G_money

Looks like a Florida Strain LMB...they are usually darker with a more pronounced midline and some dark blotches of color on top. I'm not sure if they have Northern strain or if it's too warm down there. There was some experimenting by Kansas a while back with Florida Strain but many weren't doing well with the colder winter months

Those are the three. I've fished all three of them. The difference between Toray Superhard Upgrade and the Shooter is the abrasion resistance of Toray, it's better. I've heard it rumored that the Toray Superhard and the Shooter are produced in the same plant. I haven't found any evidence pointing to this, and actually feel that they fish a little different. The Toray is a little stiffer and little more sensitive, also it's lb test almost exactly matches Shooter's in the next line strength up (ie..toray superhard's 10 lb is the same diameter as Shooter's 12 lb and they both break at the exact same strength in the tests I've seen) So think of Shooter's 12 lb as standard 12 lb test and Toray's 10 is reall like 12 lb. The maxima is not even close to being as good as the two above lines, and it's also very opaque and shows up more in the water. I would go another route if you want to save money on Fluoro than the maxima. I've heard great things about the Suffix 100% fluoro and it's affordable, I will be trying it this spring. Hope that helps. Oh yeah in my experience the Toray Superhard is the best fluoro out there....TT came to the same conclusion as they gave it the editor's choice award.

I can guarantee that it isn't knots or guides. All of rods are factory GLX Loomis less than one year old or Custom built NFC rods using ONLY SiC and Recoil guides in combo with titanium Sic Fuji Tops. And it isn't knots, because as I stated I've had entire spools of seaguar that fish fine and don't suffer breaks, and then I've had BAD spools. And there is no debate, when the North American Manager personally calls you and admits to the line being faulty, and even sends three spools of line to make up for the bad spool. btw this happened on three different occassions over a two year period. Nothing printed in my posts is "spewing farce"...especially not when the company personally apologized 3 different times. And if you think they have the strictest standards in the industry you are flat out wrong...that would be Toray and Sunline's high end lines. Period and that's not debatable. If you get a good spool of Invizx it will work fine...I gave my experience, which is a fact not an opinion, period. This is a forum and everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but don't come on here acting like you have the final say. The only thing "farce" I've seen is your opinion. BTW in a fluorocarbon review done by ta*kle tour.com Toray Superhard Upgrade and Sunline Shooter were head and shoulders above the rest. Yo-Zuri is great, Yo-Zuri ultra soft is not...and that's a view shared by many who have used it.

Most of my pics seem to be of LMB lately I lost a lot of my better SMB when I lost my digital camera...here are a few I found in my old PC

That grass is too green to be PA...where were you fishin at?

That's cool you've had good luck...I have purchased multiple spools that would break on every hookset regardless of knot used, and I've fished spools that were good. BTW I sent in three of the "bad" spools and Seaguar called me back, don't remember the guy's name but he is a manager in there, and admitted that every batch was defective. fwiw believe me or not I don't care that's up to you.

It's weak and doesn't have good abrasion resistance or tensile strength. You can basically go to any website that sells it and read the reviews 3/4's of them will be very negative. T*ckle warehouse use to sell it, and there were approx 12 reviews and I think all but one were negative.

I wouldn't reccomend Seaguar Line any more. I've had too many bad spools, and it has longevity issues. For around the same price Shooter Sniper is a far superior line, not quite as supple (limp), but much stronger. Yo-Zuri I feel for the price is decent line, unless you're fishing gin clear water with jigs or soft plastics then I would use a 100% fluoro line. IMO avoid the Yo-Zuri soft it is terrible.

Having a custom built on a North Fork HM 804 spin jig blank...by this great builder I found in Michigan. I sold my old rod I wasn't using. BTW Clayton payback sucks. If I remember right you were using a LTB 6'8"M XF...that was the best Croix action I've fished, but I'm just not a St. Croix guy.

