21farms

sometimes it's more than just the main gear and the pinion gear. as the main gears for different ratios are different diameters, the key washer(s) and the drag washer(s) should be sized to match, especially if the key washers are eared. you can get away with reusing the key and drag washers from a lower ratio gearset when going to a higher ratio (although you lose some surface contact area and, presumably, some drag force) but not the other way around. if the key washers are eared, that should definitely be changed.

my advice for buying g.loomis rods is to read the descriptions and then buy one power UP from what you think you need. if you think the 845 sounds just right for your needs, then buy the 847. i have an 845 and it fishes more like what i would expect the 843 to fish like based on the description. as for the 7.5' rods, been there and done that. with people to going to 8-footers, i thought 7.5' would be worth a try so i bought 3 7.5' crankin' rods and i just don't like them...difficult to get in and out of my rod locker and i found i could cast just as far with my 7-footers. but, that's just me...obviously, others LOVE the longer rods.

every time i go into my local tackle store (the only decent one in town), they're out of the excel 705 glass. they have most of the other excels but the salesman i talked to said they can't keep that one in stock. i've been very curious about it because i love my other lami 705 glass sticks so much. wish i could help you but i've not been able to get my hands on one either.

8-) thanks for the correction!

it seems both shimano and daiwa are moving away from magnesium for their reels. mg is susceptible to saltwater corrosion and is probably just too expensive. daiwa's original fuego spinning reel (a superb reel, btw) was made of magnesium but the second-generation fuego-A spinning reel uses daiwa's new proprietary zaion material. shimano, likewise, has come up with Ci4.

spruce, yes, i do own a fuego. i also own a sol, a few zillions, a few curado Es, a few revos and some other reels. i happen to like the fuego very much but, in my experience, my curado Es and my revos (the reels the OP also mentioned) cast light lures farther and handled lighter line better...i did not say that it couldn't.

i think you should carefully reread my post :-?

the 2500-size is perhaps the most versatile size for bass fishing. however, 2500-size reels are not necessarily similar. for example, i recently received my shimano stradic Ci4 2500 and it looks to be 1/3 smaller overall than my daiwa advantage 2500 and about the same size as my daiwa fuego 2000. smaller reels are naturally more compact and lighter but bigger reels give you less line memory, less line twist and usually more drag power. a 2000-size daiwa or a 2500-size shimano is the sweet spot for me.

defining the perfect rod for spinnerbaits is much harder than for other techniques where preferences are more universal. for spinnerbaits, some fishermen like 'em with mod actions, some like 'em fast and some like 'em extra fast. personally, i think the g.loomis SBR-813C spinnerbait rod is perfect for me...it is rated as extra-fast but it feel more like a fast to me. i want the tip to flex enough for the bass to inhale the spinnerbait but stiff enough for me to get a immediate hookset.

variety is the spice of life...go for it! i have shimanos, daiwas, ABUs, pfluegers, BPSs and quantums and i have found that most modern reels are good performers. note: the fuego doesn't like light lures as much as the curado Es and STX but is fine for anything 1/4 oz and up. i have mine on my g.loomis SBR813c spinnerbait rod and love it for that. for a jig and worm setup, i prefer the fastest reel i can get, say in the 7:1 range.

the zillion crazy cranker is 4.9:1 and is rated at 22 inches per turn (IPT). the curado E5 is 5.0:1 and is rated at 21 IPT.

i think the zillion crazy cranker is an outstanding reel. each time i fish it, i like it more and more. i have a couple of curado E5s too but i prefer the zillion...not exactly sure why. really smooth and casts well. the daiwa magnetic brakes are about the best i've encountered. i've fished the calais once (dunno which model it was) but i thought it was heavy and extremely smooth but no big deal.

