bigbill

I mainly use for my freshwater spinning setups is the Finor 200S & 400s and the whole line of the Okuma exipior spinning reels I just about use every exipior size spinning reel. I find the performance of both these reels to be outstanding so far. I have near a decade of use on these without a hickup. I do find the Finors a tad on the expensive side for me but I'm very happy I tried them. Even the Okumas have been superb too. My older brother fished 24/7 for blues and stripers in saltwater when they were running. Surf casting he used nothing but the larger PENN spinning reels. I do not know anyone who fished harder than he did. He went out every day before or after work depending on when the high tide was. He hammered equipment with surf casting. He had the PENN spinning reel on a 13' custom built Harnell rod.

Right now I'm in the process of lubing all my fishing reels. Now the only difference I notice between the cheaper bait casting reels from the older $12 reels to the $70 reels is the cheaper ones have straight cut gears while the more expensive ones have helical cut gears. The helical cut gears allow more engagement of the teeth over the one tooth engagement of the straight cut gears. The helical cut gears allow almost two teeth to be engaged as it turns. It makes the reel much stronger with less wear. I also notice the level line guide is driven by a plastic gear but as we go up in cost I'm sure it becomes a metal gear too. Most of the driver gears I have seen so far in the baitcaster reels look to be brass. There all metal brass gears on your crank handle to the spool. But remember these can be straight cut gears or helical cut gears when it comes to the price tag. In most of the reels today that have ball bearings are shielded or sealed. How many bearings we have is considered in the price tag too. Now with the cheaper spinning reels these seem to have straight cut aluminum gears. As they go up in price it changes to helical cut brass gears too. But in some reels inbetween we could see straight cut brass gears too. The ball bearings in the cheaper spinning reels are open bearings, we can see the balls in the races there are no shields or seals. These are prone to dirt and water getting in them. The more expensive reel will have sealed or shielded ball bearings. The Chinese baitcaster reel I purchased is far better than the Chinese spinning reel I purchased quality wise. I wouldn't say there close to a spinning reel from Japan or my okumas or finors but give them time. I do not know how long one of these imported Chinese spinning reels will last. From what I seen inside the Chinese baitcasting reel the quality is far better than the lower priced reels I have looked inside. Mechanically most of these baitcasters look the same inside operation wise except for the helical cut or straight cut brass gears. Again I'm not sure of the quality of the metal gears nor the quality of the ball bearings. I purchased both just to hammer them. I lubed them now thell go fishing. Who am I to judge? I been a lead engineering tech in one of the top ten R&D engineering test labs in the country for over 20years. We life tested New products and designs. We would investigate into why things broke. Before this I built cnc lathes and 155mm howitzers for the US Army. I see from both sides of the fence the end product user and the engineering aspect too. I wanted to say this before anyone asks it. Now what reel would I purchase? You can go with a Chinese spinning reel not knowing how long will it last? But I would lube it often if you do. Or go with a better reel from our sponcers or look at Wal-Mart for a sale or a quality spinning reel from Japan. Again with any reel longevity is keeping it lubed that's up to you. With the Chinese bait caster it appears to be a good reel but maybe a knockoff from someone else's. It seems to be equal to any lower priced reel quality wise, I'm not sure how long it will last over the others yet but everything seems to have ball bearings that are shielded or sealed. It seems to work ok so far. Buy my lower priced Shakespeare's, BPS, Mitchell, and Quantum reels work good too I just push living any reel so it will last. I would lube the cheaper reel even more. Again I would shop around for the better buy first and keep it lubed. One more factor on how good a reel is the bass can actually tells us by beating it up. I have had the bass wreck cheaper trout reels in the past. They wore out spool housing bearings, inside straight cut alumimum gears. Even the fight of the 3lbers can tear up junk reels I know this. Thanks, bigbill

I just purchased 18 new spinning and bait caster rods from fish and save.com I don't need expensive rods to fish with. If it wasn't for our sponcers and a few other sights having deals and clearances on tackle I wouldn't be fishing. I save $$ on rods to spend it on lures that's where I put my $$.

I figure with early am fishing in the dark till dawn since we have bears all around us here I may have to woop one with my fishing rod someday. I'm not going to use an expensive rod on a bear wooping. I do carry a magnum when fishing in the dark. I was fishing at one spot just before dawn and I heard a bear hooting. They hoot because they can't call 1-800-collect. It's three short hoots followed by a longer dragged out hoot. Remember this it could save your life someday. My camp in vt is to in the heart of black bear country. When they come by my camp hootin I let them pass. Once I hear them across my valley hootin I chime in and hoot back. Minutes later there at my camp. Please remember this hoot, it's three short hoots, followed by one long hoot. If you wait you might get hoots from different directions because two of them are talking to each other. Bb

I just moved from the Yankee part of the state(southern) to the red Sox nation area(more north) it's funny how a few miles north can change who they like. Originally I'm just a kid from Jersey 20 minutes from NYC. When I moved more north recently I put on camo's and went to a local deli. A state worker there called me a hick as I walked by. I fooled them all being a kid from Jersey so the joke is on them. It's a good thing knowing I can fit in and blend in anywhere. I moved from Jersey at 11yo. We moved to southern ct.

Yes I mean spincast my spell check changes everything. Bb

Wal-Mart has a big sale right now.

We had a meteor one day crash into the water about 30' in front of us. It was a big Ker plunk. I wonder if it was a smaller one with you?

