craww

I’ve caught myself wondering the same things. Braid certainly isn't the end all be all for everything, I don't use it for a lot of things due to certain characteristics. However.... Ive just never seen all these weird issues folks seem to have with breaking it off randomly, knots slipping (A lot of Blue Cats up to 75lbs on the polamer), uncalled for fraying, etc. I’ll even go so far as to say after using maybe 18 brands- if you use the right diameter- braid is braid generally speaking. Even the cheap amazon off brand stuff has been fine for me.

Black brush hog or kinami nories bug

Sunline defier in 19lb, which I believe is more of a 14lb ish diameter in the traditional trillene/ stren types.

I generally throw the bigger baits more to cover water & draw fish longer distances. The 6th sense Mag dog 130 has been slaying LM, SM, and Stripers for the last 2 months. Its 5”+ and 1.2oz. Really, really liking this bait. I can just about spool a Chronarch D w/19lb Defier. Its replaced the old Xrap-Walk 13, an approx 1 1/4 oz 5” lure originally targeted more for saltwater...It had a really long, gliding walk if that makes sense. Historically, the smaller sammy 85 in MS American shad has given me some of the best topwater days of my life. Including a 50 fish day casting into roaming schools of threadfins. They work great everywhere, but are the absolute ticket in shallower rivers casting into little eddies and such after a bit more spooky fish. The 85 doesn’t walk like bigger Sammys, but uniform walking like a spook is extremely overrated. Bait fish don’t really move like that across the surface- but they sure spit, twitch, jump, & roll just under the surface like that little Sammy does. We go to such great lengths & expense finding a crank bait w/that different action, tighter wobble, etc yet so many of our walking baits of the same profile look exactly the same to the fish come July. To answer your question, I generally run w/the larger lures because of they're drawing power & casting distance as I often don't have a ton of time on the water w/3 kids. The big baits serve as a rattle trap of sorts for covering water. However that 85 Sammy & comparable Duo Realis do probably catch more fish, including alot of panfish. Theyre also better for target casting. I also reach for the smaller lures on shallower/lazy rivers, ESPECIALLY if theres smallies around.

Yes. That style brake is as simple as at gets, you'll like the reel. Id take one over anything w/a comparable or slightly higher msrp made today. Great distance casters, the “good” septon knobs, no tangible durability issues whatsoever, even with a ton of them out there under two names. I legit cant recall ANY one saying they had to swap a gearset in one on the forums over the yrs?

Ive used the conquistador mini-craw jig trailers w/little 1/16oz terminator jigs for years. Handpoured w/awesome colors and the softer plastic works well on them. Theres even a photo on their website w/a nickel if that helps you size them lol.

Any mono you like slarting at around 12/14 lbs - up to a diameter that doesnt impact casting distance. I used yozuri hybrid in 12lb for years, but have a season w/19lb sunline defier & couldn't be happier w/its overall balance of strength/castability/abrasion resistance. It casts very well and has boated some big stripers in current , been wrapped sawed around a hidden log, etc and has been excellent. That said....I hate using braid with buzzbaits...Between the wire, fishes mouth tissue, and zero stretch line- often something has to give - and it ain't gonna be that 50lb Powerpro. At best a good fish or two bends the wire much more quickly than mono & gets the lure out of tune, & you bend it back with sucess. Often however, retuning a buzzbait is a crapshoot, and a lure will never be quite right. Braid exacerbates the problem. At worst, the lack of stretch causes a larger tear in the fish's mouth, and a very "tossable" lure due to the weight on the end gets sent flying into orbit. I humbly say all this through the lense of consistently targeting big bass on them in my waters. Large bass will throw a buzzbait VERY quickly if you let them. The way to keep a fish from throwing a bait is constant downward pressure, zero slack and forcefully keeping that head down or full of water when they come up. On an exposed single hook lure with a fulcrum point to throw the bait, braid has no place for me.

I throw a buzzbait as much as any lure...I really dont think it matters as long as you use one w/quality components and it planes right. I only use single propped versions. I dont want one that's super slow & think that attributes overrated. Also dont care about trailer hooks. If it came w/them, I use em. If not, no big deal. The booyah model for $3.99 boats as many fish as the megabass, cavitrons, secret weapons, etc that I own.

