John G

Shimano had an advertisement in, I believe in Florida Sportsman Magazine, back in the very early 80's showing a couple of guys fishing in Saltwater with the small Shimano Bantam reels and the advertisement said IIRC, they were catching 100# sharks.

I don't know about graphite but I do not think a fiberglass rod will ever wear out. Over at 'Archery Talk', guys in the Traditional Section have talked about leaving old fiberglass backed recurve bows and long bows strung for years with no damage at all. I have a couple of 44 year old Bear recurves and unless they get damaged, I don't see why they can't go another 44 or longer.

I just tried casting a Zoom Finesse Worm with a 2/0 Gamakatsu Offset Round Bend Worm Hook. This worm/hook combo weighs just a tad over 3/16th oz. The reel and line was the same for the 2 different rods that I used. A new Shimano Conquest 100 with 12# Yo Zuri Hybrid. The rods were a Loomis MBR783GLX and a MBR842GLX. I tried it with 3 to 5 brakes on with each rod and a loose to semi loose cast control knob. I found that I can cast it with no major trouble but I did get a lot of overruns that were easily pulled out. Distance was another story. How much distance are you guy getting with lightweight rigs? I was getting maybe 30 to 40 feet.

X4 To the OP, You can adjust the reel so you can cast all day and not use your thumb. You need to understand that a backlash occurs because the spool is spinning faster than the lure is traveling. Your magnetic brake or centrifugal brake adjusted all the way on can help greatly in slowing the spool down during the first part of the cast.. The spool tension knob will help control the over runs at the end of the cast. Buy a quality reel! Buy a quality reel! Buy a quality reel! I have only casted one baitcaster other than a Shimano and I had trouble even getting a decent cast. I can cast my Shimano's with no problems and unless there is a mishap, like the lure snagging on brush when I make an underhand cast, I can cast as long as I fish without getting a backlash. The other rod/reel combo that I casted was a KVD combo from WalMart. That combo made me look like a rookie. The lure weight was probably a little more tha 3/8oz and even with the dial turned all the way on and the spool tension knob adjusted tighter than I like, the cast was nothing to brag about. Maybe that KVD reel is quality but it definitely needed a lot more weight tied on the end of the line than it had for me to effectively cast it.

http://fish.shimano.com/media/fishing/SAC/techdocs/en/Low_Profile/09CI201E_v1_m56577569830654410.pdf

If you really want to improve that Citica, buy yourself a Hawgtech Handle. I have 2 Citica 200E's and IMHO they are just fine with the factory spool bearings. I just added a Hawgtech Handle to one of them and I like it so much that I will not use the other one until I get a Hawgtech Handle for it too. The Hawgtech Handle is a carbon fiber handle that gives you 2 ball bearing per knob. Right now, your Citica has no ball bearings in the knobs. Look to right on this page and you will see their add. They are a sponsor here. No, I do not get a discount on my next handle for a referral nor do I work for them. Just a happy customer. LOL

I got my rid of the braid noise and the constant tangling around the eyes by stripping the last bit of Power Pro off the last reel that had it on and throwing it away. Berkley Big Game and Yo Zuri Hybrid from now on.

Did you not see this part of my post?

BTW, I do have a $800.00 combo and it's not my favorite. That combo is a Loomis MBR783 GLX with a Shimano Conquest 100. My favorite combo right now is a Loomis MBR844 IMX with a Shimano Citica 200E. I just put a Hawgtech Handle on the Citica and the only thing that would make that combo any sweeter than it already is, is that I should have bought the rod on eBay instead of paying full retail price at a dealer. I bought the rod new, the reel used in excellent condition and added the new handle. I have just a tad over $400.00 invested.

Or realize that the finer things in life are worth working and saving for.

A $800.00 combo isn't that far fetched for a kid living at home if he has a minimum wage job. I started out at $3.45 per hour bagging groceries in 85. The kids are all making over $7.00 per hour now.

I am going to call back today and to be honest, I hope I get the guy that I talked to yesterday. He thinks that I am wrong about the numbered power rating so I am out to educate him. I know that he doesn't have a clue about the rod that I am interested in but I would still like to educate him on the product that he is answering questions about. I don't know why I didn't think of this yesterday cause I have read their rod descriptions a million times and the rod description of the MBR842 even says it's a 2 power.

