JohnFromLisbon

Loomis makes the JBR in spinning, too. It's an 812, so a 6'9 2-power (medium). I've been looking at it but the weight range seems too narrow, they're rated from 1/4 to 3/8 only. I've just ordered a 6'10M Zodias for jerkbaits and smaller topwaters. That 1/4 to 3/4oz range seems like the sweetspot for this stuff. They make a Zodias 6'9 medium in spinning, too. Also, have you tried left hand retrieve casting reels instead?

The Shimano Curado 7'2 Heavy rod. I had handled the MH, and it felt fine. But the 7'2 was noticeably tip heavy - even with a Curado reel on it, which is weird considering they were literally made for each other. Ended up selling it. I still have an old 7'3 Loomis, the 875 MossyBack, that balances better and is slightly lighter too, even with one more guide on it, and can handle a bigger range in weights. In short, I don't miss it.

Hey, I've been stuck at home for a while. I've even been watching those "how to spool a reel" videos that folks put out from time to time, even thought I've been spooling reels since I was 9 or 10. That's how bored I am ? My next goal: learn the FG knot

Considering how light it is I went with the 2500 for the line capacity. Also, @Bass_Fishing_Socal there might be something wrong with your reel. The 2500 is super smooth, buttery smooth, none of that gear-y feel. The 2000 shouldn't be any different, even on the higher ratio models. Mine's an HG and there's no difference in feel.

Me too! Hopefully I can make the jig a confidence bait for me this year

My Black Friday order finally arrived (and only 50+ days later!). Apparently they were completely overwhelmed with parcels that had to be cleared by customs, partly because - y'know - 2020, but also because they decided it was the best time to switch representatives from an old Portuguese company to TNT, which is actually owned by FedEx. Usually I can get my stuff from TW within 2-3 days from their warehouse to my door here in Portugal. Anyway... Here it is. It just got here. I barely had enough time to lay everything out on the desk like it was a drug bust made by local police.

Hey guys! Sorry, won't be able to make it tonight. Work's been hectic and I have an early morning tomorrow. This whole timezones thing, I tell you... ? Besides, all I'd do is mention places none of you have ever heard. I'll try to catch you on the next one! @MN Fisher hoping everything's okay.

Bienvenido from across the border! ?

I'll try to join you for a bit as usual, but I have an early morning on Tuesday. @kingmotorboat good luck man!

Last purchase this year. Probably. Definitely. I've been wanting one of these lightweight egg beaters for a while now. I've had the Stradic FK on my NRX but I wanted something that would balance a bit better on it.

Just got a new toy, a Curado 71 MGL. Amazed of how well if feels in hand. Also, thanks to @waymont for showing how good this thing looks on an IMX-PRO. Here it is compared to the regular Curado K (no, *your* reels have the handle on the wrong side! ?)

Got this one from TW over the summer for under 30 bucks. Holds 15 rods but it'll be a tight fit if you keep the reels on. They list it as the "Organized Fishing 15 Rod Round Floor Rack", but the box said "Old Cedar Outfitters". It's not much but it gets the job done. The round parts are MDF and the center shaft is solid wood. My longest rod is 7'3", so height isn't an issue for me - for now.

My first contact with proper bass fishing was watching Ron and Al on those Rapala instructional videos in my early to mid teens. I learned a lot from them. He will be missed.

It'll do fine for me, it's a Saturday night so I don't have to leave this one earlier. Thanks guys!

Wow... That's just. Whoa. That's some intrusive thought material right there. It's probably one of my biggest, like... Irrational fears.

Made my order about 3 hours ago, had to replace a couple of things that had sold out meanwhile and replace the #15 and #50 Power Pro with the equivalent Sufix 832 (apparently they can't sell it outside North America). Got the email confirming the order was received, now I'm just waiting for the second email and invoice total. Meanwhile the stuff I ordered from a tackle shop up north just got here. They were out of almost every color and weight, these were all I could get for now.

@MN Fisher yeah, I can't risk a backordered item. For every package I get from them I have to pay FedEx 50.00 euros (about $ 60.00) just for handling the customs stuff (apart from the shipping charge itself, which is about $ 40.00), and they I gotta pay 23% sales tax on the order total. In fact I don't think they have the whole backorder thing for international orders for that exact reason. Believe it or not, if the order is big enough and for certain items, it's still cheaper than buying those particular items from a local shop. And some things just doesn't have a distributor in Europe yet, like the Reaction Innovations stuff. @Boomstick I've had to go and check my wishlist to replace the stuff that sold out in the meantime, and I'll do it on Friday morning again. You know there's a rush when they're out of green pumpkin Smallie Beavers ?

Ditto! I'll try to clear my morning the next day so I can hang out with you guys for a while longer. But hey, this whole being several hours ahead will pay off on Black Friday when I don't have to get up early to order stuff online from TW before it sells out ?

It'll be at 1 AM here. I'll try to drop in and say hi but I can't stay long ?

This is probably the best way to go. We're 100% on metric here but I use pounds and ounces for anything fishing related, since I learned how to fish for bass from old Bassmaster magazines, late 90s and early 2000s fishing shows on tv, early internet sites and forums, stuff like that. I round down to 28 grams and it makes everything easier. 7 grams (or roughly the equivalent of a sugar packet here) is 1/4, 10.5 is 3/8, 14 is 1/2oz and so on. Half a gram is such a tiny amount that you're not really hurting yourself rounding down, especially considering the tolerances built into the rods, reels, and fishing line.

I have the previous one and it's also very tip heavy, even with that metal "disc" at the bottom

It just cannot be overstated how great the IMX-PRO looks with a Curado on it, especially that 70 MGL. The shaped full cork grip, the simple green on black guide wrap... I honestly think it's the best looking Loomis rod since the old green GLX. I love my NRX but that green on blue wrapping looks weird. It may be the best rod on the market but it's surely not the best looking one.

I love their stuff, absolutely love it. I caught my first bass on a Rainbow Trout F-7, graduated to larger jerkbaits like the Husky Jerk and the X-Rap. My favorite bass bait to this day is a DT-6. Just saw all their promos for the OG Slim, how it grew out of Ott's garage and all that. But isn't the OG Slim just a DT-Flat with a different lip and line tie? Don't get me wrong, I'll still get a few because they haven't made any flat-sided crankbaits since discontinuing the DT Flat, but I'd rather they be upfront about it if it is.

I'm 5 to 8 hours ahead of you guys but I'd be in on either a Friday or a Saturday ?

My idea was that I'd have a rod that did OK with finesse jigs and t-rigs and I could also throw - say - a DT4 or DT6 in a pinch if I'm fishing from the bank instead of from the canoe or the terrible little fiberglass boat we rent sometimes (also known as the USNS Discomfort) where we can carry more rods and have something better for treble hooked baits. The full IMX-Pro lineup would be 812C JBR, 842C MBR, 852S JWR, 853C JWR, and the 844C MBR. For crankbaits I still have my old 783 and 785 CBRs for crankbaits, the 785 being that old green GLX model - maybe late next year I'll replace those with the 7 foot models as well.