It can be tough sledding a few things that help me: -Nail weights. Insert them into the plastic instead of using a bullet sinker in the nose. An absolutely killer finesse rig when working a pocket in the thick stuff is a trick worm w/a nail in the tail...Beyond that if the water is not very deep or you’re not trying to get through a mat of surface slop- use heavier/denser plastics like Yamamoto with no additional weights. -Cover the knot with your plastic. That little tag catches alot of stuff, especially algae. You may tear up a few more baits, fyi. -With jigs, use models designed for grass- especially made w/a vertical line tie. I dont know why, but there’s a significant difference in horizontal vs vertical line ties in vegetation. Also Pay attention to how the heads are shaped, angle of the hook etc. People will tell you to grab heavy 3/4 oz jigs, but theres also a place for little 1/8 models that dont bury themselves into the hydrilla carpet as quickly.

Been using in 6lb on an ultralight rig for a couple months and really like it. It seems to cast a bit better than other <10lb braids, doesnt tip wrap as bad, nor have I encountered any of the occasional weird main line knots from line twist some thin braids give. My 8 yr olds used it the last two trips and its been much less of a headache than comparable PP/J braid diameters that like to wrap around the rod tip or foul the bait. Not sure how Id like it in the thicker diameters w/it being stiffer...But its an improvement over other braids in the really thin diameters IMO.

I compared the metanium to the exsence directly casting 5/8 rattlin vibes w/12lb Hybrid- both had been flushed and lubed w/a drop of Rem oil the day before. Aiming at a specific target, it was pretty much dead even depending on my mechanics...Splitting hairs; the metanium eaked out the farthest cast (actually hitting the target) but the DC gave a more consistent group. Both of them will bomb as far as I want to set a hook on a frog lol. That said, personally I think alot of the reasons we’re seeing so many gear issues w/the current Shimanos is the micro module teeth while used w/unforgiving braid. For that reason alone I think the old school gears w/the double support of the X-Ship is the better tool. Again- maybe splitting hairs.

That guys a smart man...Ive owned all of these but the Steez- and the exsence got picked up over them when i owned the others. That platform is the peak of shimanodom, with the x-ship/gear ratio its an amazing frog reel and would be my first recommendation for tip-down, power-oriented presentations. I spend alot of time throwing 1/2oz buzzbaits into heavy cover & am picky. Absolutely LOVE that reel in that role, which is similar to frogging in many respects.

Berkley bottom hopper is what I currently use most- as resembles my all-time favorite, the discontinued Berkley Shakyhead worm. I will say, (And I understand I may get run off BR for even saying this lol) that the googan baits slim shake has alot of what I liked about the old powerbait shaky worms (the bigger one)...Almost like someone took some cues from it....The slightly wider than “half of a pill” shape, the way the segmented sections are shaped, some of the exact same two-tone colors, etc. I really like that bait after limited use.

With that bait it's a tough nut to crack..I've tried over the years. I've found that you can actually beef up the rear treble a bit and it seems to help w/casting them on a baitcaster w/out messing up the action too much. I have a kit of vmc Barbarians -which are a heavier, thicker gauge, and it makes a bit of a difference. Maybe adding a more tailweight helps them flow throw the air more inline vs sideways, grabbing less air. If nothing else I can cast a bit more aggressively perhaps with less spool fluff if that makes sense. Experiment, & keep an eye on how the lure behaves in the water to see if it's to your satisfaction. I have a 7' M Mod fast Falcon original that I bought at a yard sale that loads them acceptably. No experience with toothy critters on it, but I've caught a few 28"/30" stripers and the rod handles them fine.

