fishnkamp

I fish with a bunch of very expensive rods. I also a pair of Berkley Lightning Shock rods ( they sell for $50 or less when on sale). I catch just as many fish on those rods as my rods costing way more. Now the more expensive rods are much more sensitive and for bottom bouncing lures that is important to me. uae the Lightnings shocks for rattle traps ( lipless cranks) mostly. You can definitely fish the Ugly Sticks forever and catch good fish. As for the baitcaster, I would go to BPS and get one og the Pro Qualifiers that are on sale for $50. or get a Black Max. The baitcaster handle heavier line and baits better.

In most cases it probably not worth it. There are a few differences between them. One is the type r has 2 corrosion resistant bearings instead of one. I fish tidal water, it might be an improvement, but they never really tell you where they are, so it may never matter. It does have a slightly lighter weight spool, and the type r comes in a at a WHOLE .3 oz lighter. LOL I purchased all four of my Type R reels on sale so I spent the same amount of money I would have spent on a standard reel. The biggest reason to go to a Type r is when you want an 8-1 instead of a 7-1 reel. I use a pair of 8-1 left handed reels for frogs and pitching. I also own two CTs in 6.3-1. All of these reels work great. I know a couple of guys that are absolutely crazy with reels. They buy higher end reels and soup them up before they even fish them. There suggestions are to buy the regular Tatula 100 or CT and then upgrade them by installing ZR bearings on the spool, swap out the line guide bushings with bearings and replace two bushings in the knobs with bearings. They use high performance reel lubes as well. Now none of these need to be done, these guys are performance geeks. I love their stories and suggestions. Most of us could not even tell the difference.

I have read a few Yamahas that did have the fuel line issue causing it to collapse internally. I have also read about issues with tank vent issues occurring. Every manufacturer can have a problem with a primer bulb and its internal valves. I suggested a simple way to eliminate the entire fuel tank to engine components.If the engine runs the same, then the problem must be engine related. If the engine runs right then you have the parts to replace the entire system. Last April I spent 10 days on Dale Hollow. The mechanic at the resort and marina said he fixes those issues on all brands regularly. His personal favorite parts to use were the primer bulbs that Johnson made and some aftermarket blue colored ethanol rated fuel line he stocked by the box loads.

No

Try P Line CXX in 8 or 10 pound test moss green copoly for leaders. I use 4 foot leaders and that is all I need. The 10 pound line breaks around 23 pounds.

The Tatula CTs are available online for $100 shipped. That reel will perform very well for you. There are two body sizes in the Tatula family. So the Tatula 100 comes in a regular and a Type R ( and did come in a bit larger spool capacity called a HD version). There is the Tatula CT which is the "compact" series and that has a bit smaller body, It palms a little easier. That reel comes in a regular and Type R also. Do not worry you can not feel hardly any difference between them I own Tatula 100 Type Rs, and tatula CTs. They all perform identically, they cast well and have great drags sin them. make it easy order a Tatul CT and enjoy it. I use 6.3-1 for most of my fishing except for things like frogs, then a 7 or 8-1 is worth it. I also use a 7-1 for punching, big jigs and deep carolina rigs. Thata is just because I will have tons of line out and want to get it back in quickly. Out of my 16 or so baitcasters I have one 5.3-1, two 8-1 and one 7-1 reels The rest are all 6.3 or 6.4 to 1 reels.

Take a look at an Irod Genesis II Fred's magic stick too It is the IRG 754C. The most popular braid for frogging is 65 pound Power Pro. Next popular is probably 50 PP. I usually fill my reels half way with good quality mono first and then fill it up the rest of the way with the braid. It is fine to tie direct to the frog.

Sorry I got busy i asked your state only so I could see what local tackle shops you may have around you. I usually check the dealer listings of Powell, Irod, DObyns and a few more. Boy i hope you have a good local shop. I could only find a Field and Stream in Champaign IL.

