The Yankee Fist

Okay, I think the 844 may be the one. You guys think the 6'6" is too short?

Nope, I wouldn 't recommend the MBR785C for cranks, it has the subtle softness of a pool cue. ;D ;D ;DHmmm..thanks Raul, I'll have to check that one out....that may work well! I'm not proud, no fish biting I can always go logging! I have a 6' 15 year old Falcon CB rod that is still working just fine. Just doesn't handle the big baits.

Wow, thanks guys...Okay the 5 power is even an option? Can I crank with that? Jerkbaits? BCR854 GLX? Good for all of the above too? Sorry guys, just not "up" on the power ratings...

Okay, got the GLX Bronzeback spin, handles 1/8-3/8. Now I want a casting rod to handle alll other shore related duties.....stumps, weeds, hell, maybe a striper or Pike, heavier cranks, spinner baits, jigs, C and T rigs...you know...everything Remember, I have no boat and believe it or not a couple of inches makes a HUGE difference when that bramble and foliage starts too overtake the area in the summer. Primary uses: largemouth, smallmouth, Pike and again, maybe a striper trip this year. Would you get a 6'6" or 7' and why? Would you get a 3 or 4 power and why? There was a GREAT post on Loomis power ratings by the dude with the Darth Vader avatar but I can't find it anywhere. I am VERY Tempted to go to the 4 power due to the fact that it will fish down to a 1/4 and up to one oz and the spin is everything below 3/8 just about. I know RW prefers a 4 power and I am totally understanding why in a casting rod.

I like that shape and the sturdiness. I have an old Quantum IRON IRC....Tougher than a rusted nut it is. On my newest "do all" Baitcast I think I am going to use a 200te Calcutta. I am going to caress one this week at Cabela's.

Thanks! Either MBR783/4 or MBR843/4 I would want to throw a variety with this one too. I felt the IMX 783 and it felt great, really nice but I'm vacillating on 6'6" or 7" and the 3 or 4 powers now that I've had some time to think a little about more what I'll actually be doing since the spin rod handles so much. The extra power might be nice in either length.

Thanks guys I really have to state what I touched on again, this is an "athletic" rod for the lack of a better term. Loomis should advertise: "The Bronzeback GLX, Athletic, so you don't have to be." ;D ;D

No thanks needed bro. Oh, I'm in on the sensitive rod deal.....GOTTA have a least one super stick. Ck the review I just posted on the GLX Bronzeback. I'm converted, though I can't see having ALL rods like that...just one primo one is nice to have in casting and spinning IMHO. Some high priced thing if it's in the budget would be a nice present to yourself after coming back from the sandpit. :)

Thank you for your service to our country. I hope you catch the biggest freakin' bass on the planet when you get home.

Just a magnificent line. I love it. Great compromise between stiff and limp...kinda like a semi... ;D Thanks for the heads up RW, I'm converted.

Yo Zuri Hybird Ultra soft 6lb mist green/used on all rods/Sustain 2500 FE reel. After years of using my BPS Micro Lite 6'6" I finally decided to upgrade to an all purpose top of the line spinning rod. The biggest headache was finding a handle I liked matched with the rod I liked so I could put my finger on the blank and not hold only plastic....give this Tenn. handle fan some cork love! ;D First, the ergonomics. I know, "I don't understand is this guy talking about?" Well, a shore goat like me needs balance, power and finesse out of the one rod I am using most of the time. With a Sustain FE attached the rod balances on your index finger right about where said finger sits. Perfect for bushwhacking, hiking, traversing and perfect for all day fishing comfort in contortionist positions. At 6'10" I thought this rod would be too long but it's quick, crisp feel allows for easy casts in cramped quarters. What did I throw? EVERYTHING in it's weight class, some lures below and some above. These included, whacky worms, T-Rigs, crankbaits, spinnerbaits,inline spinners, tubes, grubs, creatures, jerkbaits, topwater and swimbaits. No problem with any of them. Versatility indeed. I even took it to a clear lake to dropshot off of a point today..Yamasenko attached, worked great. The casting accuracy is astounding. Really, it is. Make no mistake about the sensitivity of the IMX and above. It is there in this rod in spades. For instance, fishing a tube in river current I could feel EVERY little thing...when the bite sets, even a light pressure bite, there is NO doubt it's a fish. Action: Medium they say? Sure, more like fast taper, thin repsonsive tip and the butt of a Sumo wrestler. This rod will handle BIG fish, no sweat. Not that I have caught any yet but I caught a decent sized smallie(in the pic) and the rod was just superlative....enough backbone, suprising amounts actually and that fast tip....I must admit to not being used to the rod's speed and lost a few big ones from being to quick to set the hook. Even largemouth fishing yesterday which I rarely do the rod did very well. Missed some biggies again due to the speed of the rod but I am getting used to it. REC guides: Fear not, they work great. I like that they are made here in my home state and I don't fish superlines so they work just great for me. Comparison to the SMR 750S-SP I had last week...none. Not in the same class as the GLX in sensitivity, balance or feel. Comparison to the SJR721 6' I had to bring back due to a mis-aligned handle.....10% more sensItive....a little more crisp even with the added length and casts a little further. Comparison to my BPS ML......HA! 'Nuff said except that the old rod still feels better than alot of new expensive foreign stuff....this one is Korean I think. It is however, as sensitive as the 750S-SP. Not close to the IMX and even further from the GLX. I caught smallmouth, largemouth, rainbow and brown trout as well as some pickerel and it handledall very easily. NOT just a soft plastics rod, a great all around rod too. Was it worth the cash? Yes, for someone who savors buying American when they can and has worked their but off for the dough it was for me....as was the "one rod to rule them all" theme so I could spend more time fishing. The fishing aspect? It's a GLX Loomis and it is all "they say" it is, I'm a convert. Conservative looking, outrageous performance and just so nice to fish that for me, I found a great all around rod without having to have one made. Really this rod should be marketed as an all around multi-species medium rod with extra nuts in the butt. It's really an "athletic" rod if that makes sense. Would I do it again, yes, in a second. In fact the GLX all purpose casting rod is next. Smallie 1 Smallie 2 Rainbow...bout a 2lb fish on a bass rod and lure? ;D