I called G Loomis customer service today and I feel like I wasted about 4 minutes of my life when I hung up on the rep. I fish from the bank and I do a lot of pitching into cover with 3/4oz tungsten weighted Texas Rigged soft plastics. My rod is a G Loomis MBR-844 IMX. I feel that this rod is a little light for some of the slop that I pitch into and I called G Loomis today to inquire about the FSR-904X. The FSR-904X IMX is a heavy power like the 844 but it has a 25# line rating and the 844 has a 20# line rating and they are both rated for up to1oz lures. All I wanted to know is if the FSR-904X has more backbone that the 844. I know they are both a 4 power but they are different rods so the 4 power is probably not the same for the two rods. I explained my situation to the rep about how I fish and I know that both rods are a 4 power but I just want to know if the 904 has more backbone than the 844 and here is what I got in return for my efforts...................... Loomis Rep - Where do you get the 4 power thing? These rods are not like fly rods. All the numbers do is tell you the length of the rod. 12x7=84". The rod is 7 feet long. Me - Yeah I know the rod is 7 feet long but the 4 at the end is the power rating. Just like a MBR783 is 6.5 feet long and it's a medium heavy power. The 844 is is 7 feet long and a heavy power. That is what the 4 at the end means. Loomis Rep - What if the 904 had a 3 on the end? Me - Then it would be a medium heavy. You guys used to make a FSR-905X. That rod was extra heavy. Loomis Rep - Well I don't know what to tell you if you are not going to (I think he said .......take my advice) Me - With all do respect sir, I think that I know more about your rods than you do. I apologize for wasting your time. You have a nice day.

A Rage Tail Baby Craw makes for a nice trailer.

Keep in mind that a 1/2 oz jig will be close to or over 3/4 oz with the hook and skirt. Throw on a trailer and you are close to an ounce or more. I just weighed a 1/2 oz Strike King Jig and with the jig head, skirt, hook and rattle, it weighs 0.814 oz. I am looking at close to an ounce or more when I add a trailer.

Have you watched Glenn's Spinnerbait Video? Great video! If I throw spinnerbaits, they are 3/4oz and I use my Loomis MBR844. That is a 7' Heavy Action Fast Tip. http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-videos/spinnerbaits-bass-fishing.html

I have 2 Loomis CR723's. An IMX and a GL3. That means 6' and Medium Heavy. The Loomis CR722 is a very popular rod on eBay. Sure, they aren't as common as a 7 footer but they do exist.

All of my Shimanos have backplay. I think that I have read on this forum that Diawa has no backplay or a lot less backplay than Shimano does. I think that with Shimano, backplay comes with the territory so to speak.

My Loomis MBR844IMX with a Citica 200E. If I had the cash, I would get the GLX version and a Core100MG7.

I just put 15# Tatsu on one of my Citica's. It's for my T-Rig and 3/8oz and above jig rod. I am trying it out it to see if it is more sensitive to me than 15# Big Game. I have no problems with going back to Big Game if the Tatsu doesn't work out even though I may try a heavier pound test Yo Zuri Hybrid before going back to Big Game.

My local WalMart has a very nice Falcon Inshore Poppin Rod for around $90.00. It has a little made in China sticker on it at the bottom of the grip. It is pretty much the same specs as a Loomis PR844C. I know that if I have a little patience, I will find a much better quality Loomis rod for around twice that price......used of course. I personally don't mind waiting and spending more for the Loomis.

. I am one of those suckers. My next rod will be a MBR782, probably a GLX. I know that it will not catch anymore fish than what I can get at WalMart but hey, you gotta spend your money on something, might a well be a super nice rod that ain't made in China! LOL

But the line is in contact with the tip of the rod! The rod has to play a part or else Loomis wouldn't sell a $500.00 rod.

I agree, you got lucky if you didn't screw up your spool if you drilled it yourself. That is unless you are a Tool&Die guy that knows what he is doing. You are definitely on the right track about the lighter spool weight being a factor in casting. This is a link from the Japan Tackle webisite and Jun talks about spool weight. I have thought about buying a lighter spool for my Curado 50E for better casting the lightweight stuff. You know, it's not just holes in the spool that make a difference, line capacity makes a difference too. A spool that holds more line, which you really do not need in a lot of bass fishing scenarios, is heavier empty than a spool that holds less line. Just something else to think about. http://www.japantackle.com/Tuning_parts/Spool_tuneup.htm

I have been fishing off & on since I was a little kid, I just turned 44, and I never even considered tying a lure on a week before I fish, the day before I fish , the day I fish, when I am walking to the creek, before I cast etc. I just grabbed my rod and went fishin and had fun doing it!