Micro

If RedLineRobert spends time in Brazil, he better use OFF! Bot Flys are evil... http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/botfly2.html

I can't believe how many people hate snakes. Snakes have to be the most inoffensive critters out there. I don't hate much. Slugs make me sick. Camelback crickets are nasty. These little buggers are pretty inoffensive, till you pick them up... They are called Blister Beetles and I had an "outbreak" in my yard this spring. I was finding them everywhere. I didn't know what they were. I thought they were some kind of wasp. Then I found a picture and info on the net. If you touch one with a stick, it will play dead. And it does an oscar winning job. I will curl its legs up and everything. Then it does the mean part. It secrets a yellow sticky fluid from its knees. I read that it burned to the touch. Being the bright person I am, I picked one up and touched it to the inside of my wrist to see if it really burned. I didn't burn immediately, but later than night it felt like someone put a cigarette out on my wrist. Not only did it burn, a fluid filled blister raised up. It took about a week to go away. Vey nasty little bugs. Otherwise, they are apparently pretty harmless - to crops and such. If you see one, remember, they are caled Blister Beetles for a reason.

I won't say which is better, since I've never fished a Falcon and I didn't eve know Pfleuger made rods. I will say that my BPS Pro Qualifiers and BPS Johnny Morris Elite (70 and 85 million modulus respectively) are the most sensitive rods I've fished. I feel like I could map the bottom with the Johnny Morris.

I don't think the All Stars have a lifetime warranty. The higher end All Stars have a 3 year warranty. I've never broken one, though. Some of my American Classics have been used hard.

I agree with what RW said, except for the steady retrieve part. These work well with a slow to moderate steady retrieve. I fish these baits a lot. And you can fish them in just about any manner you wish - like a topwater, jerkbait or crank. Just keep working with them. My favorite local lake is loaded with big pickerel and these thing will catch the pickerel. I have several that feel like sand paper from all the teeth scratches.

I can't comment on Daiwa rods, I've never owned for fished one. I can comment on TAS's IM-10 rods. I have several and am very pleased with them. The one odd thing I've noticed is that AS doesn't seem to subscribe to Fuji's New Guide Concept. They use Fuji guides, but they use fewer of them and space them out further. For instance, my 6'8" rod has 7 guides + 1 tip. My BPS rods have 9 guides + 1 tip. That's just something I've noticed. It doesn't seem to have any adverse effect. My IM-10s are outstanding rods and very sensitive. As for lengths and actions, I use 7' M F for cranks (probably not ideal, but works for me), and 6'8" MH F for spinner baits and a 6'6" and 7' MH F. I think the medium would be the best choice for light weightless plastics.

On the contrary, Abu makes some stuff that makes me drool. But they apparently don't sell it here. Check out some of the rods. http://www.purefishing.jp/product/abugarcia.html

I agree with you. I think Garcia has zeroed in on it's target now, and is building products to capture their fair share of the market. Garcia spent way too much time trying to be revolutionary, instead of building what fisherman wanted. For the most part, their products, even the odd ones, were well built. But they built products that turned off most fisherman. Who could forget the Abu Garcia Eon reel (once you saw of it to begin with). Plantetary gears, a huge drag adjustment knob, and a dull, non-reflective rubber armor. By most accounts, it was a very good performing reel, and apparently exceptionally smooth. But did they really think anyone would buy it? Did they believe anyone needed it? It's a perfect example of spending time and energy coming up with a solution to a need that didn't exist. That energy would have been better served refining existing reels and developing very good tradtional reels. There must be an American fisherman at the helm of AG now, or they have a good marketing research team. They are finally hitting the nails on the head. They know who the competition is and what fisherman want.

Stren is a relatively new acquisition by Pure Fishing. It was purchased from Du Pont. Since Stren only makes line, I don't know why they would buy it and sell it off right away. If it's true that Stren has been sold, it could be because the Federal Trade Commission wouldn't let Pure Fishing hold a virtual monopoly on the mono-market. The company that owns Pure also owns Shakespeare - another new acquisition. Shakespeare had to sell off its line division (to Zebco) for this very reason.

I've only kept 1 or 2 bass to eat in the last few years. Bluegill taste much better so if I want to eat fish, I'll try and catch a mess of them.

Abus are tough. But it's not enough to be tough. Reels need to be refined. And that's what I like best about the current line of Abus. The REVOs are refined. But it's not just the REVOs. The company seems to have seen the light and are producing some very good reels - the EXT, and the new 800, 700 and 600 series spinning reels. Abu finely seems to know what it wants to be.

Zoom Finesse. These are great little worms.

Listen, I'm not trying to tear down any other product, or insult anyone. I'm just saying that I perceive that Revos are still considered a step-down from higher end Shimanos, or can't compete with them. IMO, they are not, and they can.

