Jrob78

Yep, Ike went from fishing some of the highest end gear you can buy to budget friendly Abu Garcia stuff. I don't think his performance has suffered at all.

Yep, that's a good one too.

Technique specific rods. While they are useful to some degree, it's still a marketing ploy of the highest order.

I'm sure some of the pros supertune their own gear or may even have it done but they are starting with bone stock stuff from the factory. Most have rod and or reel sponsors so that's what they use. I see a lot of guys with no reel sponsors using Curado E's and even old Bantams. There's a website that lists all the pros and who their sponsors are but evidently I'm not allowed to post it here.

The H20 crankbaits are awesome, can't be beat for the money. A lot of people like the H20 rods and reels, they are inexpensive but I don't have any personal experience with them. I've heard mixed reports on H20 jigs and spinnerbaits, I don't use those either. I don't know if Grande Bass baits and Lake Fork Tackle baits are widely available nationwide, (other than online) but Academy carries both and they are good plastics. You might also find some local saltwater stuff in NO, we don't have that in our stores in Dallas though.

Those are sweet!

Start with a decent, aluminum framed baitcaster, expect to spend between $80-$120 for quality reel. Get a 6'6"-7' med or med hvy baitcasting rod. The rod doesn't have to be expensive but you might as well start out with something you can use for years. Expect to spend $60+ for a reasonable baitcasting rod. Spool up with 10-12lb mono, don't use braid or fluoro to start. Start practicing with a 3/8oz casting plug or aerodynamic bait. This will be the ideal weight to start with. Turn the brakes all the way up and don't loosen them until you feel really comfortable with what you're doing. Loosen them a little at a time until you are casting a good distance with no backlashes. It isn't difficult at all but don't expect to figure it out overnight.

So you're that guy with a tackle box full of lures with knots still attached. A sharp rock will cut taut braid if that's all your trying to accomplish.

That's it.

I use a 7'6" glass rod for the deep stuff.

The Boomerang tool is the best, most convenient braid cutter I've ever used. I have one everywhere I work on tackle or fish.

I can carry 5 3700 boxes in my Black Pack. I carry plastics in a BPS Double Worm Binder. I can't imagine needing more than that.

Isn't/wasn't the Conquest JDM only? I realize that might change this year but do we know if there will be a US release?

I use acetone on bearings and Simple Green on everything else.

The Eagles definitely weren't ready this year but they should be better next year. In the NFC East, they should be the clear favorites.

Lots of good frogs on the market. I like the Jackall Iobee and Snag Proof Ish's Phat Frog the best. I'm not terribly particular about colors on frogs.

Right, but he clearly doesn't want braid. Now there's 4 posts about the benefits of braid in a fluorocarbon thread, lol. It's all good though, I'm not trying to argue either. It just struck me wrong I guess.

What I don't understand is if you want a stretchy fluorocarbon or not. I assume that's what "good stretch" means. If you want to use fluoro for topwater, that's your business. It sinks so most people don't like it for top water fishing. If you want a stretchy fluoro, I recommend Seaguar Invizx. If you want the best fluoro, try Seaguar Tatsu, Sunline Shooter or Sunline Sniper. Sniper is a little cheaper than the others but still a great line.

I'm fully aware of the reasons people use braid with a leader. The OP asked about fluorocarbon and said he already uses braid but wanted to try something else. What's so hard to understand about that?

Are you a braid salesman or something? He wants to know about fluorocarbon, not braid with a leader.

Your post is confusing. Fluorocarbon sinks so it isn't very good for topwater fishing. What is good stretch? Most people like fluorocarbon because it has less stretch than mono. If you want one with a lot of stretch, that's going to be different than the "best" which is what the title says. Be a little more clear and I'm sure you will get some recommendations.

I use the 7'6" Heavy Okuma Big Bait rod. It does pretty well with the smaller baits and handles the 8" Hudd. It's a good all around rod for a fairly wide range of baits.

The blank doesn't know what kind of rod it is supposed to be. As long as you match the blank specifics to what you want it to do, you will be fine. Also, there are no standards for powers or actions. Use the line and lure weights to help you decide what a blank will be best used for. If you find a blank you like, it can be built as casting or spinning.

There are 2 Mattlures Strong Perch on the auction site right now. One's a wake and one's a slow sink.

That's an old list. This is the newest list from 2013 Lake St. Clair, Michigan Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Texas Clear Lake, California Lake Guntersville, Alabama Lake Erie, Michigan/Ohio/New York/Pennsylvania Chickamauga Lake, Tennessee Falcon Lake, Texas Lake Okeechobee, Florida San Joaquin Delta, California Toledo Bend Reservoir, Texas/Louisiana Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Kentucky Lake/Barkley Lake, Kentucky/Tennessee Thousand Islands, New York Rodman Reservoir/St. Johns River, Florida Grand Lake ‘O The Cherokees, Oklahoma Lake Champlain, New York/Vermont Upper Mississippi River, Wisconsin/Minnesota/Iowa/Illinois Bull Shoals Lake, Arkansas/Missouri Potomac River, Maryland/Virginia Pickwick Lake, Alabama/Mississippi/Tennessee Columbia River, Washington/Oregon Kissimmee Chain Of Lakes, Florida Lake Amistad, Texas Lake Oroville, California Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia Dworshak Reservoir, Idaho Candlewood Lake, Connecticut Lake Fork, Texas Lake Michigan, Wisconsin/Illinois/Indiana/Michigan Cobbosseecontee Lake, Maine Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota Shasta Lake, California Lake Austin, Texas New River, West Virginia Rainy Lake, Minnesota Bullards Bar Reservoir, California Oneida Lake, New York Table Rock Lake, Missouri Lake Charlevoix, Michigan Lake Eufaula, Alabama/Georgia Lake of the Arbuckles, Oklahoma Lake Lanier, Georgia Lake Powell, Utah/Arizona Lake Ouachita, Arkansas Lake Havasu, Arizona Lake Istokpoga, Florida Santee Cooper Lakes, South Carolina Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire Summit Reservoir, Nebraska Lake Sammamish, Washington Florida Everglades, Florida Lake Berryessa, California Kezar Lake, Maine Lake Oahe, South Dakota Douglas Lake, Tennessee Okoboji Lake, Iowa Upper Chesapeake Bay, Maryland Louisiana Delta, Louisiana Lake Seminole, Georgia/Florida Apache Lake, Arizona Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin Sebago Lake, Maine Lake Mead, Nevada Lake Gaston, North Carolina Roosevelt Lake, Arizona Spirit Lake, Iowa Dale Hollow Lake, Tennessee/Kentucky Lake Tarpon, Florida Lake Konawa, Oklahoma Rend Lake, Illinois Lake Conroe, Texas Falls Lake, North Carolina Mille Lacs Lake, Minnesota Fort Peck Reservoir, Montana Squam Lake, New Hampshire Lake Anna, Virginia Lake Murray, South Carolina Red River, Louisiana High Rock Lake, North Carolina Burt Lake, Michigan Pueblo Reservoir, Colorado Kerr Reservoir/Buggs Island, North Carolina/Virginia Perry Reservoir, Kansas Lake Mohave, Nevada Wilson Reservoir, Kansas Lake Audubon, North Dakota Navajo Lake, New Mexico Lake Wallenpaupack, Pennsylvania Lake Dunlap, Texas Lake Norman, North Carolina Lake Wawasee, Indiana Manasquan Reservoir, New Jersey Lay Lake, Alabama Webster Lake, Massachusetts DeGray Lake, Arkansas Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey Cayuga Lake, New York Fayette County Reservoir, Texas Logan Martin Lake, Alabama