AlabamaSpothunter

Truly beautiful fish, colors Crayon could never create. Nature is once again undefeated

Thanks friend, and I sure hope so. Loved brushing up on all your good info and others in this thread. Hope you're stilling killing it at nighttime brother

Heck yeah it was likely the TD-S, the TD-S is when imho Daiwa took over the crown for world's best baitcasters. It was the flagship reel before the TD-X, and two before the TD-Z. I owned several at one point, but sadly am down to just one that's been beaten up. I actually didn't even buy the one I have, it was given to me for free as a "fix it or toss it" I don't care. Do you remember the Team Daiwa that started it all, or at least for me....The TD-1, still such a cool tank of a reel. Still use it for flipping on a big 7'6

Great thread, odd it hasn't been bumped over the summer. I fish 50-75 nights during the summer months here in Alabama, 99% of the time on the same large private lake. Many of the posts have mentioned the myriad of reasons why night fishing is to some vastly better than day fishing. It's an absolute treat to be the only person on a lake and be able to hear a pin drop for hundreds of yards in every direction. Your senses are more alive, the excitement seems enhanced, and 90% of the trophy Bass I catch are at night. To me the night, and big bass are synonymous. My PB in avatar was caught at night. I caught a 7lb 14oz hog last week, and 4 nights ago I broke off a significantly bigger fish in open water. Biggest fish I've ever broken off, and in my mind at least it was going to be a PB. I could see the size of the fish coming up like you can when saltwater fishing. Then as she was just breaking the surface you get that gut punch "pop....slack" that literally stays with you forever. I'll never forget or forgive myself for breaking that fish off unless I get lucky enough and catch her again and find my 5/0 gama EWG hook in her mouth. Lastly, I've fished many/most of the great lures/baits mentioned in this thread, but at least in my area, nothing will ever consistently outfish a Zoom 8" Magnum lizard in the darker colors, Black Grape is dynamite, so is Junebug. I throw them on super light tungsten T-rigged 4/0-5/0 EWG hooks. The hook is important for not just hookups, but for the presentation of the baits. The slower I can make myself fish at night with jigs, T-rigs, etc., the higher number of fish I catch. In my book, you can't fish a Zoom Mag lizard too slow.

Can't give likes anymore for the day haha, but I just love that type of fishing. Fish size always takes a back seat, not to mention river fish fight so much harder. Wish I had smallies all around me, but I got spots. All three really are so fun in their unique way. I'd love to see a cage match b/t a 5lb Spot, a 5lb Smallie, and 10lb Larry. My fish biologist friends tell me the Spotted Bass will chase both away. It's a gift from nature to fish locations like that.

Awesome, and thanks. Yeah the guy I went with was named Joe Smith, pretty sure he was legend around those local circles. Spent a weekend fishing with him and another friend, one of those weekends/fishing trips that gets seared into your very soul. I remember catching fish I had no idea were in Alabama like Sauger. Magical fishing place North AL/South TN is. ETA: just checked out his FB page, holy cow he catches MONSTERS. Yeah he's the man I need to contact

Absolutely, and I was trying to find a guide last year as I sold my big bass boat a few years back. I used to fish below wheeler dam with live threadfin, HOLY COW you'd have you arm broken by either a huge Smallie, or Drum seemingly every drift. Know any good guides? As for what I look forward to or associate the fall with fishing with.......absolute world class Alabama Bass fishing in the finger creeks off Lay Lake. The big old spots will submerge themselves in the fallen leaves, and then ambush rattling rouges. Not uncommon to catch a half dozen or more 5lb + Spots in a day. Then again you can do that most times of the year at Lay Lake. It's a special lake if you like mean aggressive Spots

Bingo, Chronarch was the reel name I was looking for in my above post. I think it was the base model of what were considered the "high end" Shimano reels. Cheaper than Curados and Calcuttas, but had fantastic performance/specs for the money. I've had my Stradic (the smallest one) for 20yrs give or take, and I use it for everything from Rainbow Trout, to Smallies, to Alabama Bass using shakey heads. Only spinning reel I've ever loved, the next model two models up IIrc were crazy awesome. Buddy had one, and it was such a nice reel. It was 350-400 back in early 2000s, I wasn't going to drop that kind of money on a spinning reel lol

Very cool, and thanks for sharing. Need to go and take some pics of the tackle and reels I inherited from my Granddad. I'm a southern man, but he was from Ohio and fished every summer in Canada. His tacklebox is super cool with all the old baits, and a couple of really old reels. Got a antique store right by me that has the mother load of old reels. I guess non fisherman decorate with them or something.

Interesting, I'd enjoy a chat with an engineer or product manager from Shimano. My last two Shimanos were a Calcutta digital that was easily the worst high end reel I've ever bought, and then the second one which I still own was the Calais that was about $500 too. Ironically enough I bought those two reels when I finally got older enough to afford them based on using friends calcuttas, curados and for the life of me I can't remember the base model of the curados/calcutta line....but I remember it being the best bang for the buck in the reel universe at that time. I had one, and I'm sure everybody in this thread will know which model I'm talking about. Started with a C...haha I say all that because it seems like Shimano kind of jumped the shark in the mid 2000s starting with the incredibly stupid Calcutta digital. Before that, they dominated the high end reel landscape, and I guess still do in some regards, but their late 90s to early 2000s reel models were basically perfection. Seems like that's the case with Daiwa reels too, even though I like Daiwa new models a ton. But atlas companies always upgrade their products to continue sales. That's one thing you learn in fishing especially, at some point the law of diminishing returns kicks in, and paying hundreds to shave an oz, or for an extra nano coated ball bearing becomes nonsensical imho. Thanks everyone for your replies, I enjoyed reading them all, and found a number of them to be wholesome due to personal connections, and sentimentality. Ever since I was a little boy I nerded on Rods and Reels.....lures and such are fun, but I love the evolution of the actual baitcaster and modern day Bass fishing rods. I'm sure so many of you guys share this as well

