Stasher1

I keep two of mine spooled with 12 lb. mono for soft plastics, cranks, and spinnerbaits, and one spooled with 17 lb. flouro for jigs.

I wonder if you can file an "abandoned vehicle" claim on a boat like you can on a car/truck/motorcycle? In many states it's as easy as filing a form at the court house, listing the vehicle in a local paper for X number of days for the owner to come forward and claim it, and if/when they don't come forward you hold a public auction (to recover your "storage fees" ) with a notice stating "seller has the right to refuse any and all bids". When the auction is done you legally own the vehicle. It's pretty common in the vintage motorcycle community, where bikes are often found behind barns/sheds without titles.

Baitcasting: Daiwa Capricorn 100XTC / BPS Extreme "Woo Daves" 6'6" MH Daiwa Procaster Rojo / BPS Extreme 7' MH Daiwa Procaster 6+1 / Team Daiwa-V 6'6" MH Spinning: Shimano Symetre 2500 / Shimano Crucial 6'6" M/F Spincasting: Zebco Omega Z03 / Ugly Stik Lite 6'6" M Zebco 33 Platinum /Ugly Stik 6' M

+1 I switched over all my baitcasters to Daiwa, but my Symetre is a keeper. It's the only spinning reel I kept when I thinned out my "collection"

Symetre. It's the only spinning reel I own at the moment. I got rid of the others and replaced them with Daiwa baitcasters.

Casting or spinning?

It should be on the crank side of the reel, just to the rear of the drag star, in line with the center of the spool.

The TackleTour flouro shoot-out is one of the main reasons I went with Bass Bro's XPS Flouro over the others. Dollar-for-dollar, it's pretty hard to beat. A spool of 17# is less than $11 when it's on sale.

I got one a few weeks ago to see if it was any good, but sold it before I got a chance to use it. From what I could see, it's a Pinnacle product. The handle, knobs, click-adjust drag, lettering, and stickers on the frame are all VERY similar to the Pinnacle LP100 I had. I'm sure several people here ordered it, but I haven't heard/seen anybody give a report.

I've been pleased with it so far, but I'm only using it on a baitcaster not a spinning reel.

Oh, I know. I only live about 15 miles from the Atlanta BPS, but with the current gas prices it's actually cheaper to pay shipping for anything under $25 than it is to drive my Suburban to the store. ;D

I ordered another spool of 17# XPS flouro last night for $10.71 along with a four more BPS Enticer jigs ($1.29 ea.) and 3 packs of Paca Chunks ($1.59 ea.) From the looks of the flyer, it's pretty much the same stuff that was on sale at the store during the Spring Classic, but this time it's catalog and internet only.

I believe you do hear about them, just not by the Pinnacle name. They (Silstar) manufacture reels for many other companies, Bass Pro included. I'm willing to bet the BPS Tourney Classic that was discussed here a few weeks ago is a Pinnacle. The handle and knobs were identical to the one on my LP100, and the markings/stickers were also very, very similar.

I believe that higher-end gear improves confidence which can improve your lure/bait presentation.

I've got one and it's an okay reel, but nothing spectacular. I took it out a couple times and found the twitching bar to be almost useless for the weed-filled lakes I fish in. It just doesn't offer enough leverage to twitch the lure in the weeds. It casts well and retrieves smoothly, but that's not what I bought it for. Mine also has a problem with the drag. It simply refuses to stay set. It's constantly loosening itself. I suppose I could take it apart to see if I can fix it, but I decided to replace it instead. I picked up a new Procaster Rojo on Ebay for $60 and put the Megaforce in the drawer. Most people seem to be happy with theirs. I'm not necessarily unhappy with mine, I just think I could've done better for $60. I wish you luck with yours and hope it works well for you. It really is a neat little reel.

I usually bring two. One 6'6" MH BC setup for soft plastics/spinnerbaits and a 7' MH BC setup for jigs. I'll occasionally toss a spinning rig in the truck as well, just in case I feel like swapping one of them out.

I looked at both the Symetre and the Saros right after Xmas and found that the Symetre felt a little more balanced on my 6'6" Crucial than the heavier Saros. I bought the Symetre and have no regrets.

I use 17# XPS Flouro and it stops coiling "like a slinky" after the first couple casts.

The old aluminum-framed Procaster 6+1 has apparently been discontinued, but the Procaster Rojo is still available. It's basically the same reel with two more bearings, a drilled spool, and a flipping switch. Cabela's lists them for about $90, but you can find brand new ones on Ebay for $60-$80. I just bought one the other night to replace the Daiwa Megaforce I have on my jig rod. Another "Procaster" option is the Daiwa Capricorn 100XTC from Dick's Sporting Goods. It's a Procaster Rojo without the flipping switch. I've got one on my worm rod and have absolutely no complaints. They run between $60 and $80, depending on what sale they have going on at the time. If you keep an eye on Ebay, you can usually find decent used Procasters and occasionally new ones for decent prices. I scored a "standard" Procaster 6+1 for $27 this morning.

While it's not a bad reel, I feel the OP could do much better than the Megaforce for what he's willing to spend. I've got a Megaforce and it's okay, but I wouldn't buy another one.

The Shimano Crucial is a real nice rod and falls just below your $150 limit.

You have to watch out for "some guy". He likes to hang around tackle shops and gun shops spouting misinformation.

I picked one up a few weeks ago and have taken it out to the lake twice now. So far I think it's just ok. It casts well and reels smooth, but the drag refuses to stay set. It'll loosen itself while I'm fishing so I have to keep checking it. > The twitching bar seemed like a good idea in the store and works well in the backyard, but doesn't offer enough leverage to use it in heavy weeds. I find it easier/better to twitch the rod like I would with a standard BC reel. Overall I think it's a decent reel for the money, but I think I'd much rather have an older Procaster 6+1 for the same price.

I use 12 lb. Sufix Elite.