breezy

Dropshot, shaky heads, small cranks and just about any finesse technique should all work great on that rod depending on how powerful it actually is. A 50 size shimano (curado/chronarch) or Sol/Alphas would suit the rod perfectly IMO. I'm sure a lot of people can cast a 1/8oz shaky head + finesse worm with just about any reel on the correct rod but I struggle casting 1/4oz or less without a more finesse oriented reel.

In that price range I would look for a BPS Carbonlite or Pro Qualifier Tournament (if they still sell the PQT). You should also be able to find a new or barely used Citica E for around $70 with very little effort. I've owned a Carbonlite for around a year now and it has been a great reel, especially for the money. The Cayenne looks like a good choice also but I have no experience with them.

Go ahead and buy the best equipment you can afford. If you buy cheap and upgrade later you will just end up wasting money. The $100-120 range for rods and reels has some great values that will last and be a noticeable upgrade. Sounds like you're more interested in bass, get the revo. IMO it's much more comfortable after a day of fishing and well worth any sacrifice in line capacity etc. If you decide it's not up to the task for the bigger species then buy the c4

I hadn't considered making some kind of insert to join the two back together. The blank is extremely small in diameter at that point and I'm not sure how a rod would hold up to.the repeated stress of tip flexing back and forth. I sent the pics to Abu requesting a confirmation it would be covered under warranty before shipping. I will let everyone know what their response is although I feel this was probably not caused by a manufacturing defect. If they won't cover it I'm leaning towards trimming it slightly and just gluing a new tip on. If nothing else I'll strip the guides and use them on a MHX blank or something

They may advertise 24lbs of drag but in reality I'm sure most reels come in well below that. That much drag is useless anyway unless you're using 20+lb line. For the rod I would probably stick with the mojo over lightning rod. The mojo bass line feels heavy and unbalanced IMO but still a better quality rod. Check out the Abu Veritas/Verdict, Shimano Compre/Crucial, Falcon Bucoo and BPS Carbonlite rods. All are the same price range and I would pick them over the mojo bass. My favorite would be the Carbonlite, it's the one rod I still use while the rest of my rods have been upgraded to Dobyns. The new Shimano rods look interesting but I have no experience with them yet. A lot of it comes down to personal preferences and that's just my opinion

If you think you'll be focusing more on big fish (cats, pike, etc) I would go with.the c4. If your primary focus is bass I would lean towards the revo. To me LP reels are simply more comfortable after a day of fishing. I also love the Revo S, it feels very solid and mine have held up perfectly while catching stripers approaching 20lb and two 25lb+ flatheads. If I was targeting the larger species I would want a larger reel but the revo will handle them in a pinch.

832 is a better line with 8 carriers vs 4 in PP. There is a noticeable difference IMO but not sure how much it really matters. The new version of PP has 8 carriers but I haven't tried it and don't plan on it. Personally, with prices so similar and braid lasting for years I see no reason to go with PP over 832. The 832 doesn't sink enough to hinder any topwater action but the coating does fade pretty quickly. They're all going to fade at some point. Unless you're regularly replacing the braid to maintain the coating, why worry?

That's worth a shot. It's $10 S&H plus shipping to them for a warranty claim so I'm hesitant to send it off without knowing it will be replaced. I will send them a pic and see what happens....worst they can do is say no, right? I've always heard that baits hitting the blank can cause a weak spot that will lead to a failure down the road. This is the first time I've seen a bait hitting the blank snap it immediately however. I could understand if it was a 1oz jig but it was a 3/8oz zell pop, kind of surprised me. Guess that's the price we pay with the high modulus and brittle graphite.

While I'm at it I have another question Can cork with gouges be repaired? I'm thinking either sand it down if they're not too deep or fill the bigger holes with wood/cork filler and then sand down. Here's what I'm talking about (click for fullsize):

I was letting a friend borrow some rods I don't use anymore and he snapped a couple inches off my Veritas a few days ago. Bait was stuck in some grass, he went to rip it out...it flew out, hit the pole and snapped the tip. It's still under the 1yr warranty (barely, by a couple weeks) from Abu Garcia but obviously this isn't a manufacturing defect. If it were one of my Dobyns I would send it in for a no-fault replacement but don't think Abu offers anything similar and I don't want to waste money shipping for nothing. Instead I've been considering attempting to repair the rod myself or finding someone local to do it. Have a few questions: 1) How could I repair this rod? Can I just glue a new tip on and go for it or is there some prep work that should be completed first? 2) If I do repair it how will it affect the action? Obviously the tip is going to be stiffer, with a faster action? 3) What are the chances the blank is damaged below the break from this? I don't want to repair it only to have it snap off again while fishing. Here's some pics of the damage (click for fullsize pic):

Do these have a graphite frame? I just assumed so based on the MSRP from a quick google. You hear so many negative comments towards graphite frames but I have two bargain-bin reels with graphite frames that have been put through years of abuse and are still going strong. Of course I would prefer an aluminum/mg frame but at the time I didn't know there was a difference. They were cheap, readily available and have caught tons of fish. I would bet a lot (if not the majority) of reels move towards a graphite based frame in the future for cost and weight savings. Of course the material will have some new name (C6, CI4, Zaion, etc)...but is it really that much of a difference?

