John G

I can't really give you an honest answer about the mid priced rod vs expensive rod but I can tell you that there is absolutely no need to pay 2x the price. If you can be happy with used but not abused, there are deals to be had on high end rods.

Thanks!

This is a knob on the Japan Tackle Website. Jun says it's a 'Shimano Size A' knob that fits the baitcasters as well as the Stradic FJ. My luck with with calling customer service of any kind is people usually think that I am idiot for asking such a question. I can just imagine the response if I called and said, hey, will this knob on Japan Tackle's Website fit a Stradic CI4+ handle. LOL

Looking at the schematic on the Shimano website for a Stradic CI4, I notice that the round knob is removable and it has bearings. My question is would a knob like this one fit on the handle of the 2500CI4+?

Cell phone camera?

A very nice used G. Loomis MBR 843 or MBR844 IMX or GLX for under $200.00 if you are patient and a brand new Shimano Curado 50E or 200E. That is an extremely nice multi purpose rig. I have the 844 IMX and it's a very fine rod. You should even some cash left over to buy some jigs from Seibert Outdoors (a sponsor here) and some some gear for Texas Rigs.

The brakes are there for a reason so you might as well use them. Using no brakes at all, it ain't pretty! LOL Instant birds next unless extreme thumb pressure is applied. I do keep my cast control knob just tight enough so there is no side to side spool movement.

I personally would like to be in the presence of someone who is a reel xpert, pun intended lol, when they cast just say.....a half ounce jig or a Texas Rig with no brakes on their Shimano. I would like to know how they do it without an immediate backlash. Depended on what Shimano I am using and the weight of the lure, I usually have either 2 brakes on or 3 brakes on. Casting unweighted Super Flukes with a Loomis MBR783C and a Shimano Conquest 100, I have 3 brakes on. If I change to a heavier T-Rig, I can drop down to 2 brakes. A 3/4oz frog with a Shimano Citica 200E on a Loomis MBR844, it's 2 brakes on. I have tried casting with no brakes and I have to apply a ton of pressure with my thumb that it totally negates the no brake setting and I end up with no extra distance at all. That said, I am not unhappy at all with my casting. I feel that I get plenty of distance for what I do and If I do any kind of improvements to my reels like my Citicas or regular Calcuttas, it will be ball bearing handles and knobs for smoothness and upgraded spool bearings for saltwater use and upgraded drags.

Jun Sonada with Japan Tackle talks about tuning your reel with a different spool on his website. http://www.japantackle.com/Tuning_parts/Spool_tuneup.htm

This sounds like what I do! I guess the way to avoid lopsided line on the spool is extremely light line tension to begin with.

If when putting line on I notice that one side is getting higher than the other, say for example the left side is getting higher, I will hold the line to the right of the rod while with one hand while reeling with the other hand. This does seem to even things out a bit.

The Loomis CR722 seems to get a lot of action eBay. Every time I see one up for bid they seem to be very popular. Don't know anything about the 721 other than I wouldn't want to fish with a light action from the bank where I live.

I haven't fished with a spincast reel in years but I do have a few. I remember not that long ago I mounted a Zebco 33 on one of my 5' 6" rods and I tied on a weighted popping cork and I stepped out onto my driveway and I launched that cork well into my neighbors yard across the street with ease. I was really surprised at the ease that I achieved that distance. I know from reading this forum, there are a lot of guys that are not getting that kind of distance with their sharp looking and expensive baitcasters.

Cork because I like the way it feels and looks!

Thank you

I will be getting 4 swept without knobs when I get the cash. Would it be possible for you guys to post a pic of the gold? This particular handle would be going on a Calcutta 100B. Thanks

I have never really understood the whole balanced rod thing. I buy a rod that I like and I buy a reel that I like and I go with that. Never really noticed any part of my rigs being out of balance either. I dug out one of my Fenwick Eagle Graphites yesterday, the medium one, and I put my Curado 50E on it. It looks sharp. The green and gold wraps on the Fenwick match up perfectly with the Curado. I tossed around a Squarebill and I believe that I have found my new Squarebill rod. LOL

It seems like I found my rod! Thanks guys

We will have twins! LOL

This is pretty much what I am thinking. Paired up with a Curado 50E it should make a really nice open water rig.

My Ugly Stick is a medium power. It's rated up to 12# line and it has some flex to it. One of the Fenwicks is a 6 Power and the other one is a 5 Power. They were nice rods back in the day. I got both of them on ebay as an adult. I got my first real nice combo when I was 12......IIRC. We had just moved to a new house that sat on 5 acres and there was a nice creek in the back. My dad took me uptown to get a new rod n reel and I picked out a Shimano Bantam Mag Plus 250SG and a pistol grip 5' 6" Fenwick Eagle Graphite. As a little kid, I never did learn how to effectively cast that reel on a consistent basis but I had fun. That was a very nice rig back then.

I am looking at 6'6" MF for squarebills. Good choice or look for something else? Specifically a Loomis MBR782.

I have 2 80's era Fenwick Eagle Graphites and a Berkley Lightning Rod that I bought in the early 90's and a 2piece Ugly Stik. I like the Lightning Rod the best.

Baitcaster using a MH rod.

The one thing that I dislike about braid is the abuse that you can do to your equipment using such a line with so little stretch and strength. Of course it can't abuse your equipment all by itself, the angler will actually do the abusing. I got a jig hung up about a couple of weeks ago using braid and I pulled a little and said the heck with this, so I cut it. I just don't believe that the spool or the shaft on a little baitcaster is meant to take that kind of abuse. Also, I think braid is stronger than rod components. No more braid for me. When I pitch in cover, I will use 20# or 25# Yo Zuri Hybrid.