Tywithay

I don't think "Prolite" has anything to do with finesse, just the fact that the reel is light in weight. I'm sure it's a fine reel, but will be far from a finesse caster.

I use 8lb Sniper or Tatsu on all my 2500 size reels. 4lb on my 1000 size.

They're essentially the same thing. I don't have a preference.

Exsence uses the same body as a Core 100.

Curado 300D. Small profile for a round reel, xship, etc. It's a powerhouse.

Just catch a few catfish and slime that cork up a bit. Keeps it moist.

That rod is far too heavy for light weight lures. A lighter action rod and light line would help a lot. I've also never been fond of the PQ below 3/8oz or so. It's not a great finesse reel.

I'd look around for a deal on the Sahara 500.

For that money, I'd look at the Champions. They're 25% off at BTD. Puts them in the neighborhood.

I fish timber, rocks, cattails, and whatever else you can think of and I have caught huge wipers, stripers, catfish, bass, walleye, etc. Thickest line I own is 15lb Seaguar Tatsu. I don't even remember the last time I snapped a line.

A medium powered spinning rod isn't really made to handle 30lb line. It's more of a finesse type setup. You'll be ok if the drag is set proper. If you lock it down, you run the risk of breaking your rod. A 6'6" medium rod doesn't really have the nuts to handle pitching and flipping jigs, in my opinion. Most people use 7'-7'6" MH-Heavy rods, depending on weight of the jigs, and the nastiness of the cover.

I use 15lb Tatsu for t-rigs, c-rigs, and jigs. Love it.

I don't think drying out is an issue. If you want to seal it to keep it cleaner and keep the filler from falling out, I recommend U40. I put it on all my cork.

I put them on a rod and sit on the couch pretend fishing for an hour. Work some of the grease and loosen it up. Then I put line on and go real fishing.

Not sure why everything is compared to a Stradic, but ok. I haven't been paid to use any reels yet, so I use ALL brands. I have Daiwa, Shimano, Abu, Pflueger, and whatever else you can think of. I have found that Daiwa and Shimano have lasted the longest, but Shimano has had the best line management for me. I use 8lb fluoro on all of my 2500 sized spinning reels, so there's nothing changed in that respect. The Verano is just not as good as other reels I've used in that price range, and certainly not as good as the Stradic FJ or CI4FA.

It wasn't user error at all. It has bushings in the line roller, which leads to excess twist. It's not overly smooth, and there's a lack of torque because it doesn't have a threaded handle. It was a shame too because it looked good on my Tatula rod.

Call in your order and they typically honor the discount.

Anytime I have called in an order at TW, they've honored the 15% off on Shimano. A lot of the other sites will do the same.

Top of the line is a stretch. I had more problems with that reel than it was worth. Returned it after the first outing and ended up with a Ci4+ myself.

Why not just get the CI4+ on sale?

Just grab it with your hands and tug a couple sections. If it breaks, it's no good. Otherwise, good to go.

Not a fan. I'd use it for a leader, wouldn't use it for a mainline.

7' med. ***. That's one of the best spinning senko rods I've used.

I really like the Dobyns Champion Swimbait rods. The 795ML would probably work well for what you're wanting it for. Best thing is, BTD has them 25% off right now. Can't beat that with a stick.

What kind of price range are you looking at?