TourPT

I believe a lot, if not all, of that footage came from the Glen Lau video series. Google him up and you can find the whole video collection now on DVD, I have some of the older ones on VHS.

Thanks for the update. Water finally opened up some here today. I did not have time to fish but I was rather surprised to see plenty of blue gill and some small bass swimming the shoreline. Part of the pond still had a thin sheet of ice on it. Will be out there tomorrow to see if I can't get a bite. Even if I don't I don't care, just being out there after a long winter is good enough for me.

That's only 25 minutes form me. Hey would you know if the main pond over at Fermilab is still heated? I lived in Batavia a few years back and Fermi had one pond that you could fish all year long back then. I heard the fishing has gone down hill over there over the last few years, but at this point I'll take whatever open water I can get. Also have you been over to Pratt's Woods in Wanye? Just wondering If that's still ice or not. Thanks in advance for any info you may have. Sorry for not staying on topic to the original poster. I heard open water and got all excited. It's been a long winter.

Where you guys at in Northern IL with open water? Here in the Dekalb area where still under Ice. Checked a few ponds yesterday and at most there was a foot of water out from shore and the rest is ice. I am dying to get out there. Hopefully the next couple of days in the high 50's to 60's will finally thaw some of this ice.

I have been using Quantum reels for at least 20 years. I own 10 Tour PTs, 10 Energy PT's, 2 old MG's, 6 old EX series and have 2 Smokes on the way. Not to mention 3 browning reels that where made by Quantum back in the late 80's to early 90's. I have had two issues in 20 years. One of the MG reels the anti reverse bearing gave out, most likely my fault for back then I had no clue on maintenance. The other MG I own is still in action, used for cat fishing a few times a year. The other issue was on a EX series in which the drag washer after 15 years of heavy use and never backing off the drag even when storing it, finally gave out. For the record also, none of the EX series reels I own ever got torn down and reel lubed until just a couple years ago when I started paying more attention to maintenance. The have worked like new since day one. The other EX series I own are still to this day in use for crankbait fishing, although I admit they don't get used as much since i started using the Tour and Energy PT models. I have not had one issue with the Tour or Energy PT's. I use to be a Shimano guy when I first started bass fishing over 25 years ago, but once I tried a Quantum I never looked back. Best dang reels I have ever used. As for Quantum's rods, I own a few Tour PT rods that are going on 3 years old I believe. Now there not as good as say my Loomis rods as far as sensitivity and lightness, but they are dam nice rods, plenty sensitive and light enough as to not wear you out from casting them all day. Plus they can take a beating that would send a Loomis rod off crying to its momma. If fact as much as I love my Loomis rods, it's the Tour PT that gets the call over the Loomis when it comes to jig fishing simply because I can load that up with 40 to 50lb braid, lock it down and drive that hook home as hard as I can and get that fish out of the cover in a heartbeat without ever worrying about the rod breaking. I have broke a couple Loomis rods doing this. I also own a few older Quantum Pro Contour rods, here again, not the lightest or most sensitive rods out there but good enough especially when rigging them up with braid. And talk about strong rods, I have tried to break them on the hook set and they just LOL at me and ask if that's all I got. These rods have been passed down to my kids, I don't use them anymore, but the kids are still giving them a good workout. I am not saying you can't break a Quantum rod, but I am saying they can take one heck of a beating. IMO people that bash on Quantum have no clue what there talking about. Maybe they got a lemon but all companies have there share of lemons. All's I know is that in the over 20 years I have own Quantum's, well lets just say I never have to worry about my equipment giving out on me. I don't care what KVD uses or anyone else for that matter. When it comes to reels its nothing but Quantum for me. And no I am not sponsored by Quantum. My screen name is nothing but a reflection of my love of Quantum reels. I would also like to state that I am in no way bashing other brands of rods or reels. With the exception of my jig rod and my several different brands of frog rods, Loomis cant be beat. As for reels, Shimano may make a great reel today, I don't know, but as long as my Quantum's keep performing they way they have for the past 20 years or so, I have no interest in trying other brands.

