Cgrinder

Thanks for the write up. This is not a US market rod; they're mostly Japanese lengths and actions. The price from Japan is also pretty good. I have a Swamp Survivor that I like a lot.

Can confirm. New Zillions still reeeeal nice on the Shimano reel seat.

Say itttt. On topic, SV3 is a nice spinnerbait. I like the tails better here than on a Jamaica Boa. Smallmouth like it too.

Early and late season with a light wire hook, Loomis 843. I have the old NRX but a GLX would be better (more traditional MBR action). In late spring and summer, with a full size jig and a stouter hook, a solid MH rod with a bit deeper bend is good. I'm bouncing between an Enox BMJ (probably ALX's best rod) and a previous gen Adrena 73MHRF right now. A softer H rod is great too; I used to swim jigs on the old 72H Zodias with good success. Sensitivity in a swim jig rod is more important than you might think. A lot of the time sure, they'll hit the jig like it owes them money, but you need to be able to detect and react to those inhale-from-behind-and-swim-at-you bites. Plus it's nice to be able to pitch the jig around and feel bottom, crawl stumps, etc.

When they say the Antares get cold in cold weather, they mean it. Plus when you ding em, it's noticeable. I would buy neither because the Zillion exists. I find 6 pin SVS to be fussy and don't care for it.

Pointer and Duo here. I used to catch bigs on an X-rap Shad in the Perch pattern; might have to pick that back up.

Earlier SV reels, yes, definitely. Current SV reels, less so. SV-boost seems to have solved the issue for normal everyday bass fishing, though we'll see how the new Tatula SV performs.

Wind picks up, I pick up a spinnerbait. I'm only adding a trailer if I need weight, color, or more action.

15 lb Trilene is larger in diameter than 20 lb Sniper. Of course it breaks at higher than "100%"; they're testing 20+ lb line.

Just Googled the Fish N Fool knot, and I would not tie that knot with fluorocarbon. Just pass it through the eye once and you have a Uni knot, which is fluoro friendly. I don't know if that's exactly the issue with the Hybrid, but I would not suggest it with the Invizx.

Nothing on an SV3 or a War Eagle usually. Paddletail if I want more weight or a pop of color.

Bantam XG. I actually like the first gen a little better for the heavy stuff. I also have a US Zillion 8.5 that does fine with frogs. The Bantam is a better winch but the Zillion casts a range of weights better than either gen of Bantam. However both of these reels are a little bit above your price range, new. The 24 Tatula 100 is worth checking out at around $135 shipped from Japan.

I would try one on a Bull Flat, but I don't think there is enough hook gap there.

I wouldn't necessarily buy nicer, but I'd buy more and sell fewer.

Shimano rods seem to punch above their weight; the Expride and previous Adrena rods are very good value at their respective price points. If you told me I had to have 30 rods, I'd have a lot of Exprides.