JediAmoeba

I love my monkey's.

The question is - do grease the drag stack or not? I don't think it is necessary for really any form of freshwater fishing but is probably necessary for a lot of salt water fishing.

A lot of 80 dollar spinning combos have major line twist issues. I have plenty of practice. Lol I have heard the term for 25 years - never gave it much thought. I think there are more spinning offerings than baitcasters - and it baffles me. I have a couple nice spinning combos and would reach for 20 other baitcast combos before considering one of them. Also, a 30 second fight is much better for the fish... I have never had this issue if you put your line on correctly. On a good number of my baitcasters I run 20 lb braid. I dont see it as limiting myself - there isnt a technique I cant fish well. Totally agree. I see light ned baits and stuff cast really far on baitcasting gear... A tatula sv can be had pretty cheap and they don't really skip any worse than a steez. You can freespool easier with a baitcaster and immediately engage it while setting the hook. I cast lucky craft pointer 65's a long ways on baitcasters. And they are hella easier to work the bait with and not worry about line twist.

I like them too but the Draw is easier to fish IMO and they are the same price.

Curious what everyone thinks - As technology and reels get better do you think we will see less and less spinning reels? I can't stand spinning reels. I easily use baitcasters for everything down to about 1/20 oz. My biggest upgrade this year is 2 alphas that I paired up with light and ul rods so I can dropshot and fish hair jigs without ever having to bring a spinning reel along - I was only able to get a 7'4" rod for hair jigs but wish I had one a few inches longer. I would like to spiral wrap a rod for dropshotting with one of the alphas but a custom rod for that seems silly. Once someone is comfortable with using a baitcaster, I fail to see the benefit of a spinning rod anymore. Skipping - BC has more control. I am someone that sets my drag really light so my thumb can be the drag so I much prefer the drag control of a baitcaster. With a casting rod I can easily stop a cast mid-throw - a spinning rod is harder to stop. A lot of my baitcasters have drag clickers. I don't have the God forsaken wind knots and birdsnests popping up on my baitcasters. I understand for beginner a spinning is probably easier but as technology improves, who knows. I see kids and beginners having all sorts of trouble with spinning rods. What do all yinz think? You in on the fairy wands?

I forgot they made a t-wing one recenyly too. I actually meant the last generation(off-grey) with an updated anti-reverse clutch. I also have the bluish one and it's nice but they are known for having clutch issues. I love going on the Australian Daiwa site and looking at all the different models they have...

Yeah, I got it when it first came out, on sale, for like 185 or something. I would trade it straight up for a new style Lexa HD 300.

No kidding. You get one of those nutso smallies on a 110 with 3 trebles bouncing around its just asking to stick in some flesh.

I suppose but I haven't found any performance upgrades to them. I tinker with my reels extensively and I haven't found any significant performance upgrade over the Tatula SVs until you get to the new Zillions. I have 2 Tatula CTs I put upgraded bearings and sv spools and they work just as well as an SV. I prefer a bigger reel in my hands though, so I realize I am an outlier. The only Daiwa reel I have that I really don't like is the Tatula 300. I mean, it's OK, but I find myself throwing big swimbaits on a Coastal 200 and a lexa hd 300 more than it...It surely isn't a reel I would consider in the $290 category.

I am surprised this reel is $250. But I am more surprised the Tatula 80 is $210. These reels are the same design as the Tatula CT and I don't think that reduction is size warrants a 60 dollar increase in price.

Send it back - someone paid for it and it's a faulty product. For karma reversal donate tackle to a kid you see fishing. I do this all the time for kids and although I haven't seen any good karma catches, I do feel good about helping a kid out. Yeah, until you stick one of those in your hand and can't use the braid technique to get it out. Sorry, those hooks are junk and rather than bend they break. A small finesse hook shouldn't break - it needs to bend and flex.

Jerkbaits work phenomenally for LM when the water starts hitting about 42 degrees. Problem is the Pickerel really get keyed in on them at that temperature in the spring too lol. But I catch a lot of good LM on jerkbaits. Typically 95-125 size jerkbaits are good for LM. For smallies they really seem to like a 75-95 size jerkbait. It hasn't ever produced well for me - or at least I haven't been in situations when it was the ticket. The +1's though have been great.

A DUO Spybait!

Spring is the best for huge bass, summer is the easiest for numbers, winter sucks but the fish are predictable. Fall just confuses me.

Yet. I bet they fill in some gaps in the coming year

It works great for me - I mostly use a Tatula Elite 6'9". I had a St Croix M 6'8" and didn't really like it. I know what you mean though - I have tried a bunch of rods and many I didn't care for... I broke the only megabass rod I ever owned when my kayak fell on it. I really liked that one.

I throw all my pointer 65's up to vision 110's on a fast action 6'9" ml rod.

It will be broken - somewhere in the middle south with big alewive and small baitfish populations.

If the rod I wanted was hot pink and the reel I wanted was bright neon blue, I would fish it without quarrel. I don't match the parts up or care about adding do-hickeys to make it look cool... as long as it functions the way I want, let's go!

Many people palm the reel in such a way they unknowingly are adjusting it. I don't have that problem but I have always used Daiwa...

The best hooks I have found are Daiichi Round Bend Death Trebles for the vision 110s They sit like that because that's a result of the ball bearings that help with long casts. It's unfortunate but the fish don't seem to mind.

You would love to see the way I release Pickerel...I think some are still airborne. I am guilty of just chucking bass back with a flip into the water...oops. I used to watch a lot of YouTube vids but everyone is trying to sell me something now and I have a whole pack of monkeys sitting on my shoulder. So I stay away from YouTube videos for the most part now.

River fishing is a whole different story...I have had days where i will go through 100's of terminal tackle... Tungsten is pretty much a no-go on the river.

They are my main reels I use - I paid around 180 for them and I would still pay that. I can do anything with them and I prefer that bigger size reel for most things.