thehooligan

Nice pickup

The 2000-2012 range put the absolute best reels out there.The curado e, core, Aldebaran, conquest, Antares, metanium, chronarch d, tdz, alphas, steez, pixy, Sol, fuego, zillion... I could go on and on, absolute best time period for fishing reels. And for rods, were getting the absolute best right now !! Shimano/Jackall, 13, phenix, megabass, the rod offerings are amazing right now.

Wow

ive been using 4lb sufix mono during the winter. Once it warms up ill be back to my regular line, 6-10lb

Shimano & Daiwa both make great reels but they also let duds slip in here and there. I try to keep a shimano only lineup but megabass and some older daiwa platforms always intrigue me. I will agree though that the 2015 shimano lineup is on fire compared to daiwas offerings...

Thanks, a lot of purple bits on there, lol. Considering a megabass/daiwa reel for the rod but I just like my shimanos sooo much more...

8lb hybrid and cxx

This gets asked alot, the general consensus is the *** is the best.

Hey cheng, 8lb cxx is the heaviest I use except 17lb for small swimbaits. The 8lb is great for all the 1/4-3/8oz baits I was throwing. Was a little heavy for the shakeyheads and flickshakes, actually prefer 6lb, 6lb hybrid, or 8lb floroclear. I fish hybrid and cxx all the time, I'd say hybrid is just slightly more manageable.

lol, I need the new Aldebaran and a Zonda hedgehog for this rod !!

First megabass rod came in today. The x7 Super Eiger. Put on my core 51 with yumeya spool. 8lb cxx. What a versatile rod, threw pop-xs, 3/8oz walkers and jerkbaits. 4 inch senkos, 1/16oz shakeyheads and flickshakes. Pretty much threw all my goto baits. Extremely sensitive and well built rod. Needs a slightly heavier reel to balance a bit better. Think I'll be pairing it with a zonda in the near future. I'd rank it right up there with my poison glorious but slightly behind the ultima. Nothing has matched that rod yet in my hands atleast... I'll definitely be adding more megabass rods to the arsenal.

Gotta keep your eyes on the forum for sale sections, ebay, craigslist. They pop up here and there, but like others said most guys hold on to them. Sorta miss all the mint 51e's i let go of...

Lightest rods i know of Cumulus - 6'5 2.78oz Quantum smoke 1st and 2nd gen cumaras nrx phenix recon

tatula

10-12lb hybrid or cxx

Id get the *** with that budget.

Japan lure shop is my favorite, but jp angler and digitaka both get great reviews as well.

I dont need heavy action rods, lol. Medium heavy rods are perfect for the northeast, small bass and light vegetation....

Same feelings here...

Like others said, if its calm im grabbing a pop-x. Little choppy and ill throw on a walker. The pop-x is my go to bait, can pop or walk it...

Ouch, that would hurt. Ive been pretty fortunate, most expensive bait i lost was an $18 pop-x...

I like to throw the 2.8 keitech fat on an 1/8oz owner flashy swimmer, and the 4 inch keitech easy shiner on 3/16oz flashy swimmer. I use a 6'8 medium fast cumara and 6'5L expride.

Usually two casting setups, one for jerks/topwater, other for plastics

^ lol