GeekOutdoors

I would go with the SLX XT. I winded the SLX in different stores and I wasn't please with what I feel was a lack of smoothness... I know this is very subjective and far from real world test but that made me stay away from them. I also wasn't able to find the XG locally so it kind of put the last nail in the coffin. I might fall for an SLX XT XG in the near future though...

I love Fenwick rods. Just be careful with the HMG as it has a Carbon blend blank and all carbon blanks from any company from my experience, can be easily weakened after even a mild but localized hit. This is the price to pay for not too expensive lightness. Baby it and it will serve you well !

Ok ! I am looking at the 5'6" LF to add to my trout fishing arsenal !

Which light model did you pick ?

You should really try trout fishing, they can put up good fights and are yummy for your tummy I'm using short light power rods (5'6" to 6') with moderate to fast action and 6'6 to 7' med light mod to mod fast action when trolling with wobbling spoon !

I just ordered a Sharky III size 1000 and if all KK size 1000 are the same size they are the largest 1000-size reels I ever bought. That might be an explanation

The kayak way of securely doing it for angler, precious gear and fish is landing is with a net. I always use a net if the fish fits in. With pikes too big to fit the net, I'm using fish grips and try to unhook it next to the yak.

Let us know how it did ? Own a few Aetos and they are, by far, my favorites !

Not JDM stuff but a colleague gave me a first gen Caenan he won and used once or twice ! I then decided to customize it with some leftover parts ! I used it all day yesterday and ordered some cork knobs and another nut and screw/lockwasher to dress it... Might keep the handle and just change the knobs/hardware as it performed ok this week-end !

I'd take a look at the Fenwick HMG 7' MF

That's what I did, it turned out great !

I bought leashes for my unused rods on the yak but I also think about leashing the one I use to my wrist...

It wasn't properly collected but I own many combos and this one was pretty much my first educated pick so it has something special to it.

Magic Eraser for cork and maybe the exterior of the reel. I experienced a similar fate recently: That put me in a bait Monkey Frenzy and bought some spare for my trout fishing ! I can't go bass fishing til mid June here around

My President Limited size 25 wasnt as smooth as expected out of the box as well... As for other reels, I used to just fish them (mostly Shimano) but since I started to buy Chinese stuff (Kastking, Piscifun etc) I took the habit of relubing them before first use, they perform way better this way !

They have some nice budget entry level combos...

I hesitated for a while between that St.Croix and an Okuma Scott Martin TCS APC. I found the St.Croix too whippy even for Spinnerbaits/chatterbaits. Thats what I'll likely use with the Berkley Choppo 90s that are very similar to the WP ! They are lighter than the 130 though...

Out of curiosity, was the St.Croix a Mojo Bass ?

Fenwick Elite Tech Bass, Fenwick Aetos can also be found in 2 pieces models...

It would really depend if its a friend or someone I cant stand ! I tend to work as a team with friends so you would end up having 10 potential presentations, this would not happen with someone I dislike, obviously. No particular order -Crankbait -Search bait (Spinnerbait/chatterbait, covering water) -Tube -Topwater like Whopper plopper -Ned rig or dropshot in case you end up needing to finesse them

Here's a long and funny one guys, with an happy ending ! Last Sunday, I went fishing fishing for trout with my good buddy. It was pouring rain and was pretty cold but we just needed to go fishing and that lake is beautiful, even under rain. So, we started to fish and, as an addicted rod collector, I brought a few of them. One of them is a Rapala Classic Trout 5'7" with a Plueger size 20 reel, this is a very light setup... Here's is the funny part... I put it back in the flushmount rod holder and took my paddle from the paddle holder and "splash" I heard... I first thought it was a Gatorade bottle but I soon saw the cork handle of my tiny rod going for the depth. This setup is so light I didn't feel it going out of the rod holder and the short handle was unforgiving, AGAIN ! This is the other funny part, this was the second time that exact rod went for a diving swim, the very first time was with my then roomate at trout opening in April '17 and I was lucky enough to saw it's golden accented guides in the crystal clear water and fish it back with another rod with a pike spoon w/ large treble hook on. Last Sunday I wasn't as lucky ? Since it was raining, impossible to see through the water and even after an hour of throwing big trebled stuff I wasn't able to retrieve the cursed rod. Since I didn't want to ruin the fishing day, we left the launch bay and went for the trout chase. The trout were on the chase but very subtly and my friend tried to hookset one in orbit (he looked like BASS guys overhooksetting their fish lol) and I managed to put one feisty brookie in the boat. I was still thinking about that ... rod the whole day since it was one of my favorite for tiny lures in a local small river. On our way back I hopelessly tried to find and boat it, without success. This is an high pressured lake and I was affraid someone else would find it. I hope it was someone in need that would find it at least. I started my "mourning process" and told my buddy on our way back home that I would just buy another same exact one or an equivalent and went for the chase while the big buddy was driving us back home. People that know me even just a little know I am babying my gear and I am very selective when buying rods so I wanted to find the exact same or as close as possible. I found out on Tuesday that the Classic Trout is discontinued and the only thing getting close enough to worth looking at was a St.Croix Premier 5'6" Light / Fast but no one around here has it and the cheapest I found was 175$. I also ordered a bunch of rod leashes, after fishing that rod twice I just need to understand what "leash it or lose it" means. Buddy told be about magnet fishing while paddling on the lake and I thought I could give it a try. So I went buying a welding magnet at Crappy Tire and packed my stuff, sonar, action cam and pole, used cell phone, rope, net, magnet, anchor and everything. Drove there yesterday, realized there was someone else on the lake that I hope were fishing the main lake, launched the yak and started to look at the Down Imaging. There is no much grass in this lake, especially that time of year as the water is still cold. I saw a / with a small circle near the bottom end. I tied the magnet on a rope with some loops and start my magnet swinging frenzy... After like 20minutes I felt something sticking to it (feels almost like a subtle bite) and lost it right at the boat. Dropped the magnet right there and felt the same sticking on the magnet... I very carefully "reeled" it back in and to my joy and stupefaction I saw a rod tip... It was muddied so I wasnt able to identify it right away but I pulled it out of the water and knew it was it ! It spent a whole week there without being found and was still working pretty good, I made a few test casts with it... I was so happy I was singing weird stuff and stop caring about the tons of mosquitos... Packed back and drove back home. I set the rod and reel to dry overnight and everything is working. Now here is the question, I know I'll have to service the reel as it spent a whole week in the drink, I'll also have to clean the rod a bit and especially the cork. I'd like to know what everybody use to clean the cork ? I plan on sealing it with U-40 after cleaning... Good idea ? PS. I'll make sure I leash my rods. I was already leashing the paddle and the net...

I fish nedrigs on an HMG 6'9" ML/F paired with a carbon-braked Sedona 1000. If you are on a budget, I +1 on the Sharky III 1000 but if you want to Buy in-store, a Shimano Sienna or a Catana size 1000 would do ! I use 15lbs braid with a 10lbs fluoro leader !

I wouldn't, personnally, rule out a med heavy. I'm using that to throw 3.5" larger profile tubes with 1/4 to 3/8 tube heads.

I'd like to see what the 2 pieces reel seat looks like? Also, why you can't stand it ? Just wondering and trying to educate myself here !

I frog with a Shimano SLX 7'2" H/F that was probably meant for jigs as they also have a 7'5" H/F in the SLX line-up. I now jig with the former frog rod, a Quantum Team KVD 6'10" H/F.