Jon G

Scratches don't effect the reels performance. It's like a car, they don't do anything but you still want it to look pretty.

No offense but everyone here has told you they really are not similar. Can you admit that maybe your initial observations are wrong? There's nothing wrong with that. Anyways I have stated my opinion on that they are not similar and this is clearly not going anywhere since you just want someone to agree with you and won't accept any other answer answer to your question.

Fun bait to use. I really like the northern style ones.

That's a great question. We were confused because you were rambling about how a chatterbait is like a lipless crank, a crank, and a lot of other baits and when we tell you it's not you say we are wrong. The way a bladed jig and a lipless crank fish in the water are totally different. A fish tends to strikes a lipless crank due to the noise while a bladed jig tends to get bit more do to the vibration then anything else. I fish a bladed jig pretty much anywhere except heavy slop in any condition year round. I fish a lipless crank mainly in grass flats in the fall and spring. FWIW the bladed jig has been my number one search bait for the past 3 years and this year alone it has gotten me at least 50% of my bites this year.

I'm really lost now on what you are trying to explain......

Chatterbaits are usually fished with a slow steady retrieve while lipless cranks are usually burned, yo-yo'd, killed, and ripped and popped hard. You are saying that they are the same do to noise and action. If that were the case almost all the lures we use "are the same"

Totally different baits just because they make noise does not make them similar...

I will agree with this. I will give credit to Lew's on that they produce a lot of good reels for people on a budget. A lot of their reels in the $200+ range can be found for a lot less than retail price on places like ebay.

You are absolutely correct. But you would be surprised of how many people think that is way to much, even just getting started. Take someone you know who has no knowledge in fishing to a tackle shop and look at their reactions to the prices on things that to us isn't that expensive. I've been in stores before when someone was wanting to get started and just could not get over a bag of plastic lures cost $4. Let alone something like a SK crank costs $5-$6

Like others have said they are promoting their sponsors rods. A vast majority of guys are not going to pay more than $200 for a rod or a reel. When they see an Elite using a rod or reel in that price range it sparks their interest because it's in their price range and if an Elite is willing to use that rod to make a living it has to be good.

This hasn't been a hardbait year for me. Seriously. The only hardbait that really worked for me this year was an LC Pointer. The rest of my fish came on jigs, bladed jigs, and soft plastics. It's a shame to because I love fishing hardbaits.

If I had to guess? Probably cost. For someone just getting into bass fishing it can be pretty overwhelming.

You most likely put way to much oil in it. The bearings only need 1 very small drop of oil. Flush the bearings and put a small drop of oil in them.

A Braid/Fluoro Hybrid -No Stretch -Invisible -Slack Line Sensitivity -Small Diameter -Good Knot Strength -Sinks (Definitely not going to happen but it's nice to dream about)

Shooter is a lot more wirery and stiff than Sniper. It has a lot less stretch though and it took me a few hours to get use to. Personally, I love Sniper and I find myself buying it more than Shooter. You said you've caught hundreds of fish with 12lb Sniper but had issues with it on that lay down which shows it is not strong enough to hold up to flipping lay downs. Seriously try 16lb its great it has a very thing diameter and is very strong. Like I said any rod of mine that has Fluoro on it most likely has 16lb Sniper.

12lb line is not going to hold up flipping lay downs. You may get lucky sometimes but with larger fish you will get beat 85% of the time and you found out the hard way. 16lb Sniper is the real deal. I absolutely love the stuff and I use it for almost all my FC needs. If I'm flipping heavier cover I will bump up to 20lb. I actually have a hard time sometimes breaking off 16lb Sniper...

You got me . I usually stick to the Pointer Minnow which has two. Pretty interesting on the different ways you can make it suspend. Just shows how little I like to play around with my jerkbaits lol.

I guess I should add on to why I say Shimano. Everything about Shimano screams quality. They have been around for a long time and they have continuously produced quality reels. When I pick one up and use it my reaction every time is "D**n this is nice" Don't get me wrong I've had a Lews Tourney Pro and it was a nice reel I just wasn't as impressed with it as I was with a Shimano. The other thing for me at least is I don't see much of a difference between a vast majority of Lews models besides an ounce or two of weight shed off.

Really hard to beat an Avid at the $200 price range

No it will usually make a suspending bait float. Besides LC Pointers only come with two hooks

It gives them something to aim at. Putting a red hook in the front makes them take the bait head first making it harder for them to throw it. I didn't believe it at first but it definitely works. I don't really think red disappears in water until it's deeper in the water column. Plus we use red baits all the time so the fish obviously see it.

Putting bass in the boat is not strange but having dead squirrels with their guts opened up rotting in your cooler so you can dip your lure in their guts is strange.

I'm guessing you're joking?? If not this maybe the strangest thing I've ever heard.....

An Avid with a 2500 CI4+ would be the best bet IMO

I just use a disinfectant wipe and then a Q-tip with a little rubbing alcohol to clean places I can't wipe such as the line guide.