RichF

I got the teaser email too. Dang, I was really hoping they'd get rid of that stupid reel seat! It's the worst.

Looks like the old Saavy series.

With a name like Kayden, it probably should be pink haha.

I have the original Max 755 glass crank stick. It's awesome for DT 10s to 6xds. Been using it for a number of years now and have never had any issues. Pretty sure the Endurance will fish the same.

You have to sign up for their mailing list. The best coupon comes on Fridays and Saturdays (25% off, $0.99 shipping over $50 spent). It doesn't work on every item though. I'm pretty sure the coupon doesn't work on that Tatula.

Thanks for sharing. Rough start to the season. Kudos for hanging in there and pulling out a solid finish. Hope you smash'em the rest of the season!

I would go straight braid. I love straight braid with a jig (even without heavy grass around). If you're worried about the fish "seeing" the braid, you could use a fluoro leader. I would say mono is actually the worse line for both those applications, unfortunately.

Under Armour Shoreman Bibs. Gore-Tex bibs don't get any cheaper than this... https://www.sierra.com/under-armour-gore-tex-shoreman-rain-bibs-waterproof-for-men~p~844hg/?filterString=newproducts~14%2Fmen~d~5284%2F

I was just cruising the Academy website and it looks like Strike King just jacked up their prices...like, a lot. Do we think this is an Academy thing or will we see this at all retailers??

I've almost pulled the trigger on a 100 so many times but keep thinking I'm going to be disappointed like I was with the original Tat CT. That thing felt cheap to me and I'm afraid the 100 will be the same. I know it's probably worth it's going rate of $100 but I'm wondering if I should just pony up the extra cash for the Coastal SV, Elite, etc. Hope some other 100 owners weigh in!

I've tried going with USPS multiple times and every single time, they've wanted to charge me $65 to $100+ for sub 8ft tubes. I think @jbsoonerfan experience is what's happening with most folks. It's going to depend on how the postal worker measures the tube. Some will do diameter, some circumference. It will make a huge difference. I haven't been lucky yet so everything I've shipped has gone through UPS and has cost me $30-$40. It's never really worth it honestly.

I was going to mention your club @Logan S so glad you're weighing in. You pretty much hit the nail on the head. Great wisdom from the legendary Mr. Clunn!

I don't have a Reinforcer but I did buy 3 Snipers when TW had them on closeout last year; the 7'0 and 7'6 MH XF and the 7'6 H F. I would say they are on the stout side, a little above most manufactures' MH ratings. I didn't get a chance to use them a ton but I like them. I don't think they were worth the $200 msrp though. The tapers are pretty true, at least for the Snipers I have. The extra fasts are pretty dang fast and the fast bends where it should. I think the regular taper is more of a moderate taper, but I could be wrong. To be honest, I think you're going to have a hard time finding reviews on the Reinforcer. Granted, it is very new. I just don't see it selling really well at that price point. There are too many other established brands out there with really nice sticks in that range. To be fair, I do like my Arks and plan to check out the Invoker Pros when I revamp my cranking setups. They also have a good replacement plan which is always a bonus.

I gotta agree with @12poundbass. My dad and I watch the same few teams consistently beat 30 boat fields in our team trail in upstate NY for 11 years straight. It never made us wanna quit. We had a lot of top 5 finishes but could never get over the hump until we started putting more legit practice time in on our waters. That led to our first win in 2017 and 4 more in the next 6 events we fished, including a championship. It may sound harsh but if you can't handle losing, you shouldn't be tournament fishing. That being said, I suppose you could always boot the 2 teams that always win (personally not a fan of this idea) to keep the majority around. It's your club, you can do as you please.

Very cool to see more pros going this route. Pretty crazy that these "cheaper" options will still cost you $40K+ though.

Fantastic prices, btw. I'll be ordering some before the season starts.

One of my buddies throws frogs on a medium heavy spinning rod with 30lb braid and catches plenty. I can't imagine 50lb being managable on a spinning reel.

I'm pretty sure the "no chip" refers to the paint, not to the tungsten itself. No chip tungsten isn't painted so there's nothing to chip.

Ugh, that makes it even harder. I have 2 goretex shell jackets but nothing heavier for the colder months. Hows the sizing? Would you describe it as "traditional" mens sizing or the new age "large" that fits like a small?

I wish Daiwa would've done something to distinguish all the new Tats from one another. The Elite, Flip/Pitch, and this sucker all look the same!

The only tackle I've bought in quite some time. A few things are still on backorder. Also got over 600 hook bonnets from Amazon (and used the vast majority of them, yikes). Tackle prices are outrageous!

I really don't think the majority of the criticisms are fueled by a hatred of MLF/BPT or Boyd Duckett. The think the biggest problem was that there was a misconception about who their target audience was. I thought it was meant for me. A basshead, obsessed with the sport, and really into tournament fishing. That doesn't seem to be the case. And to be honest, it doesn't even seem like the more casual anglers are the prime either. Anglers like us, watch fishing shows/events/coverage/etc. to learn (maybe to kill some time until fishing season opens)...but mostly to learn. And as you progress in the sport and become a more skilled angler, you want to learn how to catch the larger than average bass (the majority of anglers do anyway, IMO). The MLF/BPT format and broadcasts don't really provide that. The original MLF events played out (play out) largely the same. No practice on unfamiliar lakes = bank beating. To me, there's nothing to learn there. The "best" in the world aren't teaching me anything I don't already know. The same thing is happening with the BPT broadcasts. Product placement/endorsements, lame jokes, and hooksets on small bass is the general makeup of the show. Again, nothing to learn. That's where a lot of the criticism is coming from, I think. The people that are actually into the sport aren't getting what they used to get out of the biggest names in the game. I think all the criticism has been good, though. We're already seeing some things change with the tour that should make it more appealing. I'm anxious to see how 2020 goes. Excellent point right here btw.

Take a look at the new Ark Lancer Pro for $99.99. There are 3 or 4 models that would serve as nice flipping sticks. I know you don't hear much about the brand since they're still relatively new but they make nice rods and they've got a good replacement plan.

I was gonna say the same thing about the sureset treble. I still have a few on some baits but not on the front. Snag magnet!

My guess is that rod is just old and has been sitting around a warehouse/storage facility for some time. I have placed a handful of orders with that company over the years and have had no issues. I imagine they would make it right. Let us know how it goes.