webertime

St Croix 710Hf Bass X is $80 shipped from st croix. Basically any reel for baits of that weight (for baits listed). 6 or 7 ratio. No need for 300 size Braid to leader is fine too. I'd suggest 65 to keep from digging in. 17lb Izorline XXX would be great as well. I use a Shimano Citca E for similar baits (budget stud reel).

69MLxf St Croix blank builds a great popper rod

Wakin Reaction. Literally a mishmash of all the popular patterns. It actually works really well.

It's a Hard Fat Ika.

These things are super popular. Think topwater spybait. Cast and reel, the bait will walk on its own.

It's sort of apples to oranges at the moment as the Elites have all the classic tapers/powers and the ltb (victory too) has the newer tapers/powers when St Croix revamped a couple years back. The sensitivity might be very slightly better, but the Elites "feel better" in the hand last time I played with them.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806107991414.html?spm=a2g0n.productlist.0.0.1bf31af27DnLaH&browser_id=c2eacdd1bb10423fa44823a1fa3fd89b&aff_platform=msite&m_page_id=yqhhhjihmcaumpfu18d103c42f821ea52170a5b173&gclid=&pdp_npi=4%40dis!USD!95.88!44.55!!!685.87!318.68!%40210321c717053744190736253e530c!12000036642321927!sea!US!0!AB&algo_pvid=0316de4b-2f46-4ed6-9f35-95472b77df3e $45...

Gear ratio is really person dependent. I accidentally over reeled a lot when I started so I went to a 6 ratio to help and it worked. 6, 7, 8 whatever as long as you can use it effectively. I have a 68Mxf Legend Xtreme with an OG Steez and 8lb Sniper and it's pretty darn perfect. Any of the 68Mxf are great JB rods.

I think you will find nobody spent 200 on a spinning reel and hated it

215ish for a zillion on Amazon 160ish from Japan for a Scorpion

Hit me up if you need spots up here. Live on Champlain soooo. St Lawrence river for 2 weeks Oneida Potomac Smaller inland VT waters

Kittery Trading Post has 20% off today including Megabass. You have to buy 2 items but a Levante and a bag of plastics is like $165 shipped. JAN24 is the code.

Zillion is amaaaaaaazing

Sort of tangential. I'd take a "standard " brake over a DC4 reel every time. The DC5 is a game changer though.

What are your budget combos? They can work for the time being for some stuff. That being said. Megabass Levante Shaky head or Enforcer Daiwa Rebellion

Drop shot and on a keitech football jig

2.8 is $$$$$$

Aside from restocking terminal tackle: Duo BR G-Ninus hook keepers for casting reels Raid Chunk and Bug things Beast Coast Sniper Jigs... all of them BKK ned heads

They dart more than shimmy.

Nishine catfish senko thing on a carolina rig and free rig

Tat 200 tops out at 3ish oz. It's probably mental but that's my limit for it. Tons of dudes on the Underground go large on the 200. An 8" magdraft is 3 and some change ounces? That would be as big as I'd go for sure.

Geecrack Bellows craw

1-3ish oz a Tatula 200 in 6.3 ratio is the ticket on that rod (had one). DC reels don't generally have the line capacity you want unless you're using braid.

I have a 35 sized Pfluger on my 7'6" ML spinning set up. It balances perfectly