FishTank

I just picked up a Stradic 2500 from Dicks last week for $75 and it is an excellent reel for the money. I went back to pickup another and they were sold out.

Very Cool... I don't remember where I heard it but, "To live in fear, is be controlled by a force you can't fight."

Based on the rods you have listed I would go for the Loomis IMX. One other choice you might look at is the St. Croix Avid AS66MHF. It is a great general purpose rod.

When I think of a rod a having a soft tip or firm tip, it's sort of a personal feel not the rated action of the rod. Like RW, I have two rods that I would compare> 1) 7' BPS Johnny Morris Sig. Med. 2) 6'6'' G.Loomis MH GLX MBR783. The BPS rod is like a whip. The tip is real soft and I find it best suited for small to medium crankbaits. It is rated for 1/4oz to 5/8oz lures. The Loomis rod is much stiffer and works well with either soft plastic or crankbaits. 1/4oz to 3/4oz These two rods are the complete opposite when it comes to the feel of the tip and both load intirely different. I guess it comes down to how you load the rod when you cast and that personal feel you get when using that particular rod.

No weights at all. If I want to use a weight, it is based on the depth and speed of retrieve I'm using. For instacne, if I'm fishing at a depth of 4' I'll use a 1/8oz bullet weight, 6' to 8' I'll use 3/16oz and so on. If I'm busting through some heavy cover I might use a 3/8oz weight but that is the heaviest I will go.

Spinning: Shimano Symetre 2500 $79 and St. Croix Premiere PS66MF $85 Casting: Shimano Citica $99 and a Shimano Compre CPCX66MHB $90

I think I'm having, what my kids call, a funky flashback. ;D

I have seen some of the new Mann's lures that seem to be a knock off of the Lucky Craft Crankbaits. They are a poor attempt to say the least.

Here are a few ideas 1. Texas rigged softplastic (Senko or Zoom Lizard) set up with either 1/4 oz or 3/8oz bullet weight. 2. Fat Ika with a 1/8oz weight 3. 1/4oz Tru-Tungsten Weed Wacker and a either a DT Hula Grub or a Zoom Finesse worm.

Billionaires are funny. They'll step over a quarter to pick up a penny. ;D

WOW........ That's a great deal. I have one of the high speed Zillions and love it.

I have a G Loomis BCR803 GLX with the Recoil Guides and like everyone else has said, I would not use braid with them. Other than that, they are great. I can't say for sure why, but my 803 is more sensitive than my MBR 783 GLX. I don't know if the blank is totally different but I would like to think the Recoil guides might have something to do with it. They are not pretty but they get the job done.

No matter what equipment I have or use, I enjoy my time outside fishing. So I ask this in regards to the question "What is the point?", What's the point of spending about $1000 on a computer and $20 a month on internet service to post negative comments about fishing equipment that costs about half the price? What's the priority? If I had to, I would chose my gear over the computer any day.

This debate continues all the time. You can get great gear if you use your head wisely. I have purchased a Shimano Curado 201 SF for $40, a Shimano Calcutta 251 for $30, and a St. Croix Avid spinning rod for $65, all new. Would I buy an Ugly Stick for $30? > No way, not when I know I can find deals like the ones above. I think you can catch fish on just about anything, including kite string on the end of stick with a worm on a homemade hook. IMHO, the better quality equipment that is available today is worth it but you don't have to break the bank to buy it.

The Wal-Mart and Sams Club up the street from me is being remodeled but is not closed for business. I spoke to one the remodelling agents from Wal-Mart and he said that all Wal-Marts have been zoning their merchadise based on customer demographics (both price and inventory). So that's why one Wal-Mart here in Indy may not have fishing equipment at all and another is well stocked. He also explained that this is happening through out the store not just sporting goods. He gave other examples like milk: $3.75 at my store and $2.99 at another. Another example is Hot Wheels: One store is packed with them while others that have a high traffic area of collectors will have very little stock because the collectors will grab what they want and not touch the rest, leaving an overload of the same cars. As far as my Wal-Mart fishing department, they have about the same lures and terminal tackle but not reels and rods. The display case is gone and all they have are the cheaper reels in plastic, hanging from hooks. Some of the rods they have, have been sitting on the shelf for years. I am not a big fan of my Wal-Mart anyway, so I will buy my tackle some place else.

Has anybody fished Pinnacle reels? I saw a write up on Tackle Tour about their new reels coming out for next year. I thought they looked simalar to BPS's reels. What do you guys think? http://www.tackletour.com/reviewpinnacle2008reelpreview.html

Thanks Raul for the pics

I got a couple of these for Christmas last year from my brother who also bought some for himself. Neither one of us have caught anything on them. I would think Rapala, Norman or Bomber would offer a better lure at a good price.

I got a couple of packs of the originals and they were great. I can't imagine $14 a pack. That's crazy. Does anybody know the difference between the new ones and the old ones?

I usually use a 4/0 EWG Gammi but here lately have had great success with a 5/0 G-Lock Gammi. The G-Lock hook seems to hold the bait better and is just a little fatter than the EWG's.

G. Loomis SJR783 GLX ($340) and a Shimano Stradic MgFa 2500 (~$140 on sale). the one LuckyCraft mentioned would also be a great setup.

I have had good luck with the Swimming Senkos. I fish them with a 3/16oz screw in weight and a 4/0 EWG. I use a Shimano Calcutta 251 with a Loomis BCR803 and fish them with a slow to average retrieve.

That's funny ;D

You might check this out, seemed to be insightful. http://www.tackletour.com/reviewshimanostradic2500mgfa.html

I have had a chance to fish a President and it is a very good reel but my personal preference is Shimano. It just feels like a better made reel. To give another comparison, I have two Quantum Energy Pti-A 20s and they have a fantastic feel, very smooth and they cast better than most. I liked the Energy so well I chose it over the Stradic. But looking back, I don't think they will hold up as well as the Shimanos and this is the same impression I get with the President reel. Again this just an opinion and the impression I got from fishing this reel for a weekend on loan from friend. Only time will tell if my impression was right.