Latest Tackle Purchase Thread (Bait Monkey Victim Support Group)

[Jmurphy87]

23 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

 

Man, you don't mess around! And that is a GREAT reel!

 

 

Ever hear the saying '(Bait) Monkey see, (Bait) Monkey do"?

 

You see the rods, now just do it.

 

 

Your downsizing last all of what, 2 days?  ?

I wanted a backup in case I blow one up lol. I just wanted to compare the daiwa mag brakes to the shimano centrifugal brakes. The next purchase will be for the wife, she won’t give up her zebco reels. She complains about them and how they are temperamental, I am thinking a daiwa gold cast or whatever they call it. I need to find someone who knows something about them though so that I know if she will still have the issues she does. The next purchase after that will be a new spinning rod for my daughter, lucky her. She turns 16 this year time for her to get her first fishing license ? I am doing better lol not really, but baby steps they say.

[NorthernBasser]

12 minutes ago, Jmurphy87 said:

I wanted a backup in case I blow one up lol.

And what happens if something goes wrong with the backup? Better get a backup for that one just incase.

 

(And so on..) 

[Jmurphy87]

4 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

And what happens if something goes wrong with the backup? Better get a backup for that one just incase.

 

(And so on..) 

That’s a great idea, lol. I am definitely trying though. Doesn’t seem like it, although that’s my addition and obsession. I will see how this goes. The hours at work are definitely not like they used to be so that ultimately decides if I buy something else or live in a cardboard box with my stuff. I think that’s a easy choice maybe.

[NorthernBasser]

5 minutes ago, Jmurphy87 said:

That’s a great idea, lol. I am definitely trying though. Doesn’t seem like it, although that’s my addition and obsession. I will see how this goes. The hours at work are definitely not like they used to be so that ultimately decides if I buy something else or live in a cardboard box with my stuff. I think that’s a easy choice maybe.

For sure! You're doing what you gotta do. As a fellow fishing/tackle addict, I can imagine it has to be tough. Keep up the good fight! 

[kingmotorboat]

1 hour ago, NorthernBasser said:

 

 

 

 

Ever hear the saying '(Bait) Monkey see, (Bait) Monkey do"?

 

You see the rods, now just do it.

 

 

 

 

im trying to wait for a sale ? 

[softwateronly]

He’s coming for us all…..

 

 

scott

[Motoboss]

I broke weak! Was wanting to replace my aged Silstar Lexus for a “do all” rod; crank baits, swim baits, spinner baits, ploppers and the like.

Was going back to GLoomis as all of my main use rods are 15/20 year old originals but just didn’t like the feel of the new Loomis (Shimano) rods. 
Sooooooooo, KISTLER KLX was my choice.
 

I thought about a new Gary Loomis signature rod but the customer service and build quality reviews were atrocious.

I have never seen a company with such a high (5 star) rating as Kistler and the options are phenomenal.
After one call I was sold on my choice.

 

Now the wait begins for it to be built………………..

 

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Curado 150 MGL XG 8.1 review:   

 

Bought this reel because I desperately needed a 8 speed for buzzbait fishing.   First and foremost, this reel is dynamite for that task.  4 hours of buzzbaits, hundreds of casts, several quality fish caught, one giant lost.....I couldn't ask for more in a buzzbait reel.   The difference between a 6 and 8 speed for these baits over the course of an afternoon is worth every dollar for a dedicated reel.   

 

ERGOS:   5/5   This is a 150 sized reel hints the name, but wow does this reel have a fantastic profile in medium sized hands, and palms like a dream.   To me this 150 size is a Goldilocks sized reel as it will hold 90-100m of 14-16lb mono/fluoro which is what I'll be using.     

 

User friendly:   4.5/5  The reel is not like the Shimanos I bought in the past to include Calcuttas, Calcutta DC, Calais 100a, and several lower end models.   This is an extremely easy reel to pull out of the box and start fishing.   This reel is not over finicky on your spool tension setting, get close on the drop test, set the brakes to 4 and it's pretty hard to backlash this reel.    I took off half a star because the new Zillions ruined me.   That is my standard for this category.   

 

Castability:  5/5   When you combine how this reel performs in this category with the last category, you get so very much for your money at that $200 price point.   This reel will bomb cast with the best of them, and I didn't have it set up for maximum casting distance either.   It gave me everything I asked for with little effort and zero backlashing.   

 

Drag:  3.5/5   Typical drag on a higher end reel, but once you fish with those new Zillions and their clicking drag, everything sucks in this department.    Not Calais, Zillion, Steez smooth, but plenty smooth.  

