offsidewing

Not sure of your budget, but having tried lots of rods in different categories, the St Croix Avid X is great for both casting and spinning applications. I can't say enough good things about their customer service.

Seaguar Tatsu 6lb fluoro for Drop Shot and Ned Rig. Fantastic line. Sunline is good when I can't get Tatsu from Amazon cheaply.

I have done exactly that, but it is not a modern incarnate of the Core 50. The Curado 70 palms much better.

Curado 70 - Magnesium Frame and side plate, Xship, MGL spool, extra support bearing in the drive shaft, and brass gears. If the reel cost $500 I'd buy six.

St Croix user here. For spinning rods: 6'10" MLXF for Ned Rig and light drop shot. Wrestled 4 and 5 pound smallies on it no problem. 6'8" MXF for senkos, tube jigs and Ikas. I own a couple legend elites, but my favorite all round spinning rod for plastics and smallies is the LTB 68MXF.

MGL III spool? Didn't even know there was an MGL II spool.?

Own/owned both in casting and spinning. Prefer the LTB for spinning and love the handle. New handles are a bit better. In casting styles, they are close but I actually prefer the Avid X in casting rods. Guides are better on the LTB, but anecdotally feel like the Avid X is a better caster in simliar lengths, power, and tips.

What are you fishing for? If you want to lip hook pan fish with a Ned Rig, your UL will be fine. If you want to go after bass, better use your 6-6 MF rod.

6lb YoZuri hybrid is great. Keep in mind its the same line diameter as many 10lb mono. I like it a lot for Senkos and weightless plastics fished on Med Fast spinning rods. ML spinning rods get 6lb Tatsu. Treble Baits that are retrieved by turning the handle at a consistent speed get a 65lb swivel to avoid line twist.

My Steez TW SV is a skipping beast with baits down to 1/4 oz. My Daiwa SV103 was decent too when I had it. Both were much better than the 2015 Shimano Metanium DC for skipping. I believe the Met DC and Curado DC will share the same DCi5 control system. Now, the DC 4x8 system in the Antares is supposed to be legendary - Unicorns, Rainbows, 100 meter casts and skipping hair jigs.

Had two 2015 Met DCs and sold both for Met MGLs. They didn't cast as far as the Met 13 or the MGL. The DCi5 system was only apprecible in windy situations on open water with tumbling baits. It seldom engaged on pitches, but free spooled nicely. The DC system is cool. If I had to do it again I would have gotten a 2016 Antares DC with the legendary DC4x8 control system or go with the new Curado DC that has just about all the functionality of Met DC but weighs an ounce more. In my hands the new curados palm great too.

Yep, as others have said for drop shot - MLXF rod and a finesse focused line. I go straight 6lb tatsu or straight braid. 6lb tatsu is amazing.

Holy Necro Batman...

St Croix LE 6'10" MLXF paired with a Shimano Vanquish 2500HGS and 6lb Tatsu. 5 lb smallies feel like a swordfish!

I'm waiting for a mod to chime in and say they've sold all their Dobyns and Loomis rods for Kast Kings...

Thanks everyone for the input!

I've fished braid on baitcasters for a while. Was thinking of using straight 20lb Maxcuatro on a St Croix 68MXF spinning rod. Is 20lb braid too much for a 6'8" MXF rod? Going to use it for smallie beavers and wacky rigging 4 inch senkos.

Magic potion: get a 1/8th oz bell weight. After you hook the head/nose of the fluke, slip the bell weight onto the hook. Then pierce the body of the fluke as normal. The bell weight will hang on the hook below the belly of the fluke. Change the weight of the bell to change fall rate and/or depth of retrieve.

Sweet looking combo, matches the boat! $40 worth of fluoro on a $60 reel tho...

MGL spools are not made of magnesium. Also, there is a saltwater version of the new chronarch. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/catpage-SHIMNOREEL.html?from=basres

I prefer the JDM Metanium MGL. I sold my Shimano DC reels in favor of them. The new Chronarch MGL is no slouch. The Aldebaran will not feel as "robust" as the other reels you mentioned. I'd also like to add that the Curado 70 reels are a really understated reel. Not as "smooth" as the Metanium, but a solid reel and great performer for a 6.5 oz bass reel.