gulfcaptain

I do both, but normally fish the smallest weight I can get away with and have gone to only tungsten simply because it's smaller and more compact. But I do always peg when I fish a punch jig set up simply because I want the bait/weight skirt together for that larger profile and always on a rod with enough backbone with straight braid.

Fished them all and come down to well mainly two brands with some BPS reels thrown in there I enjoy using (carbonlites and older Extremes). So I stick with Quantum and the *** reels we are not allowed to mention by name.

A co angler for what? In a tournament, if they have a co bracket, sign up, pay, and go. But depending on the tournament, may end up on a waiting list depending how many co's vs boaters.

I wouldn't split it. That would be like me asking to split the rabbit fur on the Deps Slither. Dont over think it and just fish it. You want a frog with a seperated skirt, buy one that's already that way. Just my opinion. Oh, and welcome to the forums.

It's a chunky little bass......duh

The 200's come it right around 6.7oz. The 300's right at 7.5. Here are a few specs on the reels 100's 5:4.1 24 IPT 6:6.1 27 IPT 7:1.1 31 IPT 200's 5:4 26 IPT 6:6 28 IPT (I believe) 7:1 34 IPT The 300's are the same as the 200's just a bit wider. Watch the bid items and you may be able to get them right around $110-130 for all the sizes. As for your question if the 200's are just as good. Yes, they are. They hold a lot of line and come in at the same weight as some smaller reels. The added line cap. lends itself to the following uses for me. I use the 7:3 as a flip/frog reel and use the other two ratio's for deep cranking, A-rigs, Rat's (Spro 40 size), and swimbaits under 3oz's. The 300s are my large swimbait reels and there's a huge difference when you pick up a 300 size reel that weights in at 7.5 oz and fish 4-6oz swimbaits all day instead of something that comes in close to 10-12oz.

I'm not a Shimano guy, so can't give you an opinion about the newer Curado's. I can say from my experience with my friends Shimano's, I'll take my EXO's any day. Do I like them, yes. I have 3 of the 300 series, 3 of the 200 series, and I think 6 of the 100's (might be 7). All speeds in the 100's. They work great, smooth, and light. So I guess you can say I like the EXO line of reels from Quantum.

Did you test drive it before you bought it?

You would think they would use the water wisely but I have already seen bonehead calls. WHO dumps water out of a lake that is at 2/3 full(Folsom Res)? Yep California. Why? Because they are afraid the next storm or two might fill it up......Ummm isn't that the idea!!! Hello, who dumps water out of lake when last year we were in a drought? I could understand if it was at full pool and they wanted to keep it at that level, but still 33% below pool.....open the gates and dump water. You think they are really that smart to use it wisely? I don't think so.

you can use a softer lighter rod. I tried that....and yeah I'm back to using a 7'3"H ANYTIME I fish a frog. The fish missed at the end of a cast aren't worth it. So if it's light grass, heavy grass, same rod, same reel, but my swap out to 30lb braid from 40lb when not fishing heavier cover.

Mine to is a plastic plug you screw from the outside as well. I undue it when it comes out of the water and put it in before it goes in. Says out during storage as so not to collect any water in the boat. Trying to reach that thing from the back I'd need a snorkel and have to get in the water and dive under the motor. Not going to happen. When I was 17 my Dad did manage to loose the plug while fishing, so came back to the dock on pad to drain the boat, had to run home 7 miles and get another one so we could get back to fishing the weeknight tournament we were in. After that he put it in on the inside of the boat.....lol

Well maybe try a longer leader of flouro to match the depth you're fishing.

What size braid are you fishing? I can say the same thing but the other way around. I've done the same thing to my fishing partners with braid while they have fluro. Maybe your braid is too heavy.

They are horrible wacky rigged. They are still very productive and last longer then super flukes do which is good when fish are agressive. There is always a time and place for each bait and still have these in my box, just don't pull them out until I know it's the condition and time to use them.

You asking me or the op on his suggestions? If it's for me, easy, I fish braid and have had great success, but then that isn't for eveyone but normally use 200 size reels or 300's on bigger baits. I have used the 100 on the 68 hudds but that's with 30lb braid and 20lb mono leader so I have a lot of braid on a 100 reel that holds 145yrds of 12lb mono.

