Fishingmickey

Merderinc, The drop shot technique in itself can produce serious line twist issues with the bait spinning on the drop and the retrieve. Not sure if this applies but when fighting a fish that is pulling drag do not turn the reel handle on a spinning reel. This will produce significant line twist! I use a good high quailty small swivel at the top of my drop shot rig. I know there are several brands of dropshot hooks that have the swivel built in because of the problems with line twist while dropshotting. Gamakatsu makes the swivel shot, VMC calls theirs the spin shot. Hope this helps and don't mean to come across wrong on the reeling while drag is being pulled out. Fishingmickey.

This I agree is probably one of the reasons there are so many more split grip rods out. Spot on DVT. FM

I think it is a pickapike! JB, I'll be up in your neck of the woods next week, Fishing Long pond and maybe China lake and Cobboseecontee. Fishingmickey

The only time I have had issues with line twist is with the WP is the 90 size and below. 110 and 130 sizes no issues. Different tools for different applications. The buzz bait has it's place. FM

Bank stomping, one rod should do nicely. Change lures, less stuff to carry is better IMHO. FM

The anchor when I use it is a 8lb dumbbell with 75' of 5/16" line. I don't use it much since I graduated to a PA14. But I do use it when I feel like sitting in a spot or to raft up with my sweetheart. FM

Lmao, I was going to suggest, nightcrawler on a #6 snelled eagle claw hook with one bb sized split shot on 8lb test medium light spinning combo.

An ***/8 oz is 5/8 of an oz heavier then 3/4 oz. That is considerably higher then your rod's rating. Add another 1/8 of a oz and you've doubled your rods rating. Your using a medium power spinning rod. you shouldn't be throwing anything heavier then a 110 IMHO. Loon colored WP is black....Me personally I don't think color makes a whole lot of difference at night. The bait is opaque it will silhouette just fine. FM

For a quick repair try the 3M heat shrink tubing that has a hot melt adhesive coating on the inside, It will when heated create a waterproof bond with the hot melt adhesive. Really good stuff! FM p.s. I would test the cable if it still works just heat shrink it and be done.

A lot depends on the size of the crank bait. If your throwing the DD22's & 6XD - 10XD sizes you need a slower reel 4:1-6:1 range with serious torque/hp to reel those baits back in. Round reels like the Shimano Calcutta type or Abu Garcia Ambassador's fill that 4:1 range and Shimano Curado 300E's, Diawa's Lexa or Abu's Revo winch are faster but they also have the strength of gearing to handle those size lures. With the smaller crank bait sizes you can get away with the higher speed/retrieve ratio reels 7:1-ish. Big baits, high water resistance cranks need a tool to match that size. You can tie them on your high speed reel and throw them with a regular mh/f rod but you'll find your wrist's aching and hands cramping off with your arms falling off if you try to fish this for more then 30 minutes to a hour or so. Hope that explains the need for the lower gear ratio reels. Sometimes you need the tractor and sometimes the Ferrari. FM

5 ounces??? Does it bend at all with a spinner bait?

Mottel, Bite detection can be very tricky. One of the things I have learned over the years is how a bite feels. Getting hung in vegetation, running into limbs/sticks/logs feels dead. When a fish hits or bites it feels "alive". A jolt or tap that moved up the line and is felt by my hands. What I am meaning is instead of me bumping it into something. It is something bumped/grabbed/hit it. I wasn't moving it or if I was it just feels like a different sensation. When I am fishing soft plastics in vegetation I try to use the lightest jig head or worm weight I can get away with while still getting a decent sink rate and casting distance. I hang on the veg then pull and jiggle the bait free and then if it gets "knocked" right after it is freed it's likely a fish you can tell it is alive. There is no substitute for time on the water. Fishing at night is a really good way to improve your ability to detect bites. Hope this helps. Fishingmickey

X2

Sounds like a ultra light spinning rod to me after going over the ratings. FM

Hello all, I too have been eye balling the Curado DC hard. My problem is justifying another reel purchase. I have a Scorpion DC that I really like. I have had the Scorpion almost a year now. Purchased it through Japan. It isn't bullet proof no backlashes and it will backlash more on the lighter brake settings. I am casting a light weight (1/8 oz) 5" finesse worm 3/0 straight shank hook into the wind when that happens and reaching for the fences. I don't think DC is the be all end all for no thumb casting but I do think it is a major improvement in braking systems. When I do take my sweetie fishing she uses the Scorpion DC reel and I increase the cast setting up a notch and a touch more on the tension knob and she definitely gets significantly less backlashing then when she uses my other Shimano reels. It keeps her frustration level down greatly and hopefully as she learns more how to thumb and cast a baitcaster she will enjoy fishing more. I don't think casting straight into a wall from short distance is a smart way to test a reel. Fishingmickey

I don't use anything special to spool reels. Normally just set the spool between a couple of couch cushions or the corner of a box where the line spool will roll smoothly. FM

I don't think it is much hassle to keep them. I'd think Google would be able to give you some access to excellent care instructions. If your only going to use them a couple of times of the year. Probably not worth the bother, just order them prior to your April jaunt. FM

Shimano Sellus rod 7' MH/F w/7:1 Casitas or Caenan reel spooled with 12lb big game or XL.

Your basement sounds perfect. I used to cheat as a kid in the summertime and put out the sprinkler for several hours in the afternoon. Then get out the flashlight and cover the lens with a cloth so it wasn't too bright. You can probably pick up enough to get you going Bitsand. Shredded newspapers and coffee grounds. I used to also use leaf mulch and some compost mixed in. FM

I've done it bomb casting a deep diving crank a couple of times. I was using 20# slick Power pro. FM

FX4, It will make it a bit more challenging to get your line to go out but not impossible. Once you have about 5 to 10 yards of line out the line will create it's own drag through the water to pull it off of the reel. I really think the twisted line on your BPS reel might be contributing to your backlash issue and just plain causing problems. Good luck and report back if it works out great. FM

FX4, It kinda of sounds like your line is badly twisted. Are you fishing from a boat or kayak? If so what I have found that works to remove twists from line is to get your boat or kayak moving and let out your line with nothing tied on the end (just bare line). Keep letting line out, maybe even half a spool or better till the line your letting out doesn't kink when you give it slack. Drag behind the boat or kayak for at least 7-10 minutes. the dragging will allow the line to untwist and you shouldn't have the instant "kink" issues when you have slack in the line. Or just say screw it and respool with new XL or Big game. A couple of hints, don't overfill your spool, fill to maybe 3/4th's or a little more. Second is to go out in the yard and play with your reel making short casts or pitches with a half oz weight. Learn to feel the spool turning under your thumb. play with your brakes and see the effects the changes you make to your casting. Good luck hope that helps you out. Regards, Fishingmickey p.s. I see several others recommended the same things... I should have read through the entire post.

Been around long enough for the cost cutting research to see how cheaply they can make them. Where is that fine line.... FM

Smallmouth- Mille lacs, Largemouth-El Salto or which ever lake is the best-Mexico, Peacock bass somewhere in South America. FM

Rapala Skitterpop. Balsa construction, hard plastic scooped lip with a feathered treble. Still wish they wouldn't have discontinued the chartruse backed model. That color used to be deadly on river bass. FM