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.

I wish the BPS near me had the glass rods in-house. I just have a very hard time buying a rod before ever feeling it in my own hands.

Yep, I took a look at the St. Croix MM and it was very whippy. The MH seems to be about perfect. I kept going back and forth between the MHM St Croix and the BPS Carbonlite Medium Fast. The Carbonlite seemed too stiff for a cranker, even in the Medium Fast, but nice and light. I'm just not a fan of the split grip rods. I'll take a full cork handle any day over a split grip. Thanks for the replies guys.

Hey All, Got my hands on this rod at the local BPS and really like the way it feels. In particular, I was checking out the PC66MHM for my shallower cranking and spinnerbaits. $119 is a bit steep for a crankbait rod, but it feels so much better than the BPS Crankin Stick in every way, which is $69 right now. Not a fan of the BPS "powerhump" handle either. I obviously love the feeling of the Avid cranking rod, but $179 is definitely out of the price range I'm willing to spend. So, have you used the Premier cranking rod and what is your take on it? Should I be considering other cranking rods in this price range? Thanks in advance.

I have a two year old Compre 6'6 MH fast that is my go to setup when I'm using spinning gear. It's nice and light and I can fish it all day with ease. It's the perfect rod for when I go up to Minnesota because it has the sensitivity to catch walleye, the backbone to bring in big pike, and is great for bass also. I always use a 2500 size reel with Sufix 20lb braid on my compre. IMO, it's the perfect spinning setup that has caught me a ton of fish. It's the only rod I use for my local pond-hopping setup because it's versatile for most lures and I only have to carry one rod. The warranty is also a nice bonus.

Thanks, ghoti. I apologize as I should've clarified that when I threw on the 1/4oz spinner, the bend was much less than the 1/2oz spinner. The reel still felt like a it had a lot of resistance with the 1/4oz though. I was really hoping that I could just have a single rod for both spinners and cranks, since I only have one casting reel. Thanks for the reply.

Hey All, This is really a two-question post, but I'm hoping that you can help me out. Got out for about 6 hours today and was able to try out some of the new gear. I recently got a used Daiwa Advantage HSTA caster (6.3 ratio) and paired it up with a 10 year old 6' Crucial rod. The rod it listed for 1/4 to 3/4oz and is marked with "Topwater, Spinnerbait, and Crankbaits" along the blank. It doesn't have the action or weight listed, but I'd consider it a M to MH Fast action rod. So, I'm throwing 1/4 and 1/2oz Xrap's and squarebills all morning and loving life. I then switch to one of my "old faithful" Terminator 1/2oz spinnerbaits with a larger Oklahama blade. It's like trying to muscle in a log! I then throw on another Terminator, 1/4oz with some smaller willow blades thinking that the large willow blade is trying to move too much water for my setup - same results. Very hard to retrieve and my wrist was feeling it in a major way. The rod was also bending fairly heavily during the retrieve. If I pointed my rod tip right at the bait, it seemed to help a little bit, but it just didn't feel right. I've always fished my larger spinnerbaits on a MH spinning rod and a 2500 size reel without issues. I don't know if it's the gear ratio of the reel, or the M action of the rod that made it feel like I was dragging a Ford F150, but it was not very enjoyable. I don't want to have to use a separate rod for spinnerbaits and crankbaits due to the fact that I only shore fish and hate carrying more then two or three rods. So, question number one - Should I be looking at another rod? Is there a rod that has the slight whip of a crankbait rod and the backbone and stiffness to also retrieve larger spinnerbaits without bending in half, or am I asking for something that doesn't exist? According to the print on my Crucial rod, it does exist, but doesn't function correctly for my needs. Any input on the rod would be appreciated. I'd be willing to spend around $100 for another rod if need be. Also, the reel. I really like it, but it may not be able to be used for both applications that I want to use it for. I figured that going with a 6.3 ratio would give me the best of both worlds in power and speed, but it's looking like my assumption was possibly wrong. Thanks in advance for your replies. Tight Lines! <*))))><

Hey All, I finally took the plunge and purchased my first decent baitcaster (Daiwa Advantage - used). Been fishing with spinning gear and braid my whole life. I plan on using the new caster primarily for heavier spinnerbaits and cranks. I also have an older Abu 4600c3 and a Shimano 6' rod that I picked up at a flea market a couple of years ago, which I've never used. In researching the rod, it once sold for over $100...I paid $15 and it's mint. It's a Shimano Crucial 6' hi mod graphite. It states 1/8 to 1/2oz, and I would consider it a ML to M rod. It's marked Topwater, Spinnerbait, Crankbait. Now on to my questions....Which of my two reels should I put on the 6' Crucial and what type of line? I'll be using this rod for the lighter stuff. Next, I'll buy a new rod for the other reel for heavier spinners, cranks, and swimbaits. I'm thinking a 6.5' or 7' M or MH since I have the shorter 6' already. I guess my overall question is rod length, M or MH, and line type. Thanks in advance for your replies.

Hey All, I'm generally a straight braid guy, but I plan on experimenting with a flouro leader this year. Reading a bunch of posts here and I'm under the impression that most go directly from the braid to a flouro leader. This seems like it would be a real hassle when lures are being changed often, since I'd be losing a bit of the leader material every time I changed lures (no live baits). So, do you use swivels (to tie the braid to the flouro) and a clip on the other end (for changing lures)? I can't imagine tying a new leader after every couple of lure changes. What's the general thought process when setting up your leader rig? I don't have the cash for multiple rigs, so I usually only go out with one or two setups and am changing lures often. Thanks in advance for your replies.

Thanks for the tip bud. Stopped by BPS today after work and there was ONE 6'6 Energy MH left on the clearance rack. They did have a few other Energy's left, but they were all ultralight's. I checked it out for all of 30 seconds before walking to the checkout line to pay for it. Couldn't pass it up for $49 with a lifetime warranty. The Vengenance looks really sweet, but I called every sporting goods store in the area to see if they carried them....nothing. I simply can't buy a rod before having it in my hands first. Thanks all for your input.

Hey All, Looking to replace my 3 year old Lightning rod (guides are toast and are now cutting my line) with something decent for under $50. I always use braid, so the guides need to be somewhat resistant to fast wear. I'm usually a medium heavy rod guy as I love the firm sensitivity that comes with the heavier setup and horsepower should I get into a pike or something. I had the BPS graphite series 6'6 in my hands yesterday and was surprised with decent feel of it. For $25, it seemed like a steal, but I held off. The Spring Classic is just around the corner, so I'm waiting until then to buy ( I have a ton of points waiting to be used). My main rig is a Shimano Compre, which I absolutely LOVE, but I don't have $100 to spend on a backup rod right now. So, for under $50, what would you roll with and why? Thanks in advance for your reply.