You could have possibly found a Citica E on clearance for a little bit more and it would have been a much more durable reel. But in all honesty without spending closer to $100 any reel under that price range is going to be pretty similar. It may not last years but it will catch fish. I have no experience with the rod but have heard other people speak favorably about F&S rods for the price (believe it was a different model). In the end your best bet would be to save up and budget $150-200 and you could get a nice combo that will last you for many years. If you could return your two purchases you would probably be halfway there and IMO it would be worth waiting a little longer for some better equipment. With rods and reels it really is quality over quantity IMO. If that's all you can budget towards a new rod/reel then don't worry about it...go fish and have fun! When you're ready to upgrade then do some research and try to get the best bang for your buck. Buying lightly used equipment will give you better gear at a big discount so be sure to keep an eye out on for sale forums.

Some good tips in this post but IMO these are some of the most important. First make sure you are using AT LEAST 3/8oz and preferably 1/2oz to learn on..it's just a lot easier to cast a heavier bait. Also I would recommend using mono around 10-14lb. It's cheap if you need to cut a spool off and more manageable than fluoro. Second, if you cast a spinning rod with a quick snap of the wrist and try to do this on a BC with no previous experience you're probably going to backlash. Start with a sidearm lob casts and be very smooth. You may only be casting 20-30ft at first but keep backing off the brakes and/or applying more force and distance will increase. It does take time to really master a baitcaster, but if you spend days and never get a decent cast something is wrong. Your reel is not adjusted properly, casting technique is way off, etc. If you know anyone who can use a baitcaster then see if they will spend some time with you; they may be able to notice something you can't. Get the basics down and learn how to make a decent cast without a backlash then slowly educate your thumb and back off the spool tension and brakes. x2. Assuming you cast with your right hand you're releasing too late.

The 3/4 power rods are far from a pool cue, at least up to 7'3. I know the 763/764 are more powerful but I don't have any personal experience with them. What worms do you plan on throwing: senkos, trick worms, etc? Fishing them weightless or t-rigged (with what weight)? What cover will you be fishing in? We'll need to know more before anyone can recommend the right rod for you. A general rule of thumb would be a 3 power for mostly 3/8oz (total weight) and under, moving up to a 4 power for mostly 1/2oz and over. There is a lot of overlap between the two powers so you can go up/down depending on cover, weight etc. I think a 3 power rod would suit most light t-rigged worm fishing best, assuming there is light to no cover. I would also recommend moving up to the 703 or 733...the longer rods provide more advantages than disadvantages IMO.

x3 I hate to make statements like that because I think it makes me look like a Dobyns fanboy but IMO it's very true. Sensitive, good variety of rods, lifetime warranty...and most of all very well balanced! This is something I paid little attention to until the past few years and it can make all the difference in the world. A well-balanced rod feels so much better in hand and is less tiring fishing all day; it's a night and day difference going back/forth between some rods. Savvy rods are great and I would have no problem picking more up if that's what my price range was. What isn't made in Korea, Malaysia, China etc anymore? The blanks are supposedly made in the same factory as two other very high-end rod manufacturers, and as long as I'm satisfied with the product it doesn't matter where it was manufactured. I can only speak for the 4 that I own but I have had no issues; also see very few QC complaints online. If you do get a rod with an issue I'm sure they would make it right. Back to the original question...I would shop around and buy used! With $400, if you shop around, you could pick up a used Dobyns Extreme and a used Zillion/Alphas/Sol/Fuego/etc and that would be one serious combo. Get a used Champion instead and you could put another $60-$80 towards a reel or buy some lures. If you buy new you're looking at a Savvy + $200 MSRP reel for that price range. Not that the Savvy is a bad rod by any means, but both the Champ and Champ Extreme are obviously better. Regardless of the brand I would be looking at a casting rod around 7' and either MH or H power. I would personally recommend a 733c or 734c depending on cover and weights you'll be throwing. For primarily 3/8oz and under or light cover go with the 733, if you'll be using 1/2oz+ or fishing in cover go with the 734.

As stated handle length will not change IPT. If anything, a longer handle will actually cause you to retrieve less line in the same amount of time vs a shorter handle at the same speed. The longer handle has a larger circumference and therefore it would take you longer to perform one full rotation due to the increased distance your hand has to travel.

I have used the BPS XPS fluoro for heavier lines (12#+) and have been happy with it. Picked up a spool of Sunline Super Fluoro (~$16) a month or two ago and have since bought at least 3-4 more spools. It's priced similar to XPS and I prefer the Sunline. Line seems to be more dense/less stretch but pretty stiff..not a problem on casting reels though. For heavy line, bottom contact baits, etc I find InvizX to have too much stretch for my tastes.