In real world on the water scenarios, using rods that are typically appropriate for presenting the given lure- I've never come remotely close to achieving those "wow" distance casts w/bass fishing sized spinning reels as I can w/a properly tuned baitcaster. Even aided w/a 6/15 braid, I cant get a 2500 Spinning reel to match a properly lubed 200E7 and 12lb Hybrid throwing a sammy 100 or 5/8 Rattlin Vibe. The baitcaster eats its lunch and pops the bag on those types of lures that carry. As mentioned line slap is a problematic on spinning rods, but its also important to note when we're talking "bass sized" spinners- that the deeper into a spool you go (ie at the end of longer cast) that the line comes off the spool at a sharper angle to the lip designed to restrict ot contain it. Pflueger was on to something w/the arbor...I used to fish 6740 presidents back in the day before knowing it was overkill for bass. That said a 40 series spinner absolutely casts better than a 25 or 30 for raw distance on baits that are aerodynamic.

With the way the tag points on a well tied FG, I dont hear the "tick" whatsoever on the cast. When winding in, yes. I start with about 8' on, mainly just to add a little bit of a buffer for tieing new lures I've settled in to 40lb braid & Either Ande or Big Game mono Leader material in 15-20lb. Same reason as you, I can use a spool of braid for a few years. My finding w/leaders are regular mainline works ok, but there is a difference in actual leader material (it would be awful as a mainline) and I suggest going that route wherever you land. I'm currently using some Yozuri Topknot flouro in 17lb, as I'm throwing alot of keel weighted caffeine shads in current. I like that flouro helps get it down vs the heavily bouyant, thick, mono, but frankly thats the only reason I use it. I dont like how that if I get semi-snagged & have to pull on the line a bit, the whole leader is now deformed and weakened (with flouro). With 20lb mono it's not as big of a deal.

Truely weedless or snag free trebles that can come through cover and resist snags without looking unnatural or impacting action/hook ups. Just about physically impossible I know, but I share a love of rivers laden cover and JDM Hardbaits...A man can only swim after so many obscure squarebills lol Also, more realistically perhaps- a buzzbait that doesnt get out of tune/balance after catching a couple 3lb+ bass...Terminator was barking up the right tree with the titanium, but everyone I've used planed almost on its side outta the package.

This is a 13 yr old thread man lol

I do think theres something about certain rods that just match my body mechanics for whatever reason and I seem to be more accurate. The handful of Fenwicks in MH Fast action I've owned have always been surgical cover casters in my hands. I've owned other rods longer with similar lengths and ratings, but the old HMG's loaded just enough to have a tiny amount of tip, while remaining in control. But yeah I do think the magforce equipped Daiwas your running behave themselves more than the Scorpion/Curado 70...So that may play a part for sure.

Its a reference to know how much line you have on your spool...Mainly for the saltwater guys that target long running fish that may spool you.

I just use a flat head...Make sure its lined up properly & your pressing evenly directly behind the opening. Some will put them on inside a big ziploc to avoid sending them into orbit. FWIW, you can temporarily use something else until you get the part if u lack reels...I have a metanium MG7 that I used a straightened out staple on. Just wrapped it in the groove & folded over and twisted securely (like a cotter pin)...you may need to trim it so it's not too long....Anyway, I Forgot about it until recently. It's been burning rattlebaits and squarebills for months with no problems lol.

Chronarch SF...Used one of my buddie's slinging a buzzbait into flooded cover for a day...It was shocking how "free" that beat up old reel was to me. Casting was hard to describe, baits just kindve kept going just a bit more than they shouldve for the effort put forth. All while being very manageable.

The bug ought to be useful bait

I switched to Costa glass this year, & love them...but found the Bolle' line up years ago and keep a couple pairs. I found their options are much, much better for me than the anything I've owned from Oakley, Wiley X , Smith, Nike, Shady Ray, etc IMO. Some of their styles are a bit different, but as a big headed guy that's picky- they're clarity & comfort are excellent. I'm a big fan of the King & the tigersnake lines...The only glasses I've ever used that I forget I'm wearing them and they can be had for almost nothing in the right places.

I put casting guides on a 1-piece spinning rod and it functions well. That may be an option for you if nothing else. I thought the lack of a trigger would bug me but it really doesn't- TBH I kindve like being able to wrap my fingers around the rod & sidearm cast it. Maybe it would be an issue on a stouter rod w/more resistance? Admittedly my threadwork wont win any beauty contests, but it slings some of my 1/10 oz cranks when creekfishing better than any rod I've used. Good luck with your search.