flippin and pitchin

I have three SX's (6.4 and 7.1 to 1) and they are fine reels. I don't mean to muddy the water but I would at least take a look at the Lews Tournament and Tournament MG in 5.4 to one. I have five Lews reels and prefer them over my Revos and the Revos are great reels. If you are set on the Revo, be it an SX or Winch, you'll have no regrets but options are nice, especially if they can save you a buck or thirty.

I'll I can say Cliff, Is YOU DA MAN !!!!!! I could not be happier for you. That is absolutely awsome. I told my wife I felt the windows shake a few days ago and now I know what it was, you hollering when you lipped her. Congrats !!

Bubble gum. No way.

Now that's not true. You love kittens, hummingbirds, milk chocolate, Sponge Bob and your Lews reels. Admit it. Admit it. Now don't you feel like a heavy weight was lifted from your shoulders ?

I bought one of those for my son in about 1986. It's a great piece of history. They sold a zillion of them.

Absolutely ! I used to fish a bunch of short outings on my home lake and rarely ventured out to fish other lakes or rivers. I fished for bites and fished quite a bit with a guy I have known for 35 years. I also stopped fishing for quite a while when my wife was diagnosed with cancer and I thought I would loose her. I don't fish near as much, trips wise now, but focus on fishing locations with better fish and fish much more for smallmouth. For 25 years I was two hours away from from steller smallmouth fishing and chose to fish local, fish "safe " and fish out of convenience. This change also provides me with more days to spend with my family and they are my life, not fishing.

I really enjoyed the show. I've always liked Hook and Look. My local dealer had never heard of Rage two years ago and I talked the buyer into picking up some Rage products( STS rules my area ) and it now has a dedicated section. The Space Monkey is a unique bait and it was interesting to hear how it came to be. I'm going to have to try that jump up on my tipee toes hook set.

If I read you Kent, your motive for the question is to help you answer member's questions in a context that fit's their goals or expectations. I like that. I read once upon a time that bass anglers go through a transition of goals. Catch a bass, catch a limit of bass, catch a big bass, catch a limit of big bass, catch a trophy bass, help other anglers achieve their goals. It might not be in exact order, but that's about it. It was kind of like that for me. The 8lb largemouth eludes me to this day. Had em' on, several, but cannot put one in my hand. Same for a 6 lb. smallmouth. That is still my goal. I guess I am the 5% but strive to be, maybe the 2% group.

The issue of crankbait rods comes up a bunch on this forum and most other forums. Probably more than any other rod type. Personal preference is huge. There is no BEST rod or reel, just what works for you, your budget, your fishing style and your demands or expectations. Before you buy, experiment as much as you can with as many brands, ratios, and material types until you find what feels good to you. I fish crankbaits more than twice as much as I did 7 to 10 years ago. My rod choices changed during that time too. The one thing I would suggest is rods with a slower more forgiving action and reels with a lower ratio if you fish deep divers alot. Good luck.

Dobyns Champion 733 full handle, Lews T-pro 6.4 to 1 and Yo Zuri #15.

That is quite a color selection. If I was a guessing guy, I would guess WCCT was looking at the hula grub and was considering Mong and Cinnamon blue fleck ? Well ?

LC Sammy

Savvy series are slightly slower in action than Champion series in my opinion and my jig rod is a Champion 734. The Savvy 735 Micro might be exactly what you are looking for in a jig rod.

I just played with the Okuma Kamodo and Helios today. Okuma has come a long long way in their fresh water casting reels. I still prefer my Lews and Revo Premiers. Honestly, there is some incredible stuff on the market. Look at what Pinnacle has done this past year. The options boggle the mind.

For me it's about feeling familiar. Certain reels are a better fit in the hand as Red mentioned. I fish Lews, Revos and still use my old CuradoB's from time to time. Rods? We fish 4 different lengths and maybe up to four different actions. How is that familiar? It's not to a point. You apply your experience.

Rain can help flush a lake out and cause new nurtients to flow in. It can help keep the mean temp of the lake a bit warmer during the winter and fish may feed more and develope eggs at a higher rate. It can flood spring shoreline cover to help the spawn. Rain oxygenates the water. Is that a real word ? Cold rain can also muddy up water that is already cold and screw the fishing up in a major way. Being from western Washington, we don't have much rain......NOT.

It's back. TW has two flouros.

I kind of agree with with FatG and his lists are pretty darn accurate from what I own. The Champion 5 powers are stout rods. I have 733 and 734's in Champion and Savvy (micro) so far. I have the 704 and 705CB glass. The 704 is light but has it's place, especially for jerkbaits.. The 705 is outstanding. I fished the Lamiglas SR705R for years and you know the rep that rod has. I would take the Dobyns over the Lamiglas. My most recent acquisition is the Extreme DX784. Good golly what a stick. I would suggest that rod in a heart beat. As far as the Zayta goes, I saw the TT article. That's a chunk of change for this working stiff. But I want one !!!!

Fair enough. I will PM you with what I have and if you want em' drop me an address.

I bought the flippin hook when they first came out ( at dealer's cost ) and immediately rolled the points on the first two I used. I also heard there was a change in the production process and the points don't roll. My buddy swears by them. The jury is still out for me.

If your bud is on to something, compliment him and make the switch. The role may be reversed some day.

Situational ethics. I want options not limitations. I won't own any combos, I will borrow 10 from my buddy.

It must be noisy after you take a deep breath. Does eating Mexican food help you breath easier?

It's the best dysfunctional family you'll ever find. I've been here for just over two years and have what.... about a thousand posts and almost 7 were worth reading. Blessed is the man who moistens his knots with the spittle from his lips, for he shall surely land all that he hooks. Fishverbs 1:1

I have the Dobyns Champion 705G and a Lamiglas SR705R and sold both my XL705Gs. I would never consider the Excel, too soft. The SR705R is a weak maybe. The XCF705R is the same blank as the old model designator. I would consider the Dobyns 765 for SMALL swimbaits and hollow belly baits. I have thrown squarebills with my 705 and even though it is a graphite glass composite, it shuts off so the back bone is solid for secure hook sets. For deep cranking....the 765 will be sweet. My hollow belly rod is a Savvy 733 Micro.