catchnm

I see a lot of threads on rod/reel matchings but not many on lead/plastics matchings. I'd like to explore this technique a bit more than I already have. I've limited myself to trick worms and 1/16 - 1/8 oz. heads. I usually swim the baits more than shake on the bottom due to the amount of vegetation in most of the places I fish. Have to admit to not having much confidence in this setup so I don't throw it much. I know a lot of you guys do so I'd like to hear about what weight heads, even brands, and what are some of the best plastics you use also. Bottom shaking, swimming, maybe even a little vertical jigging. Let's get a good thread going on these options here. Thanks in advance for all the great advice that I know is going to show up here now. 8-)

I was checking them out online last night. Looks to be a solid reel alright. Couldn't find any stated amount drag resistance specs anywhere though, maybe I just missed it. Probably just go with the Revo S like someone else said already. The Orra SX looks to be about the same in difference as the Cruxis was from the Citica D. I've become quite the fan of the Revo S recently, kinda going back to my roots after buying several Shimanos (great reels also). I'm more interested to know how the new Pitch Braking system will work out in real fishing applications. Anyone using this new brake system yet?

I think we may have a winner. ;D

Picked up a bag today.....watermelon red....4". Anybody fish these? The local Academy Sports has a ton of 'em in all colors and both the 6" and 4" sizes. If they are productive may pick up a selection of colors and sizes at $2.09 a bag. Jeff Kriet is a pro from Ardmore, OK....just about 40 miles from here in Durant. http://www.bigbitebaits.com/KKsizeselect.htm

Here's a pretty neat video from a fellow from my neck 'o the woods. He uses Gene Larew plastics almost exclusively and has a pretty neat trick here for rigging the HooDaddy. I fish Baby Brush Hogs a LOT and am looking at both the 6" and 4.5" HooDaddys as alternatives to those.

Fished the Salt Craws way back when, now I'm eyeballing the HooDaddys, the Biffle-O Liz, the Biffle Bug, and the Three-Legged Frog. http://www.genelarewlures.com/index.html

Rage Tail Craws and Zoom Baby Brush Hogs in watermelon red stay on my hooks more than any other plastics right now. Yum Dingers are the closest stick bait to imitating the actual action of a GYCB Senko and are quite a bit cheaper. Kinami Flash is a Senko, just packaged under the son's name and not Gary Yamamoto's. Get ya some Aluring Trick Sticks and Wave Tiki Sticks too. All work well as a stick bait but each have their own characteristic action. The Tiki Sticks have some powerful scent to them. The whole Rage Tail line is well worth the money and they WILL catch fish. Oh yea, don't forget to pick up a bag or two of Gummie Worms for drop-shotting.

The RT Craw rigged Tex-style with an unpegged 1/8 oz. bullet weight has been one of my go-to baits since April. The Baby Brush Hogs being the other. Watermelon red and summer craw are my favorite colors for the Craw. I will be all over those Roosters when they hit my area though. If you "explore" the Office 2000 or Office 97 CD you will find something called "Photo Ed". Copy all the file to your program files as a new folder, then add the start up exe. to your desktop or anywhere you can find it easily. It has a utility in it that allows you to resize any jpeg or GIF, that's what I use for all my avatars.

The key to casting light lures far with BC gear is in the cast itself. After setting your brakes/tension to the proper setting (lure stops when it hits the water on a free fall from about 4 feet up--I set mine a little looser though) anyway, a lob cast is the key here. Not a whip cast. Just gently but strongly lob the bait, more of a sling than a lob really, just not the whip like you would a worm or jig. After a little practice and figuring when and at what angle of the cast to apply the most strength, you'll be getting those lighties on out there. Hope this makes sense hard to articulate but not hard to demonstrate.

Uhhh.....ok, I will. In the meantime I'll enjoy the five Citicas that I already have and the new Revo that I'll be getting. Curado E's are next on the list. Would you suggest a 5:1 or 7:1?

Gave in to my curiosity and ordered an '09 Revo S.

I had one of these and the "pitchin" one also back in the day. Not a bad reel and was techno tops for the time it was made. If I remember right it was pretty tricky getting the cast controls just right but once tuned in it worked great. Try using yours for ultra deep cranking. Good reel for those cranks with 2" and 3" bills on them. The 3.8:1 ratio is excellent for that presentation, use a med. heavy or heavy action rod though.

I have 3 Citica 200D, 1 Citica 200DPV, 1 Citica 200E, 1 BP Extreme, Have had CU200 Curados, Daiwa Exceler, Pinnacle Platinum Plus. Looking to purchase a new bait caster and I sort of have an itch for something different. I'm leaning toward another 200E but would like to try the Revo or the Pfluegers as well, the Revo being my second choice. Not interested in any other Revo except the S though due to the cost comparison to the other reels listed. I would like some honest opinions from real users. Thanks in advance guys.

