The Bassman

Would at least like to say welcome to another Hoosier. Wish I could be more help but honestly I'd just be winging it. Years ago I fished around Washington St. without much success. I know you're interested in cats but I have heard mention of great bass fishing in that area. With the EPA sewer project progressing the White might really take off.

What @JustJamessaid about the drag star is really important. If you tighten the handle over a loose drag it will go loose as soon as you tighten the drag. I hand tighten the star nut then line the star up and tighten all the way. Install handle then loosen drag.

Good to hear. I've let this cold weather put me on hold. I love to fish but hate to be cold.

In warm weather I wear a vest. When it's cool out I have a westherproof jacket with big pockets. Accomplishes two things: Keeps me mobile and limits my lure choices which helps me focus on my techniques.

As a bank fisherman I find lipless easier to control than anything that dives even a foot or two. Also, I like the less water resistance of lipless crankbaits and the fact that they cast so well. A squarebill may be more effective at times but the reasons mentioned trump that for me. I do like wakebaits though in warm weather if I'd rather crank than fish contact baits.

Had mentioned in an earlier thread that I was trying TG Liquid grease. Time will tell, but initially it has made my Ald 50 smoother than ever.

It's fishshop.shimano.com. They finally updated their parts for newer models. One thing that's irritating is that the parts lists on the schematics are in no particular numeric order. You have to go looking for the #.

I've been using TSI 321 for a while. Cheap, lasts a long time, and lower viscosity than most give it credit for.

Curado K is a workhorse reel intended for lures over a quarter oz. Above that, your rod is the only limiting factor.

I'm surprised you found these reels new. They've both been discontinued for some time. You really can't compare them to each other. They're two different tiers of quality. At 135 USD there are many better current choices. Curado K can be had under 150.00 on E-Bay.

I use E-Bay all the time. Between Pay Pal and E-Bay you are at no risk.

When I was a kid our teacher would let us play with Mercury on a tabletop in science class. Now that's dangerous. Times have changed.

I'm gradually building confidence with suspending jerk baits. One that has done well for me is a Tenn. Shad #8 Husky Jerk. I've had it for almost twenty five years and almost never fished it. After catching countless fish on floating Rapalas it dawned on me that this technique isn't too far removed. The bait is just more out of sight.

Makes for a handy mirror, too.

I've been reading about some guys having issues with aluminum gear reels being "buzzy". Quite a bit of discussion about using lower viscosity grease. Just out of curiosity I ordered some TG Liquid Grease and relubed my Ald. First impressions are promising. Time will tell. The stuff has the consistency of honey and is very sticky. It doesn't bog down the reel's rotation, though. I'm sorry if this veered away from the topic but thought it beneficial.

Hittin' em regular now on a small lipless (#5 Rippin' Rap). Always do best working the sun and wind together.

As much as I enjoy my baitcasters I don't enjoy messing with them on the water. A revolving spool reel is dynamic in that many things affect its performance. The more I fish the more I appreciate my spinning tackle. Baitcasting excels in several apps but nothing that a medium heavy or heavy spinning outfit can't suffice at. My CI4+ reels on stout rods are also very light.

Ald 50 has the same brakes as Curado I, just a lighter footprint (white vs. red). It's a shame Shimano didn't engineer the present SVS from the start.

Ald 50 has first gen SVS. Whole different animal than newer version on 70 , MGL, and K. I'm patiently(?) waiting for new Ald 30 MGL.

Try 2 brakes and a lower dial (1-2), zero tension. Bump the dial up if you're dealing with wind or a difficult lure profile. My Ald is a casting machine. I'm using 30 lb. Tuf-Line Domin 8 braid. Also, flush and re-oil your bearings. The spool shaft bearing can be cleaned by suspending the shaft in a small container of solvent. Don't use anything harsh like acetone because of the plastic washer. I use mineral spirits.

Got burned out on the show years ago. Actually thought about going yesterday and looking for any last day deals but went fishing instead. Did rather well. Why spend money to daydream when you can go out and do it? BST show is a shadow of what it used to be.

Had some great action this afternoon. Caught twenty or so including this one just shy of 4 lb. Fish were fairly shallow on the sunny and windward side of some HOA lakes I fish.

I'm a bit confused with the square description. The brakes mentioned above are cylindrical. What reel is this for?

Are you talking about the flat pinned VBS on the Citica E and G? If so the only ones I know about are orange BNT 3843. Call Shimano. 877-577-0600. They'll help you.

This ^^^