jaym137

I have 4 of them....at $69 dollars they are a lot of reel for the money. I have about 5 Tierras and these reels feel surprisingly close in performance. I like the Daiwa Twist Buster better than other brands line management features to prevent twist. Air Bail is great too. Tierra has a sealed drag, but that's not too important to me. For the money, I think they are great.

Are you sure your spool wasn't slipping because it was not attached to backing, or taped securely to reel spool? Although power pro isn't my favorite braid, many guys use it with no problems. If it frays excessively a bad guide may be to blame or if it was breaking easily same thing. But reeling in and not taking in enough line sounds like line slipping on the spool which would usually be caused by a drag too loose or braid slipping around the spool. Since you didn't have the problem with the Flourocarbon it's not a faulty reel. Flouro and mono don't slip like braid. Also line test and diameter come into play...if line test or diameter of braid is too small for a particular reel that can cause some difficulty casting, digging into spool and wind knots. Those are the only things I can think of that might cause what you described.

What makes KVD a great fisherman has 99% to do with his ability to analyze water, make snap decisions on where to fish and to use the proper techniques to most efficiently catch those fish. It's not a secret lure or better reel that separates him from the pack. It's how he thinks, his confidence and attention to detail. How good are quantum rods and reels? Good enough for him to dominate. But would he catch less fish if he used G loomis rods and Shimano or Daiwa reels? Of course not. But I think that since Quantum has sponsored him so long, he likely is loyal to them and feels they invested in him before he became the best fisherman perhaps of all time. So my guess is that he rewards the company who helped get him to where he is today. I think he would be great no matter what rod or reel he chose. I love G loomis rods and Shimano and Daiwa reels over Quantum products, but lots of manufacturers make good stuff...especially in the high end range of their respective lines.

It is by far my favorite reel. The 400TE has earned a great reputation with guys that absolutely torture their equipment. The Daiwa Luna and St. Croix AC 300 also score high marks and are excellent. I have all 3 reels and the Shimano 400 Te will be my next purchase. There are specialty reels like the Saltist and Trinidad that guys use to throw pounders(soft plastic baits weighing a pound )and double 10 bucktails which have tremendous pull on a reel. But day in and day out the best all around reel for musky guys will be the 400TE. Do a search on Musky Hunter or Muskies First websites and you'll see how highly regarded it is.

If durability is your main concern.... get a rod with a lifetime warranty. Crucials,Compre,Avids, Loomis IMX etc all have them. You pay a bit more, but have a lighter more sensitive rod that you will enjoy more and piece of mind for years down the road. To me it's a better value in the long run vs a 50 dollar rod with say a 1yr waranty. But to each his own.. depends on your idea of value. Some guys are quite satisfied with Ugly Stick Lite or less expensive rods and have them for years. Once I started using St. Croix or Loomis I felt I wanted that type of rod from then on. I have way too many 49 Dollar bargain rods collecting dust. I have Crucials that I like too. All Star is a good rod and you can get a lifetime warranty with a Compre for about 100 bucks.

Caught a Northern Pike over 15lbs on my Zillion this year and plenty of big fish with it...drag is fine. Why is it the reels fault if you are horsing a fish in and bad things happen? I understand the need for a locked down drag punching mats with braid, but most fish lost at the boat are due to not playing the fish, using the drag to tire fish and trying to land fish too quickly. Here in the ultra clear Finger Lakes we land tons of big fish on 4 and 6 lb test with spinning gear...by playing fish out. Way too many glowing reviews of Zillions from some very picky and experienced fisherman for it to be the reel's fault, unless you got a defective one.

I use the 3730 for large musky lures, however, I also use them for all my bass cranks(which I have a ridiculous amount) but I find that the 3730 holds an enormous amount of bass cranks. I seperate them into shallow/midsize/ and deep cranks. The key is to use small rubber or elastic bands to hook over the trebles of each lure. Twist ties work too. With that setup tangles are just about eliminated and you can quickly pick up a lure from anywhere in the box without 10 other cranks tangled to each other.

I think the point that many miss is that it's not only important to have some knowledge of what you are talking about before giving advice, but that different fisherman can use the exact same line, reel, rod, lure or whatever and have a completely different experience with the same product. Many people love Revos.... I bought one and used one and returned it. That doesn't make it junk or inferior... it just means I didn't care for it as much as my comparatively priced Daiwas or Shimano's. Athough I own a Daiwa Steez and love it...I also have a Bass Pro-Lite Finesse Reel that I think is a great reel that cost a whole lot less. There usually is a point where affordability and quality meet. I think Flueger and Okuma are two companies who do a very good job of making affordable quality products. So when someone says all brand x reels suck it's an opinion that I don't put much stock in. I tend to listen to Road Warrior's opinions based on a whole lot of very intelligent posts. Muddy will do the same and lead you to affordable products that won't leave you broke. If Reel Mech says what type of oil to use for a certain reel...I listen. Anotherwards, I know what I don't know and don't have 25+ years tearing reels apart. Some guys are looking for the absolute best tackle and price is no object. Others are looking for best bang for the buck. The advice you give one guy may not be right for the next.

