BigGame0892

Yeah, I might do that. Don't get me wrong, I'm not totally turned off Dobyns because of this - in fact, I still have a 705CB Glass on the way. Hoping to have better luck with that. But, this was just such an obvious flaw. Pretty hard to miss.

Well, after reading all the great reviews for Dobyns rods and loving my Powells (also designed by Gary). I went ahead and ordered my very own SS735. Anyway, long story short, I ordered from Tackle Warehouse, I got it, looked great, but then I noticed a big problem. The bottom guide is off center from all the rest! It doesn't appear to be damaged and the rod tube was not damaged either. The epoxy and wrap is solid and won't budge. It simply looks like it was installed that way. Anyone else experience this with Dobyns rods and/or rods purchased from Tackle Warehouse in general? I've ordered numerous rods from TW and never seen this before. Definite downer. Nothing to do but return it.

Decent priced is relative I guess. If you've already gone through 2 Excelers, it just seems to make sense to me to spend a little more money on something that will last and get the job done. Any Shimano reel from the Citica on up should work great if you want a low profile style reel. The new Abu Garcia Revos are supposed to have amazing lock down power on their drags, though I've never tried one. I'm sure they're quality reels. Personally, I use a Shimano Curado 200dhsv for this kind of work and it manhandles them. The new Curados are supposed to be even better.

I just tie a reverse clinch knot as Alton Jones illustrates in this video: [ftp]http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-tie-reverse-clinch-knot-with-alton-jones-162619/[/ftp] The only thing I do different is I pass the line through the eyelet twice. Never had any break-offs with this knot. I also check my line for frays near the knot regularly.

Powell 683C or 703C - $139.99 from Tackle Warehouse with free shipping. And, I think there's still July 4th 15% discount going on through today. I currently have the 703C and it is extremely light and versatile.

Everyone is pretty much right on the money on here. I have had my best luck on Catclaw. It has a nice combination of rock and wood, but it gets overrun with weeds pretty good the last couple years during summer. I usually stick with t-rigged plastics and jigs, frogs and buzzfrogs when its weedy and a buzzbait when the conditions are right. I've pulled a lot of nice 5 - 7 lbers out of Catclaw the last couple of years.

I understand, when you're used to something you get really attuned to it and always know exactly what's going on. And you're right, fluorocarbon will make a jerkbait act differently. Particularly it can at times cause the jerkbait to be jerked downward because of its sinking properties. As for sensitivity, as you said lower tests work better. I would stick with 12 or 10 lb. fluorocarbon for jerkbaits unless you're dealing with particularly large fish or a lot of cover. I've tried the Stren Fluoro in 15 lb. test and didn't like it either. Currently, I use primarily BPS Fluorocarbon for most of my applications because of its affordability and durability. Some other brands I like are Seaguar Invizx, P-line Fluorocarbon (not Halo) and Trilene 100%. Based on what you've said, in my experience the Trilene and the P-line are pretty pliable (more similar to mono) and extraordinarily sensitive. Some guys will tell you that Sunline is the best - which is probably true, but for the price I just can't justify it. Oh yeah, I always use KVD line & lure conditioner on all my fluorocarbon to make it more manageable. I'll also put in the customary plug for this website for Yozuri hybrid, because the stuff is just awesome and 12 lb. test Yozuri is very strong while maintaining a relatively small diameter. Sorry this was a little long, but you ask some good questions and just wanted to give you my full 2 cents!! Good luck!!!

I agree that you probably need to go with at least 12 lb. leader. I regularly fish the gin-clear waters of Table Rock Lake and my normal set up for football head jigs in 15 - 25 ft. of water is a Powell 704C heavy action with 15 lb. or 17 lb. fluoro as the main line. I also use more of a sweep-set ala Carolina Rig type set for my football jigs. I know our "southern" smallies are a little different than those up north, but I would think that you shouldn't miss out on many bites if you went with a 14 or 15 lb. leader. I don't have a lot of experience with Floroclear, but a lot of the reviews I've seen haven't been that flattering.

Sounds like its probably just a case of not re-tying often enough. Or, you might want to try a different knot. I fish primarily in the many rocky and timbered lakes of the Ozarks area and use a Reverse Clinch and don't have any issues with break-offs near or at the knot. You might also consider a more abrasion-resistant line as mentioned previously. I use mainly fluorocarbon which is great around rocks. Suffix Siege is a really good monofilament with good abrasion-resistance. BTW, I rarely use line lighter than 14 lb. unless I'm using spinning gear - then I'm down to 8 lb. fluoro and use more of a reeling, sweep set.

One thing you might want to think about is the cost of one reel may not be what you want to look at. Rather, if you buy a reel and you like it - how long before you can afford another one like it? Personally, I believe that sticking with the same reels (brand and model) helps you be more efficient as a fisherman. You can usually find Curado Es on eBay for around $145 shipped. Zillions are going to be closer to $200 - $250.

