Dave T.

This happens all the time on most forums. You get the diehards that spend so much time on a forum that they get bored or annoyed when they read the same or similar posts over an over again. They really need to get a life beyond their beloved forum.

I sure hope this means that Diawa will be coming out with a faster retrieve ratio on their spinning reels. Still, $50 off a Sol is hard to pass up.

That is a great deal on those rods. I hope that do the same promo on their spinning rods.

I use an improved clinch or a palomar knot with braid, and really can't tell the difference in performance.

Avids are really nice rods. Don't have a Cruicial, so I can't compare, but I've heard good things. Both have a nice warranty.

I would use soft plastics as a search bait to find the fish. They will find cover/structure no matter how sparse it is.

It's a great addicition... hope it lasts a lifetime.

and with the right braid line... they are very close to perfect.

If you're not sure, why chance it? The other folks have give you some great options. I doubt that anyone knows more about it than the Reel Mechanic, so I'd consider his recommendations very seriously. For me, most of my reels are Shimano's. I use Dupont Teflon/Lithium grease in the spray can for the gears and shafts, and Penn synthetic reel oil for rest. I use some pure alcohol to clean out most of the old crap, then quickly finishing flushing it with Dupont Teflon/Silicone spray. Then I treat the gears and shafts with the the Teflon/Lithium grease. Add some of the Penn syn oil to the bearings and pivot points... the reels perform as smooth as silk. One of my Stradics had the ill-famed "binding" issue. When I went to the above process, I never had another problem. Maybe I was lucky... maybe it never got wet enough again... maybe it's the stuff I used? Who knows? BTW, I contacted Shimano, and they said the Dupont Teflon/Lithium grease is an "excellent" choice... at least on their reels.

I think the MXF would be a great finesse rod. Not sure if it would be the best jerkbait rod, but I'm sure you could make it work. I have a LE70MF that works nicely with jerkbaits... and most other stuff that I fish with.

Three... one fishing, one my stupidity, and one my wife's stupidty.

Wow, I'll say you caught some nice ones. That's a seasons worth of lunkers for me.

Great smallies Dude!

Because we wade the Susky for smallies, we can only take one rod. A 6 1/2' MF rod has always performed well with the range of lures we use. Ideally, if one could carry a MLF, MF, and MH, you would have it pretty well covered. My new St Croix LES70MF will be here Friday... it will get a workout on Saturday.

Great smallie!

A-Jay, That really is a sweet setup. However, you really need to take more rods.

SuskyDude, I would take you up on that in a hurry!

Incredible! I sure hope I bump into SuskyDude on the Susky someday.

Wow! I can understand why you are "in love".

That sounds like good advice anywhere there are smallies!

Yea, I'm leaning towards the LE70MF too. Most of our fishing is done by wading the river with lures in the 1/4 oz to 3/8 oz range. Sometimes a little lighter (around 1/8 or 3/16 oz). I need one rod (can only carry one) that will get me the maximum casting distance with those weight lures. I think the LE70MLF would be better if we were doing more finesse fishing.

Seems like most folks like the "MF" in the St Croix line of rods for smallies. I've been trying to decide between the Legend Elite 70MF or the 70MLF.