islandbass

Welcome and greetings from the Pacific Northwest!

I've come close but no cigar on a few occassions. The other bass is usually of about the same size and it is trying to "get in" on the action of the bass that is hooked. Those are both great picts.

Thanks, Raul! That one had me stumped.

Well said and I agree. I have the model that received negative reviews and could not disagree more with those reviews. I've been to Mexico and back with it and now it serves as a storage in the garage that keep my extra rods out of the Mrs.' sight. A great plus.

They make great reels! I have a size 30 4Sxi and a size 20 6Sxi. Keep in mind that like other reel makers, they their more expensive reels are better than the lower rung reels. I use the 30 for salmon and bass and my 6Sxi is mated to my drop shot rod. They work quite well. At the 6Sxi class, you can expect reliability, quality, and performance. Tackle Tour Review the 6Sxi and you can find it in their Archive. It was originally priced at about $50 but they can be had on Ebay for about $30-35. At that price, which is what I paid, it is very much worth every penny. Definitely money well spent. As for their rods, stay away from the lowest class they have. I bought one that was on sale and it happens to be the worst rod in my arsenal for sensitivity and thus confirms the adage you get what you pay for. Their rods in the upper class should be better, I hope! Rapala Lures: Awesome Rapala Reels: The 6Sxi are awesome. The ones you see on combos are lesser reels, but surprisingly smooth. I am not certain of the longevity of those lesser reels but the 6Sxi has performed flawlessly for me. Rapala Rods: Just stay away from the low end rods. :

BPM, Here it is. Not everything translates clearly so I tried to paraphrase where I could. I might have made a mistake here or there (Imagine that, spanish as a second language! :) but the gist is there for the most part. The format I chose is a translation line by line. First line Spanish, second line English translation of the text above. Thanks to Raul for passing on a great review. Ok, here is the e-mail including the colorful remarks in Spanish, actually he 's discussing about a UL spinning rod, but I don 't think there would be that much of a difference, my GL2s spinning and baitcasting behave and feel pretty much the same with the obvious difference the power rating would make between a L a M and a MH. Que paso Tocayo? What happened (kind of like, what's going on? What's up?), Raul? como andas? How are you? Fijate que todavia tengo mi Slicer UL (spinning) y no pienso reemplazarla Look at yet what I have, my Slicer UL (spinning) and I don't think (I can) replace it en el corto plazo. La uso para mojarrear. Sabes por que decidi quedarmela? Simplemente in the short time. I use it for (mojarrear no real English equivalent slang, perhaps or local verbage to fish for a species called majarra?) Do you know why I decided to keep it? Simply porque se lleva a las St. Croix Premier y a las GL2 en casi todo. Siempre he tenido la idea que because it's going (in a way he's saying it is somewhat akin to) with the St. Croix Premier and the GL2 in almost everything. Always I have had the idea that el grafito SCII es mas sensible que el GL2, por eso reemplace una GL2 por una Premier para las mojarras. the SCII graphite is more sensible (We say sensitive and not sensible in English) than the GL2, for that I am replac(ing) a GL2 for one (a) Premier for the mojarras (I think this is a type of fish). Pero la Slicer es mas sensible y se ve mucho mas chingona que las dos arriba mencionadas. But the Slicer is more sensible (sensitive) and much more awesome (no real translation for chingona I'm substituting the word awesome. It is along the lines of cool, great, sweet, etc.) than the other two I mentioned above. Mi St. Croix Premier mojarrera la vendi desde hace un buen, y es que cuando I sold My St. Croix Premier rod for the mojarra a long time ago, and it is when agarre mis primeras mojarras con la Slicer me sacaba de onda el "strike", pues parecia una I got my first mojarras (fish) with the Slicer I thought that the mojarra looked (the strike felt) like a lobina de las gordas y luego veia que era una miniatura de agallas azules. Muy chingona esa caña fat bass and then I saw that it was a miniature blue gill (I think, it's blue gill but whatever it is, it was a small fish). (Basically, he felt like he had hooked into a hawg bass) Very awesome that rod. A decir verdad la siento un poco pesada de la punta, y tengo que ponerle un carrete de los pesados To tell the truth, I feel it's a little tip heavy and I have to put a heavier reel para que se balancee bien. Esa es mi unica objecion, pero por el precio, no encuentras algo mejor. in order to balance it well. That is my only objection (we'd probably say peeve vs. objection), but for the price, I don't find something (we would say anything) better. Guias Fuji, asiento del carrete Fuji, blank pintado de azul, puta, que mas puede uno pedir por 1000 varitos? Fuji guides, Fuji reel seat, blue colored blank, what more can one ask for (about $100)? (paraphrasing) Yo uso de 2 piezas. La verdad que con las uniones "spigot" no veo razon para que yo siga comprando de 1 pieza I use (have) the 2-piece. The truth that with the ferrule (joint/spigot) I don't see any reason that I continue buying a 1 piece (rod). Eso de que las de 2 piezas son menos sensibles y no se que mas madres, ya es un pinche mito (they say) that the 2 piece (rods) are less sensitive and I don't know (what's up with that) but it's a frickin' myth que lo mantienen vivo los cabrones que todavia usan sus cañas con uniones de aluminio de la decada de los 80's. from the past when rods were joined with an aluminum ferrule back in the 80s. Yo si recomiendo la Slicer para "iniciarse" en la onda del equipo japones. I (yes) recommend the Slicer as a (to initiate oneself) starter rod to initiate oneself with Japanese gear (islandbass translation for Japanese Gear: The DARK SIDE). No va a decepcionar a tu cuate. Casi todas las Major Craft estan en version de 1 o 2 piezas. It is not going to fool (deceive) your buddy. Almost all the Major Craft (rods) are either 1 or 2 pieces. Pero adviertele bien como esta el pedo...al rato si vende su casa por andar comprando cañas que no nos culpe. Cuidese tocayo! But to advertise it well as such is a fart. Later if you sell your house to buy rods, that is not our fault. Take care buddy! Raul Tecnical languaje: Spigot = male-female connection, he means this: Got a friend that 's hot for a Japanese rod but doesn 't have a lot of money to spend, we looked at the Slicer but without a review from someone who owns one it was difficult to choice, reason why I e-mailed my tocayo. Well, after reading the mail my buddy is ready to jump from the cliff.

