Tywithay

I have mine on spiral wrapped ALX rods....no problems yet.

Have used a couple tats for cranking and frogging since they were first released. I haven't had any grooving.

The GLX is lighter, has better cork, and better guides. Aside from that, I think they're pretty similar in terms of performance. The XX rods have much more versatile tapers. If you're looking for a cranking rod, the options are a little limited in the XX series, but they're plenty good enough that I wouldn't spend another $70.

The veritas are broomsticks. It can hurt casting, because the rod won't load. For hooksets, I think the stiffer the better to get that hook to penetrate.

Nope. Megabass will stop anyone that tries to put them on sale.

5.8oz Megabass doesn't allow sales on their rods.

4lb trilene and 20lb trilene are made from the same material and have the same properties.

Standard Fuji aluminum oxide, from what I've gathered. Good looking sticks, though I'd like to have seen micro alconites to shed some weight in the tip.

I haven't used the Pinnacles, but there's reels like the Curado, Zillion, etc., that have a form of carbon sideplates. They're also considered workhorse reels. I wouldn't fear that. I believe there's some pinnacle reviews on the bass resource home page as well.

I think that quoted line was from the sales manager, not Martens. Either way, nobody that is coming out with a new line of rods is going to say "eh, they're ok."

Stradic has aluminum frame, with graphite body cover. Feels smoother and more refined, but it's not a night and day difference. I think the FJ is the best spinning reel under $200, easily.

Not 100%, but the blanks appear to be American Tackle Bushido Warrior.

I look at it kind of like my golf clubs. Sometimes I hit a pitching wedge, sometimes I need to hit a 3 wood. I like to be covered for whatever I will encounter on the water.

Money. I'm sure the guy has bills. He was offered something he can't refuse.

Enigma (n) - a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand.

If you don't mind eva, the Abu large knobs are a little chunkier. Hard to find knobs bigger than Lews.

Lews makes a 95MM carbon handle that is pretty decent and affordable.

2500 also has a bigger frame and spool, though not by a lot. The gears inside can make a difference too, depending on whether they use brass or aluminum.

Just about every model has nearly the same right and left hand options, save for a select few. You're shopping at the wrong store.

I can cast with either hand, but I use my right hand to retrieve because I can work the rod better with my left hand. I was born left handed, but two broken wrists and over a year in casts when I was young, my right hand is more dominant now. I can use both for the most part. Can write or eat with either hand, average over 200 both hands in bowling. Just fish with the right hand retrieve both spinning and casting.

They stopped production in America 2 years ago. You can still find the US products, but their new stuff is cheaper and performs better. Their reels are fine. Most of those reels come from one of two manufacturers, whether it's a Lews, Abu, Quantum, etc.; they're all pretty similar in performance.

older

It'd cost $100+ more than you can get it from Japan. Easier to just go that route.

Pretty much. For some reason, a lot of people spend a lot of time worrying about what other people think. Buy what you want and use it. If the rod you want costs $50, awesome; if it costs $650, awesome.

Basically the same thing. Made in the same factory, just a different sticker. Better customer support though, for sure.