I grew up in Ellicott City, just a few house behind the Dolly's Ice Cream restaurant on 40. And yes it rock I know but I forget because I keep fishing out in Tennessee and those boys look at you weird if you call em rockfish. LOL I carry one Irod Genesis II 703 CC Gabe's Riprap Special and a Diawa Tatula Type R 6.3-1 loaded with P Line FlOROCLEAR in 10 pound test mist green. This rod is a 7 foot medium moderate rod My second one is a Falcon Bucoo micro Trap Caster with a Diawa Tatula Type R 6.3-1 loaded with 12 pound mist green FLOROCLEAR. This rod is also 7 foot and fishes traps really well but it has a bit more backbone for bigger baits. The next two are Berkely Lightning Shock rods. They are both 6'6" medium moderate action rods. One has a Bass Pro Extreme 6.4-1 reel with Suffix 832 20 pound test The last one has a BPS Ricky Clunn 5.4-1 reel and again 20 pound 832 braid. So it is a smorgasbord so to speak. I can change rods/reels to sorta match my needs.

That monkey really loves you!

With your budget for a baitcasting reel I think you would do well to run over to Bass Pro and get one of their Pro Qualifiers that are on sale reduced down to $49. They usually run almost double that. If I could spend a little more of your money it would be a Diawa Tatula CT and they can be had online for around $100 shipped.

Personally I always suggest starting with a good spinning rod to handle lighter finesse baits and the bread and butter basic bass tackle. I also do not like "starter" gear. Now that does not mean high end either. Lets look for a good reliable reel. One of the most reliable reels sold in the last 10 years has been the Pflueger President for $59.99. Here are some good more moderate priced rods that you could consider. Look at a Berkley Lightning Shock rod. My wife and I use many rods that cost well over $200 each, but we both use several of these for throwing rattle traps and small to mid sized cranks. She uses a 6'6" medium moderate action rod. This rod could do double duty for throwing cranks and throwing light weight texas rigs, tubes, grubs, Sencos, even spinnerbaits if they weigh less than 3/4 of an oz. This rod cost $50 Abu Garcia makes a Veritas 2 spinning rod. If you were to get one of the 7 foot mediums it will work well for just about any of the same baits. They are running $79. Just a month ago they were $99. Lastly look on Tackle Warehouse they have the Powell Diesel that runs $80 on sale for $60. Now if you really do want another baitcasting setup here is what i would do right now. Go to Bass Pro and purchase their Pro Qualifier for $49 dollars. I would get it in a 6-1 ratio. The regular price on that reel is closer to $99. For a rod again a Berkley Lightning shock rod would work well. Choose the 6'6" foot medium. A Veritas 2 in a 7 foot medium. Another great idea is a Powell Inferno 683. I own the same rod in the higher end Max series. That rod is the most versatile rod in my LARGE arsenal.LOL I usually have at least 16 rods for myself on the boat at any one time. Any of these rods and reels are going to allow you to fish a ton of different baits. Good Luck.

I have a friend that used the wrap. He liked it. I have a G Loomis rod we replaced a bad reel seat assembly and cork handle ( the reel would loosen itself up while in use). We installed a complete set of split handle Winn Grips along with a new American Tackle Comfort reel seat assembly. They are amazing, I spent 40 hours fishing that rod, back in April 2016, on Dale Hollow. The big girls we munchin Ned rigs only! If you decide to have a rod builder fix it I highly recommend them. That is if you do not use the wrap.

If you end up not liking the InvizX go get a spool of PLine CXX in 8 or 10 pound test. This is a copolymer line not a fluoro line. Palomar knots will hold well, so will other knots. I use Berkley Fireline in 14 pound test on all of my spinning rods. I use a double uni knot to attach my braid and leader material. I have not had a problem on one of my spinning reels since Craig Powers, an FLW pro, showed me this arrangement. By the way, P Line CXX moss green line is the best line in their lineup for this use. 10 pound line breaks around 23 pounds, so the 8 pound is plenty strong also. I use Suffix 832, Spiderwire Stealth and Power Pro Spectra braid on many of my baitcasters. I use leaders on may or these as well. Again I rely on a 4 foot leader made up of he CXX line. Plus the CXX, a 300 yard spool costs $8 or $9 and will last you forever. Learn to tie the double Uni knot, the palomar knot and the Trilene knot. Those are the knots I use most often. The knot trouble you are having could have a lot to do with fluoro line. make sure to spit on or wetten the knot as you tighten it. Fluoro lines can burn and weaken your knot.