I've had success with a multitude of knots. It's more about using high quality fluorocarbon. If you're buying cheap fluoro you might as well forget about the knot because it's gonna break sooner or later. The deal with fluoro that a lot of people don't realize is it does stretch, like mono (some stretch less like Toray Superhard Upgrade), but unlike mono fluoro doesn't retain it's shape once stretched. And the cheaper it is the more it loses strength when stretched, and when soaked. The high quality fluoro's are good for about 15-20 hard trips or more, cheap fluoro some are good for a few trips then it's break off city. But as far as knots go the most important factor is to wet the knot good, avoid line twisting in the knot, and avoid knots that have a single wrap that can cut through the other wraps in the knot. My most consistent performers have been the Grigsby special, San Diego Jam, and another unnamed knot that involves simply doubling the line then wrapping down the line, like the double san diego jam, except you don't go through the bottom only the top. Good luck

I give up they are officially an unknown at this point...

They're nice...I've used/owned many of them. They are Loomis' proprietary blend (bass blends) that they started after Shimano bought the company around the late 90's early 00's. They are essentially a blend of IMX and GL3 fibers. They are technique specific rods; the mossybacks are the jig and worm series rods. They feature an extra fast taper that makes them feel about 1/2 a power stouter (ie a 842 fishes about halfway between an mbr 842 and mbr 843 in the traditional Loomis rods). What they lack in modulus they make up for in the faster taper. I've found the mossyback jig and worm rods to feel more sensitive than a Mag bass (mbr) imx rod, but not a GLX. They feature Fuji alconite, the same as the IMX rods, the downside on these is Loomis uses the black framed ones, and the paint eventually wears off. Now if you really want a sensitive stick try one of the Jig and Worm GLX rods, they feature the same ex-fast action but are all GLX baby! and the new ones have the new hybrid guide system of fuji sic stripper guides the first 3 then recoil guides to cut down on weight...this is the same guide configuration I use on my custom rods. Hope this helps.

I exclusively use G. Loomis, and North Fork Composite (customs)...they are both companies started by Gary L. It's just a preference thing--I really like their fast actions and sensitivity. But with the current state of the economy I was planning on spending a little less on a 7ft spinning rod for skipping tubes and senkos under docks in clear water reservoirs, and light lining tube baits for smallies. I almost exclusively jig fish now and thus have went to fishing a lot of baitcasting gear with fluorocarbon lines. But I have to admit I'm still not the best at skipping light lures like tubes/senkos under docks with casting gear...I've really only been fishing a lot of casting gear for the past 3 to 4 years. After Bluebasser caught a bunch of bass under docks on a senko (on my lake thanks for that Clayton), which I couldn't get to b/c I didn't even have a spinning rod in the boat I knew it was time to purchase a new one (sold all my old ones). So has anyone fished one? How does the graphite compare to Loomis? Is it anywhere in the ballpark of at least imx or gl3? And what are the actions like? I was thinking of trying a 7ft ex-fast med action....but I'm unsure how their powers/ratings compare to Loomis'. I'm also very familiar with Croix powers and Shimano too...so anyone help...?

Don't listen to Clayton...he's a closet carp fisherman. jk...what's up Clayton? We going to hit Lake Wabunsee this April when it opens?

totally agree after fishing it. It's very balanced for a factory rod and feels light in hand. The BCR's have a faster taper (I have two BCR 852 GLX's), but the 853 feels tip heavy to me and heavier overall in hand than the 843. Plus I like a little give in the tip. I know a lot of guys like very stiff rods for jigging, but I like rods that are fairly stiff but have a lighter tip so I can use lighter line and keep fish hooked up better...keeping a huge fish on an ex-fast rod can be hard when they go airborne or shake their head at the surface. I actually lost another 9 lb plus bass today...I had my drag set down after breaking my line sunday and just kept telling myself not to horse her...it no doubt got in my head and cost me a big one because I didn't keep quite enough pressure on her and the jig popped loose when she surfaced. I was left with a massive scale on my hook and nothing else...I need slapped in the face!...still can't believe that...you only get so many chances at bass that big every season and I've lost two in my last two trips.

