Glaucus

I used sleeves lol

I'm in the middle. I don't go out targeting dinks and I don't go out targeting trophies. My approach is to catch as many quality bass as possible.

I started on the Silver Max years ago and still use one. I've never had a problem with the graphite frame. When I was a teenager I used to play Magic: The Gathering. Some guys had $600+ decks and each of the cards was in absolutely perfect condition. They wouldn't touch a card that had even the slightest dinged corner, regardless of the fact that it "played" just the same as the same card in perfect condition. Moral of the story? Some guys are just happy to fish and won't find a problem with most things. Other guys have too much money to spend and will notice a slightly dinged corner of a card and refuse to touch it regardless of functionality.

It's me. I'm guys.

I keep my reels so loose that I can't let anyone else use them without me tightening them down because I rely on my thumb a lot. My spool tension knob is extremely loose. With proper casting technique and an educated thumb it's the best way in my opinion. So many people try to overhand bomb cast as hard as they can, like they're swinging an axe or something. You don't have to cast hard like that.

Eagles are great and Lightnings are poorly built, and nobody says Aird-X rods are cheap (best of it's class by most accounts, by a large margin) and yet you say "most"? Just call it what it is. It's basically Berkley sucking as far as build quality.

If you're bank fishing you have more than double what is necessary or practical and need nothing else.

Strip it for new because I don't use line as expensive as a mid tier rod or reel.

Every product ever goes on sale. Can't think of a single item I haven't seen cheaper in the future because of a sale. If I wanted it, I bought, I have it, and it doesn't matter.

I like the Fuego, but I have tiny Burger King commercial hands and that tank is kind of cumbersome. I've been enjoying the Speed Spool a lot more this season.

It's more sensitive than an Eagle but definitely not as well built. Daiwa Aird-X are the best.

The Fenwick Eagle at $60 is one of the best budget rods. Daiwa Aird-X > Fenwick Eagle = Berkley Lightning (spinning Eagle, casting Lightning) >>>>> Cane Pole >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Abu Vengeance

I hated the spinning rods but the casting rods were fine. The 6'6" versions are stouter and faster than their 7'+ siblings. The 4 power is the best all around power when you're talking about the typical 7' all around bass rod. But the 6'6" 4 power is super fast and like a broomstick, more like a 5 power. Terrible for treble baits which wouldn't make it an all around rod. But then the 3 power 6'6" rod is great for trebles and t-rigs and spinnerbaits but awful for jigs and chatterbaits at 3/8oz with a trailer and up. Trade offs have to be made. I'd just get the 704C honestly and be good with throwing basically everything. As a bank beater myself I preferred the shorter rods for carrying and travel and accuracy, but at the same time I always found myself at some point wishing the rod was longer. This season it's been primarily 7' rods and accuracy hasn't been impacted at all and I rarely find the longer rod to be a burden and never wish it was 6'6" anymore.

I caught 9 today and the boy caught 7. Nothing truly big, but this was special. His first spinnerbait bass. He had been catching them on Wacky Rigs but he wanted to try something different. He picked the bait and the color he wanted: a purple spinnerbait. Tied it on and got 'em.

I'm a strong swimmer and have mostly always fished shallow ponds and rivers fit for wading. I guess it depends on who you are and where you fish whether you'll even consider it or not.

When I was a kid I swam in rivers for fun and still swim in lakes to this day so it's no different lol

In times past, $200 on both ends, usually. Now, $100 on both ends.

I've climbed a tree for a Whopper Plopper so there's that.

One brand or one brand and one size of that brand? 6# YZH for spinning and 12# YZH for casting would be the best bet. I'd be perfectly happy with that.

I've had a new lady for 3 months and a better job than I had before. Life has been good to me. Good health too. Just a different perspective now on everything, even down to as something as small as fishing gear.

After falling ill most of last year, particularly the second half of the year, and my (soon to be ex) wife deciding to break our family apart, I sold a ton of stuff to get the funds to start a new life in another state. Expensive fishing gear was one of the things that needed to go. Now I have 6 setups, and they're budget options. The truth is, I've been happy, and I haven't noticed any significant difference. We'll see how everything holds up. I've had the Eagle rods and the Shock rod for awhile but they never really got the call as main, every day options until this season. The listed bait isn't what the setup is limited to, but what is usually tied on. Daiwa Aird-X 7' H/F Lew's Speed Spool 6.8:1 15LB Berkley Big Game Jigs Daiwa Aird-X 7' MH/F Lew's Speed Spool 6.8:1 12LB Berkley Big Game Texas Rigs Berkley Lightning Shock Rod 7' MH/F Abu Garcia Black Max 6.4:1 15LB Berkley Big Game Chatterbaits Fenwick Eagle 6'6" M/F Abu Garcia Silver Max 6.4:1 12LB Berkley Trilene Squarebills Daiwa Aird-X 7' M/F Daiwa Legalis 2500 6LB Yo-Zuri Hybrid Wacky Rigs Fenwick Eagle 6'6" M/F Pflueger President 30 8LB Berkley Trilene Ned Rigs The Shock had 30LB braid to a leader but I stripped it because I have a very hot and cold relationship with braid.

I'm so back and forth on braid it's not even funny. Right now I'm running mostly Yo-Zuri Hybrid and Big Game.

Whatever I can't find on TW, I can usually find on Fish USA.

I've been hardcore bassing for over a decade and skipping is still not easy. I've never known of anyone who picked up on it as a novice. It takes time and practice.

A weak H is the same as a strong MH. Just to clear that up. I mentioned it because you can also look at H rods to achieve the same thing. Unless you get the SLX combo whenever they're like $130, I can't think of a combo in the $100-$150 price range that's going to give you a better rod than the Aird-X. It absolutely should not retail for $55. It's clearly a gift from Daiwa to introduce people to their products. @MNfisher @ww2farmer @MN Fisher