jeb2

I guess we can all pick a spot where technology might take the "fun" out of fishing. Maybe the guys with bamboo poles and cork bobbers really know where it's at, but I'll take my modern rods and reels, thanks just the same. Or maybe a leaky old wooden boat would add that special ambiance some are seeking, the bailing bucket close at hand. Good electronics are just another step along the path, IMO. I took one of my nephews out fishing last summer. He was really excited. He was checking out the electronics big time. I'd point out when we had fish below the boat. He was very disappointed that being able to see fish did not automatically equal catching fish. There's a lot more to it than just finding them.

I would guess that's the FD model. Lots of places are closing them out at about that price point. The FD is still a great reel. The updates to the FE don't seem that big of a deal on paper to me. If that's the price on a FE, jump on it with both feet!

How sad. I'm sure the family is devastated.

I agree with Kevin. A MH rod about 7' and a 6.4:1 to 6.6:1 reel is a very good all around combo. Obviously a lot depends on the exact rod and reel, but it's hard to go wrong if you stick with mid or better priced stuff in good name brands.

I agree that it seems Low is doing a little better at CS these days. Still something I'd be cautious about, though, especially compared to the outstanding CS HB has. Like HB's software updates. They routinely improve their units software, and make the new releases available to the owners of their units via the internet for a free and quick update of the units. Even the older, out of production units as long as they can. I'm pretty sure Low does not have any program like that. Maybe, maybe not. I'm guessing that's speaking about their structure scan, and only having to buy one for several units. But the caveat is that your SS transducer is probably on your transom. So what you're seeing up front while using the trolling motor is like 20' behind you. So old news. You'd have to figure out if that's a big deal or not, but I sure like having my 'birds telling me what's going on under my feet instead of back under the motor! If you find you are the same, you'd have to invest in a 2nd SS unit. Good luck with your decision!

Interesting. Sorry, I can't help here since I've never owned either of those reels, let alone a hybrid of them.

Exactly what Revo are we talking about?

I agree. I have a few GLX Loomis rods. Some are fantastic, like the BCR803's and MBR843. Very sensitive rods. But others, like my BCR804's, BCR852, CR722, not so much. I think there are a select few Loomis rods that are worth the money, but many that are not, at least compared to what else is available.

I disagree. AT&T has more issues than that. I'm a long time Consumer Reports subscriber, and they are always rated really poorly in almost every category in their articles, and that is based on real customer feedback. Here's what their Jan, 2011 mag has to say: AT&T is now the worst carrier. AT&T was the only carrier with scores that dropped significantly in our satisfaction survery of Consumer Reports readers. AT&T is now positioned in last place overall and in almost every market we rate. AT&T scored lowest in almost every respect. I'm sure they have some happy users, too. But nationally, they rate very poorly. BTW, that issue of Consumer Reports has a lot of info on iPhone vs Droid, service plans, etc. A good one to pick up if you can still find it.

The Evo camera is not as good as the iPhone camera. At least not without having to pay more attention to the settings. Make sure you set the correct light type for where you are (indoors vs outdoors basically). And choose a higher ISO speed if you're getting blurry pictures. I'm used to it now, so my pictures are turning out great. But it does take some dialing in. As far as apps, that depends on you and what you like to do. There are 1000's of them for pretty much anything you want. Do some searching on some of the droid forums to get ideas or input on them. I'm not a big gamer, so I just have a few simple ones on mine.

Seriously? Another big user of the voice to text in my Evo Droid. I was recently at my sister and her husbands place, and they are both longtime iPhone users. Between the voice to text and swype, I had them ready to switch! It is cool to hit a button, say "send text message to bob want to go fishing question mark" and have the text message "Want to go fishing?" pop up with a send button, all correct and ready to go. Plus must of the apps are free. We got 2 Evo's at the same time for the wife and me around Thanksgiving last year. Been very happy with them. I came from Windows Mobile, though. So anything would've been an improvement!

