The_Natural

I bet that 785 is a frickin' broomstick! I bet you won't have any problems with hooksets or moving fish!

Only in the sensitivity department. The Steez were lighter and prettier. The Steez was the first split-grip I've held that didn't feel tip heavy (even though TT shows a balance point at +9" for the compile-X versus the mbr844c glx at +7.5"). The sensitivity difference on the Compile-X wasn't major, but I noticed it after a while. It was also that my 7'1" Compile X's didn't feel like they were a fast action rod...felt more like a moderate action. The rod would flex over the load of pitching 1/2oz jigs. I think that was the straw. It wasn't something I decided overnight. I owned them for a couple of months. I'd give anything to have a rod identical to the Compile-X with a BCR blank. Rods are something kind of a personal preference thing after a certain price point...I definitely wouldn't be shocked if someone said they would take the Steez over the BCR. The Steez does get you attention...everyone that saw me fishing would ask me about it

Kent...You crack me up. I'm going to be successful enough one of these days to send you a Steez reel, and you are going to need a trip to the shore with toilet paper. I don't even own any (my only one is on its way to Cal at TT). I'd send you one of my TD-Z's if I could afford it. I'm certainly not anti-shimano...I still want two scorpion regulars with 90mm bassart handles as cranking reels (regret selling the ones I had), but a TD-Z would get you on board with Daiwa's technology. Ceramic spool anyone?!

Yoy never say what model you were looking at. The big difference between them is the XF action of the BCR 803. This is what make it ideal for smaller jigs and worms. One of my favorite. I'm looking at both the BCR803 and 804 in Mossyback... the GLX is out of my budget since Santa is buying himself a new Curado 101 as well. Don't forget to look at the IMX MBR rods too. Maybe the 843? They are a little more, but they are really nice all around rods, that would work well for larger jigs, IMO. If you have a Sportsmans warehouse nearby, they have/had the MBR785's on sale for $150. That's where I got mine. I scored two IMX 783 SJR's for $120 last month. I've actually never seen a 785...interesting. I did own a weible reel seated 784, and regret selling it. It felt like a 783...maybe because the weible reel seat and heavy steel locking ring put the balance point closer to the reel seat.

Lure Craftsmanship, attention to detail, hooks....yes. Graphite...no. Gary Loomis quit his personal development in blank construction '97 when he sold his company to Shimano. The GLX graphite had already been out for a couple of years. He was a big hunter and fisherman, and was ready to spend time with his family, hunt, and fish. There is no telling what we would have if he was still at the helm and he didn't sell Loomis to Shimano. Probably something that would reach out and slap us in the face if we got a bite...

Agile is what I call it. Ito is willing to make his Megabass rods 5-6ozs on a medium to medium-heavy power rod just to get it balanced (I don't like the counterweight...I'm a Loomis guy). They do feel light though...without a reel intervening.

Oh crap...just saw you were talking about the reel. Yeah...the reel is legit. I'd take it over the brick...I mean the Calais. Even the DC Calais.

I did...owned four of them and ended up exchanging them for BCR's. Better looking and lighter than my BCR's...yes. More sensitive...no. This became more apparent after a couple of months of ownership. Once the coolness factor wore off...I realized they didn't perform up to my BCR GLX's...back to Cabelas they went (that's why I shop at Cabelas...they unconditionally guarantee every product). I got wrapped up in coolness of them, and when they just became another rod I picked up when power fishing...I noticed the difference.

Isn't Hello Kitty a copyright infringement . Nice. I've been wanting some of the coated cork knobs...along with some Bassart 90mm handles.