Hey I forgot the Quantum Escalade. I own two. One of mine is a 7 foot MH baitcaster and use it for heavier plastics. For $50 it is a bargain. Match that with a Pro Qualifier or Diawa Tatula CT for $150 That is what I have on mine, a 6.3 to 1 Tatula CT. It balances pretty well and I have caught a bunch of fish.

In my opinion the jump to the Sierra is bigger than the St Croix rods. I am not a fan of ST Croix rods anymore, so I sold off all of mine in favor of purchasing Dobyns, Powell, and Irod. My friend Kris is replacing most of his other rods with Dobyns Fury, and they are really nice rods, but my Champs are a world above them.The Sierras are only a tick slower in action and if you never fish the same rod in both lines you will never no it. Evgen if you did you will not be disappointed. Like I said I intend to purchase a SA 703SF in the very near future. I will b using it for bottom contact finesse baits, Sencos, tubes, snakey heads etc.

That is a great rod. I own three Irods myself and love them. The Sierra 735C is $160 so both are outside of the budget.

There has been a lot of trouble with contamination by damage from ethanol fuel The older fuel lines are well documented as deteriorating and clogging things downstream as well as shrinking the lining inside. There is a quick and simple way to test. Go to your local boat dealer. Purchase about 10 feet of new ethanol resistant fuel line. Also purchase a new primer bulb and clamps. Make a temporary line to go from a 5 gallon gas can filled with new fuel to the place the existing primer bulb is. Place the tank on the cockpit floor. Make sure you make a piece to match the existing piece that goes from the primer bulb to the engine. Now go to the ramp and launch the boat. Prime the new bulb up . Go test run the boat . if it runs right than replace the old line from the boats internal tank to the new primer bulb. If the engine was starving for fuel this will help. I had to do this repair on my 2010 Lowe and I ran Startron since it was new. I would also replace the new fuel filter as well. Sorry, I just do not trust it since it could be full of the gunk again. I would replace it again in order to make my test with the best fuel system possible. I have seen this drive guys crazy before.

The balance and feel in your hand is similar, however the Sierra is much more sensitive than the Fury. That is a big jump up in the line. Seriously if I just handed you a Sierra rod and you were not aware of the price you would expect the price to be double what Gary sells it for. You mentioned the Savvy series. That series was one of the biggest sellers for Dobyns, He has said numerous times he does not personally believe in micro guides but customers hounded him for a micro series. So before there was a Sierra (only been around about 1 year) and before there was a Fury series, there were two top tier Champion lines and two Savvys. He was being hounded for a rod series below $250 and that became the Savvy's. He liked the Savvy standard guide rods a lot. He has said he will leave the Savvy Micro rods alone because the customers that want it are still buying it. He was messing around and came up with a blank he could make more sensitive and lighter and that is how the Sierra rods came about. If you had one in your hand you will see the precise way the guides are on the correct side of the spine, the guides are perfectly in line, and the attention to detail in the rods finish is top notch. The rod is very comfortable and well balanced. In your hand it will feel super light thanks to good blanks, no over powering fancy finishes that deaden the rod and good quality components. The Fury line was another answer to a LOUD roar from dealers and customers for a rod below the highly competitive $150 mark. I think he said it took over two years to develope a blank and final rod he was satisfied with. The Sierras ended up falling in the same cost range as the Savvy and were more sensitive, so he dropped the standard guide Savvy rods. The price on the Sierra is about the same as a Savvy so it makes no sense to have both. Give me an email at fishnkamp@comcast.net. I have a neat way to get questions answered directly from Gary Dobyns himself. It is way cool to hear from the master wizard himself.

