Sonik

I just placed an order for the 7'2", 7'1", 7'3", 6'9", and the 6'10" spinning model. All ZX rods. I would have bought the new Crankshaft model ZX but it's not in stock. The flea market here will be seeing me post my *** Blacks and Carbonlite really soon. Not that the Omens or Carbonlites are bad. But, for me, I prefer the ZX rods. For $70, they're amazing to me. They just fit me and work with me the best.

Maybe the 10xd ain't worth it. I'm relatively new to cranking actual diving cranks beyond 8-10'. Light squarebills, lipless, etc, ok. Maybe I should spend another year working a deep Bomber, DD22, or 6xd before stepping up. I'll need something but I think that yall are right and the giant crank needs it's own rod. I should probably go for the next step up to handle 5/8-1oz cranks.

I handled the spinnerbait rod in store and it was really nice. They all are. You could do a lot with that rod.

Just search "crankshaft" in the search bar on the Cabelas site. Should be the second option.

I like my current cranking rod but there's just no way it will handle an 8xd or a 10xd (if I get a wild hair to go that big). It's a 7'1" medium/moderate-fast. Works great for my squarebills and lighter cranks up to 1/2oz. The rod specs seem accurate because 5/8oz deepish cranks really pull on the retrive. I tried a 3/4oz lipless Xcaliber and I was afraid to load it too much on the cast. So, I ask, is it just preference between 7' H and a 7'6" MH cranking rod? I don't have the length in my rod locker for a 7'6" so that type of rod would need to be telescopic handled. And if it telescopes, it seems like the parabolic bend would stop at the part where the blank retracts into the handle, negating the whole point of the 7'6"? I'm not sure. Maybe I lose either way?

BPS Tourney Specials are $29 right now, same as the Graphite Series. I would do that. I have a 7' MH and it works well for 3/8-1/2oz spinnerbaits and I've used it with Texas rigs with 3/4oz pegged weights. I would imagine the heavy models at 7' and the 7'6" would work better for 5/8oz and up for pitching. I do know they offer a telescopic handle model in the 7'6" if your rod locker is shorter or for transportation in a vehicle or whatever. If I was on a budget and had limited funds, I'd look at the Tourney Specials for $29. And I really dislike BPS. But I know that is a good rod for the money.

Yup! Yall will see my like new *** Blacks on sale in the flea market soon! Love the ZX. Love love love it. They have a ZX model called a "Crankshaft" now too in addition to the standard casting and spinning models.

For real. I have backlashed exactly once with my BB1 Pro and that was because I tried to stop my casting motion on the toss and the lure dunked into the lake about 5 feet in front of the boat. Still not that bad of a backlash.

I have both. I use the BB1 Pro for cranking and have the multi-stop version that is 5.1:1 for both reels. I use my Tournament Pros for everything else as I don't need the low gear ratio. I have bought a few more Lew's and have picked up standard Tournament Speed Spools. I don't notice a difference in performance and the screw on the right side of the reel doesn't dig into my hand after a day of casting. Not sure what's uo with that. May need to be turned where the slot isn't turned out.

I learned on a Pro Qualifier and gold Carbonlite. I tried a Lew's Tournament and it became second nature. Ditched all my BPS reels. The PQ is on sale for $80 online and Cabela's has Lew'd Tournamemt reels on sale/clearance for $120.

Pocket sand!

I wish Lew's or Cabela's would come out with a 7'6" MH moderate rod with a telescopic handle. The Crankin Stick is the only one I know of with the telescopic handle in the moderate action. My rod lockers won't fit a full 7'6".

I knew a guy that lost the use of his left arm in a farm accident that used a Daiwa Megaforce (?) and the twitch bar to pick up the slack on line when working jigs, Texas rigs, Carolina rigs, etc. He would set the hook and reel with his teeth. Learned from Tim Farmer on Kentucky Afield.

I saw some yesterday afternoon pop up on the site but then they went sold out again. I don't know of they had a small batch come in or if it was a website glitch. I've been checking back regularly.

I am actually surprised that there isn't one of those mini Bass Pros or Cabela's in Paducah, what with the two lakes that host major BASS and FLW events. I think they even did the sponsor conference at Kentucky Lake last fall. I'm sure they have reasons for it. Low income levels and stuff compared to the St. Louis and Nashville areas. I had a buddy that worked at the Gander in Paducah who said the top selling guns from the store were Hi-Points and Maverick 88s. Most people probably buy $15 combos from Walmart and if they saw a $60 Pro Qualifier spinning reel they'd flip their lid and run out of the store screaming bloody murder to everyone about how overpriced that was for a reel.