Pure Fishing has a very good rep for customer service. I hope your experience is as good as my recent one. I sent in an 09 SX baitcast reel to them just before Xmas for what I tought were some fixes/updates. I had a brand new, 10 model SX in the mail in about a week. And that was including Xmas! I've read nothing but good things about their customer service. My guess is you'll see a new one arrive at no cost to you.

That's the way I'd go, too. Just like the STX, only 2 ounces lighter. I have an SX and 4 of the Premier's, all the latest versions. Nothing wrong with the SX, but it is a bit over priced compared to stepping up to an STX, at least at MSRP. But when you consider you can get new Premier's for under $200 online, it's a no brainer. A caution on the Revo's, though. Make sure when you're looking at them, any of them, that you're getting the latest models. Some of the 09 models were not nearly as well received. The newer stuff, from '10 on, are almost universally praised.

Spoon bite was great around here up until the last week or so. Now they won't hardly touch it. Not sure if that has to do with the annual shad die off or just that they've gotten used to the bait. But it was a hot pattern for a month or so.

Dry mono to dry FC may vary as far as stretch. But mono absorbs water and humidity and will stretch more when under use. Mono is also much more visible to fish, a big consideration in the clearer waters I usually fish. There are pluses and minuses to each, but almost all of my baitcasters are spooled up with Seguar Invisix, and I've been happy with it. I find it no harder to use or work with than mono. No knot issues at all, etc. I do use mono on my topwater reel and a hybrid/copoly on my spinners.

No reason to get worked up about it. Sounds like some of the dealers may have figured out a way to work around the edges of the law with programs like that. But they wouldn't be offereing them if they were not making money on them. Something to think about.

I've got a couple of Browning Midas baitcasters from like 3 years ago. They are just backup reels for now, emergency use only basically. They work, and are okay values for the money. But I think I'd recommend a BPS gold or maybe look for a good price on a Curado 200E7. I have both of those too, and both are better reels for that end of the market.

Its basically a coupon. No more illegal than points from Bass Pro or Dick's. : But it would be like Bass Pro saying "If you ever put fishing line on a reel you bought from us, and you didn't buy that line from us, we won't honor the store warranty or return policy any more.". Except I guess there's no law against that in the fishing world. There is in the automotive world, though.

That is illegal in the USA. Check out the Magnuson-Ross Act. As long as she can prove she had the oil changes done with an oil that meets Toyota specs, they can not deny the warranty. Unless she signed up for one of those "Free tires for life" things that some dealers offer. Many require that all service be done at the dealership in order to qualify. I'd bet it's still illegal, if someone were to push it. Afterall, oil changes have nothing to do with tire wear. I could see a warranty like that insisting you bring it every 5k miles for a rotate/balance, but not all service.

Somebody help me understand what the big deal about the handle is. I have a Certate and a Stella, and the handles seem fine on both. Same with my JDM Caldis. What does a different handle do for the fishing ability of these reels?

Good for you! I hope you enjoy it as much as you think you will. I retired about a year ago now, at 52yo. Life is great. I fish Beaver Lake 3-5 days a week, and never seem to get tired of it.

That is illegal in the USA. Check out the Magnuson-Ross Act. As long as she can prove she had the oil changes done with an oil that meets Toyota specs, they can not deny the warranty.

I recently contacted pure fishing about a troublesome '09 Revo SX. It had been that way since new. Arranged to send it in for what I thought was just some updates. Received a brand new, '10 Revo SX in the mail about a week later, no charge at all. Hard to beat that kind of customer service!

Another vote for the Pline Flourclear. I only use blended line on my spinning reels. I use pure FC on my baitcasters. And I would on my spinners too, but I've never found one that behaves well on a spinner. Just went through $45 of Sunline Sniper FC and Super FC, re-learning that fact. But the Pline is a great compromise.

No doubt it will. That's a big thing I use my SI for, looking for shad bait balls off to the side of the boat. My 'birds earn me a lot of fish I'd have driven right past otherwise. Happened just yesterday. Idled through a couple of my regular spots looking for shad balls. Found them on my 3rd spot and kicked butt. The other nice thing about SI is you don't have to drive right over them to see them, so you don't spook them as quickly.