wet_dream

Thanks for the info. What site did you find this on? Doesn’t really go into the specific rod I’m asking about, seems like a broad, general overview of Loomis’ “SJR” rods. Thanks nonetheless.

Hey BassResource, I’m looking to add a light power rod for panfish. Came across this rod for sale locally, but I cannot find much info on it. Does anyone on these boards own this specific rod? Would anyone know: what these rods retailed for new or when they were discontinued? I’m pairing with a Stradic FL 1000, currently spooled with 8lb braid. Will probably use mostly from my kayak to target crappie, perch, and maybe pond-hopping for trout. Any info would be appreciated! Cy

I fish almost exclusively in saltwater now and my Shimano reels have held up fine. I primarily use Stradics (FKs and FLs) with one Sustain (FI) in the rotation and I just make sure to rinse them off after every trip and send to Shimano for service after the season. The only issues I’ve had with the Stradics is that d**n roller bearing getting noisy! I also have a couple Shimano Tranx and a Bantam MGL which I use in saltwater once in a while. Saltwater seems to be a little tougher on the freshwater baitcasting reels from my experience.

Huge fan of Shimano Stradics. The 3000 size is my go-to for the kayak. I have a 5K for heavier applications. The Daiwa Saltist Back Bay is pretty nice too and can be had for about $150-$160 if you shop online. But I prefer the Stradics.

The elusive New Jersey sheepshead, this one measuring a hair under 26”. This is the best of 4 fish I’ve caught this summer, the “smallest” being 22”. We put our time in this summer and are beginning to figure out how to fish for these unicorns in the northeast.

What is the capacity of your battery? My Elite-7 Ti with Totalscan transducer drains my 12v 10ah battery in about 6-8 hrs. Depending on how bright I need to turn the screen up. This is with sonar and GPS constantly running. I’d expect the HDS-7 Carbon to drain the same battery in about half the time based on the specs I’ve found on both units. Unless, Lowrance’s listed specs for the HDS-7 Carbon are for the structurescan 3D bundle. I ordered a 12v 12ah lithium battery on eBay to hopefully power my Elite-7 Ti a couple hours longer than my current SLA battery, which I’ll be bringing as a backup in case we’re out fishing on extended trips.

I picked up an Elite-7 Ti a couple months ago for a decent deal. I also thought that the 7 in screen would be overkill on my kayak but I can’t see myself using a smaller one now. It’s particularly useful for split screen applications or side scan imaging. I was tempted to upgrade to the Carbon when this overtons40 coupon popped up but you’d need a pretty big battery (20 ah at least) to power it all day per the specs.

First time ever targeting lake trout. Had a blast even though the fishing was pretty slow. Caught my first ever laker on a ned rig and the second one hit a keitech barely bounced on the bottom. 5 fish stringer between the 2 of us. It was pretty cold and a little windy on the water but I had to get out and fish. Spring is taking too long to get here lol.

I remember reading on another forum someone saying that the Exsence Ci4+ is essentially a Sustain Ci4+, as it occupies the same price point in the JDM market. Let me see if I can find that thread.

What size would you be looking to get? A lot of my fishing is Inshore saltwater from a kayak and my go-to reels have been the Stradic FKs. Something about the heftier aluminum frame balances better with the Inshore rods I use. I tried the Stradic Ci4+ and ended up selling them, because they just didn’t “feel right”. Again, it’s probably due to the balance and the techniques I fish, which isn’t very finesse-oriented in which case the Ci4+ would probably be superior. I also, owned a Sustain FI very briefly, and while it shared the heft and sturdy feeling I like about the Stradic FKs, I didn’t feel like it was worth the price of admission, considering I could acquire 2 FKs for just a little bit more than one Sustain FI. In short, for finess freshwater fishing, I’d probably choose the Stradic Ci4+, due it’s weight. The Sustain FI, although a nice reel from what I could tell in the short time I had it, didn’t really offer enough for me to make the jump and switch from the FKs.

It’s a saltwater rod but look into the Tsunami Slim Wave rods. A couple of my kayak buddies own them for inshore fishing, but they’re too moderate in action for my liking.

I don’t have any Gander stores near me, so online would be my only option. I agree, their selection online isn’t very extensive. It almost see like they only use the website to purge overstocked items. Minimal colors and sizes of plastics and lures. And a sparse selection of rods and reels overall. I might try out some ZMan Jackhammers and some of their plastics.

48hr Flash Sale: 30% off GanderOutdoors expires 1/31/19 11:59PM EST

Wow, that's dedication! How do you keep it all organized? Spreadsheets, or just a notebook?

Wow, that diligence is commendable and I'm sure you have been rewarded for taking notes of all your trips. The fact that you are able to look back on 21 years of records must offer a different type of confidence than going by memory alone.