FishTank

Just in time for me to start plugging my Christmas gift idea to my wife.

I always use mono backing. I have one reel that I use braid on and the backing has been on there for 11 years.

I always have liked tungsten better for punching but I started loosing to many and went back to lead. They are just too expensive.

Man you guys are still cranking out some awesome stuff.

It's been awhile but Yo-Zuri minnows and Rapala Jerkbaits..... The big ones.

I have an older G. Loomis IMX and love it. I have not fished the new ones but if they have improved them, that would be the way I would go.

My most productive has been Senkos My favorite is an old Luck Craft crank bait (can't remember what it's called) that swims about 4-5 inches below the surface. It sort of a top water bait but when fish hit and they just destroy it.

Stained water = any dark color ?

The Kolt Glider from Biovex caught my attention. I have never heard of these guys and the bait is not like all the other senko/stick baits. I think it's supposed to make bubbles when it falls. Could be pretty cool.

Like others have said 8lb or 10lb Trilene XL. Cheap, easy to find, and pretty dependable line. Good luck.

I have a Fenwick Elite Tech 7'4'' M Extra Fast that I use for 4'' and 5'' senkos and it has been a lot of fun so far. It is not sensitive as some of the other rods I have but it is a work horse rod and it is well made. The long length and the x-fast tip make hook sets a breeze. I think if I make the switch to braid, I will probably improve the sensitivity.

I am a Shimano fan and can't figure how this reel fits in with the reels they have at the same price point.

I like the MBR843C GLX. Works for just about anything.

I have the 803c and use it for jigs and soft plastic. If the 893c is anything like it, it wouldn't be my first choice for topwater especially with longer length. I think you would be smacking the top of the water with a rod that long if your working a topwater bait. I would think it would be great for flipping and pitching a medium sized jig or any t-rigged soft plastic that you want to have a soft presentation (creatures, beavers, lizards, etc.)

He would get five reels and five rods every year. It sounds crazy but he was fishing 3+ days a week 6-10 hours a day starting in March ending in October. He was sort of retired and only worked 2 days a week. By October the knobs on his reels would be destroyed, some had bent handles, some of the spool bearing would be bad, most of them had bad drags, some the breaks would not work, and they would all be with out paint. He used to buy the BPS Tourney Special rods and reels but he stepped up to the Pro Qualifiers in hopes he could get them to last longer. He has fished with more expensive reels (Daiwa and Shimano) and still has the same result. He is just the hardest person I have ever seen on gear. He also uses Trielene Big Game as his main line. He goes through (4) 1500 yard spools a year and countless zoom lizards in black with blue flake and green pumpkin. He just liked the fact that he could trade/donate his old beat up gear at BPS and get a deal on new gear plus it went to a good cause.

Ole Monster and the Anaconda are my favorite.

G Loomis St. Croix Fenwick

I wish I could find a place that would do it for $5-$7. My local shop wanted $30 plus the cost of the guide/insert. I told them they were nuts.

A regular old bass boat Old aluminum john boat 8ft An inflatable donut for slow river fishing And one of these.....

Went to Eagle Creek today and it was kind of dead. We hit the water a little before 6am and only caught a few. A couple of people we talked to, got skunked. Not sure what the deal was. Although I did catch my first white bass and it was not a wiper or a striped bass either. I have fished for years and never caught one. It was a lot of fun to hook into.

I have been using Seaguar Invizx 12lb FC for most of my reels. I spool about 1/3 or less of the reel with the cheapest mono I can find and tie a uni knot to my FC and I am set for the year.

May be a finesse rod and reel setup.... Not sure what your budget is but... A Fenwick HMG 7' M Fast and a Shimano Citica 200. The rod is usually about $80-100 and the reel can sometimes be found for about $110-125. This should work great for weightless soft plastic and small jigs.

Red Label is good stuff. I have tried the 10lb and 15lb both worked well. I liked the 15lb the best and I definitely liked it better than Vanish but not as much as Invizx.

My recommendation may be a bit strange but here goes.... I have a Shimano Calcutta and a Fenwick Elite Tech Heavy Moderate that I love. It throughs cranks country mile and I like the slow retrieve of the Calcutta. So I going to recommend something similar. I know this is out of the price range by a few bucks but I would recommend a round reel (Shimano Cardiff 200A) and a Fenwick Elite Tech Moderate taper. The reel can be found on amazon for $115 and the rod for $100 on amazon and few other online retailers. Both are bullet proof tanks that will hold up to everyday fishing.

The BPS Pro Qualifier gets my vote. I have not fished one personally but one of my friends from work has sworn by them for years. He fishes a lot of tournaments (successfully) and by the end of the year his reals may be held together with duct and a little glue but the reels still work. Then at the beginning of the following year, he trades/pitches them and buys all new. It sounds goofy but he doesn't service them and he abuses them. Also, this way he doesn't have to worry about destroying an expensive reel and he has equipment that he can depend on each year with out braking the bank.