DINK WHISPERER

Between those two, Dobyns hands down. The Fury line actually runs a little stiffer and closer to their ratings than other lines in the Dobyns family. The 734 is the best all around jig/worm in the Fury series IMO.

Pretty sure just about any reel will bomb a 3/4oz weight!

He's saying he ordered the USDM XG whole assembly which should have came with the power grip knobs included. Shimano doesn't even offer the JDM knobs for the Metanium on their page. However, they are the same ones as the Curado 70 MGL uses.

That's not possible unless someone swapped them out. The Curado and the Metanium B both use the exact same part number knobs! If you're wanting the handle assembly from the Curado 150 MGL the part number is BNT6906. You will also need the handle nut plate cover which is part number BNT6914. If you want the Curado 200 K assembly then you want part number BNT5686 and your Metanium nut cover should fit on it. Remember though that the Curado 200k assembly comes with black knob end caps. If you want the chrome Metanium ones you'll need 2 of part number BNT5840 also.

The 2020 Metanium, Curado MGL 150 and the Curado 200 K all use the exact same big power grip knobs. So if you ordered the handle assembly it should have came with the shank, knobs, bearings/seals and end caps. They sale the whole assembly or everything individually. What exactly did you order? Left or right handed? Also, Shimano will accept returns or exchanges on anything you ordered from them.

Don't forget the shims/washers under the bearing held by the screw to avoid any slop in the knobs.

I've never physically seen them in my waters but I know they're there. I've caught bass with pinchers hanging from there rear as they pass them out. Doesn't really matter as far as using craw style baits or any bait for that matter. I've used shiner swimbaits where there's only bluegill as bait and even trout pattern baits here in FL and they work if the fish are eating.

Times like these I wish BR had a face palm SMH emoji!

I own one spinning combo and I only bought it to use when I go to Miami in search of peacocks. Sometimes it's hard throwing the small shiners used to catch them on casting gear in hurricane force winds. ?

All this work just to get to the one remaining plastic bushing in the 2020 Metanium MGL! Thanks a lot Shimano!

I get mine right from Shimano at https://fishshop.shimano.com/ I actually got the Curado K 200 XG handle on some of mine. It's slightly bigger than the XG Met at 96mm instead of 95mm. It's $15.80 for the whole assembly with power knobs vs $38.55 for the Metanium assembly. You'll just need the chrome end caps or "knob seals" since the Curado knobs come with black end caps. Also, the Curado handle matches the Metanium body color better as well. If you purchased the 6.2 or 7.1 JDM Metanium you got the tiny 84mm handle. If you purchased the XG then you should have a 90mm but the knobs are still tiny and not the power grips. Let me know if you need help with part numbers.

I visit headwaters frequently and never have any issues catching big fish. My biggest there came on the savage gear line through shad in golden shiner though ? Big EZs, chatterbaits and hollow body frogs have also produced well for me. You hit the nail on the head here! We let our bass grow themselves. I'm sure if we flooded trout and huge golden shiner in every major body of water here we would have 20lb + fish too. SMH.....

Green pumpkin hands down.

Some JDM love from Digitaka! Exsense DC SS.

That's what it seems like. I'm thinking big swimbaits will be what I use it for.

I've been curious about this reel for a while so decided to finally try it out. Shimano Exsense DC SS.

SLX XT

My god, where to begin ? I've had too close encounters with Panthers, bears, gators and crazies! The one that really got to me was on Okeechobee a few years ago. I waited too long to leave after seeing a storm moving in. I got caught out in the middle of the lake. The boat was coming so far out of the water that outboard kept cutting off. Then while trying to get it started back up we were taking water in. And of course the bilge pumps decided to not work since I never used them. I learned to leave with plenty of time to spare.

I like a fast action rod for my topwater so I don't normally use braid. I prefer mono or Copoly. The one exception is for my bigger swimbait size topwater stuff. I use 50lb braid to a mono leader for those. As for the weightless stuff, no, never. I only use fluoro for that stuff.

Every one of my reels except 2 are Shimano. Most of them have the 4 pin SVS braking system. They are all set up about the same. 2 pins on and 2 off internally. Spool tension tightened to where the side to side clacking just barely stops. The rest is done with the exterior brake dial depending on lure weight and wind. Pretty set it and forget it to me.

I couldn't agree more! I'm OCD about the details.

I'm definitely in! ?

If this stuff is even comparable to what I'm using now I'm going to owe you big time for putting me on to it! I might stock up heavily on it because companies are known to go make changes and screw a good product up(cough, KastKing braid).

That picture would suggest it's better than my Vicious in the fade department! I just ordered 2 spools. One in 60lb & 50lb in 547 yards each for the price of one Vicious 300 yard spool!

Yeah I was just on there and the prices seem too good to actually be fade proof. I have no reason to not believe you though so I'm ordering a spool of 50lb and 60lb to try out. If it's anywhere near as fade proof as the Vicious stuff then I've been getting ripped off. Thanks a lot man.