Bassyak

I had a Code for a couple months. Of all the Quantum reels I've owned and used, I liked it the least. I guess it didn't fit my hand very well and even right out of the box it seemed very noisy while cranking. It also seemed more difficult to crank, like the gears were dirty or misaligned or something like that. Mine may have been the bad apple of the bunch, but I didn't care for it and sold it pretty quickly.

I don't have the Tour Edition, but I recently picked up an '09 Energy E100HPT. I didn't have the funds for the TE, nor could I justify its significantly higher price than that of the Energy, especially when I could get the Energy for $145 shipped. I've only been able to use it once on the lake thus far, but am equally impressed with the amount of refinement and weight reduction over the last model. I never owned the previous version, but I was able to handle them enough to recognize the distinct improvements. The new finish and color scheme is definitely an upgrade, as I've never really been a fan of the multi-colored "Titanium-Deposition" finish and it works much better as an accent than the dominant body color. As far as casting, Quantum's ACS cast control continues to be my favorite cast control system, over the Shimano (which makes up the rest of my baitcasting reels), Daiwa, and Pflueger systems that I have used. I like the Shimano's braking system, but the external dial on the Quantum is just that much easier to adjust since you don't have to open the sideplate. I casted everything from a 1/2 oz Red Eye Shad, to a buzzbait and 3/8oz spinnerbait with absolutely no overruns. And they were some long casts, too. I didn't try any really lightweight stuff or plastics because of the rod I had it mounted on, but it performed admirably with all the paces I put it through. My only gripe would be the noise it made during casting. My Shimanos are all almost silent, but the Energy made a distinct whine. I noticed that changing the ACS setting affected the volume, though, so it may go away as the reel gets more broken in, or it may be over- or under-lubricated. I plan on taking it apart and checking the lube before my next outing. Overall, a great reel for the price, though I would have a hard time paying full retail for one (or any reel for that matter, as I'm a dedicated eBay junkie). I'll update this thread as I'm able to do more "field testing."

You can also go to Oh Ya Sales website (http://www.ohya.com/) and login with the username "Customer" and password "Preferred" and get an '09 Quantum Energy for $145 shipped. Very smooth reel with the best external cast control (ACS II) that I've used. That price is about 25% off the MSRP.

Anyone ever heard of these or, better yet, seen or used them before? I saw a few on an online auction and was wondering of they were any good. The website is http://davidvancefishing.com/DAVIDVANCE/ and lists them from $220 to $400 MSRP, but I haven't seen them for sale anywhere else. As far as I can tell from the pictures, they don't look like they sport Fuji or any other name brand components.

I have an Omega that I use on a 5'6" casting rod when I'm bank fishing, especially with a lot of over-hanging brush. I tried it once or twice with a baitcaster and after a couple huge bird's nests, I gave up and stuck with the Omega. There are certainly specific applications that spincasters are good for, just like any other reel.

Don't forget to check your trailer wheel bearings, too. If the grease is cloudy, it's been contaminated by water. If it's black or brown (vice blu-ish green or whatever color the fresh grease is), then it's been contaminated by dirt, debris, etc... Regardless, if it's not clean and free of foreign material, it needs to be changed. Once a season, I'll scrape out all the old grease and repack the bearings. I had a buddy never greased his bearings and had one blow out on him while towing his boat over a bridge. Wasn't a pretty picture.

Bass crazy, I have an '02 Tracker Pro Team 175 and have been wanting to install one on mine as well. How difficult was the install? Do you have a Motorguide or Minn Kota? Thanks in advance.

I've got the 704C paired with a Curado 200DHSV spooled with 50lb Sufix Braid for my frog and buzzbait rod. Been a solid rod, handling several nice fish up to 5 lb or so. Plenty of power for pulling fish out of slop and steering them away from snags. Very light too, which is great when paired with the older Curado (at about 10oz). I've made hundreds of casts with it in an afternoon with no problems. All around, a great rod. I've also got the 683C, but haven't been able to use it as much and haven't pulled in any fish with it yet. I really like the split grip with no foregrip and the hook keeper, and Fuji components. You won't be disappointed.

It depends on how far you have to ship it (i.e. across how many "zones") but the length is what really raises the price for shipping USPS. I've managed to ship with the post office for under $20, but only if the clerk didn't know what they were doing and didn't include the surcharge for the tube being over a certain length. They just charged me for the weight of the package. Since I moved and had to use a new post office that charges me the full surcharge, I've switched to Fedex and have managed to ship from the west coast to the east coast for under $20 consistently. Fedex Ground also automatically includes shipping up to $100 and the account I established gives me 10% off each package I ship. I use USPS for small stuff like reels, but rods go Fedex.

Well...I thought I had found the one I wanted in the LMS-522C, but as I went back and searched the forum for old threads on fishfinders, I'm starting to wonder if I should just save my money a little longer and try to get one of the Humminbird units with side imaging. Any one have any updates on the performance of their SI units? Any gripes or complaints? I read the Tackle Tour review of the 797C2 and am kinda concerned about how well the SI works at slow speeds on the trolling motor. Any input on that? Thanks in advance for your help.

