FishTank

I can't speak a whole lot about the difference between one material or the next when it comes to rods but I do know what I like to fish and what a rod should feel like in hand. When I took a look at the Favorite rod display at DSG, I was not impressed. I had seen pictures of them before and pretty much already made up my mind that these were more gimmick than substance. When I put one in my hand, saying they were gimmicky definitely didn't sum it up. I would add that they are way, way over hyped and really not very well made. I do give them credit for doing a great job of marketing.

So far I have had good luck with the 1/2oz and 3/8oz.

All left handed now. I have tried left handed reels a few times but it just feels weird. I know it's just in my head.

Having fished the Curado K and the Curado DC off and on for a year now, I do really like the DC breaking system. I would think if you are a beginner it would be great to get you use to using a baitcaster. I don't think the SLX DC, however, at $200 is a good value (I picked up the Curado DC for same price). It is a nice reel though. The system on the DC is pretty much the easiest system to use. I pretty much set it at 2 and forget it. Is it fool proof (aka backlash proof)> No but it is better than a system that needs constant adjustment. I still the think the best braking system includes an educated thumb. As far as casting distance goes, there are a lot variables in that thought. I found the rod, line and even cold temperature make a huge difference with this reel when it comes to casting. So far I like using it on a crankbait rod with FC line. In cold temps, like other reels, I doesn't cast as far as I would like it but the difference is minimal.

I have used the G. Loomis 783C GLX in the past but this past year I found that I like the St. Croix 7'MH Legend Elite (a little stiffer rod). I don't think it's really necessary to have a rod that is as sensitive as these two. I just like the soft tip and stiff mid section that these rods have. I do however like the shorter length of the 783GLX though.

1/2oz, 3/4oz, and 1oz. I have yet to buy the other sizes.

I have started to use this bait more often and have yet to figure out which set up works best for it. What have you guys been using?

Just in case, I like both Daiwa and Shimano reels...... I would go with the Shimano Curado DC for crankbaits. I know that the OP wanted magnetic breaks but to me this reel is just easier to use for crankbaits and has been trouble free. If not, the next would be a Daiwa Tatula SV TW, followed by the Abu Garcia Winch.

Another one to look at is the Okuma TCS 7'11'' XH. I have been eyeing this rod for a while. The price of a swimbait reel and the price of rod doesn't bother me. Its the price of the baits.... It can costs a lot to play.

I have tried a few Pfluegers in my day and did not have the best experience. Both reels were great until they were not. But with that said, since then all of the reels I have seen from Abu, Pflueger and Lew's have come a long way. When paying full retail, I always thought of Pflueger as sort of the best bang for the buck.

I would pick the Bass X as well, 7'1'' MH Fast or the M Fast. Seems like a great rod for the money.

I have had the Vapor since April and it's not bad. It's actually super smooth and cast well. It sort of feels cheap in hand but otherwise it's pretty solid. I wouldn't pay full retail for this reel since it goes for about the same price as a Curado. I picked mine up for about $75. I did have a few concerns right out of the box though. The break side frame did not fit properly. It took Quantum 3 different parts and a new reel before they figured it out. Eventually between all the parts and the two reels I was able to get one working reel. I will say this, Quantum's service is great and they do care a lot about making sure their customers are happy but I would question their parts and engineering departments.

I have also used Invizx for more than one season and I have had Tatsu for 4 years on one set up. Both have worked great. KVD line conditioner works but if it sits for a long time, I just let some of the line out over the side of the boat and it seems to get rid of most of the line memory.

The best I have used so far for that light of a bait is the Steez SV TWS. There is also the older Daiwa Pixy and the Shimano Core 50mg. One other that may come close is the Abu Garcia AL-F.

I think you're missing the point here..... And just for the record I do have a background in chemistry but I work in printing. I just haven't used it since I stopped auditing inks and chemicals from Flint and Sun Chemicals about 20 years ago. I think there are 3 words you need to look at in the above posts..... 1. Parts (not the frame).... Magnesium parts will corrode in saltwater no matter what the manufacture says about the reel. 2. Coating.... Some reels are coated better than others, shielding its frame. Once the coating wears out, it exposes the frame to corrosion. Magnesium corrodes the fastest. 3. Rinsing.... Everyone says to rinse the reel after use. This was common practice in saltwater fishing. Most people would rinse the reel, spray it with WD40, wipe it clean and some use products like Corrosion-X to prevent corrosion. Or if you're like me, I use to put it in a bucket of fresh water and let soak till I got back to the dock, hang to dry, and lube before using. Also, the only reasons Pflueger list the Supreme as saltwater approved is if the user rinses the reel after each use, also the drag housing is sealed, and they claim their stainless steal bearings are corrosion resistant. All this depends on the user properly maintain their reel and using commonsense. Pflueger's claim can be said about a number of reels.