Yeah I'd say my hookup percentage is vastly higher on a PopR type bait. Where that Spittin Image shines I've found is when you see them boiling the water around a shad pod in open water. I don't think I've ever caught a fish smaller than few pounds on it either, so for my usage I'd classify it as a big fish bait

LOL....bought a 10 buck Japanese frog the other day like an idiot

Ah yes, surprised a calcutta hasn't been mentioned yet. That was THE gold standard in the late 90s, early 2000s around my neck of the woods. IIrc it was 100, a 150, and 200 model. The small one like you got is the one I loved so much....normally a round profile just doesn't tickle my fancy but the little calcutta felt great. You could cast those things a mile too. I had the digital one that was like 500 bucks.....I'd put it near the top of the list for worst reels I've owned. Horrific piece of junk.

I'd love to have a TD-Z, seems to be just a more modern TD-X....it was the next flagship reel for Daiwa after the TD-X. There is a great informational site that lists all specs and pics of old reels and tackle, but not sure if I'm allowed to link it. On the same comparable model as I posted in the TD-X, they shaved a half oz. on the TD-Z

Depends.....if I just caught a nice Bass, usually within 24hrs I'm buying copious amounts on un needed tackle based on the tackle that caught said nice Bass You could graph my spending easily, the more fish I catch, the more money I spend on fishing gear. Stupid but true haha

I remember being a little kid, and thinking these were the coolest looking reels. Sorry to hear about your uncle.

Wholesome, and I've seen a couple of true trophy Bass come from those reels. Watched a bank fisherman with live worms catch a 12lber meanwhile I'm throwing a $1000 combo with hundreds in lures in a tacklebox....go figure

Yeah it's quite interesting how preferential or unique each fisherman's tastes are. Went in the shop the other day and the owner was talking about how ridiculous particular his Bass fishing customers were in comparison to his gun, hunting, or archery customers. Said dudes will come in looking for an exact trailer in a color from a specific manufacturer....won't except any substitute. Im the opposite, got a few 7 ft rods left, but they are used for very niche things these days, whereas I'll just take a 6'6 GLX mag bass rod and fish everything in the tacklebox with it.

I have a TD-X with the rarer 5.1:1 ratio. Designed in 1998, and to me it's still as good of a reel as you can find on the market. It's almost as light as the new flagship Steez, casts a mile, silky smooth drag, and has been fished hard for over 20 years. By far and away my most treasured reel, even though I have technically "nicer" and more expensive reels. I want to love the Shimano high end reels I've gotten through the years, but nothing has ever competed with Team Daiwa reels for my usage. I have a newer steez rod/reel combo that is wicked light and sweet, but I still find myself reaching for old Team Daiwa reels the most. The Shimano reels are always much bulkier, heavier, and over complicated in comparison. Only owned one Lews Speed Spool, and outside of that have no other experience with reel makers. So let's here your take of reels, and your favorite of all time

Thanks a bunch for the reply, I was actually looking at this model.... Garmin STRIKER™ 4 Fish Finder Portable Bundle, but will now look at the 7sv model. Awesome, thanks a bunch for the reply, off to go look at this model now.

To me "matching the hatch" color wise is vastly different than when I'm trout fishing a clear river.....what Bass perceive as Shad colored in various "unclear" lakes is harder to nail down. I fish primarily a smaller 200-300acre that has similar things as you mention.....lots of Alabama Bass and annual stockings of threadfins For at least 20 years I'd say, I haven't better a topwater lure for large LGM or any Alabama Bass is a Spitting Image. For whatever reason, it works so much better than other topwater baits in more open water scenarios. A Zara Spook of your size preference is another great producer.

If getting proven wrong means a fishing trip....I'm cool with that

Didn't mean to offend, and I've been fishing for bass for over 30 years, and only recently did I break my habit of relying of constant feedback. Ultimately like you said, you're just new to fishing for bass. Lots to learn, but equally lots of exciting times in doing so. You can read all you want on bass fishing, but the real learning takes place from being on the water, and just time fishing. Good luck, you success will improve

You are correct, use the lightest weight possible, and stop getting hung up on having complete tactile feel over your bait. A good way to break your dependence on this crutch of needing constant feedback is to go out at night, and just fish a mag lizard or mag worm on nothing but a heavy 5/0 hook. You'll realize soon enough that you'll detect the actual bites when you need to, you just aren't going to feel every pebble and trig on the bottom. As for rods, buy once, cry once....nothing tops GLX Gloomis rods imho. Lastly, your gear sounds way overkill for the size/species you are targeting. Outside of flipping I can't think of a reason why I'd personally use a 7'6. A good 6'6 MH rod is perfect for fishing soft plastics and frogs

G Loomis Mag Bass GLX or above 6'6 MH rod is about the closest jack of all trades rod I've ever found. I buy two 6'6 MH rods to every one non 6'6 MH rod. Then again I fish a lot of slow moving bottom baits