like brokeju said, they all have a parabolic bend. and, between a mod or fast action, that is a preference thing. if you like to rip rattlebaits in the grass, then you will probably want a fast action. between the dobyns and the lamiglas, the dobyns is slightly lighter but significantly more comfortable to hold (for my hands, anyway). i seem to have a better strike-to-hookup ratio with the lami though and that's why i want to get the 705CBMF...the one i played with reminded me a lot of my lami. here are the weights in case you're interested: lamiglas XCF-705R 5.7 ounces dobyns 705CB glass 5.4 ounces dobyns 704CB glass 4.6 ounces g.loomis CBR-845C 4.6 ounces (all measurements on my postage scale).

another good question ;D unfortunately, i can't really say because, while i own the 704CB glass, i haven't fished with it yet. i've been avoiding using it in case i decide to sell it, i think it would hold more value if never used. i think i have way too many rods :-/

i think you were probably referring to the extreme with the aluminum drag star i was selling: anyway, the little crankshaft hole in the handles BPS reels share the same size and configuration as daiwas, quantums, abu garcias, and pfluegers and are interchangeable for the most part (shimano and okuma each go their own way with a different size hole so their handles are unique unto themselves). i'd recommend calling the BPS reel repair/parts center and just ordering a handle from another reel you like. for example, the ribbed swept handle from the johnny morris gold might work well for you: it is $12.50 plus $5 shipping but make sure you also get the handle nut, the handle nut retainer, and the handle nut retainer screw (about another $4-5). the drag star was $7-9 but i cannot remember exactly. i tried ordering the EVA foam handles but they don't have those :'(

fishing with equipment for a whole day does give a pretty good idea of how well something works or doesn't work but even that isn't enough sometimes. i've had stuff that, after one day, i thought was great but then after 3-4 more outings, i discovered some things i really didn't like. i've also had stuff that didn't impress me greatly initially but, over time, proved to be truly outstanding. there's nothing wrong with taking recommendations from other anglers as long as you know where they're coming from. try to look past the emotion and make sure the advice you're getting is truly objective.

i only brought this up because i see so much brand loving/hating here. i doubt that many of the recommendations here are based on what is truly in the best interest of the asker.

this was recently posted at tackletog: http://tackletog.com/news/2009/12/11/what-factors-influence-anglers-purchasing-decisions/ What factors influence anglers' purchase decisions? Brand loyalty 51.60% Magazine advertisement 11.80% Another experienced angler 52.70% TV commercials 6.30% Other 24.90%

i tried ripcord si in 15# and ripcord si+ in 30# and 50#. i did not have a good experience with it. it is strong BUT it is more flat (like a tapeworm) than round so line digging is a major issue.

the E-series citicas and curados are certainly low but i think the others were talking about how wide they are.

here's my 2¢. i've owned both and both are excellent basic reels and you'd really have to work hard to birdnest either one. the biggest difference performancewise that i found between them was when pitchin' and when casting lighter lures where the citica fared better no matter how much i fiddled with the centrifugal brakes. i also found the smooth, rounder knobs on the citica more to my liking. good luck.

;D here's the description of the new carbonlite rods at bass pro shops: the first line cracks me up. the only possible explanation for this rod being able to exceed current technology is that they went forward in time and brought the technology back to 2009...wow, just think: for $90, you can fish with a rod from the future! LOL

line ratings are usually for the minimum breaking strength. most non-IGFA labeled lines will actually break significantly higher. google around for some comparative tests. yo-zuri hybrid is both thicker and thinner than other lines, depending on the test rating. in terms of handling and strength, i find yo-zuri hybrid very similar to trilene XT (even the ultra soft). according to http://www.sportfishingmag.com/techniques/tips/initial-dry-break-strength-53412.html 20# yo-zuri and XT both broke at 31.1 pounds (but XT is thicker here). i've pretty much switched all my non-braid and non-fluorocarbon needs over to yo-zuri hybrid. good stuff.

i'm not a big fan. you have to retrieve at a pretty good clip to get it to vibrate. haven't caught many fish on it either compared to other rattleabaits. i changed out the sureset hook...don't like those much.