Ern

What are opinions of the Diawa Tournament SS spinning reels vs. more current reels? Leaving the question open to techniques to get more opinions. Ern

Makes perfect sense......to the bait monkey. Ern

I think the small bait thing is directly attributed to the SMALLmouth name. Nothing more. Smaller baits will get more hits but then you have (in my rivers) sunfish and redeye (rock bass) hitting the lure more often. I went BIG this past year throwing larger versions of the bait I have toss to them for years. I will say what I used to get told is true: Want to catch a bigger fish, use a bigger bait! For what it is worth, a 4lb smallie has a Big Mouth. Ern

;D I thought you were talking about a Colt 44 Magnum Revolver with a 10" barrel.......... Then I relized....THIS A FISHING FORUM... my mistake.

I had the silver max. Nice reel until it got moisture in it from the line on the spool. Made a nice growl at that point. Then it ran into a 21" smallmouth. Killed it. I went back to my Abu round reel. 5500 with a 6.3:1. They cant kill it. If you are looking at a Abu. Get a Revo (or Pluger). the STX can be set up to just about backlash proof. I tried. Just got a Shimano Curado 200E7. Waited all summer for this one and l LOVE IT!!.

Hoppe's #9. Bearing soak while I clean the rest of the reel. Once clean and back in the reel a drop of Rem oil on the bearing. Keep the lube off the Roller bearing and drag. They don't like it.

For me it depends more on what type of water. I love stream smallmouth fishing. And depended on what section of water I am fishing is to what I will be toting. If I know that an area has an abundance of rock bass and smaller smallmouth say under two pounds I will be tossing an ultra light. Moderate action on this rod to protect the line too. A 5' rod and a good reel with a great drag. I spool this one with 4 lb line. The same rod sees duty on trout waters. If I move up to a section where the the fish are a little bigger and I could be throwing bigger stuff at smallies in the 1- 3 lb range I like my 6' rod. Light power and Fast action on this rod. I use a 2000/2500 size reel on this one. Mine has a 6.0:1 ratio. Combined this with 6lb line. The larger reel gives me speed in current, wieghs roughly the same as a smaller reel, and spools enough line for the entire day. Now if a trophy stream smallmouth is the target, say 5lb plus, I have learned to leave the light stuff in the vehicle. I carry a Medium power fast action rod. Something 6'(personal favorite) to 7'. Baitcaster on this one and the high speed gears (7:1) are nice. I spool this one with 10lb high impact abrasion resistant line as minumum. As summer comes in and the weeds get thick the line goes up. Pulling a 5 lb smallie through heavy weeds in current is all brawn.

I could care less of where it is made. If it serves the purpose of its design the way I want it to and is good quality I will buy it. Why pay more for a Made in the USA label and get a lesser value in the product. Start looking at where the owners of the Made in USA products are (i.e. Shimano owns G Loomis and now Power Pro) and the Tag looses its Value. Ern

Only differnce I see between the MOJO and Premier's are the Grip styles. List of Components on St Croix's Web page show the same for both rods. I did a similar comparison when I was buying new rods last year. I compared the Triumph and the Premiers. the only major difference was the Guides and the one made in China. I got the Truimphs and have been happy. Happy enough to have plans for a few more. Ern

My personal Favorite is an older Berkley Bionix. It is a 6' Med with the fuji guides. I wish Bekley still made the rod and still used fuji guides. I hate those stainless inserts. I used this rod alot last season. Seemed the smallies were suckers for topwaters this past year. Lot of Fun. Ern

I'm on the other end of the spectrum. I have the Symetres. I do well with them. ;D Ern

Dude, WHO CARES ABOUT THE REEL?? Ern

What I have been told is that the Revo is a Direct result of the purchase of Pflueger by Pure Fishing. The Revo says Swedish Engineered. Not made in Sweden. Design is Very Similar too. : Not Knocking the reel either. Ern

Only Reels I ever had trouble with were Quantums. Good news is they stand behind their product....Bad news the replacements had to go back too. Ern

That time of the year. I NEED a New Baitcaster. I am trying to decide between the Revo STX and the Curado 200E. Open to opinions. Ern

I like a 6' M for the task of topwaters. Just me. Ern

SHORT jerks and twitches are the way to go. I LOVE the Super and Super Jrs. I will rig with a 5/0 and 3/0 EWG Gamagastu. Try fishing on a Med to Med light Spin Rig too. Such rigs tend to be more forgiving until you get the hang of it. I throw the jrs on 4lb and up for clear water and the bigger on 10lb and up. As far as go to color I like the Albino. Ern

Growning Up I used to watch the Orlando Wilson Fishing Show...ALOT. He did a show once on worm fishing and Flipping. Lucky me I had it recorded. The tape is gone now but what was on it I still use. Orlando said for flippin he liked a BIG UGLY BAIT. It works. I us something bigger and uglier thatn what I would fish around the cover. Ern

If that doesnt get you addicted to it, nothing will. Ern

Like I said in my orginal post. And Like the Combo is tagged. You are getting a $90+ Combo for $60 and then with discounts (mail-in rebate and I used a coupon from the VA Fishing Regs.) Drops the price to like $30. THE REEL ALONE SEELS FOR $60+ @ WALMART. :-? Just tring to help ya out. As Far A a Two piece Rod. Your on you own to find that one. I have said enough now, Ern

6'6" and a 7' both one piece is what they had. I wouldn't recomend a 2 piece if you could avoid it. There should be some way to fit the rod in a sedan. Good luck. Heck of a combo for what the final price will be. Ern

One Piece. What kind of car have you got?? You will be hard to find a good baitcast rod and reel under $60 where the rod is 2 piece Ern

Combo. ROD and REEL =$60 8-) Iron Silk .......I don't like. Believe it or not I have been using the Stren High Impact in the Bulk spool From Wal Mart and love t. Cheap too. Ern

$60 @ Dicks. It will get you a Abu Garcia Silver Max and a Matching Berkley Lightning Rod. I got a 6'6" Med. with mine. Now here is the Kicker. It had a $20 off Mail In coupon with it. I also had a $10 of coupon with me. So I am gonna end up out $30 for the Combo. NOT TO BAD. The rod is $30+ and the Reel $60+ @ Walmart. I put the reel on a 6' Berkley Bionix ( a good one with out the cheap metal guides) to replace a 5500HCL Abu that just didn't feel right on the rod. I spooled the Max with 10lb mono and Love it. I got an Extra Abu 5500HCL and 6'6" Lightning Rod now. Ern

Which Quantam Tenacity Combo did you get? I have a friend who was short on green and got one. He Loves it. I have to admit in helping him pick it out it was a great outfit. He got a 30 size reel and 7' rod. He has used it for everything from Trout to Smallmouth without fault. I have a stepson to get a 20 size for and looked at a Tenacity today for him. Ern