JayW

Abu's are hard to kill! It should be a good reel for the money!

My buddy has one. It's ok, but nothing special IMO. Someone actually gave him one so he uses it for a back up. He wanted me to try it out after he got it, so I made a few casts with it.

My only input would be... St Croix makes their own blanks and they are awesome! They also use Fuji components and Flexcoat. They are made of good stuff! I guess you'll just have to decide if being close to Kistler would be an advantage to you if you are worried about rod failure or would feel better about possibly seeing how they are made and so forth.

Nice looking Bass!

Cool little boat!

Looks like a lot of fun. I used to do some night Bass fishing, but haven't in years. :-[

Very fat Bass! 8-)

Nice Bass! Looks like they are eating very well.

Anyone can build a lite rod. They leave stuff off like fore grips and use lite guides and lite epoxy. Anyone could build a lite rod, but lite is not always better. My only problem with them is that they were using Batson components and they are some of the cheapest components on the market! I'm just amazed when they sell a rod for what they do and have very little in it money wise and people shell out the $$$ just because it's lite. Does anyone know if they even spine test their rods?

Where do they have Nile Perch in the US? That's new to me ! That's what we Florida crackers call Tilapia!

He posted this also... http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1180033338/0#0 :-?

I'd say once per week as an average. There have been periods in my life when it was 7 days per week. I still go out 2-3 times per week on occasion, but then again, some weeks I don't get out on the water at all.

morning???!!! PSSHHH!!! you cant see them round here until late afternoon Maybe you need more fiber? Man, this thread has gone down the toilet! :-/

I actually caught a Nile Perch on a jig one time.

Welcome! You live anywhere near the Murphy area? Looks like your a KIX fan. 8-)

Please let us know how old the rod is, how you broke it, and report on your experience with getting a replacement. This will be helpful info for future threads... The first year of the Helium, in '04, Kistler used a Rainshadow blank. It was a good blank, and several custom rod builders also used the Rainshadow blanks. In '05, Kistler struck up a deal with Batson, and started using their components exclusively...blanks, guides, and reel seats. I've read quite a few posts about fitament issues with the Batson reel seats over the past 2 years, but I read that Kistler recently made the switch to Fuji. I owned two of the graphite plus series for a week, and have held and played around with the Helium and LTX II several times, but have not fished with them. I didn't like one thing about my graphite plus series, which I thought were tip-heavy and had the look and feel of a $60 or $70 rod, but the Helium users are a pretty loyal following. I'd just weigh all your options before you decide. I'm always amazed how that a high dollar rod can be built with such cheap components and blanks. Rainshadow blanks are ok, but nothing compared to the $$$ they wants for the Kistlers. The Batson stuff is junk! Hopefully they have made the switch to Fuji. I wouldn't have anything but Fuji components on a rod. Batson components are CHEAP! I build rods and Kistler must have been making a killing on their rods using Rainshadow blanks and Batson guides and reel seats!

I like Shimanos too. I also like Abu's.

The boat is floating in it.... Ingenious!

I think you can do better. Maybe the guy wants what he owes on it or something?

Good deal! Looks like you guys had a great day! 8-)

For finesse, I use a Calcutta 100 w/12# P-Line and a 6'6" MHF rod. I build rods and for this set up I use a St Croix blank. Very light and sensitive!

Welcome!

Hey, I remember those. I think I still have some old ones laying around somewhere from the mid 80's when I had a subscription. Those were pretty funny!

That's pretty neat! Where the live well?

Ok, I'm from Florida... what the heck is a "brownie"?