If you are willing to spend a bit more, you should be able to find costa's on e-bay at quite a savings. I have Blue-Mirror 580's, which I use in bright sunny conditions. The Green Mirror 580's, to me are best I've ever had for sight fishing and seeing into the water. I like glass lens myself. I like the swordfish Costa's as they have spring temples and fit me the best. I tried a bunch on at Bass Pro and then bought elsewhere as E-bay had much better deals new. If at all possible try different pairs on at stores, since even great sunglasses suck if they don't fit you right and feel comfortable.

I have the avid 7ftmm, the avid 7mhm and the loomis 845 cbr. I like the loomis the best, but the handle is a bit too short for my liking, so I put a bass pro rod balancer to give it a bit of extra length. Out of the rods you mentioned, the loomis 845cbr, to me handles the widest range of cranks the best, especially on the heavier side like a D22. But ...all are very good rods and it depends on what feels best to you. For me I like the loomis 845 for 1/2oz cranks, ie DT10's or Lucky Craft 2.5"s.... For D22"s and DT 16's or 20's I prefer a longer handle and beefier rod like Dobyns 805cb. If you do choose a St. Croix ,I would definitely get the MH moderate if you plan on throwing larger cranks like D22. I also think the 845cb feels just right for most cranks 1/4-5/8oz and the loomis 843 felt a bit underpowed to me. Some guys like slower rods like glass Skeet Reese cranking rod by Lamiglass which gets great reviews. I like graphite and the 845 has enough give but really good backbone that I prefer. All good rods.

Stay away from D&T Outdoors. I placed order for Kinami Crankbaits and never received merchandise. All e-mails and telephone calls were ignored. I had to contact Visa and was finally able to get the charge taken off my bill. Everything looks legit on website when you order but then you receive no merchandise and noone responds to your inquiries. Complete Rip Off.

Jig eye buster Rapala clippers on lanyard for cutting line cat's eyes clip light for visor on baseball cap Texas Tackle Split ring pliers mini needle nose pliers for tuning crankbaits

I have 3 crankbait rods that I love. First for small cranks like Rapala DT 6 size I have a Kistler 7ft crankbait special rod. For the majority of my cranks ie.. DT 10's, etc I have the Loomis 845 cbr 7ft. I also thought handle was a bit short on the loomis and kistler, so I added a Bass Pro balancer(adds a couple inches) and rod grip tape. I balance all my rods. My deep crankbait rod is a Dobyns 845 cb first generation which has a long handle which I feel is really a must for really deep divers like Norman D22's or Rapala DT 16's etc. I use zillion crazy crankers 4.9 to 1 gear ratio for 2 rods and a curado (not the newer version) 5 to 1 ratio on another. The newer 2nd generation Dobyns are probably even nicer, but I like the one I have fine.

Listen to R.W. and others re: KVD line conditioner. All mono or copoly retains some line memory and floro even more. A small bottle goes a long way. You don't have to apply it every time out. It will allow you to use a very abrasion resistant and strong line that normally may not be the best casting line and it will become more manageable like a limp line. I also use Yozuri Ultrasoft. Anotherwards, you get all the benefits of the best of different lines. Fly fisherman have used line conditioners for years for increased casting distance... same principle. It even works on braid. I think a bottle was $7.95 or so. The longer line sits on a spool, the more memory it retains. The smaller the spool... like ultralight spinning reels, the worse it is also. Use it once and you will be sold. It doesn't leave the line greasy or sticky. Good stuff... try it.

I think what better made, lighter, tighter, more efficient reels or rods do is add to your enjoyment while fishing at first. And possibly end up lasting longer or being more dependable over time, and if so become a better value in the long run. A curado or zillion for 200 or 250 dolars that is used and enjoyed over 8 years turns out to be a better value than a 50 dollar reel that you don't like using and replace in 2 or three years. I think quality baitcasters like a Citica or daiwa 153HSTA start usually around 100-150 dollar range and are probably best bang for the buck.

What size trebles would match best with these cranks? I just bought 11 of them.... size 4 or 6 perhaps? Any opinions on which type... Gammy? Owner?Thanks for any input.

