FishTank

Unfortunately, there are no tackle shops around Indianapolis anymore. They have all gone out of business. There is a DSG around the corner from me and they do OK on stocking lures but they have cut the amount of items/sku's in half and no reels or rods that draw my interest. There is a Cabelas about 30min away and it is sort of depressing. They have a lot of high priced junk these days. Every time I have been there, there are always customers asking for the things they don't carry..... a better, higher end reel than the Curado or the Tutula, Megabass Lures, G. Loomis GLX rods, etc. The sales guys end up apologizing and the business ends up going out the door. They have $50,000 boats but no reels above $200 (except maybe the Curado DC). Can't figure it out.

I have been using a pair of Smith's Captains Choice. I picked them up on Sierra Trading Posts website. They were originally $250+ and I picked them up for $75. They have been awesome. I ended up buying another pair in a different style as well. They usually have 25% coupons floating around.

It's for your clothes. You hang up a shirt, jacket, backpack, pants, etc. and spray it, let dry. It lasts for about 5 or 6 washes (unless you use bleach). Its sort of like the expensive Bugs-A-Way clothes. It works great by itself as a repellent.

Shimano Calcutta 300 would get my vote.

I like the Pop X but the Pop Max is my favorite. It's just causes more violent strikes but I do catch about the same amount of fish on them.

https://www.duluthtrading.com/sierra-sage-bugs-be-gone-18803.html#q=bug%2Brepelent&lang=default&start=1 My wife likes the way it's smells and it works. This also works but don't spray it on your skin. https://www.duluthtrading.com/sawyers-premium-insect-repellent-86021.html#q=bug%2Brepelent&lang=default&start=2

Not sure about the rod but it's a good deal....

Tatsu by far. The last time I bought it, I did not change it for a couple of years and the reels I used it on, I fished at least once a week. It hits every nail on the head. I have yet to find it's equal but the price is hard to stomach sometimes.

I tried red hooks and it did nothing for me. I really don't think it matters much. I have been using the regular colored Owner and Gamakatsu hooks for awhile and it has worked so far.

I have not tried it but I would think so. If you don't want try FC, Sunline Natural has been my favorite mono as of late. It doesn't last as long as FC, it floats, it's cheapish, and handles a spinning gear well.

It's definitely better than mono but it's 6lb line so it's marginal. I like using it for weightless soft plastic and since it sinks it's just an added bonus.

I use to use YoZuri Hybrid. I picked up a spool of XL FC for $10 instead of $20 during a Black Friday sale a few years ago. I was hooked on it after that. I like the way it casted and how limp it was. The stretch was just right and it lasts a long time. If I find it on sale, I grab it. There are better lines but I found this one to be just right for the price.

6lb Trilene XL FC

I use my gear for whatever is biting. I am always aiming for bass. But if catfish start biting, I'll change my lures over to some catfish bait. I did this last week with a big batch of crappie I ran into. I took the t-rigged worm I had set up on a Daiwa Steez off and put on a light jig with a grub. I had a blast for about 30min and caught over a dozen. As far as being on a river, White River here in Indiana with all of the rain we have is swollen, making boating in certain areas not only tuff but dangerous. I would say my gear gets the same "beating/use" on a river as it does on a lake. If I were to pick gear that would cross over better between big species and bass, I have a Shimano Calcutta and a Fenwick Elite Tech Bass Rod that I use for bigger catfish and as well as for small to medium size swimbaits for bass. I don't think the catfish care. If you are going to target bigger fish as well as bass..... Round reels or bigger bait casters would be my choice (Shimano Calcutta, Daiwa Lexa, Abu Garcia Revo Toro Beast, Shimano TranX, Abu Garcia C3 or C4... just to name a few).

Great info. I have a pair of Serengetis that finally started to fade last year. So I bought a pair of Smith's Captains Choice and until that point I never really thought about what you need for a good pair of sunglasses and also how important of a tool they are. One thing Glenn did say that I too can't stress enough.... Get a second pair... just fun or to look cool in.

Definitely the way to do it. The larger spools are a more economical way to get my reels spooled. The lower memory is just a bonus. I just wish they were readily available in stores.

For the smaller ones I use a St. Croix Avid 7' MH Fast with a Shimano Curado. For the big ones I use a Fenwick Elite Tech 7'2'' H Fast with a Shimano Calcutta 251 (reeling very fast).

I would say that normally any reel I buy new out of the box is good to go but this past year's buying spree has changed my thoughts on that. Between this year and last fall I have picked up a Curado K, Curado DC, a Bantam, a Abu Garcia ALF, a Abu Garcia Winch, and a Daiwa Steez. They all were either under lubed/dry or over lubed. I spent 10 or 15 minutes with each one and cleaned and lubed them. It made a made a huge difference in the Bantam and the Steez, a noticeable difference in the Winch and the ALF and a marginal difference in the K and DC. I think going forward I will just take a few extra minutes on a new reel to make sure it is done right.

I was once considering both those reels as well and I ended up going with the Bantam. I have no regrets.

I have a couple of the reels listed above (Curado K, Curado DC, Abu Garcia STX Gen4, and the Bantam). Depending on what you want to use it for..... I like the Curado DC for an all purpose reel but the Bantam is a super smooth casting and retrieving reel. It is also built like a tank. The only down side to the Bantam is that it does not have the DC casting control and its just a fuzz heavy.

Some good stuff, if you have not seen it already.

I have always been partial to cork. When I picked up the Extreme it felt great but weird so I decided to get the Elite. I think it boils down to personal preference.

It has low stretch and it casts a mile. Overall most of the Co-poly lines I have tried have been great up to a point. Once they are done, they're done. For me they don't tend to last as long as FC but the cost definitely offsets the longevity. You just need to change it more often if it is your main line.

CXX is the has been great for me. I might not use it on spinning gear though.

Well.... I have the G. Loomis 783GLX. To me, this is the perfect rod. The Legend Elite 7' MF is just a fuzz under that. What would make it perfect> I am just really splitting hairs. I think it is just a bit less sensitive but the components are top notch. I paired the LE with a Steez ST TW and it has that perfect feel and balance I wanted.