During the season the rods and reels stay together, in a closet that I put I rod rack in. Off season the reels come off, get cleaned and re-lubed and stored in there original packaging and put in a file cabinet until spring.

This is great news. Hopefully this time around they will have a website and more stores will carry there product. Also hoping they will still offer 100 count bags so that I can buy them the way I use to. Thanks for the info!

Same here. I am right handed but use left handed Quantum reels and could not be happier. It saves time and gets you ready for the strike the instant the lure hits the water. Not to mention my fishing partner of whom does not take care of his gear at all, leaves my setups alone because he can't or refuses to learn how to fish with left handed reels. The only draw back is that some companies still don't make left handed models, there loss though for luckily the big companies like Shimano, Daiwa and Quantum do.

Since Stren Super Braid was discontinued I have been trying them all slowly but surely. So far I have not found one I like for everything I use braid for but have come up with this combination so far. Frogs = 65lb PP (Will be testing the new Sunline FX2 as soon as Frog season gets here) Senkos / Weightless Worms = 30 to 50lb Spiderwire Stealth. Depends on where I am throwing them. Jigs = 40 lb Stren Sonic Braid Weighted Worms = 40 lb Stren Sonic Braid BuzzBaits / Spinnerbaits = 50lb Spiderwire Stealth only because it comes threw the guides quieter then the others This is just what has worked best for me so far. Still have many braids to try out. One thing I have noticed on all of them is, anything under 30lbs just does not work well. Some dig in to the spool real easy, some break way to easy, some wrap around the rod tip to often, so I don't use anything under 30lbs when it come to braid. Also of note, braid is not great around rocks but Stealth is the worst around rocks. Super braid really is the only braid that I know of that handled fishing around rocks without any problems but of course the geniuses at Stren discontinued it. GRRRRRRRRRR! I also have tried the Fireline Braid. It cast further then any braid I have ever tried, however for whatever reason I could not buy a strike while using the stuff. No clue why. One day I fished a rod for 3 hours with it, without a single strike, switched to a rod with PP of the same pound test and started hammering them. Fluke maybe, but for months I threw that Fireline Braid and not one strike on it. Maybe because its a brighter Green then the rest? No clue, but its not on any of my rods anymore.

There is a few things the wally world out here carries that I use. Strike King Shim E Stick Strike King Red Eye Shad Gamakatsu Hooks Booyah Buzzbaits If I am in a bind and need some braid right now they carry PP and Spiderwire Stealth. Don't normally use these two brands but if I need it now it will do. Also have bought back up sunglasses there and a backup Berkley Digital Scale. But really that's about all they got that is of any interest to me.

I do agree its a real good mag, that is if they ever send it to you. I think I received two issues out of the six and that was the last I heard of them. I wont ever subscribe again, but if I see one on the store shelf I will buy it.

I think its a pretty good mag but at that price for 4 issues I'll just keep stealing my buddies when hes done reading it. If they double it to 8 issues a year I would buy it at that price, but that's a bit steep for only 4 issues IMO. 8 Issues = The extra cost over B.A.S.S and FLW's price of 15 bucks a year for it is a better mag IMO.

The ploy is, they have been giving that bag away for over a year or two now so I would not worry to much about the 10 day thing. It's nothing special but it does come in handy for say plastic worm packs. It's a small bag but holds plenty of bags of plastics. Normal price is 15 bucks, so 10 is a great deal. hopefully now that Jerry is an owner the mag with be worth the price like it once was.

I own the 7ft MH model but being there's still ice here I can't really give much of a review. There basically Super Lite blanks with Micro Guides. Personally I like the original Tour Edition rods better. The Smoke is lighter but the Tour is tougher IMO, going by the blank being the same as the Super Lite blank unless they improved the strength some how of which I doubt. With that said I am talking about the the Standard Tour Edition rods made before this year. This years model have been downgraded with cheaper guides among other things. Will see when open water gets here how well she performs. As for now all's I can say is yes they are as light as they claim and yes they have quality micro guides, of which I am not to sure I am to crazy about but will see. Matched with the new Smoke reel, its one light setup. Speaking of the Smoke reel. Very smooth reel, can't wait to try that out.