The weed guards are just two little wires so no issue with it being too bulky and affecting your hookup ratio. I'd suggest getting the Zinkers and cutting them in half as well. Had more success with the half of zinker then the TRD.

Well shoot, I was just thinking throwing the 8" line thrus, but if you're throwing swimbaits under 3oz then I'd also put the EXO 100 in the mix. You can put at least 120 yards of 20lb on there since it holds 145yrds of 12 and it's all aluminum frame and comes in at 5.9oz with the 5:4.1 coming in with something like 24 IPT. Winner winner chicken dinner.....lol

Congrats, as a co remember to not over think things. I was a victim to that on one of my tournaments as a co and spun myself out instead of rethinking and adjusting.

All pro's go through ups and downs. Greg Hackney wasn't really relavent until a couple years ago. He did great the first few years and then fell off but came back and won AOY. I know people hate KVD, he fishes Quantum, runs a Nitro, sponsored by BPS, and a big figure in Strike KIng. But he has had the same sponsors from DAY 1. 1 bad season in how many years and out come the he's done, he should retire, he's no longer a game player. Skeet had a few bad years until he started pulling it together. Swindle, Ike, Grigsby, Russ Lane, Ish Monroe, Rick Clunn, Paul Elias, Boyd Duckett, Timmy Horton. Are any of these guys relevant? The answer. Yes. Everyone fishing at the Elite level each year is relavent. All are competitors. All have to make the series and qualify each year or get bumped....including KVD. So he finished in the middle of the flied a couple years ago and not in the top 50, think he was 4 or 5 places out of qualifying. But he's washed up and fading. Whatever......the man has more talent and forgot more then what the people here more then likey will ever know but question his ability. Each ELITE earns their spot and until they are off the tour and don't qualify, then they are all relavent.

Wow, has one bad year. Came in 24th in AOY points. Would have made the Classic if they had counted his 2nd place finish at Bassfest like they counted it this last year. All washed up. KVD is far from being washed up and no longer relevant. Ask any of those guys on tour, he's always relevent in a tournament. Look at some of the guys that do better on the Elite series and they aren't even relevent in Major League fishing. But KVD seems to hold his own there....now tell me how is he fading? Easy answer, he's not.

Well could also go with a Quantum EXO 200. around 6.7oz, holds 165yrds of 20lb, all aluminum frame, can palm it and picks up 24" of line per crank on the 5:4.1 ratio as well as almost the same stats on the older Quantum Smoke 150 which holds the same amount of line and is also easily palmable, aluminum frame, and also weights in at around 6.7oz. So there's two more that aren't big and bulky

Have a lean seat and can see fine around it either up where I use it or all the way in retracted into the post. They aren't an issue. I don't think I'd ever have a regular seat up front, just not my style. If I fish a partner tournament the forward seat comes out so we both have room up there unless it's going to be a choppy day which then it would stay in just for balance when running the trolling motor into the chop.

Beware of Brent Ehrler. He dominated a lot of the FLW and last year being his first year he will be a force in the Elite series (believe he won rookie of the year too). The man knows his electrionics and can fish just about any way he needs to put fish in the boat and I'm betting he will win a tournament this year and be in contention for AOY at the end. And if Jacob Wheeler....better yet WHEN Jacob Wheeler gets to the Elite series he will also be one that WILL be one to watch. So many upcoming sticks just waiting in the wings. It's like Jrob78 said the whole field is just that good now.

Go check out Academy's H20 line of spinning rods. They have a 6'9" M rod which will do almost anything you want to do with a spinning rod. $59.99 with a instore/over the counter warranty. I've had mine for over 3 years. No issues and I would rank it up there with $99 rods. Nice components and a nice blank. If you want a second opinion, ask Bluebasser about this rod. I believe he fishes the same one as well.

I think A LOT of pros crapped out. It wasn't just KVD. There were some really good fisherman that struggled in this tournament. Evers struggled day one, but yes he killed it today with a hail mary go big or go home move. I give him credit for that. Maybe with everyone thinking KVD's done it will give him less of a crowd to fish around which my benefit his style. But I don't see him being done although I do see upcoming pro's and others that have resurfaced putting the pressure on the old guards of the Elite series.