FishTank

Its the.......

I bought my fishing buddy a Revros and so far so good. He likes it and has caught several fish without issue. It seems smooth enough and has been a solid performer. I will also say the same thing @bulldog1935 said above.

This going to sound unbelievable and I wish it was.....So I went to one of my favorite lakes today and had my mind and heart destroyed. I have only caught one double digit bass in my lifetime and thought I would never see another one, until today. I was fishing a line of weeds when a monster hit my ned rig. I was only in a few feet of water and when this fish didn't jump, I thought I caught a catfish but about 8-10 feet from kayak I could see the head. It was so big I thought I had two fish on there. As it got it closer, it jumped. That's when my mind went blank, I 💩 my pants and I forgot I had a net. All I could think of is don't loose it, keep reeling in. After a few minutes of it running, I got it right next to the kayak and went to lip it. I gently reached down, got one finger on it and snap, my line broke. This monster had gotten my line in the crevice of the rudder handle and just like that, she was gone. I stared at the water in disbelief for about 15 minutes as my new personal best swam away. The mouth on this fish was three times the size of my fist and it was as round as a volleyball. In length, it was easy to measure since it laying on its side on top of the water right next to the kayak. It's tail was at the end of my side rail and the head was just beyond the rudder handle. That's 30 inches. You guys can guess the weight but it's the biggest one I've ever seen in person. I think I need a break from fishing after today.

There is really good BOGO stuff to be had, especially the Lucky Craft baits. I can't recall them ever being on this good of deal.

Not sure what this guy is. Any ideas? I caught it in a local creek. Looks like a darter fish but I've never caught one or seen one out of the water. Whatever it is, I'm pretty sure I was not supposed to catch it.

That would not be the hook I would use. I would probably throw that around some heavy cover with a senko. Also, the senko would be a better choice around weeds and cover. The Flick Shake works better around light cover and rocks. It's also a good choice for fishing deeper water with some patience. Below on the left are wacky hooks that I would not use on the Flick Shake. They are larger and have heavy wire. On the right would be the style I would choose. The one with the arrow pointed to it is from Zappu and works perfectly with the Flick Shake.

I don't see the mat finish weights on their site and I don't recall them ever being labeled. I have ordered plenty over the years from them. For a good marked, mat weight, I like Mustad and Nako but it's hard to beat the prices and quality of the original OM weights.

I have not had much luck with the Stunna lures but the few fish I have caught have been stuck pretty well. The hooks seem solid to me. For replacements I like the Owner ST-36's, the Ryugi Pierce and the Gamakatsu G-Finesse hooks depending on the jerkbait. I am thinking the same though. Braid will pop fish off easily especially if they jump. Also as you mentioned, the rod as well could be a factor.

I use a Wilderness Kayak Crate. I don't always take it on a boat but it can sit between the two seats pretty easily and it holds more than enough.

Got home today after a little road trip and the Monkey had these waiting for me. It felt like I had won the lottery. If you have fished one, you might know what I mean.

How about the 90mm handle that goes on the Steez A II? I put one on a Steez CT and it works great. The original handle always felt small but I didn't want to put a big bulky handle on it. The 90mm seemed to be the ticket.

They're very similar. Between the two I kind of like the Twin Power better. It feels better balanced but not by much. I like the drag better on the Certate. Both reels are smooth but in different ways. It might be a personal preference on this topic. The line lay on Twin Power is also slightly better. You really can't go wrong with either one.

It has been just a blast to fish. I have it paired with a Megabass P5 Whippet. This combo has brought in a ton of fish and despite the rod being 6'6'', it will cast a mile with some light braid. I can't speak completely for the Stella but I have played with one and I think the Twin Power is slightly smoother. For the money, you can't beat it, except maybe with the Vanquish but I would have a hard time choosing between those two.

Most mono doesn't last long for me. I don't fish it as often as I use to but when I fished it a lot, I would change it about once a month or more often if I was fishing a tournament. I pretty much use fluorocarbon now. I can get a whole season or maybe two out of it. In the end, as often as I was changing mono, despite the cost, I was spending less a year with FC than I was with mono.

Here in Indy there isn't a Mom and Pop shop that is totally geared towards bass fishing but there is a great shop here called Fly Masters. They are more geared towards fly fishing but they do carry a selection of Shimano rods and reels and G. Loomis rods. The staff is great and they generally have a dog or two to greet you when you come in.

Do Live Beaver and the X-Zone Adrenaline Bug have been my favorites. Another is the Geecrack Double Tail Spiron but it's getting harding to find in the colors I like.

I have a 6'8" XFast MH St. Croix Avid (old model). I use it for tubes mainly but it handle pretty much any soft plastic.

50lb YGK Upgrade. I have had it on for two seasons now and it has been great. Still looks and feels like new.

My favorite stock handles and knobs come on the new Shimano Calcutta Conquest and the Metanium. For an upgrade, so far, I have been pleased with the ones from Gomexus. I just added this guy. I bent the handle on my Steez CT SV and put the handle from Steez A II on it. Then purchased this one for the Steez A II.

I have a four piece travel trout rod from Tenryu that is very sensitive and fun to fish. I feel every tick and small bite there is with this rod. Based on what you mentioned I would look at the Megabass Triza. Great rods that can be used for whatever. For the reel I would look at the Daiwa Alphas or the Shimano Metanium. Both these reels can handle a wide range of lures. I would checkout the JDM sites for the best prices.

There's the answer. Pflueger is not what it use to be and hasn't been for a long time. They're pretty much just another brand name that was purchased so it could be labeled on a reel. It's a shame. They had good stuff at one time. Shimano and Daiwa (maybe a little more Shimano) have figured out something different and better than everything else out there when it comes to spinning reels. They seem to be playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers.

@FlushdrawThe Shimano Expride can 7'2" heavy can be had at JLS for around $180 shipped. If that's the one you're after, you can't beat the price. Down side, no US warranty and it's a 2-piece.

5/10 Not sure about this one..... This guy was a legend. Can't believe I found it.

The Levante casting line is available in all sorts of actions. Most of their rods are multi taper despite them being labeled as Fast, Regular or X-fast. The rod I suggested has a fast taper and has sort of soft tip. Both the Zodias and Xprides lines you mentioned are great as well. Another one to consider is the Braillist.