J Francho

I resemble that remark! Though a bent shaft wasn't the cause.

Interesting point! Hadn't thought of that.

Both my 115 elpto and Merc 2.5L shorty have both. I really don't feel like the cotter pin is necessary, and I've seen planty of guys run with just the locking washer.

From following Jim's videos, the populations move, and are transitory. In the walleye videos, he was saying he didn't see large schools, but pods of 5 or so. There's a lot of food in the goby population, so the predators can just wander and eat at will. It's very fertile. @jim k might be able to give you a more precise answer, though.

Well, that's not a Shimano. That's why I said gold.

Low pro and spinners should black, grey, or silver. Round reels should be gold. End of thread.

Good move. As you know, BassResource.com forbids any trespassing to get to ponds. You're doing the right thing.

I almost knocked back three of these: Here I am having full fruit sweats, trying to finish. I credit @Tim Kelly with the term "fruit sweats" via FB.

I remember when these were high speed.

Just a few minutes of use will will allow over oiled spool bearings to shed the excess. No worries about that. Sounds like you got grease in there, or something isn't put back together correctly.

An Avid AVC70MM with the right reel (I use a Daiwa Alphas) can toss 1/4 oz. baits pretty far.

@boostr try http://postimages.org/

To compare apples to apples, use "inches per turn" or IPT to compare different brands. I generally like a higher speed reel for when I use the rod to move the bait. For mid column moving baits, somewhere in the middle. Deep divers, I like a slow reel.

I play drums in an all original rock/fusion/prog band. I also like photography, art, and music.

Depends on the formula. Rough river, and play boat paddlers like the bend, to absorb the shock. For flat water, I don't want any flex. I have a Al shaft no name paddle that is fairly rigid, more rigid than the $60 paddle I started out with that had a glass shaft. The carbon/glass formula Werner uses is pretty stout, and light.

It's been 20 years or so, and she's married now, with children. We are still friends, and every once in a while the topic is raised...

Thank to the ones that tried for posting. I appreciate the first hand accounts.

Umbrella rig?

First, I'm way better looking than Ike. That fish is my personal best 5 lbs. 12 oz. As for recommendations, I say straight fluoro - my preference. Scott who is always posting slob smallies on FB will probably say stick with your braid/leader set up. So, use what feels right to you. DS is actually simple. It's about getting on fish, not any special technique. For hooksetting, I pop them with a wrist flick set. Twice, sometimes. If your drag is set responsibly (meaning somewhat light, remember you're in open water), it will be no problem. My buddy Noel whales on the the hookset, two or three times. He caught a six lb. class fish the day I caught my PB. Thanks for the compliments. It's a spectacularly perfect big fish, though I've had a 6-4 come over the gunwale 20 years ago, caught by my girlfriend at the time. That's the fish I want to beat.

I don't think speed matters as much as people make it seem, but I will always prefer an x-fast taper for DS at 20+ feet. I use four rods for this, two copies of each: AVS63MLXF and AVS63MXF. I use a MLXF for 1/2 oz. weights, and the MXF for weights up to an ounce. There's no risk of over loading the blank, since you're not casting the rig and fishing vertically, and as far as keeping the fish pinned, that's simple: USE SHARP HOOKS. I don't honestly think mod-fast, x-fast, fast matter as much as having a certain amount of backbone and using a sharp hook. Of course, different brands have slightly different takes on tapers. Also, back in live bait days, we use long, eight foot plus buggy whip rods to deliver softshell crabs (freshly molted crawfish) on a split shot rig, so as not to whip the crab off on the gentle lob. We had no issues with hookups then, or keeping the pinned. Must I post my Erie fish? Yes, I must. Caught on AVC63MLXF, #4 or #6 hook, 1/2 oz. weight, 6# Invisx, part of at least a fifty fish day. The only fish I lost were on the shorty jigging spoon in the morning. I agree, it would be my preference, too- read above, though.

It doesn't sound like you understand tapers and speed ratings. We have several articles and videos that explain this aspect. Here is a image for reference. An X-fast taper doesn't mean a rod is cheaper. It's a different taper for different purposes. I have no idea how a slower action rod would benefit driving a large, single fixed hook home. You feel the strike, you set the hook. Anything that delays that results in a missed fish, in my book. Sure, throwing any bait might be nicer on a slower rod, but that slowness isn't going to improve on the hook up and catching part, which matters most.

Save up another $40-$50, and you're in a whole other class of rods with respect to weight, sensitivity, and quality components.

I'm curious as what about this property that makes them great for those two baits?

I would call them, or wait for the reply before pulling the trigger. Do you have anything else to get by?

My only experience with them was for a reel seat and rear cork replacement work, along with a new guide. Total bill was $60, and I think it was about 2 week turnaround.