Glaucus

It would be nice if companies would print both the weight of the lead and the total weight of the lure so we didn't have to scale everything.

One time I was in the back of somebody's boat picking off a ton of fish with a lipless that he wasn't catching with a Texas Rig.

They've always shipped to me in strong cardboard tubes like TW. I'm not so sure but ok.

If you order through Fenwick they ship similarly to TW.

I've never had a problem with Fenwick, from Eagle to HMG to Elite Tech.

I believe in a 6 rod and reel system, especially if you're not fishing from a boat. The staples for me are: M/F Spinning 2500 Reel M/F Casting 6 Speed Reel MH/F Casting 6 Speed Reel A M powered spinning rod can handle all of your finesse fishing needs, although not always being optimal, but serviceable, for Ned Rigs and dropshots. A M powered casting rod can handle everything from squarebills and lipless crankbaits, to Senkos, to finesse jigs, to lighter spinnerbaits, as well as poppers and more. A MH powered casting rod can handle Texas Rigs, jigs, chatterbaits, small swimbaits, spinnerbaits with trailers, some larger topwaters and more. A 6 speed reel, somewhere from 26-29 IPT is very versatile. Next is specialty in my mind: ML/F Spinning 2500 Reel M/MF or MH/MF 5 or 6 Speed Reel H/F 7 or 8 Speed Reel The ML powered spinning rod optimizes things like the Ned Rig and dropshot. The Moderate Fast casting rod is a crankbait rod. Power and reel speed is determined by what types of crankbaits you will throw and where. The H powered rod is your pitching, flipping, frogging stick. You can go 7 speed for more torque or 8 speed for more line pick up. After the staples, pick 2 of the 3 speciality setups depending on your needs for your trip. Or just up the number to 6.

I know very little about how a rod is made. I just know higher quality, more expensive rods are generally lighter, better balanced, and actions are truer (cheap rods tend to be more parabolic). I'm chiming in to say that Favorite rods are garbage and I would never shop anywhere where staff is pimping them as the best thing. The Googan Squad popularized them, but even they've moved away from them. Saying Favorite is better than Loomis, Dobyns, Croix, etc is like trying to convince someone this year's Dolphins team is better than the Patriots. It's laughable and blatantly false.

Drag systems are so good these days I don't understand why guys still need to ability to back reel. Shimano knows it so the scrapped it.

A lot of people have problems with the line lay on the Fuego LT. The Fuego CT baitcaster is great but the spinning reel needs work. Shouldn't have to add washers to a $100 reel out of the box. Nasci all day.

Shimano Nasci

The Sierra is more sensitive but it's a slower action. A fast Fury and a fast Sierra are not the same.

The Fuego is more user friendly and more forgiving to novice baitcast anglers. Awhile back I had a spare rod sitting around without a reel. I was trying to decide between the SLX and the Speed Spool. Ultimately I went with the Speed Spool because the SLX is tiny; it doesn't hold as much line and it has a much lower IPT by gear ratio compared to the Speed Spool. I only used it once due to certain circumstances, but it was smooth and very palmable. I like the Speed Spool better than the Fuego because 1. I can use any baitcaster due to experience and 2. It fits in my hand a lot better; the Fuego is a big tank. If you have small hands like me and you're not afraid of the learning curve, I'd consider the Speed Spool.

Negative.

I'm doing some stocking under the assumption that I will be back on the water sooner rather than later. I typically fish between 1-10 fow, usually around 5-6 fow. What size Dark Sleeper should I get?

I'm a left handed reeler. In a perfect world I'd probably chuck and wind reeling with my right hand and fish bottom contact baits using my left hand to reel, but the majority of my rods serve multiple purposes so I stick with left handed reels.

The moment I can't remember what set up has which line, is the moment I know I have way too much gear.

Lol well to be fair this past season was my cheapest in awhile because I didn't get to fish much.

Going for the Darwin Award.

I solemnly swear to put up a fight next season.

That's why "they" want us to overthink and over complicate things. From lure colors, to line choices, to everything being technique specific, to the little things like balance. It = $$$

It's as simple as a properly balanced rod should balance well with any reel within reason.

Your YZH diameters are a little off. 6lb is .010, 8lb is .011, 10lb is .012. 6lb on spinning is the sweet spot if you only picked one.

T-Wing looks and sounds funny but it makes a little bit of a difference, not as much as one would think though. We a Fuego can be had on Amazon and other places for $70 and a Tatula tends to maintain $130 I can't blame anyone for going Fuego. They're almost the same reel.

YZH is a great line if you're looking for something that's all purpose and you don't want to use leaders. I've had it break on me exactly one time ever. Regarding spinning, to be more precise, if you're fishing an exposed hook use the 4lb, but if you have to come through the bait, use the 6lb. 4lb would be just fine for the savage beasts we call bluegills.

I'm not sure there's a single Abu reel I'd take over a Tatula.