trevor

Baitcasting: 6.3:1 reel spooled with 65 lb braid on a 7' MH Fast rod Spinning: 3000 reel spooled with 12 lb mono on a 7' M Fast rod And I guess this is geared more to the areas I fish, probably not a universal standard.

Beautiful fish!

Sorry about that. If you go to Tackle Warehouse, then to spinning rods, they have a great selection. The links I gave were to the Shimano Crucial Spinning rod and the Shimano Compre spinning rod, which costs a little less.

If you are looking for some great, affordable rods, check out these options from Shimano http://www.***.com/Shimano_Crucial_Spinning_Rods/descpage-SCRS.html or for a little less http://www.***.com/Shimano_Compre_Spinning_Rods/descpage-SCSS.html

The Stradic CI4 has a lot of cosmetic upgrades, but it is also a very light reel. I think if you are using anything but the finest spinning rods, the CI4 could actually be a little too light, making the rod tip feel heavier. But that is more personal preference. Here is a link to the CI4 review on tackle tour: http://www.tackletour.com/reviewchimanostradicci4.html

I honestly cannot recommend the Exceler, or any affordable spinning reel made by Daiwa. I know lots of people that have had great experiences with them, but of my three Daiwa spinning reels (two Tierras and a Regal of some series) I have had all three go bad in a very short time. And it's not like I am hard on my gear or anything. I would definitely recommend the Symetre. Or, if you want to get a much better reel for a tad more (on eBay for under $100 brand new) I would go with the Saros. The Saros is an exceptional reel, with better features than the Symetre. The Saros is almost identical to the Stradic FI.

I can really recommend the Echo Ion rod. It's a great rod at under $200, and really strong for horsing big fish. As far as a reel, for freshwater fishing most over $100 seem to be good. I am an Orvis guy, so that's what I use, but there are plenty of great reels. Go to a local fly shop, they will set you up.

I can only speak for the high test saltwater lines, but those are really great lines.

The Stradic is an incredible reel. Just bulletproof and buttery smooth. I use the 4000 size for saltwater fishing small shark and Mahi, and they just never quit.

Great minds think alike. I think you may be interested in the Hardy Zane Ti, retailing for a modest $8,000.

Dawn and a toothbrush, some kind of strong solvent for the bearings. Reel Kleen is really nice stuff, though.

Thanks

Which model was it? There are a few in the Edge series.

Had a chance to use it any more?

Same deal, but with a Smooth Butterfly Ray. I've done it with Cownose rays as well.

I look forward to hearing about it.

I am a little skeptical of these new reels. I love my XS1000, but these reels seem to take some steps backwards, and some forwards. They have a profile similar to a Revo, which should be more appealing to most people (personally I think the XS is a perfect fit for my hand). They are also using Smoothie drag washers, a huge upgrade over the old drags. But it seems they are using lower rated bearings. The spools aren't ported (not necessarily bad) and the reels are quite ugly. Also crazy expensive for such an untested product. I am not sold on the "Drag Tracking Technology". I have never encountered a bass that I felt seriously tested my equipment. It will be interesting to read some reviews on these reels, and I am certainly rooting for Ardent.

You might get a few replies in the General Forum.

You can't buy skill. I am living proof.

I really like Momoi's Diamond Braid.

Most modern guide inserts can handle braid. What model rod is it?

So where are some places to fly fish for carp within an hour of OCMD?

that bad, huh?

Any opinions on Fluorocast? I got it as a gift...

1. Location 2. Presentation 3a. Bait/Time of Day 3b. Time of Day/ Bait 4. Color