BPM, I think you're right! I made a mistake. They have a 2-piece mh which I have but it is a spinning rod. Sorry! I would gladly translate the message.

Raul, BPM lives in my neck of the woods. I'd be more than happy to translate. BPM, you might want to see of the Sportsmans in Fed Way has those St. Croix deals. I bought a 2 piece compre from there for $54.95 and they are regularly $89. As you know, Shimano stuff is hardly ever on sale.

The gear ratio can be a misleading stat, especially with a spinning reel. The reel's line recovery rate is a more telling indicator. For example the 7.1 200 Curado D 7:1 reel has a line recovery rate (LRR) of 30" and the same sized 5:1 reel possesses a 21" LRR. Now, let's look at a Symetre 2500. It has a gear ratio of 6:1 BUT its LRR is 31", giving it a 1" edge over the "burner" Curado D. Comparing the gear ratios between bc and spinning reels is an apples and oranges comparison, but even within the same reel family the gear ratio alone is misleading. The 4000 Symetre has a gear ratio of 5.7:1 yet its LRR is also 31" : If I were you, I would invest the time to learn how to use a baitcast reel. This will enable you to fish with a reel whose lower gear ratio will have an LRR in the lower to mid 20s. From personal experience, I have noticed more success with reel's whose LRR is in the lower to mid 20" range. The fact that your friends backlash quite well should not lead you to believe that you will follow suit, unless they teach you. ;D It is far easier than you think, especially with a decent quality reel. Do not let their glorious backlashes deter you. A wise angler would see both reel types as tools that will shine where the other might be found lacking. Besides, you now have an excuse to get a new rod and reel now. 8-)

I am not sponsored by Lamiglas (I surely wish that I was :) but I can explain it. The model you see there with the Titanium (ringless) Guides is the previous XMG models. Lamiglas changed the guides to Alconites on the newer models. This is the major difference. The rest of the rod is the same. How would you rate the sensititivity and backbone of your Dobyns rod on a scale of 1-10 for drop shotting? Thanks! Mike, You sure walk a fine line between the bait monkey and the Mrs.! ;D I hope to acquire one soon myself.

That is strange. x3 for me. Aren't the threads supposed to be plastic or some composite anyway? I think use of any other material like a metal would make the rod heavier. Let me know if I misunderstood you. You might want to spray the threads with a something like reel magic. Lamiglas recommends this before putting the reel on. I do it to somply with their recommendations. Give it a try and see if it helps.

Well said! I have a buddy who has one and he cannot stop talking about it. He hooked into a huge carp by accident and was blown away at how much reserve power the rod had during the battle. I was lucky my bait monkey was sleeping when he told me this. ;D

Hey, what are you doing up this late? ;D Anyway, DS as in Drop Shot. I recall you were looking into getting one. I have handled that XMG rod with the graphite handle and it feels great! Cleaning the handle would definitely be easier than cork. I think the folks at Tackle Tour review an XMG rod, but I don't recall which one. One thing I like about Lamiglas is that most stores (at least in my area) sell them for well under the MSRP. The last time I looked, the XMGs in a local shop were about $199.

