Micro

I own several STXs and have owned a Johnny Morris Elite, which is essentially a Patriarch. The idea that the Patriarch outcasts the Revo STX with any weight bait was not my experience at all. The Patriarch has a centrifugal brake attached to the spool, with a steel inductor plate attached to that. With line, the spool was way more massive than the Revos. It didn't cast light baits anywhere near as well as the Revo, and cast the heaviest bait I used only as well. As far as the braking goes. the Patriarch uses the exact same brake as the Elite. It is a good brake, but its fool proof. In that anyone can set it for backlash free casting. It's especially good for those who can't or don't learn to use one brake or the other. I think if you fish seriously, you'll outgrow the Patriasrch brake and yearn for something that, while perhaps a little more finicky, will allow for better over all performance. Why not start out with the better reel and learn to use it right off? Go with the STX.

I can't figure out why the stoopid game keeps counting my check-mates as a draw. My understanding is that a draw is when your respective kings are un-check-matable. Seems everytime I check-mate the computer, it counts it as a draw. But if it check mates me, it's a computer win. > This is a check mate. The computer's king has nowhere to go. But it's a drsaw???? > >

Yes. If my Jockeys ride up.

Daiwa Zillion 100HA (6.3:1) on both.

It's a great reel. It really excels with heavier baits - 1/2oz and up. Below that and there are better options.

ought to start his own lure company.

I fish Chick Lake a lot. But I'll be darned if I'm gonna tell you where to fish . I'll give you some general advice. From what I've seen, the bass aren't bedding yet. In fact, they are only just now moving into shallower water in numbers. Last week, the water was still pretty cold. I've had luck in about 6-8 feet of water especially around structure with craw colored cranks, 'bama and okeechobee colored worms. Some people are doing well on beavers. Suspending jerks that will get down to about 6-8 feet should produce well. Try the south shore. Ends of docks, boats, points, etc. Deeps drop offs near huge cypress trees. Around mid April, the shallows on the north side produce well. I love Chick Lake. When I die, I want part of my ashes sprinkled there. I'll fertilize those amazing water lillies, and all scoundrels on Newport News city council can drink me.

Snakes are coming out of their hibernating spots about now in states with real winters. Making their first tenative forays out into the spring. Please don't kill them. Here's my favorite picture of me and a snake...

I bought several pairs of Rapala scissors. They were like $5 a pair. They have stainless blades and the edges are serated. They'll cut braid cleanly with no fraying.

Don't be sorry, ask all the questions you want. That's what the forums are for. The Inshore would be fine for salt or fresh water. The only issue I would have with it is the spool. It has a deep spool, versus the shallow spool on the STX. In my experience (I owned a Revo Winch that had the same spool) when it is full of line, the spool is heavy - heavier than a full spool on an STX. Therefore, it takes more to get the spool moving. That's fine for heavier baits. But my experience with the Winch was that it did not cast lighter baits that well. It did not really come into its own until you were casting baits over 1/2 oz. Then it would cast them a mile. But it took effort. That's the reason I don't think its the best choice for a flipping reel. You don't need all that line to flip. And a flipping cast is not the same as flinging a big crank as far as you can. Neither do you need all that line for cranking. If you are always throwing big, heavy cranks, it has its advantages. But for a reel that is going to pull double duty, I think the STX with its shallower spool will be a better choice. It's a great flipping reel that will serve as a better-than-decent cranking reel. IMO, for freshawter use, the Inshore would serve well as a heavy-bait reel - like swimbaits.

If you are going to use it for cranks and flipping, I'd go with a Revo STX 6.3:1. It's a compromise, but a good one, IMO. 6.3:1 isn't so fast that it can't handle even big deep diving cranks. Just crank a wee bit slower. With the high efficiency gear, you won't wear yourself too much. It casts like a champ. And it holds all the line you'll ever need. The Revo Winch is the Revo built specifically for deep cranks, but I don't think it would make a very good flipping reel. To get best casting performance, you have to really cast - and that's not flipping. The STX pitches and flips very well. The spool is shallower and easier to get going. The STX is, IMO, a little more rugged with its aluminum brakeside sideplate (plastic on the other Revos). The drag is the best in the business.

Is there something different about the Sol drag versus the Zillion drag? I swear, the Sol's drag is downright impressive. It FEELS more powerful than the Zillions.

I switched almost half my arsenal over to Daiwa. I have the Sol, a couple of Fuegos and several Zillions. The Zillions are by far my favorite. They will handle 1/4oz baits reasonably well and heavier baits exceptionally well. And they are built like swiss watches.

The Toro is a big reel, intended for saltwater. It can be used for big bass swimbaits, but otherwise I think its way overkill for bass. The Revos are bass reels. They are exceptional reels. The difference? Probably best to peruse the Abu website for details. But the Revo S has a centrifugal brake. The SX is the mid-priced model with a magnetic brake. The STX, my favorite, is the higher end model what has a little more refinement than the SX. The Premier is an ultra-low-weight Revo. The Skeet Reese is a pretty yellow and black signature model built to Skeet reese's specs - 6.3:1 speed, longer handle, centrifugal brake, yellow and black colors. The Revo Winch is a low-speed high-power model for deep diving cranks. To best help you, what do you want to use it for and how much do you want to spend?

Expect many more backlashes until you learn what you are doing. After that, expect occassional backlashes. Backlashes come with the territory.

They don't walk. They can't walk. It's a wives tail. It probably came about by people assuming that they wcould walk because they found them in some puddle or mud pool. Here's my last bowfin. Caught this on a jig and paca chunk.

The Elite Tech are great rods. Very hard to beat for $200. I have the 7'3" EliteTech Crankshaft Rod (MH/MF). I use this for deep diving cranks. I shopped a lot of cranking rods before I settled on this rod. It has double-footed Fuji Alconite guides all the way up. There is about 9 inches of grip behind the reel seat, with a nice pistolgrip (for lack of a better term) behind that. This allows for very good control on two-handed casts. The lower half of the blank is graphite, and the upper half is figerglass. It loads up well with heavy cranks. It has an appropriate delay for a cranking rod. All in all, its a great cranking rod. I have my Zillion High Power on this rod. (though I have a Zillion 6.3:1 on it for the picture)

It pinches the lip. It's not sharp, it just pinches. Mine has never torn any lips. However, avoid grips with teeth like this Rapala ProGuide Lock-n-Weigh. I've seen this poke holes in a mouth.

It's extremely well made. Worth every penny.

THIS VIDEO SHOWS A hunting IMPACT SHOT. IF IT'S OVER THE TOP, PLEASE DELETE THE POST. I thought this video was pretty cool. You can see the shot that stops the charging lion. He's dead before he hits the ground. Lion Charge

Very generous, Kent .

Here's a teardown of the Revo Inshore. The Revo S breaks down exactly the same way. http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/fishing-reels/91795-ambassaduer-revo-inshore-rebuild.html

I have a Revo S on my flippin rod. Loves it. There's lots of good choices out there.

They shouldn't have dried up too much unless you have a leak in the bag. I've had a bag I bought a couple of seasons ago and used this fall and they were good as new. But, yes. If they aren't too far gone, you can sort of re-hydrate them with liquid scent. I have some Gulp craw trailers that started to do that same thing (got real sticky and starting to dry). I poured a little Gulp scent in the bag and they are fine now. If they've dried to the point they are hard, I don't think there is much you can do.

I bought a few of these cheap. But I've never fished them before. How do they compare to the Pointer? Do they have different attributes?