 

Handle/Knobs:  5/5   I used this category because a $200 reel with a handle and knobs like this one deserves it.   Wow does this reel have the perfect handle and knobs for power fishing.   This reel comes with a better handle and knobs than the Zillion SV TW which is twice it's cost if you use the USDM model.   The size of both the handle and knobs really stand out on this reel when you keep in mind how small it fishes and feels in your hand.    Just a dynamite feature, and something I wouldn't expect from a reel at this price point.   

 

I can't rate durability but I'm hard on my reels in terms of fishing them year-round, 5/7 days a week, and they get a drop of oil here and there.   I'll know in a few months if it's a durable reel. 

 

Glad I brought Shimano back into my life, it's easy to get fanboyish on one brand, I just love Daiwa reels, but Shimano and Daiwa are really like two sides of the same coin, they both just make exceptional reels.     

 

Testbed was a Loomis special edition GLX MBR 6'6 MH Fast 

Line used was Sunline Super Natural 14lb green 

 

[MontclairDave]

8 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I took off half a star because the new Zillions ruined me.

Tell me about it. Now that am used to how crazy smooth the Zillion is, it is the new standard. But that 150 mgl is definitely on my short list for my next reel so thanks for the review, great job. And boy would I love that Loomis rod. That’s definitely NOT in my budget, baitmonkey or no. 

[Jmurphy87]

Here the picture of the reel, got it spooled up with 14lb sniper I had laying around.

[Dangerfield]

On 4/27/2023 at 9:00 PM, Dangerfield said:

Rounding up some final purchases before the season starts next month. Waiting for a bunch of stuff to come in. Still need another two reels, jerkbait rod and a few more rod holders. 

 

12v 18ah Dakota Lithium LiFePo4 battery, charger, wire clips, shrink tube & all the fixings

Borika TRK150 

3600 Plano Tray 

Roboworm Straight Tail Worm - Oxblood Red Flake & Morning Dawn Hologram

Megabass Spark Shad 3" - Sight Killer Pink & Sight Chart

Raid Head Swimmer Libero - 7g / Pink Trick & Ice Black

Megabass Magdraft 5" - Sunshine Gill

Megabass Magdraft 6” (Bassmaster Classic) - Aurora Shad (SP-C)

Duo Realis Crank G87 15A - Pumpkin Craw & Ghost Minnow 

Berkley Money Badger - 6.25CM - Firetail Green Craw, Ghost Morning Dawn & Special Red Craw

Berkely Dreger 20.5 HD Perch

SK Tour Grade Dbl Willow Spinnerbait - Golden Shiner

Power Pro SSV2 10 LB X 300 YD Moon Shine Braid& 40Lb X 150 Onyx

 

My gear arrived! Really surprised at how much smaller the 5" Magdraft is compared to the 6", same goes for the Duo G87 15A which is monstrous compared to the Dredger. The BlackPak Pro is outfitted with 10 tether tubes now.

[Motoboss]

19 hours ago, Dangerfield said:

My gear arrived! The BlackPak Pro looks is outfitted with 10 tether tubes now.

 

WOW! ?

[BrianMDTX]

@Motoboss I do not have that rod, but I do have a Kistler Helium MH/F.  The rod is excellent. I picked it up at their shop (which is very nice). I have no doubt you will be pleased! 

[Motoboss]

2 hours ago, BrianMDTX said:

@Motoboss I do not have that rod, but I do have a Kistler Helium MH/F.  The rod is excellent. I picked it up at their shop (which is very nice). I have no doubt you will be pleased! 

Thanks for the input. I got bit again by the monkey and went ahead and got the Kistler Series 1 Reel left hand in the 8:1.
Can’t wait to give the outfit a go!

 

 

[Eric 26]

@Motoboss That appears to be a sweet reel especially at the blowout price.

[Mbirdsley]

On 5/5/2023 at 10:50 PM, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Curado 150 MGL XG 8.1 review:   

 

Bought this reel because I desperately needed a 8 speed for buzzbait fishing.   First and foremost, this reel is dynamite for that task.  4 hours of buzzbaits, hundreds of casts, several quality fish caught, one giant lost.....I couldn't ask for more in a buzzbait reel.   The difference between a 6 and 8 speed for these baits over the course of an afternoon is worth every dollar for a dedicated reel.   

 

ERGOS:   5/5   This is a 150 sized reel hints the name, but wow does this reel have a fantastic profile in medium sized hands, and palms like a dream.   To me this 150 size is a Goldilocks sized reel as it will hold 90-100m of 14-16lb mono/fluoro which is what I'll be using.     

 

User friendly:   4.5/5  The reel is not like the Shimanos I bought in the past to include Calcuttas, Calcutta DC, Calais 100a, and several lower end models.   This is an extremely easy reel to pull out of the box and start fishing.   This reel is not over finicky on your spool tension setting, get close on the drop test, set the brakes to 4 and it's pretty hard to backlash this reel.    I took off half a star because the new Zillions ruined me.   That is my standard for this category.   