Have you stopped your pursuit of a DS rod? If you're looking for a frog rod, perhaps a a Lamiglas XMG 50 rod? The model number is EXC705. It is suited for Jigs, Frogs, Creature Baits, Senkos and Carolina Rigs. It also sports a graphite handle. I imagine the sensitivity factor is awfully high if not wickedly sweet.

Hello and greetings from the Pacific Northwest!

That is cool. I did something similar to a popper, which is one of my favorite baits to work. I added a propeller to the tail and dubbed it my "popper-prop." She is hand carved and brush painted and here she is:

I'm with cousin Eddie here. The farther the lure is from you, the more "natural" it will feel to have the rod tip higher. Then as it gets closer to you, you will natrually adjust by lowering the rod gradually. To me high is about 10-11 o'clock. The bad thing about going any higher than that is that there will be little to no room to make a line tightening hookset because the rod is already in the position it will be at the end of a typical hookset. In other words, it would be a weak hookset most likely. As long as you can impart the right action to the lure, your rod doesn't even need to be vertically positioned. You can also walk the dog with your rod more parallel to the water if you need to.

There is no shame in using a spinning set up for cranks. I have one at my disposal. Call me strange, but I actually like the feel of fishing cranks with a spinning rig (I also use casting gear, no doubt). If anything, the spinning rig will offer you one thing a baitcast reel cannot. You can switch the handle on most modern spinning reels with the greatest of ease to "rest" the side that is tired. Many anglers (salmon and steelheaders) in my area use spinning gear so they can switch sides when one side is too tired. Hope your tendonitis gets healed completely.

Unfortunately for me, no technique I've learned to date has come "naturally." I have fought tooth, nail and claw to get good with crankbaits, poppers, and the drop shot. These techniques as of now seem and feel very natural to me now.

It is rare but possible: Lamiglas Competitor CC664 - 3/8 - 1 oz, 8-20 lb line, 6'6" This is one of my rods and it is a medium action rod according to lami. I think such rods are not too common. I love this rod. It has more backbone than any other medium action rod in my arsenal and even my MH compre.

A couple weeks ago, I started phase 2 of a honey do project in the yard when . . . along came a spider. Actually, I came upon the spider. At first glance I paused and thought, Goodness gracious!!! What a sight! God's work in nature at its best. I spied and eyed a spider that appeared to be floating in the air, defying gravity. Naturally, you and I know it was suspended on its web, but that was the coolest thing. It was very difficult too see the web, and hence I thought, this must be, nature's fluorocarbon. Its web was practically invisible. Spider appears suspended in the air. It took shots from these two angles in the pictures to see the web. Anyway, I thought it was interesting to see the tactic of near invisibility used in nature to trap the unwary, much as those who use fluorocarbon for certain fishing applications. Nature seems to be light years ahead of us, but we're catching on. Gotta love the spider, and although I can't spin a web like it, at least I have Sea Guar Invizx Fluorocarbon (6#) to give me what I hope is a fighting chance in using near invisibility when I fish. -ib The Gist (Moral): Nature uses it. Perhaps it would behoove us to follow suit in the art of deception through (near) invisibility.

Better yet, use a duo lock snap. The action for walk the dog lures will actually be easier to perform. Get the smallest duo you can get away with. The other advantage is that you can use the palomar knot. Tie the know to the smaller end of the lock and attach the other end to your bait.

Without experience and practice on your side, tossing lighter lures will be a challenge. In addition, you have now discovered one of the inherent traits of a baitcast. Generally (Please note I said generally) speaking, baitcasters do not fare well when the weights of baits are about 3/16 oz or less. Many anglers opt for spinning gear at this weight range for the reason you have discovered. Also, baitcasters are not equal. There are some baitcast reels than can toss lighter weights. They tend to be more expensive too. I am sure others can chime in on which other reels might fare better at these lighter weights than these: Daiwa: Pixy, Presso Shimano: Chronarch, Scorpion. The other factor that is helpful is using a rod rated to throw those lighter weights. The other reel I know that can toss lighter lures is the Curado D. Here is a picture of mine with a homemade lure that I can toss with it. As I mentioned, part of the ability rests in the reel's traits, but the rest lies in the hands of the angler.

Don't worry about taking the cover off. Once you figure out how many brakes you want on and off, you will RARELY ever take it off again. This too was a concern of mine before I bought my first Shimano BC reel and taking off the sideplate just doesn't happen. 2 brakes on and 4 off and BAM! You're done.

Good one, Raul! I couldn't stop laughing/ ;D