Cgrinder

I'll take the *** over the Diesel any day. It's not enough of a price difference to justify not having a warranty.

I haven't found a red hook that keeps its color for very long. Red hooks are good. Bright, shiny gold hooks aren't.

Would you mind linking this power pro knot test?

At $160, it is hard to beat the BPS Pro Q/Carbonlite combo. I am currently frogging with a 7'1"MH *** and it is very good. You may want H power as you said.

There is a certain internet auction site where used reels are sometimes bought and sold. Plus there's always the Flea Market.

You should possibly add the Curado 50E and Chronarch 50mg to your list. If price is not a problem, the Core 50mg7 is a pretty popular reel.

http://i.imgur.com/bn2sOLu.jpg How about that?

DSG should have some Field and Stream Tec Spec Elite rods on clearance. Word is that those are decent rods for the price. I think they're like $38 or something at my local store. You could also get a St. Croix Triumph or Mojo Bass spinning rod. Sometimes DSG has deals on those.

I can probably do that for you tonight if no one else does. Do you want the picture palming the reel or just hand on handle? I have a 7'1" ***. In my opinion, the handle on the *** is great but I have average to large hands and I palm my reels.

I can confirm, Chronarch 200E's look sexy on an ***.

You may be quite happy with the Booyah frog. The paint, especially the details, rubs off very fast in my experience but they are super freakin' soft and pretty well priced. That said, my personal favorite right now is the KVD in green pumpkin with the green/white legs and 3/4" trimmed off.

If they're in store this weekend, I'll go get my hands on them.

I'm not seeing the LH ones on there. Shame.

Well, maybe I need to get one of those next time they are on sale. $60 or so for a dedicated rod doesn't sound too bad.

My experience with them has been very positive.

Great replies. It seems like I may have gotten a bad seat. I did handle the Aetos rods a little when I took the rod back. They feel pretty nice in the hand. I wish they made a 6'8" or 10". I'm concerned about the sensitivity on the Crankin Stick, but that is a really good idea.

Part one: After reading good things about it on this forum, I purchased a Fenwick Elite Tech Smallmouth rod in 6'10" M-F. However, I had a real problem getting a reel to fit snugly in the reel seat. I tried multiple Shimanos and a Pro Q, but they all had a lot of wiggle room in the seat with it cranked down all the way. So I took it back to the store, but they didn't have another in stock. Has anyone else experienced this issue? A Google search turned up nothing. Part two: I'm in the market for a new M power casting rod to fish Senkos, Ikas, and light baits. I plan to pair it with a Shimano Chronarch 51 of some kind, probably a 51e but maybe a 51mg. I was thinking of a 6'10" M ***, but they're a little heavy despite their amazing balance. I have my eyes on a used Cumara 6'8", but I don't really care for micro guides. I browed Dobyns and Powell's offerings, but I was hard pressed to find M power rods. My budget is $200 max. $150 or under would be ideal. As a long term goal, I'd like to be able to throw 3/16 oz Shad Raps on a casting reel. I'm aware that sounds a bit silly, but I dislike spinning reels and enjoy lighting money on fire. :] Any ideas or recommendations?

I need to check out Stoney sometime. I'm in need of new spots. I scoped out the Huron River near downtown Ann Arbor yesterday, but it doesn't look too bass-y.

Hi, I'm John and I'm addicted to bass fishing. I actually spent most of my 20's inside, working on networking certifications and building computers. Last year, I took up fishing as a way to get outside with the girlfriend and Boston Terrier. We're pale. Really pale. She actually got the first bass, a respectable 2 lb. 9 oz. Since that, we've been hooked (har har). We go out fishing three or four times a week together and I go almost every day. I am very well acquainted with the Bait Monkey; if I bring home another pack of Rage Craws, I think my girlfriend is going to leave me (and take the Craws). Being a computer hardware guy, I have an interest in fishing technology and like taking apart baitcast reels. Other than fishing, I attend college, play League of Legends and Call of Duty a little bit, and lurk around Bass Resource. I look forward to learning a lot and maybe giving back a little bit. I am pretty good with topwater baits.