If you are just getting started here is my advice. Do not go cheap and UPGRADE later. I am not saying spend $500 on a combo either. Today there is so much good equipment available in the modest price ranges. I suggest a good 6'9 to 7 foot medium spinning rod. Look at a Powell Inferno 6103 CEF This is a 6' 10 inch medium action spinning rods that runs $99. Dobyns offers a Fury rod series for $109, Look at the FR663 SF and a FR 703SF. Another good choice is a Abu Garcia Veritas 2 rod in a 6'6" medium or a 7' medium. If you want to save a bit more money the Berkely Lightning rod Shock series in again in a 6'6" or 7 foot medium. There are lots of other choices but these are nice options. Match any of these rods up with a Pflueger President in model 6930 or 6935. For general use I like to use Berkley Fireline in 14 pound test * 6 pound mono in diameter) and toi that I tie on a 4 foot leader made up of 8 pound mono. Stren is a good choice in mono. P LIne CXX in 8 pound would work good too. I would get this combo first. Fish it a bit. Then I would consider my next rod carefully. It could be a heavier spinning rod but more than likely you will want to step up to a 7 foot mh 1/4 to 3/4 baitcasting combo. Kews makes a Mach 1 Speed spool combo for $130 and a Mach II Speed Spool combo for a little more. If you send me a pm I can go over some tackle to start with.

I own the 7 foot MH. It makes a good all purpose texas rig, jig rod and I also throw hollow bodied frogs on it. I have the 7 foot heavy and that is my punching rod. That rod is a BEAST! Both of mine are original Veritas rods which makes no difference.

Go get it now. I have had almost all of the Dobyns Fury, Sierras and a lot of the Champions in my hands. The Sierra rod are a touch slower graphite then the Champions but almost as sensitive. My local tackle shop stocks a lot of their rods. If I had not found the deal on a refurbed Champion DC 705 I would have purchased a Sierra 705C. Best of all my dealer decided to surprise me with a super deal on a brand new Champ 705 instead, so I could not resist. My next rod will be the exact 703SF you are considering. I messed around with one last week. I mounted a Shimano Saros 2500 on it and it felt pretty good. The balance point was just ahead of the blank just ahead of the threaded part of the handle. I have to go to the fishing flea market next week and unload some stuff to afford some new stuff LOL

Certain brands have asked to not be mentioned or reviewed here in the past. Glen is just complying with their wishes. Dobyns offers some Fury rods in 6"6 and 7' for $110. These are really nice rods. The Bass Pro Shop's Pro Qualifier is considered by many to be a great reel at $99. It is on sale right now for $50. Lots of places online to find a Diawa Tatula CT for $100 shipped to your door. That is a super reel It retails for around $130. Powell offers the Inferno series for $99 and there is a 683 MH CEF that is very similar to my Powell Max 683 MH xf (CEF) That rod can do it all. It is so versatile. Look at an Abu Veritas 2 in a 6'6" medium (1/4 to 3/4) or 6'9" MH (1/4 to 1 oz,) These run $79. Any of these will make a nice combo.

If you go look up Magforce Z on youtube there is a video showing and explaining some of the differences between Magforce, magforce Z and magforce 3d, which shares a lot in common with the sv system

Bretts-daddy had a previous topic going (posted on this board) about a Dobyns 735C and the following lures. I got him to ask the same question on another board that Gary himself answers rod questions. Here is a bit of the previous post on here. "The lures I'm talking about throwing are Whopper Plopper 130, MS Mini Slammer, Spro BBZ1 Rat, Savage Gear 6" line thru trout, Jackall Pompadour (this is a 3/4oz. but it "feels" heavier) etc. " Gary's answer was as follows: "When you say not longer than 7'6" it stops all of our SBMT models that we made for large walking baits. Most of the mentioned baits are not big enough to warrant either SBMT models. But, for most of the baits mentioned I'd use Sierra Series 735C. It's just a tad slower than other 735's . I throw whopper 130 on 736 Champ but not really needed. The SA 735C fits a wide range of baits. All 735's will work but Sierra is best for these baits." Unfortunately another member came in and added their opinion that the 735s were too stiff a rod and he suggested something else. Despite other members, who actually own and fished the rods, sharing their identical opinions as Gary, the dissenting opinion confused the discussion. I can easily understand gathering all the info you can prior to spending money. Lots of rod makers offer a rod that will do just about any technique you want to do. The problem with most of them is they cost way too much to fit in the budget. I am certain I can find a top line St. Croix, G Loomis, Irod, Dobyns,and many more but they may cost upwards of $300. That is triple the budget.