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Solid white baits are killer in pretty much every type of lure. In fact; depending on how you fish them I bet your bass dont see many white baits that slowly creep along the bottom like a TX rigged senko compared to all the shades of green/brown. White is great in that it stands out very well and draws attention while still looking natural and not off putting. I could fish white or black lures only in freshwater and be happy.

Recently circled back to an old favorite, the 5/8 Yozuri Rattlin vibe. Its been been slaying for me on the river the last 3 weeks with some nice "wrong species" surprises including stripers, big walleye, and cats.

It can vary, but 5 years or so after stopping production is getting to be the trend. Used to be longer, in some cases theres commonality between reels or Japanese part options that extend more options. I have a lefty Chronarch D that was released starting in 09 (?) and halted after approx 3 yrs. The ship has sailed on a brass main gear and pinion of an equal ratio. I did recently order brass gears for a righty metanium DC7 just to be safe as I like it more than anything shimano currently offers. I do wonder about how the combination of braid users and high speed micro module gear sets in new reels will hold up over time. At any rate, if you wanted to go that route, you could order a main gear, pinion, and perhaps a worm shaft (on the off chance some grit or a pebble gets in there and damages it).

Theyre all really good... they all faded about the same from what I recall, I would be inclined to say the JBraid faded a bit quicker of the 3. Just use the line conditioner & they’ll hold color a bit better. The suffix is a bit stiffer than the Jbraid and PP- Some people may like that on a bait caster a little better. Honestly too lazy to look- but I believe the suffix ran thicker diameter for the pound test than the other two; Which may make the others seem to be more “limp” if that makes sense. Folks always raved about the Daiwa samurai being so limp back in the day. It was also thinner when comparing the lb test on the box...So naturally it was more supple.

Nothing to add to whats been said other than: Theres something about fishing gear at yard sales. If someone mentions it in advertisement or sign it attracts every old guy and his brother. They get there early, REAL early. You need to be there as soon as it opens if one mentions there will be fishing equipment.

Everytime I've had a reel screech like that it was a bearing. If you have another shimano I'd swap them and see if it stops since it only takes 30 seconds or so.

Id go up to at least 30lb or preferably 40lb braid on the baitcasters for the larger diameter. Still plenty thin for favorably comparable casting distance vs mono, but it’ll behave itself much, much better.

Theyre both great, I havent compared comparable models side by side in terms of profile. But if we’re splitting hairs, the buckeye pulls ahead slightly because it has a wire tied skirt. If ordering in bulk, its something to consider as they age. Though I’ll admit the living rubber on mine usually turns to goo before the silicone bands rot. I know you didnt ask- but just my two cents, the better bet is to scrounge up some of the discontinued Booyah Pigskins while readily available. Gamakatsu hooks, hand tied, and some cool silicone/rubber blends. Im away from my tackle at the moment but I believe its a finer gauge of living rubber also.

The saltwater trend is more about the fish than getting snagged... Depending on how it rests on the lure, a single hook can still be fairly Grabby... A solution I came to years ago For certain Baits like rattle traps is turning the lure nose up at 90°. Notice which hooks want to point Straight down? Those are the ones they get hung up typically. I Cut them with nail pullers on certain baits. Try to get it close to where there’s not a knub protruding or file it down so it doesn’t want to grab algae. You can creep a rattle trap across bottom and even over wood a fair bit this way. I like my JDM Rattle Baits But at over 20 bucks ea you can lose a lot of them quickly on the rivers. This is more for Straight retrieve mind you- If youre jigging it erratically and the remaining hooks are swinging everywhere it’s not quite as helpful.

While often somewhat interchangeable for me- generally Shakey heads involve using a lighter gauge hook, thinner line, and a lighter power/tipped rod. Also some of the more bulbous head designs don’t come through wood or vegetation as well. As such a Texas rig will get thrown places a shaky head won’t, usually on casting gear. There’s also certain applications, like lazy rivers where I prefer the way a shaky head presents itself in the current.

Ive used it for a decade as an all purpose line and its been great. Ive probably went through a literal mile of it. BUT the last two spools Ive gotten dont seem to have the strength that Ive enjoyed in the past from 12lb. No phantom break offs or lost fish- but it just breaks a little easier than it should when snagged. I bought two 600 yard spools at the same time from the same place and its almost like its a lower lb test with the wrong label...Its REALLY thin feeling and manages like a dream. To the point Id slap it on a spinning reel w/out pause. Maybe there were some mislabeled spools released, thus the different experiences- I dunno. In general while I like the 12lb, Ive always wanted something between it and 15, which is huge and much harder to handle. That said going forward its gonna be hard to chase sunline defier off my reels when I need a nylon based line.

I've thrown a sammy 85 more than any lure for over a decade...Any 6'6"-7' MH Fast action is fine, but my favorites a 6'6" MH Fast Fenwick HMG as I've always casted accurately with that rod. Its approx 2 generations old

I haven't totally weightless, as they're so lite weight I hadn't really given it a thought. The GYBC Swim senko however has caught some amazing #'s in that role

I make redneck custom keel weighted hooks with mine on occasion. Also will pound some flat with a hammer and then thin cut sections with nail pullers for nail weights to insert into plastics. You can also add a bit of weight to jigheads and such that you already have if your creative. If you drop shot its pretty easy to make a usable weight with spare lead as well.