Wow! Should have bought this rod years ago. After all that flip flopping on what rod to get I decided on the 843 GLX...I mainly throw 1/4 and 5/16 oz finesse jigs, but lately have been throwing a lot of Dirty Jigs Finesse Tour Level 3/8 oz football jigs...and man this rod was made to throw 3/8 oz jigs i can feel everything. It even handles my 1/4 ounce jigs alright. This is now my go to jig rod...still have a couple of custom rods that are my overall favorites, but this is definitely the best factory built rod I own. And the best overall jig rod I have. Paired with my new Core 51mg7 it is one sweet stick, and very balanced in hand for a factory stick. I can see myself owning a couple more of these. On a sour note i lost an approx. 10-11 lb bass right at the boat on its first trip...my line snapped right as I was getting ready to net the fish...still sick over that one.

X2...shimano's line management system is the best in the business...the more expensive reels are better but the symetre is good for the price. If you're willing to spend roughly 120-130 the Saros is a better reel.

Front drag. They r lighter, usually more refined too. IMO there's a reason most all high end reels come with front drag.

I've owned all three recent stradics. The Ci4, last years Stradic FI, and the new Stradic FJ. The new FJ I've only had for this season but it's signifigantly smoother retrieving than the other two. And the FI I liked much better than he Ci...the ci has a soft frame and feels flimsy when fighting fish...the frame feels like it flexes under a load. IMHO it's not worth the weight savings...I throw fluoro all the time and prefer the new FJ by quite a bit. Hope that helps.

How's your new Toray Fluorocarbon treating you? Just curious since you've had some time with it now; what you thought of it? I've had such success with the Superhard Solaroam Upgrade that I have yet to try that really high dollar stuff you bought (the toray bawo premium plus fluorocarbon). Also curious what you thought of the Sunline FC Biwako Guide Special fluoro?...sometimes I think they're just trying to make these names as hard to pronounce as possibe; doesn't really roll off the tounge:) If you've still got line buying fever you'll have to try some of that Toray Bawo Finesse Fluorocarbon...it's their fluoro specifically engineered for spinning gear...then let me know which is better for spinning applications that or the Sunline Biwako. -tight lines

Just put up a post about Toray line...asking another member who had inquired about it. Admin/mod what's up? why was the post removed?

This line is the WORST line I've EVER used...absolute junk! Totally agree with RW. I've never seen line break so easily on hooksets. Save yourself some seething anger and look elsewhere.

Noticed that too...I've been cotemplating getting a cumara casting rod. To be honest if they would have put cork on the original cumara's I would probably have one already. I like the design of the reel seat and the feel of them, but just can't get past the EVA grip.

If you've got the money to spend G. Loomis BCR 852 GLX($355 on tackle warehouse--$30 below retail)...on a tighter budget same rod but in bass blend G. Loomis BCR 852 mossyback($220 at tackle warehouse--$25 below retail). This rod is designed pretty much on the same blank as their BSR 852 senko spinning rod. It's got a nice soft tip that will work everything from weighted 5" senko's all the way down to weightless straight tail worms like the Zoom Trick Worm. Plus it has the butt power of a MH Loomis casting rod. And it will double nicely as a jig rod given you stay >3/8 ounce jigs. Also makes a great jerkbait rod. I believe this is the most balanced versatile bass rod for everything but power fishing. Oh yeah it's 7'1" which really helps when casting weightless worms and is very helpful on long range hooksets.

For those who've used both...what are the similarities and differences in terms of action, power, and tip and butt stiffness? I figured the MBR probably a little lighter; it's 2" shorter, and probably better graphite, but oviously more expensive. Trying to get an idea of what to expect from the CUCX72m if I purchase it. I was thinking this might be the closest rod in power I could think of....but I've never seen this particular Cumara. Thanks guys.