I've tried it a couple of times. I saw it on YouTube and that's what peaked my interest too. Haven't caught anything "multi-rigging" but I haven't tried very long at a time or with a variety of lures. Looks like Trick Worms, Lizards, Beavers, and a lot of other plastics would work this way. But it also looks to be pretty much a vertical presentation technique. May work in the shallows on rocks as long as the casts were not long. Good alternative to a shaky head rig.

Any 3/0 EWG hook and a 1/8 oz. unpegged worm weight. Rig it tex-posed up through the slotted side and out the non-slotted side. Drag it, don't hop it. You'll be amazed!

Alrighty guys these have been out for almost a year now and yet not much buzz around the forums on them. That usually means it's just a mediocre reel. I have one, got it off Ebay for $114 early fall last year. Have fished it quite a few times now and in my opinion it rates almost equal to the D models in performance, but slightly under. Mine tends to get the line between the spool and the frame occasionally, never happens with my D's, is a little more sensitive in the braking adjustments, an the finish appears a bit thinner, already got a nick or two and that hasn't happened on my D's yet either. On the plus side of course, is the smaller size and lighter weight. Both seem to cast equal distances with the same line on each, both run smoothly, drag seems to be at equal tolerances. I believe if Shimano hadn't pulled the extra bearing on the E model as compared to the D model they would have had a real winner. Weight would have been a bit more but still lighter than the D's. The fact that the E models are Japanese versus Malaysian for the D's was the main reason I purchased the E, loved my old green Japanese Curados, but it hasn't been a noticeable factor on the E at all. Would I buy another? Yep I would buy another one or two but they would have to be discounted a bit more than the $6 I saved on the one I have, certainly wouldn't pay retail. All in all.....in my opinion.......the Citica 200E is a good reel for the retail price, would be a great reel, and would have been a front runner among all reels priced in the $90-$100 retail bracket if Shimano had priced them there when when they came out. Looking forward to I-Cast to see what they have for us this year. I allowed the poll to be open for more than one vote per post, so go for it guys, let's see what ya think.

Get it. You won't be disappointed. Good reels for the money, actually I think they're top of the line in that price bracket.....$75-$80.

Daiwa Team-V, All Star Classic, BPS Tourney Special or Extreme, Abu Garcia Conolon. Any of these rods are well suited to all around fishing, most are great for any use in their medium action offerings. I use 6'6" medium action rods 90% of the time, but that just might be me. The All Star Classics have more to offer in the way of what I call "special purpose" rods....for C-Rigging, cranking, finesse, etc.

Ditto.

Pinnacle = Crap.....usually anyway. Forget the Cabelas brand. Put your money into a well known name brand, you'll be happier in the end.

I found them by googling the name. Couple of places to order from online. This forum will not allow me to post the url of any though.

Backwards is an awesome way to rig the Fat Ikas, definitely will catch fish. I like to throw 'em rigged this way on the very outside edges of laydowns and stick-ups, and docks and walkways. The bait will fall away from you on slack line and it's a great way to get it into some of those hard to reach places. Another GYCB that works well rigged backwards is the Kreature. While it doesn't have as much fall away action, does have some though, it still will get the job done. Each of these baits have their own unique set of circumstances for rigging straight or conventional, i.e., not backwards. The Ika has the same look and presentation as a tube but with a quicker fall and different spiral. The Kreature's appendages will undulate like crazy when rigged conventional. Great for pitching to the edge of grassbeds and allowed to slow-fall or reeled slowly over the tops of submerged grass, rigged weightless. I like an Owner Twist-Lok 4/0 hook for these presentations. They also are good C-rig baits.

Love the Tiki Sticks....and the Molopo scent is awesome! I use Dingers, Tiki Sticks, ***, and Kinamis, do not own an original Senko. Check this in comparison to the GYB Senko and the Tiki Stick.

I've got one. Decent reel for the money. Not much re-sale value though. Smooth cranking reel. Feels good in your hand. My main disappointment in it was the fact that it's a bit temperamental about the cast settings, as is true for me with most magnetic controlled reels. It will get a weightless senko out in the toolies after you have it adjusted though. I'm sure it would make a good pitching reel as well, it has a very free spool with the mags off. Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, anything over 1/4 oz. shouldn't be a problem to cast well and far. I tested it against a Citica 200 E when I first got it, both were new and spooled with the same line. After adjusting.....and adjusting some more, the Exceler matched the Citca in distance and freedom of backlashes. The only thing was that the Citica reached optimum performance with much less adjusting of the cast controls. I personally just prefer the centrifugal brakes I guess. The Exceler is a good looking reel too. Scuffs up pretty easy though. Hope all this helps ya make up your mind.

Team Magic "Yodo" made by Competitive Edge. The ones I'm looking for are watermelon w/blue gills. I think some places classify them as gobys.