I used Penn saltwater open reels making long casts from shore in the sound. My thumb is well educated in doing this style of casting. I can probably cast with the friction knob loose and the magnetic brakes off at onetime. Now I just need the lure to go in the direction I need it to go. I'm hoping to be as good with the bait caster as I am with the spinning outfit. I'm going to stick with it and stay practicing all winter too. I was pretty good onetime with the baitcastersbut that was a few years back. I should of stayed with it.

I perfer rattles and scents with most of my lures. I also make sure I match the size and colors to the water and light conditions too. I use color for sight, scents for smell, vibration for the lateral line and rattles for hearing. In any we put these in it spells success.

Mike also hooked me up with the colors I wanted to try too. I order colors in every weight. I have been looking for quality jigs too. When Mike posted his holiday sale and some of you guys said his stuff is awesome I placed nine orders. I'm still interested in other styles of jigs he offers too. I have plenty of spots that I can jig fish from shore. I have rocky points, drop offs, deep weeds deep holes and channels to play at. I also need to talk with Mike about his spinner bait skirts too, I'm looking for bulkier spinner bait skirts for my micro and mini spinnerbaits. I been using the larger skirts that bulk up the size of my small spinnerbaits like a cat puffs up its fur to look bigger. It seems to work great so far. But I have a hard time finding the larger skirts now.

Am I rusty with baitcasters. I'm going to stick with them till I get good again. My question is are you as good with baitcasters as you are with spinning reels??

Hot wife? Looks mean nothing but eye candy. It's what's on the inside that's counts. Plus if she can cook too. My wife is awesome and a very good cook too. She likes to fish and shoot what more can I ask for. She is pretty good looking too. Which any woman is pretty to me. Each woman is unique in there own way God bless there little hearts. She gave me three awesome children too. I am truly blessed. It's not money that makes us rich it's the quality of the people we surround ourselves with and our family. Money and material things mean nothing. Bb My two sons have women who clean fish, bait there own hooks and love fishing. What more can you ask for?

I have a local pay to fish place but I never gave it much thought. Now that you mention it I have a camp in the heart of black bear country. I never thought of guiding or renting it out. I'll have to give it some thought with the new building going up. Bb

At 62yo I figure to do as much for him now as I can. My wife has instructions to carry on after I'm gone. I figure if we keep him busy he won't have time to get into trouble. My son has two small quads he rides him on for now. I'll probably buy him his first dirtbike.

At 62yo I figure to do as much for him now as I can. My wife has instructions to carry on after I'm gone. I figure if we keep him busy he won't have time to get into trouble.

These lures aren't cheap I hate to see them lose there eyes so easy. But maybe it's the bass ripping them off.

My goals in life, my bucket list, dreams I'm not sure of. Break the state record for LMB it's 12lbs 14ozs my BP so far is 10lbs. I lost two bigger LMB already. The third time is the charm right? To own a bass boat so I can fish with my disability. I would like to make other people with disabilities dreams come true and take them fishing too. We don't have any areas for the disabled to fish at too. I would like to correct this too. Also start a "take a kid fishing program" to help every kid to go fishing. Plus help orphans and troubled kids too. Fishing at an early age helped me stay out of trouble. I'd rather help others fish then help myself.

You must change the oil often. That's why it lasted for so long. Keeping the blade razor sharp helps too. I fabricated my own log splitter using the cheapest b&s 8hp engine. When I purchased the engine they told me it wouldn't last one year on a log splitter running wide open most of the time. I changed the oil after every 8 hours of running and sometimes I put some chain saw mix in the gas tank to keep the valves and rings lubed. It lasted 25 years. I replaced the rings one time when the rings turned and the gaps lined up killing every flying insect for miles. The rear crank cover gasket blew out once too. For 25 years of splitting 50 to 100 cords of firewood per year. That engine today is on another log splitter still running. It had the aluminum cylinder. It cost $100 at the time. We ran it 8 hours a day with a break for lunch.

I wonder what reel manufacturer make the baitcasters for bass pro shops? I just finished lubing it and I find its one of my smoothest baitcaster reels that I have. I was just wonder who manufacturers it. I purchased this on clearance from BPS.

I wonder what reel manufacturer make the baitcasters for bass pro shops? I just finished living it and I find its one of my smoothest baitcaster reels that I have. I was just wonder who manufacturers it. I purchased this on clearance from BPS.

It won't open for me, it says I don't have permission Thanks anyway, bigbill

My $4.99 to $9.99 Shakespeare, quantum, zebco spinning and Shakespeare, zebco, ready2fish, crankbait rods with my Finor($80) & okuma ($60) spinning reels and my Shakespeare, bps, Chinese, Mitchell, crankbait reels that run between $12 to around $59. I can use any rod, any decent reel but we do need a quality fishing line. Sorry but I'm very, very frugal.

I purchased a spinning outfit and a spin fly outfit for my 3yo grandson. I purchased both roddy brand reels that light up when you reel them. I figure by spring he should of calmed down from the terrible twos to use them. I gave him a per wee dirtbike Jersey to go with his new dirtbike boots, gloves, chest protector, helmet, gloves and goggles he received for his birthday. He said the dirt bike shirt is for me? Of course grandpa melts. I can't wait to take him fishing as my fishing buddy when he gets older. There's nothing like having grandkids. I'm enjoying them. Bb

I hang my hunting clothes outside with cut apples in there pockets for a few days and nights. When I'm in the pines near the Apple orchard border I will slice the pine tree branch with my knife a tad so the sap will bleed a little and smell of pine and my cut apples will cover my scent. I have had black bears come within 10' from me in the high grass before a little bird sang it's heart out to the beat of go back there's a hunter near you. Darn birds.