RushFan2112

Tried it. Seemed okay, but only on my casting rigs. I found it too "springy' on spinning rigs and it wanted to jump off of the spool often. Thanks for the reply. I wish I had the same results. There's obviously other variables involved, but the breakoffs were for too often for me. I generally use a polomar knot, which the flouro's I've tried didn't do well with at all. I don't have knot strength issues with mono. Of the many brands you've used, did you have one that you favored? Thanks, fishnkamp. I'll try the warm water trick when I give the flouro another go. Couldn't agree more, Turtle. Thanks for all of the replies everyone. Well, if you have a preferred flouro that you really like, please let me know. Thanks, Team9. I'll do some research.

Hey all, I've been strictly using mono (Sufix) for the past 5 years on my spinning rigs due to the easy casting, hassle-free nature of the line. 6-8 years ago, I tried many types of flouro, as it was all the rage, and still is today. I found it to cast poorly, break off easily, and it was just not worth the extra money...at all. I tried Seagaur, BPS, and many other brands in 8 pound test. I went back to mono and haven't looked back since. I mainly fish texas rigged senko's.....slowly. The only issue I have with mono is the stretch, which causes me to lose fish sometimes. So my question is as stated in the title...has flouro improved much in the last 5 years? If so, in what ways? I want to give it another try, but not if it's like I remember it to be. Thanks in advance.

I have two Daiwa Bradia 2500 JDM spinning reels and they are absolutely incredible. I keep one with braid and one with 10lb mono and use them both for nearly any application. I got one from the big auction site a few years ago for $150 and the other from TW for $160 when they ran a sale a few years back. My fishing buds are amazed when I let them try this reel regarding how smooth and light it is. It's essentially a Steez, minus some bearings and machining. I pulled in a 40" musky with this reel with ease while drop-shotting for bass last year. it's powerful, light, balanced, and smooth as butter. I've had them both for 3 or 4 years now with zero issues and fish those reels heavily. I 'd recommend that you keep your eyes out for a Daiwa Bradia or a Caldia for around $150. I still see them fairly often on the auction site. Good luck.

Thanks, Freud. I truly appreciate the input. Anyone else have recommendations?

Hey All, My wife got me a new Daiwa Tatula 7.3:1 for Christmas and I'm needing some advice on how to pair it up with one of my rods. I already have a Citica 200E 6.3:1 mounted on a 6'6" BPS Carbonlite (1/4 to 5/8oz, 8-17lb) M, Fast, spooled with 12lb Yozuri hybrid. It's a fairly stiff rod, considering it's a M power. I use this for nearly all fast moving baits (spinners, cranks, etc.) regardless of single or treble hooks.....i know, I know. I also have a 15 year old 6' Shimano Crucial rod that I haven't used in at least 10 years, but it's in perfect shape. It's rated at 6-15lb, 1/8-1/2oz and has no power or action listed on it. It just has the words Topwater, Spinnerbaits, Crankbaits on the rod. It's a fairly thin rod and I'd be surprised to see it handle a 1/2 oz bait well, but who knows. Lastly, I have a 6'6" M/MF Shimano Clarus that I pulled from the BPS clearance bin last year. It's rated at 1/4 to 3/4oz, and 8-17lb. So, I'm just not sure how to pair up what I have properly. I mainly fish forest preserve and northern Wisconsin lakes by boat and land. I very rarely use heavy jigs for the fishing that I do. I'd like to have a couple of technique-specific setups to avoid the constant bait changes with my current Citica setup. I'm thinking maybe to use one for the fast moving baits, and one for topwater, buzzbaits, frogging. But, I'm wondering if I should dedicate one of the reels to a worm rod. I use 5" Senko's on a 1/8oz Gamakatsu like they're going out of style. It's always my first choice of baits when exploring new waters and my go-to bait for general fishing. I currently use spinning gear for my plastics and creatures, but maybe I should use one of my baitcasters instead??? I'm overanalyzing and am torn on how to move forward. I also haven't ruled out buying another reel for the unused rod. So, with those two reels and three rods, what would you do and why? And what type of line would you use on the setups? Thanks in advance.

I have two. One spinning, one casting, both 6'8", both MH, both 2 years old. I love them both, but my spinning rod broke at the second eye from the tip this year while setting a hook. I brought it into BPS the next day and they told me to go choose a new one off the rack. Excellent customer service considering the rod was two years old and out of warranty. I opted for the 7'2" and it's been really nice. They're both very light and sensitive all-around rods. I actually boated a 36" musky last year while jigging for walleye with my 6'8" and it had NO issues bringing in that fish. It was bent in half, and a super-fun fight. Great rods, but I was surprised by the break this year.

x2! The high-end Daiwa reels are the smoothest and are incredibly durable, but come with a high price tag. I have two JDM Daiwa Bradia's in the 2500 size that are the absolute best reels I've ever used. You can find them brand new on the big auction site for about $150. Also, look at the Caldia and Fuego. I also just picked up a Daiwa Aird at BPS and must say that it's the best $80 reel I've ever used.

