FishTank

In the P5 line up.... the Bait Finesse or the X-bites. Personally, I only have the Super Destroyer. Great rod. If I were picking, I would go with these two rods that will cover just about anything..... G. Loomis 783C and 844C GLX. I know the Megabass rods look cool and are great rods. The G. Loomis rods will be more functional and come with a better warranty.

This how I have my NRX's set up..... 853C> Shimano Antares 70A 802C> Daiwa Steez SV CT 873C CCR (great for worms and jigs)> Shimano Chronarch MGL 904C MBR NRX+ (great for jigs and worms and anything else)> Shimano Metanium MGL 803S> Shimano Vanquish 3000

Except the 2 Megabass Vision 110's, everything in the pic is new to me as well. The Gold Label is for next year. I have been using Premier and it's OK. It does the job but it doesn't seem to hold up as well as I would like it. So hopefully the Gold Label will be better. As for the Depps Evoke, it's like a Lucky Craft crank. The quality is OK but not thrilled that I payed $20 for a plasticy feeling bait. If it catches fish, it won't matter. What I am really looking forward to using is the Sunline Shooter Invisible. This line is about the most expensive line I have purchased. We will see if it's anything special next season.

This is hopefully the last time before the end of the year that I get cornered by the monkey.

According to Sportsman's Warehouse website, it's not in stock at that location but you could order it. You could call the store as well..... 215 867-7200.

Great reel, no issues on my end. Think a round reel like the Calcutta in a low profile. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one.

I stock up for next year (Bait Monkey Be Damned).... I re-spool, clean, and tinker with my own reels and clean/lube a few reels for some fishing buddies (it's always surprises me what people do to their reels). Clean my kayak Update hooks and terminal tackle on baits Re-organize as much as I can

Definitely would have plenty. I am just not the biggest fan of DC reels even though I have a Curado DC (great reel by the way). They have their place but I tend to like the regular brakes for most of my fishing. On the other hand, the baits you have picked would be ideal for a DC reel. So I guess the question is.... Why not the Antares DC then?

I have a suggestion for you guys.... Would it be possible to put a chart together showing which jig style heads you carry and their applications? You could include links to them with suggested trailers. Anyway.... your stuff is awesome. I think my new favorite thing from you guys that I bought is the tungsten weights. Great quality and the price can't be beat.

I have the same rod but I have an older Calcutta 101 TE GT parked on it. Fun set up to fish. I would also agree that if you fish about 15lb and are launching a heavier bait, you will run out of line. That is the one down side to some of Shimano's upper end low profile reels, line capacity. I like the MGL spool but not much help there if you want to throw some heavy lures with big line. The options turn to the Calcutta/Conquest and the Tranx. You might look at the new Steez Hyper Long Cast. JDM but it's made for big baits. $400 at JapanTackle.

My thoughts on this as well. I keep hearing too many horror stories.

Conquest 200 size would be my choice or depending on line choice, an Antares 70A.

So what defines a workhorse reel for me..... It should be consistent in all aspects and conditions> casting, drag, brakes, and ease of use. The reel should handle as much abuse as I can give it and still perform, again consistency. It has to feel like an extension of my hand as well. Also, after being beat up and mistreated , I want to easily be able to take the reel apart and just clean and oil it. I want to be able to do this year after year without any major parts failing. Simplicity in design is key here. Not many reels or brands for that matter can do this but they do exist.

Excellent.... There is a lot to unpack here. Great vocals, a classic R & B groove, and it's funny.... Only because of my German heritage.....

A Shimano Bantam that it is mint or near mint might get like stated above $75-$100. The rod is hard to say. I know its hard to sell a rod valued at $50-$75 on ebay as shipping will cost $25+.

BPS, Tackle Warehouse, DSG, and even Amazon have them in stock. You could order one and see if it fits. It's sort of a niche rod so I would imagine they could be found a little more easily than others. I don't know how far south you are but there is a tackle shop called the Angler that is in northern Indiana. He usually has a good supply of rods.

I have several rods I use from time to time on my kayak from a G. Loomis NRX to a Quantum KVD rod so I am all over the place on which rod I like best for kayak fishing. My favorite so far is a G. Loomis 783C GLX but the best all purpose rod that I actually use the most is a St. Croix Mojo Yak 7' M Fast. It's a good balance of what I want in a kayak rod. It does take some getting use to though> the sensitivity is average at best, the construction is tough and durable, the rod loads better than most so casting is fantastic, shorter butt is helpful on hook sets, and the Wynn grips I like for a kayak. Overall, I have caught a ton of fish with this rod and if need be I would buy another. Also, it has been my experience that I don't like longer rods (over 7') when kayak fishing. It makes it harder to work around the confined space. For example, one of my favorite set ups this year is an NRX 873C Carolina Rig rod and a Chronarch MGL but not on the kayak. The 7'3'' length and the longer rear handle is a hinderance to getting fish in the boat and sometimes hooks sets. Fishing in small spaces with tight casting windows are easier to deal with when you have the right rod and reel.

Shimano Curados and Chronarchs > any of them. My favorite of the ones I have owned over the years and I still have it, is the Chronarch 51e. I takes beating when I kayak fish and it just keeps going. The Curado 201 SF would be a close second.

I have the shorter 802c NRX (old version) paired with a Daiwa Steez CT. This combo is great for finesse stuff and almost BFS lures. I wouldn't go anything heavier than 3/8oz on it but it's fun to fish. It's not as practical as the next power up (803, 843, and 903). It's almost like a ML rod instead of a Med.

I have the same set up. It is one of the few that when you put both rod and reel together, it's perfect. It sort of has that.....

NRX+ 843C or 844C and an Antares 70A.

Picked a few odds and ends that the monkey couldn't do without. I also picked up some KVD line conditioner, two 1000 yard spools of Sufix Siege, a spool of 15lb Tatsu, and box of misc stuff from Sieberts. My top secret bait is also in this stash as well. The year is almost over and someone is bound to figure it out eventually.

Thanks.... order a few odds and ends. Always good stuff.

Shimano SLX and a 7' M Fast St. Croix Avid. Both the rod and reel are kind of easy going for a beginner but will also function great as a long term quality set up.

I had two President reels (not sure of exact models) from about 7 years ago. I think they were the first one after the version with the wood handle. Both were great until they weren't. Each developed their own issues. I often talked about how much I liked them and I couldn't recommend them enough but in the end my experience was enough to turn me away. It seemed they went further down hill after that. It's a shame. I still know guys that fish old ones from 15+ years ago.