The_Natural, Those numbers say the same thing I did.... :-? Hold the (Powell @ 8.5"), ( Loomis @6.25"), and (Kistler @8.5") in front of the reel seat, and the rods will feel neutral balanced... Move back and hold the rods at the reel seat (without a reel) and the rods WILL be and feel TIP HEAVY. twors, Good Luck in your rod search, for someone with an arthritis problem I would recommend a custom build..... Tight Lines!!!! I was just refuting your original statement that all rods feel tip heavy without a reel. Of course no rod has a neutral balance point. The split grip puts the balance point farther forward, and we hear the familiar term 'tip-heavy'. You've been around a long time, and respect your posts, but saying split grips feel tip heavy is a fairly common comment. Raul owns a few Loomis's, and purchased a Kistler Magnesium...it was the first thing out of his mouth.

twors, All rods feel tip heavy without any reel mounted.... I have to disagree with that. Sure, a reel will help balance out most split grips, but the balance point doesn't lie, and how far away the neutral balance point is from the reel seat; the better balanced the rod is. A rod with a balance point +5" from the reel seat isn't going to feel as tip heavy as a split grip with a balance point 8" from the reel seat; put a reel on both and one is still going to feel better balanced. TT always measures the balance point when they do their reviews. Here are two popular rods versus the venerable 783 glx... The last measurement is how far from the reel seat it takes the rod to reach neutral balance... Powell 683C Extra Fast 1.79 Extra Fast Bottom 3.7 oz + 8.5 " Loomis MBR783C GLX 1.76 Fast Bottom 4.1 oz + 6.25" Kistler MgAPSMH66 1.60 Fast Top 3.5 oz + 8.5"

I'm a Daiwa guy, but a I've found the factory will under or overload the bearings with grease or oil. If you clean the bearings and lube them, I bet the sound goes away.

Yeah...pretty much. I own an 803 and 804...and the 803 being an ex-fast and the 804 being a fast...I can't tell a lot of difference. For an all around worm and jig rod for anything 5/8oz and under...I'd go 803. It has a lot of power. Amazingly...the 804 feels just as light and balanced...maybe it is the action. Regardless...I just don't think you can beat the 803 for nearly any worm or jigging other than seriously heavy cover/baits.

I've come full circle...my family has had a lake house on Grand Lake for 30+ years. I fished recreational for everything (crappie/bass) until I was in 6th grade, when my aunt got divorced and remarried a guy who was serious into bass fishing...he was the president of a bass club he started in Missouri...the Missouri Backlashers. I fished this club for two years from 14-15 as a guest that could not participate legally according to BASS rules (had to be 16...and I would have placed a couple of times which made it even more frustrating...no Jr. Bassmasters in the early '90's.) No internet...I learned most from my uncle...whom I contribute to my passion for the sport...and many techniques I gained confidence in while fishing with tournament partners in the club. So being a tournament fisherman makes you better I believe...not because you are a 'tournament fisherman'...but because there is always a time you aren't catching them under certain conditions and your partner is...you learn what technique to perform and what bait to throw when what you are doing isn't working. The Slider, Carolina rig, and a few others are examples of things I learned while fishing club tournaments when I was yourng. I've only been able to fish ponds the last two seasons after finishing in the top 5 the two years prior in my club fishing from the back of the boat. I am going to switch jobs by spring to allow me to start fishing some larger tournaments after talking to my wife. You only have one shot...isn't it everyone's dream?!

Cosign

Why don't you start making them and selling them for cheaper price than kistler, I will buy all you can make if you can make them as good as a kistler ( which I realy doubt you can) and incase you can't read they have changed over to fuji seats now, as someone said earlier in this topic. Yes, Kistler switched to the Fuji seat after numerous issues with the batson seat. I knew about it before they announced it, but I was still seeing the Batson seats at Cabelas. I'm not a rod builder...if I had the equipment and maybe the talent (never tried); I'd build a quiver of split grip glx's with black foam grips. I used to get into these debates, but I'm more relaxed now (come full circle I guess recently). It's all about what you believe in and spend your hard earned money on. Confidence in your equipment equals fish in your livewell, whether it is Croix, Loomis, or Kistler. I think you get more with a Croix or Loomis, but that's my opinion, and they are like a-holes...everyone has one. Use what you like. I break on average 3-4 Loomis rods each season whether it be my partner stepping on one, shutting it in the car door, etc. (actually never broken one on the hookset)...the warranty is imparative to me when I have a family. I get a new rod before I even ship out my broken one. That is ridiculous customer service. I'll surf the message boards while I have a few beers and sometimes I speak my mind when maybe I should just keep my thoughts to myself. People will find out by trial and error like they have for centuries.

