21farms

i bet you still have it...it's probably "hidden" in the right side cover where #53 is located.

oh, and how could i forget the new daiwa accessory handles! 100mm long and available in blue or in gunmetal for $49.95:

i'm pretty sure he uses gamakatsu hooks. in fact, he has his own gamakatsu dropshot hooks called the TGW

yes, yes you are

i started out using original power pro, tried a bunch of others and came full circle back to good ol' power pro. the only difference is that i only use power pro in white now.

AFAIK, the orochi XX stinger shot isn't available yet and, even if it were, based on my experience with solid-tip rods, they're kinda one-trick ponies...great for dropshotting but they feel kinda weird with other techniques. also, megabass never goes on sale. i have the orochi XX dropshot rod and have fished the champ 702 and other DX dobyns but not the DX702SF. the orochi XX dropshot rod is nice but doesn't blow my doors off...i'm not sure if i was just expecting too much or what. one thing's for sure, it can definitely launch dropshot rigs a loooong way (maybe because of its taper?) but, most of the time, i don't dropshot that way. the lack of a hook keeper drives me nuts (yes, i know i can add a fuji EZ keeper but i don't like to). i've had many dobyns and, IMHO, you can't go wrong with a dobyns, especially a DX.

i too have the ET smallmouth and love it. i've been checking out the new ET bass series and they look good but i've noticed that fenwick (as with most rod makers) are utilizing increasingly skinnier handles (what's going on?? are peoples' hands getting smaller??). i think the handle on the spinning ET smallmouth was perfect but the ones on the ET bass are thinner. fortunately, fenwick didn't go so far as they did with the aetos and the ET bass handles still look comfy.

the level wind bearings are 4x7x2.5, same as the handle knobs. i take apart computers too and computers are a lot easier but, work slowly and carefully and you should be fine.

actually, the lasers have a graphite frame...i'd recommend paying more for an aluminum-framed reel.

i like the first-generation cumaras a lot...light, sensitive, comfortable, well-balanced and the best warranty available. definitely a whole step above the crucials. i've tried very hard to like the new, red cumaras but every time i pick one up, they just don't feel right to me at all...tip-heavy and a little dead feeling. the handles are too small too. the black cumaras were and still are excellent, excellent rods.

the smallmouth series are discontinued but i've noticed the retailers that have any left in stock have raised their prices from $119—$129 to $149! i say go for the new fenwick elitetech bass series and get the 6'10" ML/XF. if you're not already a cabela's club visa member, apply for the card and get $25 credit. then, buy the fenwick rod from there and you'll get $30 in cabelas points to use on a future purchase. $8 rod shipping now too with code "4TREAT".

personally, i think your reel has more to do with line digging than the line itself. some reels have narrow spools and a slow wormgear ratio under the line guide which will lay the line down at narrow angles to maximize how much line the spool will hold...but, that's also a recipe for line digging. other reels, particularly those with relatively wide spools (think shimano 200E-series) lay the line down at broad angles and you get more of a cross-wrapping effect which doesn't allow the line to dig in as much. just something to think about before switching lines...

after trying many different FC line, i settled on seaguar although i had occasional breakage issues with invisx and abrazx that i simply chalked up to "that's just how fluorocarbon is". well, this last spool of 14 lb. abrazx i got was constantly breaking off fish...at first, i thought i had knicked or kinked the line so i was being extra careful and watching everything from the knot to the making sure there were no kinks and it was still breaking. i even had a nice fish break off on the first cast after a fresh respool. i wrote to seaguar several times with no response so this prompted me to try sunline and, boy, am i glad i did. super FC sniper is superior to abrazx and invisx in every way and no more breakoffs, period. i have not tried tatsu. as for mono, i have not used that in years. seaguar kanzen braid is good stuff. have not used sunline braids yet because i have tons of spools of other brands.

i have not tried the BMS but i am a huge sunline fan. i've tried 'em all and have settled on sunline super FC sniper as my fluoro of choice. prior to that, i had a love/hate relationship with fluorocarbon line (mostly hate). i have now have spools in every pound test sunline makes and life's good! i'd be willing to bet that their BMS performs as advertised.

have you heard the old joke about berkley vanish line? the only thing that "vanishes" is the fish you hooked!

vinny, it's a bit complicated. daiwa and shimano both utilize 4mm diameter knob shafts. daiwa shafts are 25.5mm long while shimano shafts are 23mm long. therefore, you can fit shimano knobs onto daiwa handles by adding a 4x7x2.5mm bearing at the bottom of each knob but daiwa knobs will only fit daiwa handles. keep in mind that many of the shimano septon knobs are left or right side-specific. most of the rest—lews, quantum, abu-garcia, BPS, and pflueger—use 5mm diameter shafts and 5x8x2.5mm ball bearings. knobs between all of these brands are pretty much interchangeable. unfortunately, since there is no such thing as 5x7x2.5 ball bearings, shimano and daiwa knobs cannot be fitted here. *** concept reels are the only ones i haven't measured yet. i just got my first one (concept A6.6) but i don't have the heart to start disassembling it without even fishing it yet. what reels are you looking to switch knobs on? sometimes, it just more sense to swap the entire handle out. if you want to do that, they're all interchangeable with each other except shimano with their unique driveshaft size.

i'd say the perfect pitch...should do great for frogging but is probably a little short for flipping. i also have the aaron martens flipping stick but that would be way too long for frogging.

i think fast is so much more versatile than extra fast. my general rule of thumb is, if you're be performing standard overhand casts, get fast; if you'll be mostly pitching, get extra fast.

very nice! if not for a rumor that shimano is releasing a 50-size conquest in 2015, i would've already gotten a 100-size too. go for it...very favorable exchange rate now.

interestingly, i have that tatula ML rod and i'm not really sure what to think of it. of course, i've only fished it once but i found the handle to the be way too short.

the two most popular ML rods are the phenix recon2 712 (or 713) and the *** *** black 6'10" (available only directly from ***). another popular one is a dobyns 702 (or 701). i have the phenix and love it.

their rod warranty is typically one year. fwiw, BPS has their rods stamped with a code representing date of manufacture. anyway, your experience with BPS customer service will depend on the particular store and the store manager. i had a 14-month old BPS rod and the trigger broke off...they said the were "bending over backward" to help me but it was 2 months past the warranty so i was out of luck. YMMV

i highly recommend the TAT711MLXS over the TAT6111MLXS. the TAT6111MLXS has the "megatop" solid graphite tip and it's great for dropshotting but unusual for everything else, especially anything involving casting. the megatop tip is also very fragile (i know from personal experience).

i think it's truly one of those things that, if you have to ask, you wouldn't understand. i'm totally OCD about my gear and i'm as much a collector as i am a fisherman. i invariably change the bearings, handles, knobs, spool, etc. and keeping all the stock parts in the original box along with the brakes, papers and OEM oil helps me keep everything organized. the boxes also give me a safe way to long-term store my reels. i've only bought one used reel without the original box (shimano conquest 51) and it still bugs me that i don't have the box for it...i think i like knowing that the guy i bought a used reel from is as OCD as me