kLuo

Have a '15 Metanium DC and my favorite part is the versatility. I can effortlessly cast a 1/16 oz jig head with a tiny plastic on it and then switch to a 3/4 oz punch rig no problem.

From my experience, the Fenwick Aetos lines are lighter than other rods in terms of power. I think you could get away with throwing the Whopper Plopper on the HMG but I could see how it would make the Aetos feel floppy.

I gave it a fair test for a full season and ended up hating it. It's too supple so you get wind knots very easily, the abrasion resistance is poor, and the weave comes undone quicker than any other braid I've used. It does cast smoother than original PP but there are so many better 8 strand braids out there.

+1 on the Fenwick EliteTech Ice Rods. The ultralights are perfect for finesse panfish jigs and the medium-lights are perfect for spoons. I have size 20 Pflueger Presidents on them and it's a great setup.

Those look awesome. Were you able to ask what brand of boxes they are?

Sebile magic swimmer for me.

I have 2 in the 30 size and a few other Pfluegers in the same size. Never felt the need to go bigger. I agree with DVT that they are the best bang for your buck.

Hey Matthew, Shooter is much more abrasion resistant than Sniper and has a bit less stretch. A lot of people like Sniper (myself included) because it is really easy to manage and is fantastic on spinning reels. If I had to pick between the two for a braid leader, I would definitely choose Shooter since you don't need the manageability and would want the abrasion resistance. Take a look at Sunline's website since they show you what each line's characteristics are like.

Yes, the MGX is a Gen 3 Revo model, but it is a different shape than the rest of the Gen 3 Revos. It is shaped much more similarly to older Revo models. If you hold the two in your hands side by side, the difference is very noticeable.

These two reels are built for different things. The Revo Rocket is basically a Premier with the only difference being that a Premier is lighter due to a carbon side plate but the Rocket has a faster gear ratio. The Rocket is also built on the newer Gen 3 design which is MUCH more comfortable to hold in my opinion. The MGX is built to cast light baits but the reel itself is bulkier due to the different design. MGX is lighter than the Rocket though. Long story short, if you want a reel that is designed to throw light baits, go with the MGX. If you want a reel with fast retrieve that would be good for topwaters, flipping/pitching, or anything else where it is important to take in line quickly, go with the Rocket.

I have both a 1 piece and 2 piece 6'6" MF Aetos. Use the two piece as my travel rod and I can't notice a difference between the two. I tried out the 7'0" MF one and the action felt significantly different. Much more whippy and did not feel like a true fast action.

Hair jigs are my #1 lure for ice out. A light weight jig crawled along rocks has gotten me bites when nothing else has.

I wouldn't make this comparison since the baits are different enough. Using this logic, I could then say that Ikas are pretty much tubes...tubes imitate craws...craws go on jigs...so small finesse jigs should catch the same as TRDs? The IKA has tentacles and has a significantly larger profile than the Ned rig. At the end of the day, I think we are all agreeing on the same thing. The Ned rig is just another finesse tactic that catches a lot of fish...BECAUSE IT IS A FINESSE TACTIC. For what it's worth, I fished alongside someone fishing the TRD with 1/16 oz jig head last weekend and I smoked him with a 4.5" drop shot worm. Catch rate was 3:1 in favor of my drop shot.

What size Trokar tube hook do you guys use for 3.5" tubes?

I do the same thing except I use a paper clip wire. Also, is that a Buckeye J-will head I see? Excellent choice, sir.

You poke a hole in the head of the bait with the hook where the line tie end of the hook would normally go through. Then you can easily slide the line tie end through afterwards. Note: this needs to be done before you tie the hook to the line.

They have made the rod line heavier so you have to go down a power. I also have the 6'9mxf smallmouth rod and love it. The replacement for that rod in this line is the 6'10mlxf.

I am worried that the MH will not be able to throw anything under 1/2 oz well and this may be the only rod I have with me on some trips. Have you tried throwing 1/2 oz + plastic on your 7' med Veritas? How does the rod load up when you are throwing it? Haha thanks for the tip. I was actually the guy you were asking about the Fenwicks via PM. I really like the Fenwicks but I am looking for a casting 2 piece which severely limits my options. I've pretty much settled on a Veritas at this point.

I'm about to order an Abu Garcia Veritas Casting rod but I am not sure what power to order and do not have a store near me where I can try them out myself. I am deciding between the 6'6" MF and the 6'9" MHF. I want a shorter rod because this will be my travel rod. I heard that Abu Garcia rods are typically heavier than they are labeled. I would be using this rod primarily to throw 1/2 oz jigs with the occasional lighter weight tube or t-rig. I really don't like it when my rod feels like a broomstick but I am worried that the 6'6" MF won't handle the 1/2 oz jigs as well since it is rated up to 5/8 oz and the 1/2 oz jig+trailer would be pushing that limit. Can anyone speak to the power and weight rating of these rods? Thanks!

If their schedule is anything like the last two years' schedules, the next one will be around 4/15 for their Tax Stimulus sale.

I've used 30 lb PowerPro on my baitcasters for years without a single break off. I can confidently say that.

I have one for deep cranking but that is pretty much all I use it for. It is very technique specific, imho. It does, however, excel at what it was designed to do.

I have not weighed a fish on it yet because I got it about a month ago and everything is still frozen here. When you first turn it on, it takes a couple seconds to zero the scale. Is this what you mean by calibrating? I don't find this to be a big deal and my other scale does the same thing. The lip grip part is smaller than the Boga style lip grip but I think it is a good size for bass fishing. It feels pretty solid and I can't see a bass being able to shake themselves off of it. I have not had a chance to test any weights on it yet but I bought this scale for the same reason you did - to use on my kayak. I accidentally catch pickerel sometimes and this will make getting them off my line a lot easier while I'm sitting on my kayak. Hope this helps!

I recently purchased Berkley Pistol Lip Grip (#2 on your list) and the battery is a small lithium coin battery. I don't think these are rechargeable though, but I am not sure.

3rd vote for the 6'9" M. I have that rod and I love it. The action is slightly less than XF and feels more F...makes a great all-around rod.