FishTank

This may help.....

I use the 3/8oz, 1/2oz and sometime the 3/4oz versions. I like the Haze, Pink, and Clear Chart but all of them work. Two things.... One, they are not that durable and two, they are rock snag magnets. I loose one at least every other time I am out but they do catch fish. I try to fish near sand and small rock mixed water or muddy bottoms. They do ok around structure but not near rock.

Normally I would say the Curado K for just about everything but with the rod you have and I have only held this reel in my hand, the Tatula Elite Flip and Pitch would make for a nice combo with that rod.

Antares 70A (left handed JDM version). Amazing reel. It balance well with this rod and it just has that special feel to it. I have also tried a Steez SV TWS, Shimano Curado K and DC, 2012 Antares and a Bantam. I liked the Antares the best with this rod.

Good luck. Wait till you start looking at the Xcalibur One Knocker. I remember them going on clearance for a couple of bucks before being discontinued and now they go for $10-$20 a piece. Great lipless crank though. I lost my last one earlier this year, chrome blue.

Adding some more to your list.... The Hagane, the Bevy Vibration, the iLV, and the RTO. I also saw something about a "Virtual Series" of lipless cranks. They have a ton...

Santa Monkey delivered today. I am still waiting on some Megabass Vision 110's, 2 Magdraft Swimbaits, a Vatalion and a Sonic Side crankbait, a spool of 15lb Daiwa FC, 6 packs of Senko's and a St. Croix Mojo Yak Rod. Also, I already put away over half of my Siebert's order (I can't plug these guys enough, great jigs). I got lucky on the Quantum reels ($61 on the KVD Smoke and $90 on the Tour S3). One more rod before spring and the monkey is done for the year (not really).

Abrazx would be my choice but either one would be fine.

The Bantam would be a great reel> solid like a tank, smooth and cast well. It can be had close to $250. Check out Asian Portal Fishing on ebay or their site....

Cover all the time. I fish this rod pretty much every time I am out. It is my primary jig rod. I usually fish both Saturday and Sunday and usually tournament on one of those days so it sees tons of casts and fish. Including this guy last year....

I think it just depends on what you want to use it for. For soft plastic 6'6'' - 7' works fine. For jigs 7'2'' - 7'10'' (depending on weight of the lure and if I want to cast it or flip/pitch). I like a 7' rod for topwater and spinnerbaits. I can cast more accurately with a rod under 7' but it's marginally more accurate and the same goes for distance. Longer rods give you a slightly longer cast but if the rod loads well and the reel is a good caster, length is not so much a big deal. This all changes the above when you get into crankbait rods (moderate) or X-fast rods.

I found that the way I was storing them in a standard 3700 box was causing more damage than me fishing them. I have since started to use a Plano spinnerbait box. Problem solved. I haven't replaced a spinnerbait skirt in years.

I use to have several of the Lucky Craft RC baits but never did that well with them. I was told that they were produced outside of the regular LC baits and were considered a sort of knock off by the Lucky Craft Company. I didn't totally believe this at the time until BPS started carrying them under the Lucky E Strike name and even their own for a brief time. I have a couple of the originals that have the Lucky Craft name on the bottom and they are still made today under the Luck E Strike name... Here is an example below.

In general when an angler attaches his name to a product, my money goes a different direction, especially when it comes to reels and rods. On the other hand.... I just bought a Quantum KVD Smoke S3 and it seems pretty well made. We will see how it is come spring time.

I have had a package that was ordered and shipped USPS on 11/25. I have still have not received it. It has 17 scans though. It has been in Wilsonville OR, Portland OR, Gaithersburg MD, Washington DC, Cleveland OH, Akron OH and so on..... I live in Indianapolis, IN. Something just doesn't seem right...

I kind of thought the same thing at first but once I found the right reel to put with it and started to catch a few fish (big ones), it was just fishing pleasure with plenty of backbone. In a way, this rod is sort of deceptive with its power. The mid section of the rod is so light feeling that it may feel tip heavy but it's not. Hook sets are easily over done with this rod. I have lost a few fish by just over torquing it when they first hit. I would say the sweet spot with this rod is a 1/2oz jig with trailer but not much heavier than that. I have also fished the Megabass Dark Sleeper with this rod, both 1/2oz and 3/4oz and it is has been amazing. To take it to another level, you should try the 803S NRX. It feels like you could just snap it easily on some of the smallest bass but it will surprise you. Using live bait, I have caught some catfish when fishing for smallmouth that were in the 10lb range and it handle them easily.

I could use both but prefer left handed reels. I cast with my right and reel with my left, never switching hands. It just feels natural now. I do clean a couple of reels in the winter for a few buddies (just finished 4 of them), all right handed. I take them out and test them before giving them back if the water isn't frozen just to make sure they are in top shape. I have found that I can pitch and flip better with some right handed reels due to an old injury (broken hand and wrist) than I can with a left handed reel. I may add a right hander in the future.

If you are new to baitcasters and if you are not planning on ever buying a baitcaster with a regular brake system then the DC would be the way to go or if you are introducing a young angler then the DC is a good place to start. If you are experienced with a baitcaster, then the DC is a tool you use for the more difficult and unpredictable casting situation.

I would go with the St. Croix Premier or even the Mojo. The Triumph is one of the worst rods I have ever owned. I have tried the HMG and it's a good rod for the money. The Fenwick Elite Tech though > I have had two and both have now broken on hook sets, both in the same spot. Pure fishing replaced them but I don't think I will buy another one. When not snapping like a twig, they're not bad.

I would go with the 7.1. You can just slow down the retrieve if you need to.

I have the 844C GLX and have the 844 Conquest on my list to get next year. I also have the the 853C NRX. I sometimes wish I picked up the 854C but it's a close tie between the 844C and 853C as to which is my favorite jig rod. The 844C is more versatile but the 853C just has that something special that makes it a fuzz more sensitive and better for jigs. As far as reels go, I have the Steez SV TWS and the Antares 70A. Overall, the 70A is my favorite. It's slightly smoother, it can cast further (if that's your thing), is great for flipping and is just a pleasure to fish but the Steez is actually more practical. When it comes to skipping, to me it's not reel specific as much as it is a skill you acquire, just like skipping a rock across the lake.

I have bought several lines off of Amazon over the years...... Seaguar Tatsu (best price I have found), Seaguar Invizx, Seaguar Smackdown Braid, Seaguar Gold Leader, Sunline Defier, Sunline Defier Amarillo, Sunline Shooter, Sunline Sniper, Sunline X-Plasma braid, Trilene XL 100% Fluorocarbon, Trilene Big Game, Runcl mono (cheap and not bad line), and Runcl Fluorocarbon (didn't care for it). I really never had an issue with Amazon but the potential to get bad line is there. Just watch out for who sells the line through Amazon and check the reviews.

I was fishing a lot of muddy water at the beginning of last year and I tried all the recommended baits and no luck. I found using a 1/2oz yellowish colored Megabass Dark Sleeper was the trick and more than anything, whatever gave off a lot of water disturbance.

I hate to say it but that sounds like it is beyond repair. Also, the repair by a professional would cost more than the reel is worth. I would try Ebay for a used one if you like the reel. I had a Sahara years ago as well. It was a great reel but I destroyed it when I hooked into a 40lb+ blue catfish. I stripped the insides, bent the shaft like you, and broke a rod to boot.

Have you tried using a pool noodle? Cut the noodle (make it a snug fit) to hold the transducer, use marine goop/glue to secure the pool noodle, press the transducer in the hole. Also, make sure to use to clean the place for the noodle using fine grit sand paper and and alcohol.