I use the Tour Edition, I believe its the 7'4" heavy and like it allot, however Quantum seems to have downgraded the standard Tours this year. If I am not mistaken though I think they make that same model in the new Smoke Rods.

I use Megastrike probably about 80% of the time, however, and this may just be being in the right place at the right time with the right presentation, but my biggest top 5 bass have all come on Edge Hot Sauce Gel. Funny thing is though, when I use Edge the numbers go down, its like the smaller fish don't like it or something.

I am a Loomis guy but with that said I really am not to happy with there frog rods. I own all three of there frogs rods, the two new ones and the older one. The old one was a broom stick, but I think they went to far the other direction with there new ones, at least the shorter of the two IMO lacks the backbone needed for serious frog fishing. The 7'9 model is not to bad if you like frog rods that long, it does give you some leverage, but there are better options out there IMO. Powell, Dobyns and Lamiglas, just to name a few. Loomis does make great rods, don't get me wrong, they just have not made a great Frog rod yet IMO. BTW, if on a budget you might want to check out Lamiglas Excel. I actually prefer that frog rod over the Loomis, It also does hollow swimbaits great. The Dobyn is probally the best I have used so far, but the Lamiglas Excel is hard to beat for the price.

I am about an hour to hour and a half drive south of you and the frog bite has been rather slow lately. Whats funny and what I can't figure out is that the bass are hitting topwaters right now, just not so much the frogs. Can toss a chug bug and get hits all day long, but throw a popping style frog in a similar color and not much happening. Picky creatures them bass be.

Spro Poppin & 65, Scum Frog Popper, Mann's Super Frog.

I don't know what it is about frogs rods, but it took me forever, not to mention a small fortune, to find the one for me. Worm rod, crank rod, spinnerbait rod, topwater rod, jig rod and on and on was easy, but finding the right frog rod took forever.

Nothing but Tours and Energy's here and I could not be happier. Might add a Smoke or two next season also.

There's no doubt that the rod is heavier then say a Loomis rod, but I have fished with it all day without it wearing me out. I don't find it to be that heavy, in fact with the same reel on it as on the Certified Pro I believe the Excel feels lighter, at least to me. The only thing I would really like to see is for Lamiglas to add a full rear grip to balance the rod more, but for a split grip its not nearly as tip heavy as some of the split grip rods I have tried. In any event, was just giving my opinion for whatever that's worth. I know how hard it is to find the right Frog rod and that everyone is a little different in what there looking for in such a rod. I wish you luck on your search and once you find it, happy Froggin!

I don't own the rod your looking at but I do own the Excel Frog Rod and can tell you that these rods are a steal even at the non sale price. IMO they can not be beat in this price range or even by some rods that cost 150 or more. Lamiglas hit a home run with the Excel. Now I have not used a Spinning rod in years but looking at the ones you are I would maybe opt for, or at least think about, the 7ft MH model. A little more back bone plus it should be able to handle those 3/8oz spinnerbaits better.

I own both the new Loomis Frogs rods, The Quantum Dean Frog rod (not the goofy color one, but the one before those came out), The Powell Frog rod, The Lamiglas Certified Pro Frog rod and the Lamiglas Excel Frog rod and to be honest my favorite, of which I just purchased a few months ago is the Excel Frog rod. I can't believe I said that, but it's true. Go figure, I spent a fortune on Frog rods and the cheapest of the bunch is the one I like most.

Being a G.Loomis and Quantum guy I got to say I am rather impressed with the Excel Frog Rod I bought a few months ago from TW. At the TW regular price its a steal, this is a crazy steal. Excellent rods IMO.