John G

I am pretty sure that my GMC Sierra 2500HD was Made In USA with foreign and domestic parts.

If I had a pond behind my house with Mudfish in it like the ones in your pic, I'd be there everyday!

Save your money and get Sunline Sniper FC. It's great line and quite a bit cheaper than Tatsu. If you have the cash for Tatsu, get that. I bought some KVD L&L and I wasn't impressed. How light of lures are you talking about? Another option is a line like P Line Floriclear. I just tried it for the first time yesterday (6#) and I really liked it.

I do know that what you are saying is true but I sometimes wonder if the fish plays as big or almost as big a part in the hook set by hooking themselves.

If length and power contribute to setting the hook then what accounts for setting the hook with a short light action rod like a Loomis CR721?

I have served my country in the U.S Army and I consider myself to be very patriotic. I have used Shimano baitcasters since I was 12 or 13 years old (I am 45 now) and if a company started producing a baitcaster in America that really gave Shimano a run for their money, I doubt that I would change reels as long as Shimano continued doing what they are doing. I do love Zoom Baits and I have not bought a rod other than Loomis in a long time. It's about using what you like and can afford and personally, I don't feel that I am obligated to buy American just so that I can consider myself patriotic.

Sometimes, I wear readers AND a headlamp to tie a knot when I am in the house. We do have lights but my eyes really suck at close range and they are getting worse.

Have you ever serviced the bearings in your reel? In your bearing Thread, you mentioned something about never installing bearings before. Your bearings may be shot and that could make casting harder because you need to put more effort into each and every cast than needed. Go back to the beginning. Tie on a weight that is at or near the upper limit of your rods capabilities and adjust your reel so that you can practice casting without backlashing. As you get better, ease off your brakes and your cast control knob.

Thanks I was shocked that that it was a Bluegill and it was a fun fight on the CR721 and 6# Floroclear.

I bought a 1/8oz Rapala Floater and using a Conquest 50 - Avail Spool w / 6# Floroclear / Loomis CR721. I don't know the exact distance that I was getting this morning but I know that I was going farther than the 20 yard mark in my back yard. I managed to get my first BFS Hardbait fish, a Bluegill

Thanks for posting. That was very entertaining.

I think tomorrow that will I put my Conquest 50 with Avail shallow spool on a Zebco 33 rod with a 1/8oz Rapala Floater and see how it performs.

Or your close range vision is as bad as mine.

PWI - Posting While Intoxicated

I tie a Bill Norman Speed Clip on my line and I remove the split ring on my lures. I attach the Speed Clip to the lure and roll with that.

I feel the same way.

A Shimano Curado 200HG and G-Loomis MBR844C GLX This combo will cost around $550.00 + or - a little bit depending on if you shop around.

I tied an Alberto using 10# PP to 10# Sunine Super Natural using 7 wraps both ways last Saturday for panfish and it worked fine.

MI found that out with a new set of Hedgehog ZR's.

Thank you for the explanation. Not that you owed me one because you did not. I apologize for earlier rude post.

And the "by no means a 60 seconds or less battle" wasn't directed at the LMB?My official contribution to the Thread is that I have missed guides on a rod and the levelwind on the reel. It actually took a few cast before I noticed that I missed the levelwind on the reel.

Was it really necessary to post that your 55" Cuda fought longer than any LMB that ever lived? If I have interpreted your post as just another one of your snide remarks directed at the LMB, on a Bass Fishing Forum, then I sincerely apologize.

Reeling with my left hand would not be a problem but casting with my right arm would be.

You do not need a Drop Shop specific rig for Drop Shotting. If you want the traditional Drop Shot ML or M XF Spinning combo you can do that but there is also the Bubba Drop Shot and other options that you probably already have.

Take my advice and tighten up your reel a little bit if you are new to FC. Tighten up means if you usually run 2 brakes, then run 3. If you usually have a loose cast control knob, tighten it up a bit. I find that with FC, casting a heavier weight helps me cast it effectively. I have no idea how people throw weightless worms with it but they do.