New rod and reel..

[Bluebasser86]

Matches my boat ?

New Speed Demon Pro is quite a bit smaller and WAY lighter than the older version.

Cast really nice, spooled with 15lb Tatsu. Caught several on it with a T-rig. It'll fire it out there and bring it back almost as fast. Wasn't sure I was going to like the knobs on the reel handle but they're not way oversized like some I've felt so they were actually pretty nice feeling. Already has me thinking about my next one. 

[Beetlebz]

Wow, it really is small. I've been going back and forth getting one to try for my flipping rig... but that's money that I could be saving for a steez sv or zillion sv for the same rig.

 

I was kinda turned off when Milliken's died... how have yours held up?

[Bluebasser86]

I got my original Speed Demon about a year ago and have used it mainly for flipping and frogging, all with braid in heavy cover, and it's worked great. I had an issue with the drag at first not being very strong, but once I found out that some had been sent out with the drag washers not placed correctly I took mine out and put them back in right and it made everything like it should. I've caught a ton of fish on all my KK reels and they've been really great reels for the money. I've put my Assassin up against probably hundreds of wipers that pull way harder than a bass does and it's still going strong. 

[offsidewing]

Sweet looking combo, matches the boat!  $40 worth of fluoro on a $60 reel tho...

[Bluebasser86]

8 hours ago, BaitFinesse said:

What's wrong with that Steez?  It doesn't look right.

This gig doesn't pay enough for me to afford a Steez.

 

1 hour ago, offsidewing said:

Sweet looking combo, matches the boat!  $40 worth of fluoro on a $60 reel tho...

Buy a 200 yd spool for 40, put backing on the reel so you only put the 50 yards you need on the reel, line cost $10 per reel.

[new2BC4bass]

I'd be willing to bet that there are times you get to the backing with only 50 yards of Tatsu.  At least you could if you wanted to.  I am not that great of a caster, but I have unloaded more than a half spool of line on reels rated to hold 135 yds of 12# mono...filled to the bevel, not 1/16-1/8 inch below as suggested in the manual...using both 12# mono and 40# braid. I try to guesstimate about 75 yards of line yet to spool when splicing to the backing.

 

Now if I fished from a boat, I'd probably try to get a bit closer to my target so I didn't need to bomb my cast.  Well....a boat I controlled.  I still have to bomb when fishing out of a dinghy with my brother-in-law.

[Beetlebz]

1 hour ago, Bluebasser86 said:

This gig doesn't pay enough for me to afford a Steez.

 

Buy a 200 yd spool for 40, put backing on the reel so you only put the 50 yards you need on the reel, line cost $10 per reel.

Ay man you do you. Keep us updated, I wanna see how the reel works out for you in the long term. I've been eyeballing the speed demons for a long time and I love the new frames. 

[Bluebasser86]

1 hour ago, new2BC4bass said:

I'd be willing to bet that there are times you get to the backing with only 50 yards of Tatsu.  At least you could if you wanted to.  I am not that great of a caster, but I have unloaded more than a half spool of line on reels rated to hold 135 yds of 12# mono...filled to the bevel, not 1/16-1/8 inch below as suggested in the manual...using both 12# mono and 40# braid. I try to guesstimate about 75 yards of line yet to spool when splicing to the backing.

 

Now if I fished from a boat, I'd probably try to get a bit closer to my target so I didn't need to bomb my cast.  Well....a boat I controlled.  I still have to bomb when fishing out of a dinghy with my brother-in-law.

Nope, never. I'm making short cast and pitches with it from a boat so I don't need much mainline. I've been doing the same thing for years and never gotten into the backing. Once the knot starts to come into play during a pitch, I know it's time to respool.