Crankinstein

I dont think the core will be "obsolete" in a year or two. Its still an amazing reel and a new reel is'nt going to suddenly change that just because it has a couple new features. That being said I do really like the metanium and I think you would be happy with either reel. One thing to note is the handle length, the metanium has longer handle. Both are excellent choices and would work well for that application.

+1

favorite worm (t rig or weightless) - 5" Senko Flipping bait - KVD Rodent Shakyhead - Missile baits Fuse 4.4 Drop shot- Robo worm Jig Trailer - Rage Tail craw

Nice vid! I upgraded the spool bearings on mine a couple weeks ago but havent done the knobs or the worm drive yet.

Not to sound like a broken record but I agree with the majority here, it's Luck E Strike RCs and KVD 1.0 and 1.5s for me. My all time favorite is the RC "Freak jr" I'm not sure if it fits for this discussion though because its an adaptation of a square bill that is essentially a long square bill that allows it to dive deeper while still retaining the action and deflection of a classic square bill.

To answer the question I've heard the batteries are supposed to last two years. As a crank bait addict ive been watching these new lures with quite a bit of curiosity. I'm waiting for a little more feedback before I decide to try one though. Its definitely an interesting concept and it reminds me of the hydro wave a little bit. So far my favorite new crankbait design has been the Rick Clunn designed "freak" and "freak Jr" which has a deep diving square bill which is virtually snag proof and also has incredible action.

The lowest in shimano I have is the citica 201e and the highest is a core 101mg. I personally feel like they have quality in all of the reels and that higher end just offer extras like light weight, casting distance, and smoothness as well as just more refinement of the same tech found in lower line ups. I still use my citica quite a bit and it has never let me down. I agree with the above post as far your question goes, spend as much as you want and the quality will always be worth more whether its a $129.99 citica fishing like a $150 dollar reel or a 349.99 core fishing like a $500 reel. Just my opinion though

I have the mojo bass and its a great rod. I personally really like split grips but its all user preferance. If you decide to look at them in store I'd say check out the *** *** rods while your there. They're in the same price range and are also great rods for the money, I liked the action so much I put my shimano core on one for fishing small cranks.

Nice set ups! Those hawgtech handles look cool and I like the color matching with the rods.

Tatula type R. Added some hedgehog studio custom parts and Air ceramic bearings.

I picked up a Tatula type R a couple weeks ago. I haven't fished it yet but I did take it to a pond and cast around to get used to it and see how it feels. My initial thoughts on the reel are very favorable. It casts very far and adjusting the brakes did not take long at all. The T wing does seem to make flipping and pitching easier in my opinion and I was able to flip a jig backlash free very well. The slightly wider spool and size of the reel didn't bother me and I am an angler that generally prefers smaller reels. To me the weight was more noticeable than the size and the reel is just a little bit heavier than most of the ones I use. I don't think its huge issue though because having an aluminum frame would be my choice over graphite or some type of plastic that could be offered in that price range. I plan on using that T wing system for flipping and pitching so the choice of aluminum works as a compliment to that feature in my opinion. I think the bottom line is that you need to assess what features you value most. If your looking for strength, casting range, and technique specific innovations like the TWS then the Tatula is a good choice. If you looking for light weight, easy to palm shape, then it is not.

I haven't seen that exact set up but in an issue of bassmaster I remember seeing a jig that had a drop shot style worm further up the line. The article mentioned it almost like a search bait for suspending fish and the idea was to see if they wanted a bait on the bottom or if they wanted something a little higher. They also mentioned using different colors on the two baits to see which the fish preferred. Definitely an interesting concept and I don't see why you couldn't replace that jig with a texas rigged worm.

+1 I love those rods and I just bought my second one(sale at gander mountain for $80 instead of $100)

I don't have that exact Pflueger model but I do have two Supreme XTs and I can tell you they are great reels. The XT definitely has the nicest bail on any of my spinning reels and its magnesium construction makes it super light. I've had both reels for 3 season now and their still going strong.

Definitely did good on the Citicas. I have one in my line up and it gets just as much attention as my expensive reels, I actually fished my best day last year exclusively with it. I also caught a 17 lb channel cat that grabbed my crank bait with it as well. Great reel!!

I use the stand up alien head jig with the Gamakatsu hook. They work well and the hook has proven very strong and sharp, I foul hooked a bass in the belly and the hook wasn't even past the barb and was still able to land it. I like the hook keeper on it too. I use the missile baits fuse 4.4 as my go to bait for it. As far as fishing it I usually throw it close to cover in areas where there's a drop off and cast it to the shallow side and work it towards the deep side with the best results usually coming when the bait naturally falls and slides down the drop off on its own. I usually don't drag it very much opting to cast it, let it sit, then shake it and wait. Most bites usually come right on the fall or right after the first shake and pause. If you can cast it and then get it to rub against some cover like a limb or rock I've found that to work well too.

After holding both of those reels in my hand I feel like it has less to do with the overall size of the reel and more to do with the shape. The T3 has a lot more room ahead of the spool and does not taper like most Shimanos do. The Shimano is wider towards the back of the spool. The T3 also has a "flatter" type of shape as well. Those pics actually show the differences very well above. I would recommend holding the T3 if you can for your own comparison though because it is a very uniquely shaped reel and most people either love it or hate it. The same goes for the "open hood" TWS found on the T3.

This is off subject but did anyone think that Trophy was gonna fall overboard when they had it up at the front? Water kept splashing over the bow and I kept thinking man that'd make an expensive anchor if it went over.

I really like the Strike King KVD Rodent. It has a ton of coffee scent on it and the fish seem to hang on to it forever. I'm a lot better with hard baits personally so I'm not as good at getting those quick hook sets, having an extra second or two really made a difference for me. I also Like the RI beaver and the missle baits D bomb as well.

is the reel RH or LH? if its LH then the nuts will all be reversed and turning to the left will actually tighten it and right will loosen it. If its a RH then I'm not not sure what it could be but I wouldn't keep trying until you hear some more info. Luckily theres a lot of people on this forum that are good with fixing things like that, a lot better than me, I'm sure someone will have a solution.

I could go for that as long as they made the new design with some unique features to allow it to not just be another Curado with a new name. I like how Daiwa brought the TWS into the Tatula for that price range so maybe Shimano will take a feature from one its higher end reels and offer it in this price range too, within reason ofcourse. Maybe a new break adjustment like the Metanium and Antares have where the break has its standard internal break adjustment with the side plate off but also has a small dial on the bottom for small adjustments. I could see them also offering some wide ranges in gear ratio and size as well which would bring up the size 50 option we've been discussing. I think what I'm getting at is if they make a completely new reel I would like to see it have a "signature feature" otherwise its just going to be a revamped Curado.

I agree, its the price more than anything that I'm looking for. Having a size 50 on a reel design like the Curado would allow me to buy several of them. It'd be cool if they could bring in a new color but as long as the performance and the price is there I'll be just fine.

+1

nice combos! I really like that wall of baits, almost like having your own private tackle store.

I have a Tec Spec Elite that's probably the lightest rod I own. I only really break it out when I'm fishing jerk baits but its never let me down so I'd say there is some real value there. If your at Dicks I'd recommend also checking their St Croix selection, the one near me usually has some good ones. They have some great rods for the price as well.