Anyone have any experience with a Lowrance LMS-522C? I'm looking for a GPS/FF combo unit for my Bass Tracker and like the looks and reviews I've see of this one over the Humminbird and other brands with comparable units. Any feedback on it?

I have a brand new with tags Shimano Compre 6'6" Med/Extra-fast casting rod and 7' Med-Hvy/Fast spinning rod that I'm willing to sell if you're interested Rooster.

I tried the Burner model, but sold it after only a couple months. It was not very smooth on the retrieve and the frame was bigger and heavier than I liked (I have pretty small hands). I don't have any beef with Quantum rods or reels (I had several Energy casting reels at one time and still have an Accurist PT and a couple spinning reels, too), I just found that I preferred my Shimanos and Pfluegers for their size and smoothness.

I like the 383c too especially for the color, but it's a little out of my price range and the display is even smaller than the B/W one in the 363. Any other opinions?

I second the 704C, though mine is a Powell. Nice, flexible tip for flinging lightweight toads, but plenty of power in the butt to haul out a hog. Paired mine with a Curado 200DHSV and 50lb Sufix braid.

Concur...I got mine for just a shade over $150...and worth every penny. Smooth as butter and pretty as a prom queen. Pflueger makes some nice stuff.

I have a Carrot Stick 7' Extra Heavy that I use for flipping/pitching and it's probably the lightest casting rod I own. And based on their constuction, I'd venture a guess that even the models longer than 7' are not that much heavier. So...short answer...no...they aren't all heavy.

I owned two of the Kistler Mgs eariler this year and sold them both. I didn't care for the hump grip on my spinning rod and the reel seat would not hold my reel securely on my casting rod. I also went through a less than fulfilling warranty issue with a Kistler crankbait rod, so I won't be buying or recommending Kistler rods anymore. I have a couple Loomis rods (both casting) and have been very impressed with both of them thus far, though I've heard from others on this forum to steer clear of the lower models in favor of the IMX. You might be able to find a deal on an IMX SJR722 on eBay for not much more than you'd pay for the GL3. My go-to spinning rods right now are my Shimano Crucials. I'd highly recommend them and you'd save quite a bit over the two rods you mentioned.

They're nice reels...very lightweight, probably due to a lot of plastic/graphite parts, but still smooth. I like the easily adjustable magnetic cast control on the side. Looks nice too. I got mine three or four months ago for just over a $100 on eBay, brand new. I don't pay retail for anything, if I can help it.

I've been looking for an inexpensive GPS/Fishfinder combo to replace the stock FF on my Bass Tracker. So far I've found the Humminbird 363 and Eagle Cuda 250 in my price range. Does anyone have any experience with either of these units? Or if not, any other recommendations for sub-$300 combo units? Thanks in advance.

I disagree with the comment on Frogg Toggs. I've had a set now for about 5 years or so, and have never gotten wet while wearing them. I've tried rubber, PVC, and nylon rain suits and while most of them kept me pretty dry, they were stifling to wear when it was warmer than 70F outside. The Frogg Toggs breathe with the slightest breeze and keep me comfortable when its 90+ degrees and raining and I don't feel like getting drenched. And if it's colder out, they are roomy enough to wear over my regular cold weather gear. Definitely not a bad product for the price.

I use two rods for my cranking. For lightweight stuff and shallow divers, I use a G Loomis CBR781C (ML action, Mod-Fast) with a Curado100DSV and 10lb YoZuri Hybrid. For medium and deep divers I also have a St.Croix Avid AC70MM with a Citica 100DSV and 10lb YoZuri Hybrid. The ML power on the Loomis is great for shallow runners and square-bill cranks, but I've also run ShapRaps and Strike King Series 3s on it too, in a pinch. The Mod-fast action keeps the fish on through all their struggling and head tossing. The Avid performs just about as well, on deeper running baits.

I have a Shimano Compre (older brown blank model) 6'6 MH/EF baitcasting rod (gently used) on eBay right now (seller ID bpm3067) and I also have a brand new (older model but still with tags and plastic still on) 6'6 M/F casting Compre that I'll be willing to sell for $65 shipped. Both of these would probably fall within your budget and make great bassin' rods.

I have a Crucial 7'2 ML with Extra-Fast tip dropshot spinning rod and I really like it, though I'm just getting into dropshotting and haven't caught a lot of fish with it yet, much less any of decent size (I'm hoping to correct that situation this weekend at Lake Washington). It has a very soft, sensitive tip that's perfect for lightweight dropshotting rigs, but if you use more than about 1/4oz (the upper end of the rating) of weight, the tip will get overloaded rather quickly. Now that I've used it for a little bit, I would probably prefer the M over the ML, but I'll stick with this one for a little longer before I look into swapping them out. But I really like the split grip with plenty of contact with the blank and think the Crucials are a great class of rod altogether ( I also have the 7' M non-dropshot spinning rod and managed to haul a nice 5.5 lb LM out of some lilypads with it).

I agree with flechero on this one, as I tend to use lures that are at the low end of the rods rating, or even below it. I often cast sidearm or with roll casts while sitting in my kayak and I find that I can cast lighter lures without much issue on a heavier rod with a soft tip. These numbers are recommendations from the manufacturer and will suit most fishermen very well, but that doesn't mean you can't operate the equipment outside these recommendations without great success, especially with a little practice.