels and split rings. Looks like you already have invested in the blades and rings, and I have used this set up, be warned if you use them on Senko's the tend to tare out. I use Yum Dingers in the 5" and have had great success, and have never lost a rig out of the back of them. To make your own once you have most of the components you can get it down to around $1.50ea rig.

I get mine from TW. I like the 3/8 Picasso Din R Bell Double blade buzz bait. Strike King also makes them. But can find almost anything I need there. Also may be able to locate the double blades at Bass Pro Shops.

Can also try some of the double bladed buzz baits. You can reel them slower thus keeping it in the strike zone longer and a slower moving target may get there attention where a single blade bait won't.

I'd like to say it's from his fish catching abilities, but yes I agree, think he needs to take better care as well. But when they are your friend you have to take them the way they are.

Have to look at the lunar tables, you may have caught the tail end of a bite/activity from the moon providing more light for them to feed at night. Haven't had much sucsess early myself. Most of my fish have come between 8-11am or 2-4pm.