It really depends on the brand and style. I've always wondered why a 3/0 EWG, straight shank, RB offset, g-lock, etc are all different sizes...and some of the differences are huge. I generally like to use a 2/0 or 3/0 hook for trick worms and senkos. Seems like I get better hookups with a offset round bend hook but recently a lot of the bass are hooked just barely in the gullet. I think since the hook is smaller than an EWG it may be easier to swallow or they may swallow it without noticing. Still looking for a good alternative; something in between a EWG and round bend. Have been using the Gama G-Locks for a week or two now with good success.

I've had good success buying from ebay and Dominator Tungsten (google the name for a link).

Good read, thank you! Since the local lake has no vegetation and very little cover I'm usually fishing a popper or spook. Since I've started fishing a few local ponds for a change of pace I've tried to pickup frog fishing. I've caught 4-5 fish from the same pond with frogs poking out of their gullet, so I know they're eating them...but I've had no luck with the frogs. I trimmed the legs on my spro bronzeye before use and have had trouble walking it from the start. A super spook or super spook jr I can walk with my eyes closed but the frog doesn't want to do much of anything except go in a straight line. Did I trim the legs too short and kill the action? Or is the rhythm very different from a spook and I'm just going about it wrong? Also, wondering what everyone's favorite colors are? I have been using natural colors trying to match the frogs fish are eating but thinking about going with a black, white, yellow etc to provide more contrast.

Agree on the BPS shipping costs. I have made one online purchase from BPS in the past few years, only because I have a gift card. Thankfully there are now plenty of places to sell gift cards. In most cases I'm better off to sell a BPS gift card, take the 15-20% hit and then buy from another vendor. Other sites already mentioned have little to no shipping costs and frequent sales. I don't expect companies to ship for free and lose money (although that's a big reason TW/BTD get a lot of my business) but BPS seems like they are just making a killing. Base shipping off the item's weight, volume, etc...but what does price have to do with it? Shipping a $100 reel vs $500 reel from the same warehouse should not cost 5x more.

Have you held the Veritas rods you're looking at in store with a reel mounted? I have a casting rod I've been happy with (although I like the Carbonlite more) but think the spinning rods are uncomfortable. The metal nut for the reel seat aggravates me on the casting rod, but it is outright irritating and uncomfortable on the spinning rods. May be the way I hold the rod, reel I used, something else but I would at least recommend trying it out in store first. As stated above, the 7' Med seems like a very stout rod with a thick blank from handling it in-store. I don't own a Powell but they get great reviews and would definitely be a step up from the Veritas. If you want to stay in the $100 price range then definitely look at a Carbonlite--I have a casting model and would pick it before a lot of rods costing 50% more. If you're looking at Powells I would also have to recommend you check out Dobyns (Savvy in your price range). I own several Savvy and Champion models, the Champion 702sf is one of the best rods I have used and fishes a shaky head/dropshot very well. They're all good choices, just try and handle each one (w/ reel mounted) and decide what feels best.

I love fishing with braid and have switched to braid on spinning reels almost exclusively. But, its biggest disadvantage is sensitivity while the line is slack. If there is a very small amount of slack I can feel a bite but fluoro transmits it much better. Any situation where there is quite a bit of slack in the line..fluoro provides much better sensitivity, hands down. IMO. Braid is great for some things but I feel like I'm missing too many bites fishing jigs in deep water with long casts due to the bow in the line.

Unfortunately there aren't any local kayak stores, the store I was referring to above is just a big box chain store. It never hurts to ask, but since it's all large chain stores nearby I don't see them letting me take one for a spin. I've been looking around at stores that would do this or have demo days but it would be a long drive and from what I've seen most kayaks they carry are out of my price range. Just wanted some feedback on this particular yak or company. I seemed to fit pretty comfortably in store although I know it's not the best indicator. To be honest I'm more concerned about quality/durability. I could handle buying an entry level yak, using it for a year or two then moving onto something else. But I don't want something that will be falling apart after a year of use. Still haven't found too much info about this kayak in particular which makes me nervous...but on the other hand I haven't seen threads ranting about what a POS it is...so that must be good, right? Appreciate the comments from everyone.

I picked up a floater BBZ shad a while back, used it for two trips and it hasn't been back out of the tackle box. I was throwing it on a 734c, braid+17lb mono leader. The lure was just a little too much for the rod but not to the point I felt like it could snap at any moment. Haven't used the BPS 7'6 MH crankin' stick but as long as it has enough backbone to throw the bait I think it should work and still pull double duty with other cranks. The two times I used the BBZ shad, I thought there was something really off with my casting because I was getting horrible distance. After reading this thread though seems like lots of other people have had issues with it...makes me feel a lot better