dodgeguy

I'd go with rod 1 and put a Lews spinning reel on it. Carbonlite 2.0 has a 10 year warranty. I've used bps rods since the 90s and they are great.

If you use COPOLYMER or Flouro main line you should use a 3000 reel at least. A bigger spool makes these lines behave better.

Sufix Advance Mono. Less stretch and more sensitive. Handles far better and test stronger than rated.

And this my friends is why for years I've posted not to buy composite reels.

Why you would buy anything other than another Lews lfs is beyond me. At Sportsmans Outfitters they're in the low 80s range.

If you get snagged with braid pull it with a wood dowel that you wrap the line around. IMHO never go below 50 lb braid on a baitcaster.you will have way less issues that way. Sufix 832 or Tufline domin8.

If your tournament is only 3 hours maybe you're not fishing when they are biting. I fish 8 hours when I go and a lot of timed you hit dead periods then you hit a period when they turn on.

i did that oce thats why i posted the same thing. i just tightened mine down and turned the crank with my thumb on the spool.

Sounds like you got oil on the drag.

I went fishing yesterday and caught 11 bass in 8 hours. Not bad for a hot summer day on a rowboat. One fish I threw a trig pink senko to in a lay down. It splashed and had my bait and I fought him for 2 seconds and it poped out. Threw back in same bait and nothing. Sneaked around the back side and flipped a jig in there . went up and down twice and he hit it. Set the hook and pulled him through. 3.5 lb largie out of the branches. Whats your favorite back up bait and how often does it work ?

Weeds in the levelwind are common.

Loosen the drag. You can't use 20lbs of drag on 10lb line.

So tuck it back in.

I've used 20 on a baitcaster and IMHO it doesn't cast much further than 50. With 65lb I don't think you'll lose much distance.

Trig power worm. 7 inch 3/16 tungsten sinker.

flourocarbon is no more sensitive than Sufix advance mono. Advance is a copoly with extremely low stretch.

Always works for me.

One of many reasons I stopped using flourocarbon line. One good backlash is 20$ down the drain. I would spool with Sufix advance mono.

Then I would stick with them.

Could not agree more !!! I use it exclusively starting this year.

No way around it you're setting the hook way to hard. If you keep breaking all these rods no matter what brand then it's you. Like I said if you use braid you don't need a super hard hookset. Maybe try mono. If you stop breaking rods with mono that's your answer. If not then buy ugly sticks.

Yeah ok so go to 6 lb. Advance breaks over test rating . having used the 8 lb I wouldn't be afraid to throw 6 lb advance on a baitcaster.

So other than sensitivity by using a light drag your not getting full potential out of the braid. IMHO you might as well put it on spinning tackle. On spinning tackle you could use more drag and it wouldn't dig at all. I guess if that works for you it's fine.

I have never seen any braid that doesn't dig in on any baitcaster in my 30 years of fishing braid. Even 50 lb can dig in on a hard pulling fish. This includes all my buddies using all different braids on all different reels. If I was using braid that light I'd put it on a spinning rod. Dig in doesn't happen on a spinning rod due to the way the line is spoiled.

I would never use under 50 lb braid on a baitcaster. To many dig in issues. Doesn't cast any further to talk about so why bother?