Power fishing with 3/8 and up the K is hard to beat. I sold off my K's as I didn't prefer them for all around use. I have a certain old dam that I often fish reaction baits parallel to. It's a very reliable bite. Theres an undercurrent that sucks under the concrete and bass come out from under it to attack lures. Its strong, and a hooked, pulling, river fish presents a challenge. Traditionally I've just thumbed the spool and leaned fish away with the rod. Its hard to describe, but it's very hairy. I purposely cranked a fish out with my K using just the reel essentially a couple times, Heavy action rod bowed over. No other reel I own, including my E series felt as stout as the K in that regard.

Cork, more for aesthetics- but as said the harder eva is also fine for me. All the rods Ive seen w/winn grips have had too much obnoxious writing all over them for my tastes. Same goes for the reel handles. To my eye the reel knobs are an eyesore also, they just look out of place- but that may be due to the “louder” colors that seem to get used more.

Remoil is not bad for a reel...It comes in a plastic bottle and is used on guns all over the world with plastic. I've used it for years on reels and guns with no issues. Lots of wives tales on the internet. It has a thin viscosity however and w/That said it's use requires more maintenance. The trade off is it also allows a bearing to spin a little faster and more Free. I use it on spool bearings often, but a heavier oil serves better for harder to get to bearings or a worm gear that get serviced once a year so.

I enjoy casting the 150. Its consistent and works. Not mind blowing distance, but good. It's a pretty clear line when reducing the braking when to quit. I love everything about the K but the casting. Too heavy of a spool with the newer braking for my tastes. Classic case of trying to fix something that wasnt broken. Having used a few others in the line up w/lighter spools and the same infinity brakes, I liked them alot better than K.

Line and Lure the night before...Makes a drastic difference.

I bought one for my 13 year olds first reel. Its...okay. It's a bit of a sluggish caster with limited use. I flushed and relubed the spool bearings which has helped some. But theres something with the cast control- it may be the shim material; it's just not enough "in between" when adjusting it. It's by no means a bad reel however...But I liked the slick, snappy back hand casts with 3/8oz+ lures one could make w/the old DBS braked reels...This reel - and its just one reel mind you- doesnt have that same forgiveness in it's casting and braking profile. Long story short, at full price I dont think I'd reccomend it. The sub $100 reel game has changed alot.

That's a pretty good list. -I know you mentioned a spinning reel put something down the road that may be useful is a pin removal tool... I have a set of duckbill lineman's pliers that I made into one with a grinder, but there are some affordable alternatives on the market now I may end up picking up. -I didn't see where you specifically noted it but a little container of drag grease will last you forever. - not sure what lubricants you have but some of them don't allow for a precise enough application of oil. A little needle Oiler is something that's been on my list for a long time that I've just never got around to getting. -Some extremely fine grit sandpaper... -I have accumulated various shims from different manufacturers over the years. It can be useful when a spinning reel isn't laying line properly, handle knobs have too much play, a baitcasters cast control is outtake wack, etc. - few cans of canned air, unless you have a compressor or air tank.

Yes, they deserve it...Ive never seen a low profile bass reel that'll cast as far as an E w/freshly flushed and lightly relubed bearings.. I mean tangibly, dramatically farther when you get a bait that cuts through the air...I've spooled one of mine a couple times with a 115(?) Sammy and 12lb Yozuri. The paints held up remarkably well over the years as well...As gloss paints almost always do vs flats...The K feels more powerful and solid, but there's ever so slightly more resistance turning the handle if that makes sense. The flaw in the K is its average at best lure range it can go down to...The D's and 200 E's didn't have that problem... The new brakes are acceptable, (a lighter spool would help them) but VBS is my preference by far. Never used an I, the reports of having to oil em so often kept me away.

Low-key the best chatterbait trailer there is. Adds a good subtle action that doesn't obnoxiously overwork the bait. The heavy Yamamoto plastic adds compact weight without too much bulk/lift. You can really creep a chatter bait along the bottom with them. Trim as needed to match your skirt Edit* forgot to mention after removing the "skirt" portion of the grub. Regular Yamamoto twin tail grubs work the same- I just buy the hula instead as I fish them Texas rugged on occasion.

Ive been down this road and its a fine line...Go too far in thickness towards the front half of the bait and it starts to interfere w/hooksets. I went back and forth with a handful of swimbaits with segmented bodies like the smaller live magic shads and yammamoto Zako. The few Factory keel weighted hooks that were short enough to be rigged before the segmented body (2/0 or less from what I recall) didnt have enough gap or the one hook that did just “didnt look right”... My advice is to take Crestliner’s advice...Once I got over the optics of it and just fished em I found my most effective technique the last few years...The way most of us fish em, always moving- it doesnt seem to have any negative effect... That said, a couple tips that may be useful - I often paint the lead bellies with fingernail polish...More of a tinkering on the couch thing- but as I fish mostly white bellied flukes it doesnt hurt to borrow the wifes pearl finger nail polish. - If you find a plastic you like, look at your regular hooks...Maybe theres something like a tube or flipping hook that has the right gap...Dont be afraid to make your own keel weighted hook by flattening some split shot and forming it around it. Lock it in place w/super glue gel.

The falcon bucoo cranker is a little gem at a great price. Very lightweight & comfortable. The blanks are tough yet dont weigh anything. The rating of 1/4- 1/2 is slightly high though... Its great for say, the 1/8oz medium sized rebel craws up to 200 series bandits and maybe 3/8 or so traps.