Stasher1

The Curado 201e (lefty version of the 200e) is only available in 7:1, so if you're looking for a lefty Shimano in 6:1 in that price range, you're pretty much stuck with a Citica 201e or a Curado 51e. Personally, I'd go with the Curado 201e7 and slow my retrieve down a bit.

From the looks of the new rods (Signature Series II and Carbon Black), they're using the same blank as last year's Elite and Signature Series which I feel is an excellent blank, especially at their current prices. I had a couple of the older Signature Series and definitely preferred them over the Crucial.

I think that anyone who is making a living catching fish most likely has enough experience to be able to judge the weight of a fish fairly accurately without a scale. Most mechanics can tell bolt/wrench sizes without measuring them, and when I was working as an aircraft structure mechanic I could tell drill bit sizes without looking for the little stamps. This is what they've been doing day in/day out for years. It would be pretty pathetic if they couldn't judge a fish's weight.

My local DSG rarely has any St Croix rods in stock besides the Triumph and Premier.

I find that it depends on the kind of lure you're retrieving. Something like a crankbait or spinnerbait that applies constant resistance results in smoother and more consistant line lay, but lures like weightless Trick Worms or topwater poppers that are twitched back result in less consistant line lay. It hasn't been a problem for me (yet?) but it is worth noting.

Yup. With the exception of my Ryobi Zauber (I just couldn't help myself) all of my spinning reels (and two of my fly reels) are Pflueger. I'm down to two baitcasters right now, a Curado 200e7 and a US Reel "Hibdon Supercaster" and honestly can't tell you that one is any better than the other. Of the two, the Curado is more likely to wind up in the Flea Market than the Hibdon, strictly based on light-lure performance. I'm dying to try out one of the higher-end Supercasters as a possible replacement for the e7. I'm not worried about the performance, just the ergonomics. With that said, I'd trade my e7 for a Patriarch 71LP in a heartbeat. I much prefer the Patriarch to the Curado, based solely on ergonomics and finish. Performance-wise, they're pretty equal.

Not a big fan of flipping switches. I prefer a thumb bar that can be lifted up to re-engage the spool, which is pretty common on some baitcasters like Daiwas and at least some of the US Reel Supercasters.

I use a small cast iron weight (like you'd put on a barbell) from Sports Authority with a piece of chain wrapped around/through it. It's enough to keep me in one spot, but not too difficult to retrieve. If it gets snagged and I need to cut the line, I'm only out $10 or so.

Yozuri or Matzuo? I see tons of Matzuo cranks in the clearance bins around here, but never Yozuri. I have a few of the Hardcore Drums and Crystal Minnows and overall I've been pretty pleased with them.

Yup. I've done this a bunch of times, but there's a bit of a balancing act between blade size and retrieve rate. The one the OP is using has a pretty small blade though, so it may not be as big an issue for him.

No carp, but I caught a smallmouth buffalo last summer on Kentucky Lake using a 4" Northland ringworm. I didn't even know what it was until a few hours later when I had an opportunity to do a bit of searching online.

I'm kind of partial to the Snoopy model for flipping and pitching, but I get better casting distance out of the Spongebob.

Casting 7' M BPS Carbonlite - US Reel "Hibdon 800SX" - 30# Power Pro [weightless Trick Worms, light T-rigs, small cranks] 7' MH BPS Carbonlite Micro - Curado 200e7 - 50# Ugly Braid [jigs, heavier t-rigs, beavers, creatures, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, lipless cranks] Spinning 6'6" MH BPS Carbonlite - Pflueger Supreme MG - 30# Power Pro [soft plastics, spinnerbaits] 6'9" ML BPS Carbonlite - Ryobi Zauber 1000 - 20# Power Pro [weightless/floating worms, dropshot, light t-rigs, tiny cranks] 6'8" MXF BPS Carbonlite - Pflueger Supreme XT - 30# Power Pro [shaky head, t-rigs] 6'8" MXF St Croix Avid - Pflueger Supreme MG - 20# Power Pro [shaky head, t-rigs] 6'6" M St Croix Triumph (2pc) - Pflueger Trion GX-7 - 30# Ugly Braid [trunk rod] Fly 7'10" 6wt Redington Predator - Okuma Airframe 7/9 - Rio Grand 6wt/Quigley furled leader (spool 1) - Cortland 333HT Bass 8wt/Quigley twisted leader (spool 2)

I think you'll find that a super lightweight spinning reel will make that 7' MH rod feel very tip-heavy.

I figured it had something to do with the transition to new ownership...

The rod imparts the action for both of those lures, the reel does nothing but take up the slack in the line. I prefer a 7:1 for most lures/techniques, but any ratio would work.

The Carbonlites don't use silicon carbide guides, they use Pac Bay's DLC guides with a titanium-carbide insert and a PVD coating. In this case, I believe it's the coating that offers the strength and abrasion resistance, not the insert material. FWIW, I've handled misc. Compre models numerous times over the past few years and have never been impressed enough to actually buy one. While I can't say that thay're any worse than the other rods in their price range, there's definitely nothing about them that sets them apart either.

St. Croix rods, in general, are under rated. Their mediums tend to fall somewhere between most other companies' medium and medium-heavy ratings.

I've never used them on a jig, but I've been known to use the cheapo Walmart or BPS hook-tail worms as spinnerbait trailers.

I picked up a couple of the smaller ones last year based on a few reviews I had read here, but haven't tried them yet. They look good sitting in the crank box, if that helps any.

I really dig the green paint (it's actually my favorite thing about the E7), but that thing in the pic is just hideous.

I once kept a rod for a few months before returning it. I had only used it two or three times, and it just felt "dead". I returned it, in like new condition, along with all of the tags and paperwork that came with the rod when it was purchased. As soon as I explained my problem with it, they cheerfully refunded my money and I walked out with a different rod. Be honest and they'll be willing to work with you.

My local Dick's Sporting Goods has them in stock.

I'd be willing to bet they're made in the same factory in Korea that builds reels for BPS and Pure Fishing. The current owner of Lews was a buyer and product developer for BPS for almost 30 years. http://www.lews.com/lews-today.htm