1) Because your posts led me here. 2) Your endorsement of the Yo Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft..THANK YOU! WHAT A LINE! Best stuff I have ever used. 3) Because I *** those fish in your avatar. ;D

I do. Something nice about that solid, non-plastic feeling of a good roundy.

For jigs and soft plastics, rod sensitivity is VERY important. For "moving" baits, sensitivity is much less important. Single hook lures still require a firm tip, treble hooks a soft tip. Length comes into play for casting distance and comfort. I prefer 7' rods except for topwater and jerkbaits. For me, a 6 1/2' foot rod is easier to maneuver. 8-) Yeah, what he said. I doubled my fish count this weekend on plastics due to my new GLX Bronzeback. You can feel EVERYTHING and what it is. I fish rivers 95% of the time and in current, even slight current, sensitivity is paramount IMHO. I'm a convert to super sensitive rods. I'm going to do a review of the new rod today and it will be compared to a 750 Bronzeback, 721 IMX and my ...DO NOT LAUGH! 1996 Bass Pro ML 6'6" ML rod....that old girl, I thought she was SOOOO sensitive, silly man was I. ;D

NICE FISH! 4LB smallies are no joke. I got a slimmer, shorter 3lb variant this weekend and that fish was hell bent on destroying my gear. Nothing like a good smallie, beats those lazy bucketmouths. ;D ;D

Is that the stuff they give you if you buy a reel? I am WITH YOU. That is just horrendous line. They were out of Yo-Zuri Hybrid Soft 6 and 8# and the guy was like "this stuff is great". NO IT ISN'T! ;D ;D ;D

;D ;D Funny stuff! You should have seen me guiding this thing around ;D big fruits: I got the SMR822S-SP GLX. I did get to do a little throwin, into the wind and rain at a local lake after work. Damned thing is like a lightsaber! Crisp, quick and versatile. Worth ever hard earned dollar for me. I hope to get some fish this weekend. I am going to review this thing too...from a shore dude's perspective.

I got the Bronzeback GLX spinning rod and a Sustain FE and now I want to get an all purpose casting combo and would like to stay with Loomis/Shimano. Here is the combo I'm looking at: MBR783C-GLX Calcutta TE What say you? BTW, I hope you guys don't think I'm some kind of gear snob but I haven't bought a rod or reel for 15 years before now...so, I have put a little jingle aside over time to get two REALLY good all purpose combos that I will use 95% of the time.

x2 X3 Shimano is what I would go for. That's a REALLY sweet reel. Me, I like roundies but that Curado is VERY cool. Reminds me of a super evolved early 80's Bantam Magnumlite 2000GT I have... I'd get that in a heart beat.

I bought a Sustain over the Stradic about a week ago. The Stradic was very nice and a better buy as RW mentioned but side by side outta the box you can notice the difference quite a bit. The Sustain feels more precise if you will. I vote for the Sustain. It's worth the extra bucks IMHO.

It has arrived via Uncontrollable Package Smashers safe and sound.

Thanks! It's here and well, it's REALLY nice. I CAN'T wait to fish this stick!

Of waiting for my GLX is kILLING me...COME ON UPS! 8-)

What model barge do you use to haul those monsters around in? ;D NICE fish!

Largemouth are FUN, smallmouth are an experience! You get a 2lb fish and you'll think you have a lunker LM on ther only with speed, agility and power. Then come the leaps....oh my, acrobatic head tossing insanity. There is no more fun than smallie fishing for me. Sometimes you feel like you are fishing for eye's or trout and sometime, BAM!, strike that make your heart skip. Hard to find, hard to catch where I am and when a big one comes along...4lbs on the river I fish, look out, 6lb test and lots of fun..loads of fun. Lakes are great too....watching them fly out of the water 100 ft from the boat is something special. I got "hooked" about 15 years ago and while I don't turn down a Bucketmouth trip, I look for those smallies almost exclusively. Truly "the gamest freshwater fish lb for lb"