It seems to me that there is no one perfect drag setting because of so many variables involved. Drag setting is not solely dependant on line test, but also size of fish, species of fish, distance from boat, cover, and other variables. An example would be throwing a large musky bait with 6/0 trebles on 100lb braid. I want absolutely no slip or give on the hook set whatsoever because driving 6/0 hooks through a musky's jaw at a distance needs all the power available and a locked down drag. Once I see how it's hooked I don't want to horse that same fish in with a locked down drag, because a green musky thrashing with 6/0 trebles in the net or boat is pretty dangerous. I loosen the drag as this same fish nears the boat and let them make a few runs alongside the boat. Northern Pike are also notorious for not fighting super hard until they see the boat and make a suicide run as they get close. Quite different than a carp which dig towards bottom in a tug of war with predictable runs... unlike a musky or pike. Take that same musky hitting that same lure at a much closer distance to the boat during a figure eight and what I need is free spool mode on the reel and no drag except my thumb on the spool. You do not want a locked down drag when a 30lb musky hits your lure with 2ft of line out from the rod tip. You will break the rod. So you now use your thumb as the drag in free spool mode to set the hook, then allowing the fish to run once hooked by reducing thumb pressure. Take that same lure and same rod and same line with the same musky while trolling... you no longer need the locked down drag on the hook set because the speed and momentum of the boat become an important factor in the hook set. Often going 5-7mph, the boat speed is setting the hook for you and you can afford to have a bit of slip of drag, since you could never set the hook on your own as powerfully as a 2000lb boat going 5-7 mph can. All examples of how the right amount of drag pressure is dependant on many other factors than only line test. Just my opinion but the appropriate amount of drag is highly variable. A long rod made of fiberglass will give more than a short graphite rod with broomstick action. Likely would require different drag setting even when using same line test. I see more guys lose fish due to not recognizing when they need more drag or less drag given a set of circumstances that constantly vary. Use a lighter than optimal drag on a musky in 95 degree heat of summer... you may land the fish... but you may also kill the fish due to exhausting it by fighting it far too long. That's an example of the right drag setting being influenced by excessive water temps.

I've done well with pointers in aurora gold or aurora green perch for bass and especially northerns seem to destroy them quite often near weedlines.

I do the same thing, but instead of rubberbands, I use the polybands that women use for their hair. They are only a couple bucks for 200 or so. Found some in Walmart. They work better than rubber bands as they are stronger and less sensitive to extreme cold or heat. Some guys use dental bands made for braces or retainers which probably are even better. Regardless, I can stuff an obcene amount of bass crankbaits in a 3730 Musky size plano. They don't tangle nearly as much and you never get that multiple crank mess that results when you are looking for your favorite color. They work even better on stickbaits and 3 treble hook lures like Husky Jerks or L.C. Pointers. I spent last winter putting them on all my treble hook baits that are prone to tangle while watching tv. They save alot of space. I have at least 80 cranks in one box, where I used to have 4 different boxes for the same lures. Hanging boxes that store stickbaits vertically also work but it is harder to find or identify the lures and this is cheaper.

I have three Tierra spinning and one Sol spinning reel, love them all. I used to like Quantums Catylist PTI"s, and still do somewhat, but the Daiwas are much better in terms of smooth drags and especially preventing line twist. I know lots of guys equally happy with the Shimanos in the same price range. I always seem to be satisfied with any Shimano or Daiwa I have purchased. Not true with other manufacturers, although Pflueger does provide a very good bang for the buck in many models.

I like leaving bass size hooks like Gammy Wide Gap or Owners in their original packages. Most are clear and reusable. I then put them in a bottom bouncer bag which you can find at Cabelas or Bass Pro. Really any soft storage bag would do. For small trout, panfish and dropshot hooks, I use old film plastic containers labeled with size and type. Use a label maker that I bought at staples and label all my small containers as well as sides of plano boxes. I found that when I used to put hooks in planos or falcons unprotected they would rust much faster. This way all my hooks are labeled and double protected.

From reading many posts that R.W. has made on the subject, I bought 6 lb test and 12lb and tried the Ultra Soft. I loved it. I was fairly satisfied with the Cabelas Pro Line previously, but liked the strength and less stretch of Yozuri. I ended up buying bulk spools from Cabela's in 6, 10 and 12. A few squirts of KVD line conditioner make it extremely managable. I use pure floro only as leader material. I think Yozuri Ultra-Soft gives you many of the benefits of floro without the drawbacks like high price and casting difficulties of some pure floro lines. Glad I switched.

I have a Daiwa Luna 300, which I use for musky. It's a great reel with a very good reputation for durability. I use it with 80lb stren superbraid. Out of many musky size reels that I own, the Shimano 400TE is my favorite, but the Luna is a close second. If you are looking for a budget reel, the Pete Mania reel sold at Bass Pro is far less expensive, but I have several that have held up surprisingly well given their price point. I suggest going to The Musky Hunter website and doing a search or on Muskies First. You'll find all the opinions and advice of the diehards who put these reels through torture throwing huge bucktails and lures up to a pound, which stress equipment tremendously. Another great reel to consider is the Shimano Curado 300 size. HEG gearing, low profile and I have 2 of those which I use for small to medium musky baits. But they have impressed me with their durability for the two years I used them. I use 65lb braid with the Curado.