Flywatersmallie

Its bad here in east central Wisconsin, certain times of the year. Fortunately enough, its mostly walleyes that go home by the truckload. Those and white bass. Yet when confronted by the DNR as to why they have 43 walleyes and 4 undersized smallies on their stringer and one gets "I dont understand". Yet the understand enough to not put the sheephead on said stringer and stash the sturgeon in the trunk. It happens an awful lot. Makes me sick!

I bought one, I like it a lot! The "trickle down" from the higher end series is very apparent. It feels a lot like the older Stradics to me. I just wish they wouldnt have eliminated the 1500 size. That was a great size for the smallie fishing I do

Boy.... I spend maybe $50 a week, every week on baits alone, I have a bit of a weakness I'm sure many can relate to, for shiny new things. That alone is around $2500. Throw in a couple new rigs that I end up buying every year and we are at roughly $3k. Buying a boat in spring, does that count?

On my local river..... a 2" Senko run on a 3/32 oz jighead, drives them wild!

Go with the Avid! I have a few and love them... I have an IMX too and I actually prefer the Avids. Get a combo for the same price as the IMX.

Zebco and Quantum are one in the same. Obviously marketed differently but still the same company as we all know. Why is it that Quantum does something and nobody says a word yet when it trickles down to the Zebco line people laugh? I think its brilliant..... Here's why. All the Quantum pros, Bill Dance, KVD, Grigsby and the like that the weekend warrior sees on TV are using the new Quantum stuff, some of which is styled like those goofy Zebco rigs. People are gonna see that at wally world or wherever and opt for that rig over a comparable cheapo rig by Shakespeare or what have you because they saw Angler X using THAT rod on tv and boy, he sure caught them with it. Beginner logic wont often allow to buy a high or mid priced rod but when they can buy one "almost as good" as what the pros are using, well, there you have it.

I think that makes 2 of us!

That's a nice price! Too bad I dont have the extra $$$ or a real need right now. Starting under $100, you cant complain!

I didnt know they discontinued it.... Its readily available around here, has been for years. I have used it in the past, there are better lines out there(power pro comes to mind) , but it does what it should. If I recall, it was pretty pricey back in the day, like $18 or something for a spool. That still the case?

They are OK by me. Thats it. I catch fish on them sometimes but there are far more productive baits for smallies around here.... I fish river fish most of the time, maybe that makes a difference? I am fishing to great lakes fish too. On my waters at least, grubs, small Senkos, hair jigs all work better. Cant find Venom tubes around here any more, they were the best. The Gander Mountain store brand arent bad, Chompers are good as well.

It's ok. For the money its nice. Though I dont like straight flouro, its a bit too stiff for my taste.... I use the Vicious stuff for leaders and have had good results. Mine was free or I likely wouldnt have tried it (or any flourocarbon) but its not bad. I really do like the Vicious braid though!

It is a low profile reel, period. It sits very low, like the other reels in the Revo line. I have smaller hands and I can comfortably palm it. I played a little with the 60 size and that was wider, didnt feel any larger in the hand. Right now, I'm running 50lb Power Pro. Bass season (at least the swimbait variety) is about done this year, I've had it out a couple times for muskies the last week or so.

I got a 50, attached to a St Croix Musky Legend Tournament Top N Tail (8' MHF) It's my new swimbait rod. I liked that particular rod better than the Bass series swimbait rods out there. A little extra length without going too heavy on the power rating. That reel could pull a truck out of the mud!

Had one and sold it. It was ok, though as stated, a bit heavy. There are better options out there in the price range and for less. Instead of spending on this reel, I would grab a TD Tierra or Advantage, Shimano Stradic or Saros or a Abu Garcia Cardinal 800 series. Or save $50 and get a Daiwa Exceller, solid reel. I'm a Shimano fan, especially with their spinning reels but that Daiwa stuff is rock solid at a good price

Depends on the size of baits you wanna fish with it and the size of the smallies. I have been served well by the St Croix Avid AVS66MLF but then again, I throw a lot of tiny cranks (Salmo Hornets, Rebel Teeny Wee Craws and the like), jig/plastic combos and 3" Senkos to fish where 5lbers are not common, lots of small fish. Obviously this is a more specialized tool for these smaller fish and smaller baits. You might want to bump up to a medium in the same line if the average fish or baits are bigger. I love the Avid series! A perfect combination of performance and value in my opinion

You wont have a problem with braid cutting guides. Not at all. The only time I have heard of that actually happening was on really cheap rods, and even that has been years. I have been running braid on both spinning and casting rods for years and have never had any problems. On a side note, I might take some flack here but I'd like to recommend Fireline for a spinning rig. I use the 8 lb (3lb dia) on my medium and medium light rigs. It has the no stretch properties of braid yet is a little stiffer, behaves pretty close to mono, only without the coils and twists being such an issue

Is it gonna cry and write a love song and sing it off key?

Been there! You are gonna LOVE the Avid! I have a couple of them as well. Also have a couple of Legend Tournaments, a Legend Elite, a GLX and a Fenwick Techna AV. I would agree too, the Avid is far and away the most rod for the buck! Sure the others are more sensitive but $50, $100, $200, I sure dont think so! The Avid is a great stick! Especially the new IPC models. Classy looking, very well built. You will not be disappointed and will never out grow that stick! I've got that same model, as well as a AS66MLF that are my go to river smallie sticks. In fact, I just bought the ML a few weeks ago and love it more each time I get it out!

I fish alone most of the time.... People already think Im nuts much less having me yelling and carrying on to myself or talking to fish. Usually some kind words are quietly spoken toward the fish after it comes to hand though.

Not the biggest I have ever caught, this one went around 16" but the markings were absolutely beautiful, the pictures dont do it justice to be sure

I had never even seen a pickerel till just now. We dont have them up here as far as I know. Tons o' pike though, muskies too

And they are just the opposite here. Tubes dont compare to grubs and the like. Bucktails seem to only produce when the water is below like 40 or 45°

I tie my own, I generally use real light ones, 1/16th or so. Patterned after the Spro Live Bucktail ones only much smaller. Have some of my own patterns too but all of them are 1/4 oz on the heavy end, 1/32 on the light. You dont need a cannonball to get down there

looks like she has it in the bathroom there

I bought one of those Silvermax reels on a whim some time ago as it was on sale, picked it up for like $40 as a backup. There is a drop off from the Revos but.... Its a decent reel, especially at that price! Its nice and easy to adjust and is pretty comfortable to hold. Good find!