FishTank

I thought it looked like a Banax reel as well. The knobs are the same on my Quantum Tour S3. It looks similar in general. I am not knocking it. I like the Tour S3 I have. Whatever it is, I hope it takes off. It looks like a quality reel for the money. I do agree that the line size indicator is weird. It looks like an after thought.

I think a tube would be the last thing I would use this hook for. To me, it would be too thin despite it being sharp and coated and also the bend would be off. I like these for worms and few creature baits. The Trokar's you went to are pretty good on tubes but I still like the Owner Phantom Tube rigs the best. As far as a good general purpose hook goes, I like the Ryugi Infini. I order them from Japan for about $3 a pack. It's a great hook and you can't beat the price.

For a glass rod, I like St. Croix Legend Glass. My favorite crankbait rod is slowly becoming the G. Loomis 866C IMX Pro Deep Flex. I tend to fish a lot of spots that are 10-15 feet or more and this rod shines at keeping fish pinned. The taper is very much like a glass rod but made from graphite that it is thin and light.

Absolutely. It doesn't matter what brand or even the same reel. For example, I have two Steez A II's. One was drenched in oil and a good amount of grease and the other was dry. Once properly oiled and greased, they both feel the same.

Time to be cleaned and oiled. Sounds dry to the bone.

The current Metanium seems to fit my hand the best for jigs, the Steez A II for cranks, and the Zillion for soft plastic.

Fishing in Indiana has its ups and downs but it seems to be getting better in some areas and worse in others. It is not uncommon in the tournaments I fish for there to be 20+ boats and about half of the people don't turn in fish. Also, if you catch two or three keepers you could finish in the money. It use to be you always had to have five fish to have a chance. It's rare for me to go out and catch over 20 fish in 8 hours. I might have one day a year where I get this lucky. Last weekend was good though. I caught 6 keepers, 4 small ones, and lost a giant.

If that's the case, the Steez SV or the Metanium in 8.x:1.

I would say none on that list and I own two of them (Steez SV TW and the Steez CT). Both are good reels but I would not use them for Carolina rigs. My choices would be a Steez A II, the Zillion HD, or the Metanium with the deep spool.

I just started using the carrot knot this year and so far so good. No breaks yet.

When it comes to chatterbaits, I like using the 3/8oz size with a G. Loomis 903C IMX Pro Crankbait rod. It is a Mod-fast with a multi-taper graphite blank. It loads really well and can cast a mile. It's soft but not too soft. It also works great for 3/8oz squarebills. I have tried chatterbaits on multiple rods either made of glass or a glass composite with either a Moderate or even a Fast taper and this one has been a good go between. But for a 1/2oz, I would go with the 845C. Also, a tip I learned a long time ago > if the fish won't bite a chatterbait, go to a silent crankbait or square bill. I can't explain it but when they won't bite one they will hit the other.

I tried some 1/2oz frogs and it did ok but not my preferred rod for this technique. My favorite thing to throw on the 873C is spinnerbaits, which I have two used both 5/8oz and 3/4oz without issue. As far as a texas rigged plastic goes, I have thrown a 3/8oz bullet weight with a Zoom O'Monster but nothing heavier. Also, when it comes to jigs 1/2oz with a trailer is as big I would go.

The 844C GLX is a great rod but 854C NRX+ is your next step up. I would go for the upgrade. The 854C will have a faster tip than the 844C which is a little softer to me. Either way you go, both are great rods.

I try not break off to begin with by getting the boat over or past the bait, point the rod at it, and pop the line. If this doesn't work, I go to a lure retriever next. If no luck with that, I try to use the lure retriever to beak the line. This works on braid as well. On a side note, please try not to cut the line, especially braid. I have had it happen so many times, it drives me crazy. The cut line ends up getting either stuck on my line when I fish or wrapped around the prop on the trolling motor, or worse in the paddling motor on my kayak.

As a general purpose bottom contact rod, the NRX+ 873CCR is hard to beat.

I don't always subscribe to any one particular color theory as I was once smoked by a guy using a red, white, and blue striped Budweiser crankbait that he got from a promo pack. So I try to keep it simple, in order> dark, natural, bright and then white. Sometimes color makes a difference but other times a different size might trigger a bite as well. For instance, I have a particular bait (my current secret) that comes in three sizes. The largest size usually gets bit the most. Then there are days I get nothing on this bait. I downsize to the smallest size in the same color and I start bringing them in. It's weird but it works.

Performance first. When it come to getting both performance and looks, I like Megabass Valkyrie or the Evoluzion. The Valkyrie to me is one of best looking rods out there. It's not NRX sensitive but it brings in the fish. Plus if I just want to take one rod, the 7'1" H will fish just about anything from 3/8 - 2oz.

Depending on the brand... I change mono about 2-3 times a year for Sufix Siege but have had Sunline Defier on a reel for almost 2 years. Most FC I change once a year but had one today that left me scratching my head. I put some 14lb Daiwa J-Flouro on late last year on a reel I only fish once in a while and it seemed fine but after I took it out yesterday and when did some long casts I noticed the line was seemed kinked every few inches. First time I have seen FC deteriorate like this. I have had some FC (Tatsu) last 4 seasons. Braid, I change as needed. Maybe every two years. With leader though, it might be never on some.

I use a 3/0 EWG but my fishing buddy, that is too stubborn to change, fishes a 2/0 offset shank hook. He misses fish with it constantly. I will watch his rod bend and he will say "I missed it. I couldn't catch up to it." He broke off one day and I switched him over to a 3/0 EWG. He then had a great day after that. I told him it was the hook. He immediately cut it off and put his favorite hook on and went back to missing fish our next trip. Drives me crazy. On a side note, I use a 3/0 Owner Cover Shot that I skin hook with 7in Power Worm and Zoom U-Tail Worm. It works great when fish just want to nip at it.

I haven't met the color blind bass yet that wouldn't eat both of them.

I would have said the same before ordering this rod but I also have its sister version without the spiral guides and have been using the same Shimano Antares 2012 for years on multiple Heavy rods with the same baits. I questioned, to multiple sources from rod makers to Megabass Japan, why is this rod casting the way it is? All answered the same, spiral wrapped guides. I can actually watch the line peel off the reel uninhabited, similar to a spinning setup. I can either turn all the breaks off or leave just one on with a 3/4 oz frog and cast it into oblivion further than any other rod I have used this same reel and bait with.

I actually bought this to fish on my kayak. The handle is adjustable. I think I can reduce it to 6'8'', maybe shorter. It also has spiral wrap guides which makes casting a little easier and longer if you extend the handle all the way out.

I don't know if it's the lakes I fish but I can count how many fish I have caught on a spinnerbait this year on one hand and I generally always throw one. It was one of my go to confidence baits. Senkos on the other hand, I have caught well over 200 fish on them this year but BFS crankbaits have been best producer the past few years. I never thought I would be changing treble hooks as often I do though. It's been a fun year so far.

I like using senkos but I do get bored with them sometimes...... Who am I kidding? I can put on a clinic with these things when the bite is right. I always have one tied on.

I have made orders from Digitaka, Japan Lure Shop, Plat and Asian Portal Fishing. All have been great.