Packard

If I had to choose between the two I'd go with the Avid. But if you haven't already considered looking at the Shimano Crucial or Cumara, then I think you should.

Orcas are aren't your average whale though. They are way nastier than sharks. I would rather be in a pool with a great white than an wild orca. Most of the orcas people see are the trained ones which are still known to kill.

Grubs Tubes Senkos Spinners Baby Rage Craws Heddon Tiny Torpedo Rapala X-Rap Hair Jigs

I traded my 50e in for a 200e. Like I said on is not better than the other, but there is undoubtedly applications where each is better than the other at. I use my 200e7 for flipping and pitching. If I was fishing jigs, plastics, squarebills, jerkbaits, or even topwater, then I would most likely go with the 50e. I do need that higher line capacity with the 200e since I am using 20lb fluorocarbon though. I didn't notice a difference in smoothness between the two. The older shimano b series is actually my favorite line they made. I own a Curado 100b, Chromica 100b, and a Chronarch 100b. They are all great reels no doubt. The 200e is definitely not a disappointment to the Curado series. I find most of your claims are very blatant but there is no point in arguing over two reels.

I told you they have it in Medium and Medium-Heavy too. If you think the ML is too light and don't want to wait, then step up to the M. Most people use M or MH, not ML so I don't know why you are set on ML if your Recon was too whippy. NorcalBassin obviously likes his 7'2" M/XF. I don't know what kind of cover you are dropshotting in, but I use a 6'6" MH/F Carrot Stix Casting rod most of the time for dropshotting. I use the rig on schooling smallies in open water and want to get it to my kayak before it turns the rest of them off. With a spinning rod I have trouble doing that at the same efficiency of a casting rod.

I use the rodents for flipping along with sweet beavers and of course rage craws. I haven't used the falcon lake color. My favorite color is watermelon red flake.

Why aren't you considering the Shimano Crucial 7'2" XF? They have it in ML, M, and MH. IT is a split eva like you want and will blow that Daiwa out of the water. The St Croix Rage 7'1" M/F will suit you well if you don't mind the full eva grip.

ah... I see that you had to edit your post. I got your original in my email's inbox. "I'm not sure what application are you talking about but the only advantage of 200 series is the capacity. I just loaded my 50e with 20# Ohero braid and it has the same cap as my CU 200e with 20# Sufix 832. I use them both for casting jerk bait and small swimbait weight 1/4 oz to 3/4 oz. The 50e cast better and retrieve smoother." 200e is better for heavy duty applications. 200e comes in two ratios, good luck deep cranking with the 50e. The 200e7 is easier to flip, pitch, and punch with. The 200e is better for light swimbaits because you won't spool yourself like the 50e. Now I am not saying one is better than the other but each has its time and place and for you to say the 50e is so much better is blasphemy.

He said he is moving form the high end ardent's into the low end lew's speed spool. The XS600 isn't their top of the line reel. Their cheapest reel weighs a solid 8 ounces which doesn't make any sense because their very top of the line weighs 8.7oz.....

I doubt anyone can help you with such little information. Are you trying to find the value of this rod? It is probably not worth much if it doesn't have a brand name on it.

200G is more expensive than the older E series and isn't better. You can find the 50e and 200e for less than $130 almost everywhere.

This is what I use if I want to keep fish while kayak fishing. It works great from shore as well. http://www.saltwaterkayakfisherman.com/2010/04/kayak-livewell-drybox-part-1.html

Depends on the application.

Great review! I have been looking into these rods and might pick one up later on. I just bought their Elite Tech Ice Rod and will be using it during the winter months.

Nice fish! Were starting to get hard water up here now. I'm actually excited that I will get to ice fish soon because for the last few weeks it's been too cold to fish normally.

Unbelievable for the time of the year. Our smaller lakes are just now starting to ice up in Michigan.

Any type of goby style bait works great for smallmouth up here on the great lakes as well.

Sounds good to me.

If you want to spend all of your money then I suggest a Shimano Stradic or Daiwa Fuego-A. But you can definitely get away with a Shimano Saros and have extra money to spend on tackle.

Exactly, TW obviously doesn't have to liquidate their Stradics like Cabela's. Cabela's must have ordered way too many or something along those lines.

Roboworm in Aaron's Magic

I think you made a good choice with the carrot stix. I actually enjoy using mine. I have heard a lot of stories of them breaking though.

Not really, the Speed Spool weighs 8.1 oz while the XS1000 weighs 8.4 oz.

Someone needs to tame his bait monkey! LOL

It's a lot harder to punch with round reels though, at least for me.