Hooligan

I can't narrow it to one. I just can't do it. I have two rods that go with me every where, every time. The first is a Shimano CUmara Reaction 7-11 MH Xfast. It will fish everything from deep cranks to swimjigs in a pinch. I use it for open water spinnerbaits and cranking more than anything, but have taken to flipping with it because of its power and forgiveness. Completely ridiculous notion, I know, but this rod will do it. The second is my GLX 894. I replaced a NRX with the GLX and I like it better. IT's hard to describe until you've fished them both. It just feels better. With the weight reduction on the GLX, I'm seriously considering going away from the NRX and back to the reliability of the GLX... another post for another time.

I've got to go with these being the BEST replacement handle available. I've got two now, and love them. I'd like to add another seven or ten...

I use mine primarily as moving bait reels, but also fish them with big jigs, and plastics. Little of this, little of that... My favourite combo with a DC is my 200 on Cumara 6-9 MHXfast spinnerbait. That's sort of my moneymaker.

No, it has nothing to do with tip, everything to do with taper of the blank. Faster blank, faster recovery time, in turn this allows me to move the bait faster back to back. It also allows me to have much more direct contact with quicker snaps and more variety in working the bait.

Pay attention to the flea market, you can pick up Cumaras for around $100. heck, you could get Cumara for $105 from TW before they ran out...

That rod is really a one trick pony. It's not a very good popper rod, it's borderline too soft for my preferences in that. It's excellent for Sammy85 and 100, as well as Wake tails. It's a very good prop-bait rod but I don't like it for 1/4 ounce poppers like Yellow Magic or Ricos. Give me a medium Xfast for that any day. More control and better recovery.

I've broken literally hundreds of SK baits through the years, never thought of having them replaced, I guess I figured that if I am banging rock and dredging, I expect to break a few. I broke at least 24 2.5 bills last year fishing around bridge abutments and rip-rap. Let me know how that turns out, I'll flood their mail...

I had a long, drawn out response to this, and realized it is a situation in which it will do no good. You say it's nice to see a vast variety, well, newsflash, there's a HUGE assortment out there for the tackle enthusiast, they just happen to be at enthusiast prices, not value priced, low quality, bargain basement materials and construction prices. To insinuate that even Shimano builds a good rod at the $100 mark is somewhat contradictory. They build an adequate rod in that category, not good. Abu Garcia, Daiwa, and others blow them away. Period. You're in the $150 range before you get a decent Shimano with quality components, graphite, and resins. There are $100 rods worth owning, I've got quite a few Veritas, but the vast majority compare in no way to higher end rods. Also, for the record, TFO does not = Loomis. Not in build, not in weight, not in sensitivity, not in components, and not in design. They cannot be even remotely compared on a scale; they are that vastly different.

JF with Kanzen, specifically, Ive noticed that it is helpful to bump up in diameter, although not completely necessary. It does perform a little more one would expect in those diameters, which will help with casting and presentations. I am currently fishing it in 60, 40, and 30. Though I am not an elite series angler, so you may find a differing opinion.

Depends on the fish. I fish them like lipless baits a lot. I fish them like a jig as well. Just depends on the situation.

Hell of a good guy, too. Genuinely sad by the news. I've fished with Jim a few times and know him reasonably well. If it can happen to him, it can happen to anyone.

For the most part, *** rods are dead on for their powers. I'm undecided as to the overall quality of their rods. Of what I've had experience with they've been reasonable, and not out of the ordinary in comparison. They're a touch heavy, but pretty good. I dislike their reel seat, and the guides are a bit goofy. Their warranty is the sole thing that will keep me from purchasing one of their rods.

This. I'm 100% about quality gear. That means being loyal to gear that is loyal t ome. Brand snobbery has nothing to do with it. There are brand snobs here, and that's just fine. In most cases they're uneducated, and really have no idea what they're talking about. I tend to pay less and less attention to what those people say over time, and can tell you that if you filter it, the surrounding posts make a lot more information available... Anyhow. I'm loyal to reels that serve me well, be it Daiwa, Lews, Shimano, Ardent, or otherwise. Yes, the VAST majority of my reels are Shimano Chronarch, Curado, and Core- however, I've also got many others from other manufacturers. There are reels that can do everything well, but there are also reels that can do specific things better. Rods are a different story for me. It isn't so much about model loyalties, or brand loyalties here. It's about what works. I fish mostly NRX and Cumara lines. Is it because I'm loyal to either for any reason? No, not really. It is simply because they offer what I am looking for in rods with specific lengths and actions and they do just what I want in the capacity that I want them to do it. It's exacting. Dobyns is another manufacturer that build specific rods for specific purposes and I've found that it meets my demand in that rod. That's where it lies.

