ChiCityBasser

The Saros is a pretty good reel from all the reviews I have read on it. The Exceler is a very good reel as well and was picked as a pretty good reel in a past issue of bassmasters. My reels are Quantum Catalyst PTi-A & B and also a Kinetic PTi-B and have held up fine under 4-5lb loads with them spooled with 30# braid. Try braid if the 8lb line is breaking off or back off the drag a little to play the fish a bit rather than trying to horse it in. Good luck on your choice and with you budget you will be able to get a very nice setup

The Shimano Sahara I have in the flea market lol

I've heard the all star asr845s 7' is pretty good being a medium/moderate it would be perfect for treble hooks. I use a cabelas prodigy 7' m/f for shallow/mid divers which is on sale for $60 and normally $100.

Practice with it and if it catches fish it works for you. No it may not last ten years but most of us upgrade rods and reels often. As you get more into the sport and gain more knowledge you can upgrade again. If you went with the board recommendations we would all be fishing Shimano . Just practice as someone else stated

Congrats to your wife on her new PB

Had something similiar happen to me fishing a shallow crank along the bank and not paying attention and a huge fish shoots out to grab it and wasn't paying attention. The fish actually scared me cause it jumped out right as I was bringing the lure outta the water. I missed the hookset but it made for good jokes the rest of the day by my brother

If you can find one at Dick's I would say go for it since it's a really great clearance price. Not a posse fan but hard to beat that price otherwise you might want to try the cabelas prodigy which is made by daiwa and on sale for $60.

Thanks for all the responses and before this board the fat ika is something I probably would have never tried either. Now I have one tied on everytime out.

Try the Field & Stream Tec Spec rods at Dick's which are right at $60. They have a couple of spinning rods that will fit your budget. I have a 7' MH/F tube/rigging rod that is light and sensitive and has worked well with weightless senkos and flukes to frogs without a problem. You might also try Cabelas and look at the Prodigy rods which are on sale for $60 and normally $100. I have one of the 7' M/F that is serving as a crankbait rod and could also double as a jerkbait rod as well.

I use a Field & Stream Tec Spec 7' MH/F Tube/Rigging spinning rod paired with a Quantum Kinetic spinning reel spooled with 30# braid. It has handled frogs, senkos, fat ikas and weightless flukes and worms very well. It's a versatile and sensitive rod with plenty of backbone. I have a baitcast setup with plenty of backbone as well but fishing from the shore around trees and bushes I prefer the spinning setup.

Talk with DVT about a custom rod to go with whatever reel you chose. Sure he can build you something that will met your needs far better than any of the recommendations and still keep you within your budget.

It takes practice and as you are beginning learning to cast is important. Casting the same way you do with spinning gear usually results in a backlash if you develop a lazy thumb. I know for me I try to cast as far as possible which results in the sspool spinning faster and the resulting backlash. As dulouz said there is alot of info on the web on using a baitcaster and plenty of videos on Youtube about setting a baitcast up and using it. As you begin to learn distance is usually not the greatest but will improve with practice and it does take practice. Good luck and keep trying it.

My Kistler isn't tip heavy and it has a Quantum Kinetic mounted on it and I haven't handled a Dobyns.

Be looking for the show when it airs

Those first 3 are the most important

Good question 1) Quantum reels 2) Cabelas 3) Mustad 4) Strike King 5) Chevy 6) Ranger 7) Spiderwire Think that covers things

My brother has the Veritas and it spends more time in the truck than on the water. I would also look at Cabelas as they have the Prodigy for $60 and it's normally $100, the XML for $100 and it's normally $140 and the XMLTi for $140 and it's normally $200. I'm picking up a XMLTi spinning model to pair with the new Quantum Smoke spinning reel when they come out later on this year.

Wow I'm only getting close to 200 and way to catch them

Nice Catch!!

Wow, great video Shane and you are good cause I couldn't fish so close to gators..

I use to fish nothing but lipped cranks as well and then got into swim jigs with plastic trailers. After that came the lipless cranks but plastics were further down on the list when I first started. Now I have a rod with some form of plastic tied to it each time out. Right now it's the Fat Ika and Senkos that are getting most of my plastics time on the lake. Its taking some time to get the hookset just right but its worth it as some lakes here because of the heat, the water levels are down but the weeds are up and fishing a crank is close to impossible. Yesterday was the first time my crank rod has stayed in the truck and fished plastics the majority of the time out and worked in a frog also.

True he is looking for a rod in the $100-120 range to pair with an existing reel.

Nice looking fish and glad to see the kids enjoying and really sorry to hear about the pond and again as many have said I hope the restocking is a huge success.

The Cabelas XMLTi rod normally $199 now on sale for $140 and of course the reel of your choice.

The Cabelas XMLTi normally $199 and now on sale for $140