 

Castability:  5/5   When you combine how this reel performs in this category with the last category, you get so very much for your money at that $200 price point.   This reel will bomb cast with the best of them, and I didn't have it set up for maximum casting distance either.   It gave me everything I asked for with little effort and zero backlashing.   

 

Drag:  3.5/5   Typical drag on a higher end reel, but once you fish with those new Zillions and their clicking drag, everything sucks in this department.    Not Calais, Zillion, Steez smooth, but plenty smooth.  

 

Handle/Knobs:  5/5   I used this category because a $200 reel with a handle and knobs like this one deserves it.   Wow does this reel have the perfect handle and knobs for power fishing.   This reel comes with a better handle and knobs than the Zillion SV TW which is twice it's cost if you use the USDM model.   The size of both the handle and knobs really stand out on this reel when you keep in mind how small it fishes and feels in your hand.    Just a dynamite feature, and something I wouldn't expect from a reel at this price point.   

 

I can't rate durability but I'm hard on my reels in terms of fishing them year-round, 5/7 days a week, and they get a drop of oil here and there.   I'll know in a few months if it's a durable reel. 

 

Glad I brought Shimano back into my life, it's easy to get fanboyish on one brand, I just love Daiwa reels, but Shimano and Daiwa are really like two sides of the same coin, they both just make exceptional reels.     

 

Testbed was a Loomis special edition GLX MBR 6'6 MH Fast 

Line used was Sunline Super Natural 14lb green 

 

I’m very happy with curado K 200 that I bought last week.  I think it blows the tatula’s out of the water.  From now on I think I’m buying curado’s.  I do like 150 Slx dc and my regular slx too but, the curado is a better reel. 
 

im not looking at adding another reel this year but, never know.  This winter I may move my tatula 150 and 103 tw sv for curado’s 

[Motoboss]

6 hours ago, Mbirdsley said:

I’m very happy with curado K 200 that I bought last week.  I think it blows the tatula’s out of the water.  From now on I think I’m buying curado’s.  I do like 150 Slx dc and my regular slx too but, the curado is a better reel. 
 

im not looking at adding another reel this year but, never know.  This winter I may move my tatula 150 and 103 tw sv for curado’s 

I’m a HUGE Shimano fan and all my reels are Shimano, both casting and spinning. The Kistler will be the first “off brand” I have owned. I have fished with a Diawa spinning reel and did not like it at all.

[treble hook]

Picked up the Lews Hack Attack HD casting reel from Academy. They are normally $149.99. They have them on sale for $69.99. It has aluminum frame, Winn grips, 10 bearing, dual braking, 20 lb. drag. It’s made in Korea not China. Spooled it with 12 lb. mono. I’m taking it out this evening for a test run.

[NorcalBassin]

Been wanting to try the new Tactical underspins to see if the lack of a top keeper will make Keitechs last longer than the Coolbaits underspins I've been using for years. Also needed some more senkos and they threw in a bag of chigger craws for free. 

[treble hook]

I’ve been wanting to pick one of these up, there aren’t a lot on the shelves here.

[Dangerfield]

5 hours ago, treble hook said:

I’ve been wanting to pick one of these up, there aren’t a lot on the shelves here.

Treat that bait like it’s made out of Elaztech.

[NorthernBasser]

8 hours ago, treble hook said:

I’ve been wanting to pick one of these up, there aren’t a lot on the shelves here.

 

I like this bait. But do yourself a favor and put some Mend-It or maybe super glue over the butt plug. They have a habit of popping out after a handful of catches. 

[Pat Brown]

On 3/30/2023 at 4:30 PM, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Slowly buying bigger and bigger swimbaits.   8" is now my biggest.   

 

 

 

You and me both brother.  I cast my 8" glide on an offshore hump sorta 'just for the heck of it' and it got CRUSHED.  Let's keep tossing em.

 

Got a vast assortment of swim jigs and skipping jigs and tungsten flipping weights on the way from Mike Siebert so you know the big girls are shaking in their boots right now ?

[NorthernBasser]

Restocked on some Booty Shakers. If you haven't tried these you really should. The plastic is so soft, yet somehow durable (its not elaztech). 

 

I'll fish them as stand-alone as well as swim jig trailers (3.25 and 4.0, depending on the size profile you want). The swim jig has a 4.0 on it with the head of the bait trimmed off. Last pic is the 5.0.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dangerfield]

11 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

Restocked on some Booty Shakers.

That profile looks very similar to the Miyagi Swimmer, have you tried those? I like the idea of the smaller sizes on a swimjig