When I use to fish saltwater, I would rinse them off with fresh water immediately after use and oil what was needed. As far as Magnesium goes..... Never in saltwater especially if it is a cheaply coated reel..... Science stuff below. Chlorides, bromides, iodides and sulfates normally accelerate the corrosion of magnesium in aqueous solutions. Practically all heavy metal salts are likely to cause corrosion since magnesium normally displaces heavy metals from solution due to its high chemical activity, except iron phosphate solution. 06494G_Chapter_Sample.pdf

Another thought, I did this for a friends old Curado when I cleaned it..... He needed a new spool bearing so I was going to replace both. He wanted the original part if available. I went to order them from Shimano and of course they did not have a parts list for that exact reel anymore. Most Shimano reels have the same spool bearings though, 3.00 x 10.00 x 4.00. I ordered the stock bearings for the Antares from them instead. It was a major upgrade for him. They are not cheap, $16 but he definitely likes them.

I have the older Citica G and upgraded mine last year. I had three reels at that time that I needed to either be upgraded or replace old worn out bearings, so I purchased a pair of for each and bought one of each I thought I would need. I bought the ABEC 5 Ceramics, ABEC 7 Ceramics and a pair of the Orange Seal ABEC 7's. In the end the ABEC 5's where fine but the 7's were just slightly better/faster. I did not care for the Orange Seals. All of them are loud at first and don't need to be oiled.

If you have had it less than a year, I would contact Okuma and see if they can repair it under warranty. I have sent them a reel in the past and they did everything they could to make it right. But after 2 attempts and 3 different reels, I decided to return it. Their service was great though but the reel itself just had some issues that couldn't be fixed.

Very cool. It reminds me of the Lucky Craft Flat Mini MR but just slightly bigger. It was one of my favorite baits. I will definitely need to try a few of these. I think the Fire Craw and King Shad will be on my spring hit list.

I have tried both in 6lb and Sniper has more memory. I really didn't care for it on spinning gear. I tried Tatsu several years ago on an older Stradic and it was great but I found I like Trilene XL 100% FC better (just based on the lower cost). I also like Invizx for spinning gear.

Man, I hate to say it but I am not a fan of Fireline. If they have improved it over the years, great but I have tried it on 3 occasions since it came out and it was not good experience for me. 4lb in this stuff would be extremely thin though. If you are wanting to use braid of some kind, there are several that may be better> PowerPro, Sufix 832, Seaguar Smackdown... just to name a few.

I use a crankbait rod from time to time for jerkbaits but prefer a fast rod with a soft tip. The rod you have should work though. I think the key is how erratic the bait is and how long the stop and go is.

I would look elsewhere. I have never been a fan of this reel at any point in time. If you are looking for one, just ask one of the old guys at BPS if this will be a reel you will be happy with or if you can depend on it. The old timers usually won't steer you wrong and they can give their first hand dealings on this reel. I would also check there websites reviews. If they are like they were in the past, you will find some people who love and some who hate it. As far as other offerings, there are several at the $100 price point that would be great> Shimano SLX, Daiwa Tatula 100, Abu Garcia X (SX when on sale), Lew's (they have a couple), etc. If you keep your eyes open, you can find a new Quantum Smoke HD for around $100. Also, a great reel.

Sounds like it needs to be changed. I have fished 6lb XL off and on for years and when it gets stretched, it's done. Once it gets stretched, it seems to get weak points which can cause break offs. I would imagine that 4lb would be worse. Depending on how long I fish and the conditions, I usually would get about 3 or 4 trips with it before it needed to be changed. If I got hung up, tightened the drag and tried to muscle it without breaking, I knew that I would probably have to watch the line carefully and expect to change it soon. I have since switched to 6lb Trilene 100% FC XL. It handles well and it last a whole season.