I've been in love with it from the start. It has great feel, and finish, and very very good abrasion resistance for braid. I know others have had less than stellar results with it. Would I prefer it over 832, yes. Here's the caveat, though, Bass Pros new XPS 8 is as good, or better, than both the lines I mentioned for a little less money. It's built for them by Normark, IE: Suffix and has all the same quality of their lines with better abrasion resistance and slight edge on diameter. It's definitely worth a look for the cost.

The Chronarch used to have aluminum side plates. It is possible that you're watching an older product video.

I can guarantee that no one has gotten their Classic flyer yet. They haven't been published yet, according to a very reliable source. They were discussing changes because of availability of several products. Should see them in the next two weeks.

I greatly disagree with those saying you have to fish along with the boater. That is exactly what you should not be doing, but that's a different argument. As far as plastics go, take jig trailers, take a stick, a finesse worm, a curl tail of some sort. If you are completely comfortable with the lake you're fishing, limit your colors, and maximize selection. If you have no idea, limit your selection and maximize colors. My typical load as a co- angler looks like this: Rage Craw in Candy and Falcon two each. Rage Chunk in Okeechobee two each. Recon Worm in Blue Fleck and Candy Craw Two each. Senko in GP and some shad color Three each. Ring Fry in Special two. Finesse worm usually watermelon gold and Aaron's Magic. I can easily fit this in my primary bag without taking a satchel. I will often take a full satchel jammed with plastics If I know whom I am fishing with. It will allow me to vary my presentations and change what I am throwing to maximize my effectiveness.

Do you need it? No. Any reel that retrieves line is adequate. Does it make fishing plastics and jigs tremendously more efficient and effective? Yes. If I am pitching jigs, for instance, I can get two to three more casts at a piece of cover because I don't waste time retrieving through dead water with a lower gear ratio. If you're concerned about fishing fast, it isn't the reel that is going to make the final difference. it is you, and your bait movement that needs to change. The reel only picks up slack line, it isn't moving the bait.

The signature is actually the best selling reel that BPS makes. What they aren't telling you is that it is all of the signature series reels combined, to get that number. They take the original, Elite, Gold, and Signature II to get that number. The Pro Qualifier remains probably the best loved, most unchanged reel from them. There is a valid reason that it has never been changed, unlike the Sig. It flat works, and is incredibly durable.

Your point of reference to the point I was making is entirely different. That's why I said it was entirely inapplicable to the referenced post above . Of course fish feed down, but in those situations that are being referenced they are not feeding down in open water. Your post illustrates a behaviour th st is different in situation than what was being referenced, hence was entirely different than the point being made. That's why I stated it the way I did. I was actually agreeing with you in it, albeit it is a different situation than I was referring to. Look at it like this, run a crank at 20 feet when fish are suspended and feeding at 10. You catch no fish. You crank at 10 under the same situation and you catch fish. Cranking open water will work, so long as you're on the same level, that's what I am getting at. if you are deep cranking open water, well, in most cases unless fish are suspended at 25', it won't be worth your time.

You're talking about a different situation entirely, as I stated above. Those fish are bottom oriented, they are not suspended in open water. you're talking about a thermocline situation, as well as a situation that those fish are still directly oriented to the bottom contact of your bait. Try doing that in open water when they are suspended in 15-20 over 45; I would bet you will catch less than .001% of the fish that you would in the reference you make. I mean, really, you have to have fished Conroe and seen those fish that will sit three to four feet off the bottom. Try to catch them by any other method and you won't get them, burn a 6XD or a Little John in front of them and they will eat it. Different situation entirely, and entirely not applicable to the reference above.

The Kelly Jordon bait? If that's the one, that bait is phenomenal in current like the Upper Miss.

I will not say never, but it's been proven multiple times that all three species of black bass very rarely feed down in the water column when they are suspended. Will they? I'm sure that there are instances in which they will chase something downward, but the vast majority of their time is spent looking up to the baitfish. Feeding down in the case of bottom contact is a different situation than we're speaking of in terms of suspended fish. In those situations that baitfish are located on the bottom, or very close to it, the bass are going to be located in the same area and the same depths in the water column. If I recall correctly, it has more to do with their swim bladder and eye positioning than any other factor.

Chronarch E Series . Fat fingered it .

Same worm, same profile, same fish catching machine . They remain a staple for me .