Avid told us in the Shimano vs. Daiwa thread that Abuphiles should start their own thread. OK, here it is. Abu seems to be the reel company people love or hate, or love to hate. I have't seen much in between. That's OK. But it seems to me that Abu isn't getting the credit it now deserves. Yes, it made some weird products in years past, but IMO it's current line-up takes a backseat to no comany, Shimano or Dawia. IMHO, the Revos, particularly the STX, are currently the finest reasonably priced baitcasters on the market. I know people are fond of the Tackle Tour comparisons. There isn't a direct comparison between a Revo and any other reel to my knowledge, though Shimano's flagship Calais and Abu's flagship Revo STX have been tested separately. Here's how Tackle Tour rated them: http://www.tackletour.com/reviewabugarciarevostx.html http://www.tackletour.com/reviewcastingkings.html If you take these reviews seriously (I know some do when they favor a favorite reel), then the Revo seems to be very much the equal, or better than, much more expensive Shimanos. If that were a direct comparison, then I would expect the Revo to be the hands-down winner. It's price is $130 less, and it weighs less. Anyhow, I just wanted to say that. And BTW, I don't get any money from Abu Garcia - but I should Viva Revo!

Sounds like you need to install a quick disconnect in the cable near the engine. These doodads come in handy for that... http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=&id=0001110011811a&navCount=0&podId=0001110&parentId=&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=IH&rid=&parentType=&indexId=&cmCat=netcon&cm_ven=netcon&cm_cat=Google&cm_pla=gauge%20wire%20Quick%20Connectors%20&cm_ite=netcon&hasJS=true They require soldering, though.

I should have never brought it up >

This guy does...

I'm sure a lot of people who have them on their bass boats will go ahead and remove them, as soon as they see this thread. :

Camelback crickets. Makes me wanna vomit just looking at it. But I love snakes. Send your snakes to me if you don't want them. Here's the most ornery snake I've ever captured - Norther Black Racer. The only snake I've ever had attack me.

Nonsense. The PD has many advantages over a cable controlled motor. I've listed some above. The simply fact is, it comes down to personal preference. But saying the PD is not fit a bass boat is inane.

A few weeks ago I sold a Merc 9.9 hp 4 stroke. It had a sticker saying Made In Japan. I had heard the power head on small Mercs were made by Yamaha. Today I took delivery of my new 15 hp 4 stoke, which also says Made In Japan. When I was talking to the mechanic, he stated power heads on Mercs 9.9 and under are made by Tohatsu. 15 to 30 are made by Yamaha. Anyone know if this is true?

What's the little lever over the handle on the not-so-low low-profile reels?

If Abu Garcia has been consistent about anything over the years, it's been durability. Abu has offered very durable, if weird, reels for as long as they've been in business. As RW said, Abu seemed to be lost in the past 20 years. Abu turned out durable products. But their offerings were sometimes bizarre. Abu became very good at providing products that answered needs nobody had - in colors that would make a pimp blush. Their stamina drag reels were built well, but the drag on the spool shroud was, was, well.. what were they thinking? (Discontinued) Their D5 and D6s reels were well made and cast well, but looked like coke cans with a plastic end sitting on the rod. (Discontinued) I never understood this offering. $400+ for the world's ugliest reel. The Torno was about as inspiring as mushroom. (Discontinued) Use this one while wearing a colored floor length fur coat and fuzzy hat. Granted, Abu had European customers to satisfy, and their needs and wants may have been different than American's. Nevertheless, they put products out there that, while built well, looked funny and didn't do well. IMO, their timeless Ambassadeurs kept them alive in the American market. For some reason, all that has changed. Abu has gotten their act together. They've dropped their silly looking products and opted for tradition. Somebody at Abu got this company back on track. They've kept their Ambassadeur line and brought back some that should have never been dropped. They now offer refreshingly traditional spinning and LP baitcasters that maintain Abu's traditions of durability. Shimano makes a fine reel. But IMO the their BCs simply don't compare to the new Revos. I've sold all my Shimanos, and given one away, and replaced them all with Abus. IMO, Abu has surpassed Shimano in quality and refinement. For me, Abu's customer service has been perfect. I couldn't be more plased with my Abus.

I don't really have a question. But my head is swimming a bit. Pure Fishing owns Abu Garcia, Mitchell, Fenwick, Berkley, Stren, Spiderwire, among others. Shakespeare owns All Star, Pflueger, Penn, among others. Of course, Shakespeare produces tackle in their own names - Shakespeare, Supreme, Cajun Line, Ugly Braid. Now, the company that owns Pure Fishing has recently bought Shakespeare. Pure Fishing and Shakespeare are now sister-companies. The Federal Trade Commision has required Shakespeare to sell off their fishing line brand to Zebco, otherwise the company that owns Pure Fishing and Shakespeare would have had a virtual monopoly on fishing line. Of course, Zebco owns Zebco, Van Staal, Quantum, among others. Where is this going, you may ask. Hell, I don't know. It's just so bizarre, I had to write it down. :-/

What's the JDM version? I've seen that before, but don't know what it means? Is it the Japanese version??