Personally, I always use mono backing when spooling with fluorocarbon. Really, for no other reason than it saves me money. Fluoro, especially the better brands (made in Japan) can cost some serious cash. Don't know which brand you're planning on going with, but I would recommend sticking with some proven brands like Seaguar or Sunline. BPS Fluoro is a good cheaper alternative that I use a lot. Good luck!!

I just spray it on the full spool when I re-spool. Re-apply as necessary. With fluoro, I sometimes re-apply during a tournament day if I'm seeing some line twist.

Powell 704C, Shimano Curado 200 DHSV, 17 lb. BPS Fluoro main line, 14 lb. BPS Fluoro leader. Feel of the bites varies, it can be a really strong "tap", or sometimes there just isn't anything, and still other times the line just moves off.

Keep the faith man, gotta stick with Shimano. The new Citica is great. Daiwas are good reels as well, but I've heard numerous bad things about the Viento. If you're going Daiwa, I probably wouldn't go any lower than the Advantage HSTA.

I gotta agree with South FLA here. In terms of bang for the buck, you can't beat the Curado 200e. I have a good friend that loves his Zillions as well, but he has some Shimanos too! Side-by-side I just think that Shimanos have a little smoother retrieve.

I agree, Yozuri Hybrid is awesome stuff. I use it a lot in addition to my fluorocarbons.

I agree with the other replies about the new E's being too low to the rod. I have pretty small hands, and even for me it just doesn't palm comfortably. Something to do with not having the proper leverage or something. So, I prefer the D series right now. Possibly might check out a new Chronarch D, from what I've seen they have the same profile as a Core which is about as perfect as it gets. The E's definitely sit lower on the reel seat than the 100Ds.

My vote is for the Citcia E as well. In my experience, very reliable reels that cast great and with good maintenance can probably last forever. Stasher it sounds to me like you got a dud as well. I agree, no manufacturer is perfect - lemons happen sometimes. But overall, I would say Shimano products are generally reliable and ready to go fresh out of the box. Get them to send you another one and I'm sure you'll have a better experience. The Revo S is a good reel as well and I've had some Pflueger Trions with no problems whatsoever.

Hey guys, just thought I would pipe in on this one. Not a real frequent poster, but I have been using Fluoro for over a year now and am having very few problems. We have all heard the benefits to Fluoro, the main ones being that it is invisible to the fish, and less stretch than monofilament. Personally, there are 2 benefits that are the most important to me. 1. The line doesn't absorb water, therefore it sinks faster, is more sensitive than mono and doesn't increase in stretch after being in the water for awhile. 2. The most important to me. I use Fluoro mainly for my bottom baits - jigs, worms, shakey-head, etc. I prefer it over braid, because although braid is probably more sensitive. That also translates to it being more sensitive on this fish end as well. Meaning, a fish can feel your resistance quicker with braid, than with Fluoro and in my experience tend to drop the bait a little quicker. That little bit of stretch in Fluoro translates into me having a little more time to set the hook. Anyway, just my personal opinion guys. I think braid is great too, and at times I think it is preferable to use it over Fluoro, but I often employ a Fluorocarbon leader then too. Just for reference the brands I tend to use: XPS Fluoro on my baitcasters (most abrasion resistant I've found) and P-line Fluoro on my spinning reels.

Hey, thought I'd weigh in here as well guys since I just received my first E7 today. Spooled it up quickly with Yozuri Hybrid (15 lb.) and went out to the lake. Previous comments about the VBS I think are pretty right on. I wouldn't consider myself the absolute best with a baitcaster out there, but I did notice a difference between the new E7 and my Curado and Citica Ds. Overall, after about 2 hours with it, I found that in general you have to engage more spool brakes than you might have with the Ds. (Don't have any experience with the Bantams unfortunately). For me, that meant going from my usual 2 brakes on, up to 4. I was apprehensive about having so many on - but found I didn't lose any noticeable amount of distance - and the reel performed superb - backlashes were now non-existent. Once perfectly adjusted, this reel casts beautifully. Roll casts and pitches seem to come off more smoothly than with Curado Ds - probably somewhat due to the much lighter weight I suppose. And it palms so easily. I really like how Shimano preserved the wider spool access you were afforded in the Ds rather than getting narrower like a Zillion, Revo, or BPS reel. This thing is superlight and performs in almost every aspect as well or better than the Curado Ds (at least thus far). Caught a 5lber. pitching into thick brush - winched her out without a problem. You get exactly the drag performance you would expect from a Shimano. Overall, a great reel and a good price point. Can't go wrong with Shimano as usual. Just as an aside, I have it paired up with a BPS elite 7 footer MH.

Hey guys, I'm new to the forums but I thought I would chime in. For what its worth, I am diehard Shimano. Mainly Citcas. I think the fact that production for the new Curado is going to move to Malaysia is significant. I have one Curado (200DHSV). I got it because there is no Citica high speed (yet) and I do have to say that the workmanship,material and detail on the Curado does seem to be superior to that of the Citica (which is made in Malaysia). Obviously, Shimano has to stay competitive with the Revo - but I'm not sure moving production to Malaysia to save on cost is the answer. Not that what I think matters - but just my 2 cents!!