I have never figured that out about the area. There are great lakes in the Ozarks, two big rivers, Kentucky and Barkley Lakes, etc. But the big box stores have nothing. From western Kentucky, southern Illinois, southeast Missouri, and into Arkansas and Tennessee. All of the Dick's, Academy, and Gander stores are full of clothing and shoes and golf equipment. It drives me up a dang wall.

I try to do as little business with BPS as possible. I have few things I get just because they're so cheap. One of the reasons I don't do more business is all of the junk you hear out of the sales people and the reps floating around. It's like they are trained to flat out lie and say ridiculous things as opposed to being knowledgeable about their own products. One guy at the Clarksville, IN store told me that KVD uses Pro Qualifiers and Johnny Morris rods in tournaments and only uses Quantum when he's doing promotional stuff.

Abu Garcia sells a $100 combo that is an Orra Winch and 7' moderate action rod. For budgets, it's great to get more bang for your buck, so you may look at a MH power rod that is moderate-fast action around 7' and a 6.X:1 reel. That would be very versitile And fish about everything.

I did get credit from them for shipping once. I ordered two rods from them and they charged additional shipping for both but they came together in the same shipping tube Aling with some soft plastics packing taped to the rod butts. I called and spoke with a nice young lady and explained that I was ok with the extra $8 (or whatever) because of the large item but that I shouldn't be charged for each of those items if they come in the same package. She agreed and refunded me the entire shipping cost of my order.

I wholeheartedly agree with this. I buy a lot of stuff from Cabelas but their shipping kills me. I like their hard baits a lot. Good enough hooks for me, good colors, run true, catch fish, and they're inexpensive. I went to buy a bunch a few weeks ago when they were on sale and the shipping was like $15. When you divide the shipping costs out per bait, I could go to TW and order a pile of Bombers or Strike King XD cranks.

$30. They're $29.99 here in the States.

I have 2 different systems. I have my "high dollar" system that is comprised of a stack of *** Blacks, a nice crankbait rod, and a pile of $150-200 Lew's reels. This is for when I'm fishing hard And it's serious. There may be $1,000 in this gear not counting line, lure, and terminal tackle and it covers a lot of technique specific things That's a lot to me. But my favorite system is my "fun fishing" stuff. It's a Cabela's 7' MH/MF Tourney Trail baitcasting and a 6'6" M/F Tourney Trail with a Fish Eagle spinning reel. Everything bought on clearance or deeply discounted. I have a small bag that has my favorite weight and colors with 1 spinnerbait, 2 squarebill, 1 popper, 1 frog, 2 lipless, 1 football jig, 1 swimming jig, a few weights and hooks, and 1 bag each of flukes, speed craws, fish doctors, trick worms, and chunk trailers. I think there's maybe $180 in the whole smash. I end up doing better with the less expensive, 2 rod system. Every time. It drives me insane. Can't figure that one out.

For $8500, I would look at a good used aluminum bass boat with a four-stroke outboard like the Trackers you mentioned. They're light, easy to tow, easy on gas, and will be great to learn on. I ended up with an Alumacraft Pro 175 with a 70hp 4-stroke Mercury. I am new to the bass boat game after fishing from a jon all my life. That 70hp will push me faster than I want to go. I understand the big glass boats touch 70mph but I'm just not ready experience wise or financially. I would also tell you that my tin boat has gotten into some spots that a glass boat wouldn't dare go.

I have a 7' ML spinning rod Tourney Trail paired with a Pflueger President. I love it for the price. I have a Tourney Special from the other big box store that goes for $50 and I'll take the Cabela's all day over it. Pretty light for the price range. Not very stiff rods so if you like a slower action, they're good. I have an order sitting in my cart right now with some Pork Chop crankbaits (love those and on sale) and a hoodie and I'm trying to decide if I want to throw in a couple rods for $30 each. If I have one complaint against them, even for $30, I don't like the style of hook keeper on them. The ML I have works well for me. I use it as my crappie rod with a size 200 reel and then it works as my drop shot and shakey head rod when I change reels. Pulled in some good bass and some slab crappie without a hitch. There's been complaints on the spinning rods with tips breaking but I've had mine since spring 2012 and it's not had one issue.

I love my BB1Z that is multistop. It gives me a little bit of forgiveness and a different feel when I fish crankbaits.