Thanks for the replies so far. Youngbassman, a pontoon is just too big to store and too much to deal with if i'm out by myself. The newer bass/fishing boats with enough seating seem to be too far out of my price range. (='_'=), my wife would definitely know the difference. She's been on many boats and knows what's going on, unfortunately. It seems that most used fish/ski boats I'm finding in my price range (around $2000) are all fiberglass and 20 years old. Like I wrote in the initial post, I don't really know much about fiberglass boats. Should I have concerns about 20 year old fiberglass? What should I look for if considering a fiberglass boat during a potential purchase inspection. Or, should I just stay away from an older fish and ski fiberglass boat? Thanks again.

Hey All, 30 years of shore fishing is wearing on me. I'm out on my friends' boats all the time, and really want to get my own now that I've saved a little cash. So, the wife tells me that she'll be ticked if I even consider a fishing-only boat, and that if we are going to spend money on a boat, that it must be for the kids for tubing and such also. So, I was looking at 14 and 16' used converted jon boats and aluminum V's before the news from the wife. But now, I don't even know what I should be looking for. I see a bnuch of "Fish and Ski" boats in my price range, but they're 20 years old and fiberglass, which I know nothing about, except that they develop "soft" spots over time, and are very heavy in comparison to what I was looking at before. I'll be towing it with a minivan that is rated to tow 3500 pounds, but I'd like to still try to keep the boat lightweight, if possible. So, what type of boat should I even bo looking at (type, brand)? Any advice would be truly appreciated. Chime in family guys and let me know what you did to keep the wife from exploding on you . Thanks in advance for your time to reply. Tight Lines!

Cheapest mono I can find is what I use.

Hi All, Name is Jason and I'm 38. I've been a lurker for a couple of years and have posted a few times in Rods and Reels. For now, I'm essentially a shore fisherman - hoping to get a boat in the next year or so. Booking a family trip to Disney killed my dreams of a boat this season - family first : ) I love heavy metal, but have a soft spot for Rush as I play the bass. I work in IT and am an electronics junkie. Also a huge Chicago Bears fan, and an even bigger fantasy football fan. Nice to meet you all and tight lines!

I've been very happy with Sufix Elite. Best mono that I've used - and I've used many.

"i woudl love to see some of their higher priced stuff based on my experience with that reel." This is exactly where I was going before getting to this line of your post. Easy answer - get a Daiwa Bradia. You can sometimes find them on the big auction site brand new for around $170 shipped. Best spinning reel by far that I've ever used, especially for the money. Ultra-smooth gears and a killer drag also. Mine are both three seasons old now and perform as brand new. I can't say enough about this reel. I have one paired with a Compre 6'6 MH and the other with a 7' M Carbonlite. Those are my two "go to" setups and the only two I grab when going fishing. Love em!

I own both rods in the spinning flavor. Both are 6'6" and MH fast. I've had the Compre for three years and the Carbonlite for two. I really love my Compre. It's my "go to" rod for almost any application. The Compre uses better components and is definitely more sturdy, but it's also much heavier than the Carbonlite. Both have held up well so far, but I just have more confidence in the Compre, especially with the lifetime warranty. I also prefer the full cork handle on the Compre over the split grip on the Carbonlite. To answer your original question, the Carbonlite is the more sensitive of the two rods. I use the Compre for heavier braid applications and the Carbonlite for light flouro finesse fishing. If I had to choose only one, it's an easy choice on the Compre.

Thanks, Thumb. You just brought up my main concern with the spinnerbait comments. I'm really hoping to have one "go to" rod for both spinnerbaits and crankbaits, but I'm wondering if my desired rod even exists. I felt the same way as you did. It seems like a nice rod for cranks, but I was questioning if it had the right weight and action to also handle a 3/8 to 1/2 spinnerbait. I don't want the rod to feel overpowered while using spinners, but want it to have the flex for cranking. Like I said, I wonder if my desired rod is even out there. $150 is my absolute max to spend. I wonder if the Avid cranker would be a bit more what I'm looking for. It's a hefty price tag, but I'll suck it up if need be. Unfortunately, the local BPS only had a 7' Avid cranker in MM, so I had no other Avid crankers to compare it to. It too felt too whippy for my liking when I was checking it out, and I'm more comfortable with 6'6 rods anyways. Thanks for the insight - much appreciated.