....as long as the water is warm enough for them to suspend It would be impossible to make a jerkbait to suspend in all densities of water (say 45-55 degrees). My secrect is the Daiichi 4x treble I use...the stock hooks are 1x or 2x, and if my bait is rising; I will change the front hook to a 4x to delay the rise. If it floats up fast I will change both the front and back hooks to Daiichi 4x's...this generally only happens when the water gets in the upper 50's. The colder the water; the more likely it is to suspend.

You can build your own Kistler for much cheaper than you can buy one from the factory. Just order a rainshadow blank, a baston reel seat, and some batson guides and you are in buisness. Kistler is a rod assembler; not a rod maker. They don't roll any blanks. Go to another site where all the rod builders hang out (like george roth, mark g, etc.) and see what their opinions are about kistler. George Roth is probably the most respected custom rod builder around (he has custom built rods for Cal on Tackle Tour). Tackle Tours rod junkies with their addicition to JDM rods that are ornate and decorated will admit that the 15yr old GLX graphite is still second to none. It's fact. I don't have anything against Kistler but their profit margin. With their component choice; they are taking people to the cleaners on the HE2. For $300+...at least offer an ECS reel seat and Ti framed SiC's (the Rainshadow blanks aren't very costly either). The Magnesium series is a decent rod for the price and I can't say anything negative about it.

This is something I do frequently. I'm assuming you are talking about crankaits. I modify probably 1/4 of all cranks I fish with, not including changing the hooks). Don't be afraid...sometimes you will end up with a bait that just kills. I've been shaving bills on crankbaits for some time. I won't post all the picks of the bass I caught on the slender pointer I modified, but I will show you the mod I did for the slender pointer (I posted all the keepers I cuaght last week on my modded bait on Bass Pro's website). To keep the action of the bait, make sure you duplicate the curve or shape of the lip/coffin bill/etc.; otherwise you will ruin a bait. The shell white bait is just up for comparison...I don't own any flashminnows or I wouldn't have taken these measures, but it slayed the fish. The Slender Pointer is THE jerkbait IMHO....here is the one I modified versus a stock bill.

What is dis soft plastic you speak of? I only know the cranka baita.

I just change my hooks out. On spinnerbaits...I will use a file. On jigs...I usually lose them before they need sharpening .

The Bagleys have a really weak clear coat...almost non-exsistant. I love'em...fish love'em, but even if the bait doesn't contact rocks the hooks will poke holes through the finish. The Rapala's do have a good finish. H&T's and WEC's have the best finish of any bait IMHO...they use an epoxy to coat the lure.

Any of the old packaged Bagleys are worth some change...not 2 grand worth of change, but are pretty sought after. I'm sure Avid will say he can go to Bass Pro and buy a 'vintage' DB2 he would sell you . Mike Iaconelli spent $50 to have a vintage B2 restored...you know that dog would hunt. As a kid when I first got into bass fishing, I remember going into tiny ma and pa tackle stores by the lakes I visited with my uncle and seeing really old packages from several brands. I bet they would be worth money now...I should have cleaned out the Wiggle Warts and Bagleys. Who knew? There is a small minnow shop by Grand Lake, and they still have a bunch of ancient soft plastics. Really old Gene Larews, Guido Bugs, and even Gillrakers! Come on...Gillrakers would give culprits a run for their money!

Tackle Warehouse has the RC's for $9.99 right now (the deep divers, too).

They go from $200-$280 depending on model. You can find 2007's for $150...if you can live without the split cork.