Capt.Bob

I wish I would have had that setup for my first!!! The reel is a good choice and will be excellent to learn on. The rod is the right size and power for most of your needs, Like RW said, if you can put a few bucks more in it, the Lew's Tournament Pro and a 7' MHF Avid would be much sweeter!!! and I doubt you would want an upgrade for quite some time.

I took the wife to a local pond, lake, that is only 4 or 5 years old. It was built when the State put the new highway in, then the owner donated it to the DNR. They stocked it and put in an access with parking and concrete ramp. The wife likes to fish from shore but hates going in the boat, says she can always take off on foot if she wants, but since she can't swim is stuck with me in the boat, she knows there is no controlling,,,,, if you get my drift,,,,,,,, Anyway, for a new young lake it is really doing good, the state put an 18" bass restriction on it, and so far it is taking off well. The wife probably caught no less than a dozen from 10" to 14". This was enough to satisfy her, she just likes to catch fish and doesn't care what size. She had a ball as all were on a 5' Avid ULF and a small 1000 size reel. I ventured down the way to a little deeper end and got a couple of what I would guess is the largest in it at this time, around 16". This lake is about 1/2 mile long by 1/4 mile wide. Just wish they would put a no gas engine limit on it, even in my condition, I could row it if I didn't want to use a trolling motor!! But anyway it was a great way to spend a few hours with her, as she will seldom go fishing anymore????????

I have my BB1 Super Tuned with the factory bearings still in use, it is a tad noisier than my Team Gold's but man does it cast, and is extremely smooth, to me what really matters. Oh and not near as aggravating as my Team Pro was with abec7 ceramics (Boca orange seals) runnin dry!!!!!

I agree, like they said,,,,,,,Tournament or Tournament Pro, but make no mistake if I were buying it.... it would be a Lew's!!

The noise isn't a concern for me as the only time I notice it is when I have a load on the line, fish or hard pulling crankbaits, and kinda like it fighting fish. The feel is what I want, you don't get as much with SiC guides because they don't transmit as well, same as the noise, it is transmitted better thru the titanium, and smoothness is as good as Sic guides in my opinion, both rods I have them on will cast as far and accurate as any rod I have. The way the guides are spaced and load the rod has far more to do with the distance you get from it, and since they are much lighter speed is gained using them. The reason Loomis uses them on that rod is it is the highest performing guide they could get for it, they or St Croix didn't do it to cut corners, as they are the most expensive high performance guides available. While talking to St. Croix before deciding the complete build, they agreed, and only changed the Extreme because most DON"T LIKE THE LOOKS, there rod building tech's words, not mine, after he agreed it would be the best for this build!! I wouldn't bother building a rod if performance wasn't high priority, no other guide will build this blank faster,,,,lighter,,,,,,more durable,,,,, or more sensitive. These are important factors in a high performance rigging rod, I refuse to give up any of these assets for something that doesn't pertain to it's performance, and that is,,,,,noise,,,, when reeling in it's victims. Lastly I will benefit from less tip weight the farther out I go with them, as that will allow a lighter reel without extending the reel seat to get a perfect balance. In my opinion these are all more important issues when building a custom rod in search of performance, and none of it does you any good on an expensive fishing trip if your gear is placed out of commission from a missing guide insert, or bent and broken guide,,,,,,,,no I won't allow noise to affect everything else that to me is more important. And the Legend Elite blank was the lightest blank available for this rod power and length, a proven performer for many years now, and still one of the top choice's we have in high performance factory rod's!

Check your messages,,,,,

That is a sweet buy, but I doubt you will find that bargain again, that is totally bargain basement Legend Tournament prices, which is a 100 dollar less expensive rod! I paid less than $200.00 a piece for two different Legend Extremes last year, but that doesn't mean you can guy them for that. I just bought a Sustain FG for $185.00 New in the box, but that won't happen again either, I would never suggest to anyone that a used Sustain is not worth over $200.00 if they were in the market. This higher quality tackle also holds it's value much better than lesser rods and reels!!! Again CONGRATS on a steller deal,,,,,just don't expect that to happen very often,,,,it wont!

There is no noticeable difference in the Elite and Extreme blank when both are built with the same hardware. I would doubt you could tell the difference blind folded if both had the same action power and length and were built with the same hardware,,,,,,,,, The Extreme with Recoil guides is totally different than the Extreme with any other guides. I have both and the recoil guides make more difference in the rod than the changes made to the blank material. Therefore if the Elite rod was rebuilt with recoil guides you would not believe that it was the same blank,,,,,,Recoils are expensive, there ugly to most, and there are oh so many who judge a rod by looks on the internet it's not funny, but anyone who has used both, or changed a rod over to the recoil guides understands just why they are so expensive, it isn't because they are so durable, or because they are so light, or because they are so sensitive, or so corrosion resistant, but because they do all these things better than any other ring on the market,,,,,,you just have to learn to like the looks. After my last two casting rods with them, I am building this years rod on the Elite spinning blank, and I am using Recoil guides. There is no way to compare the difference over any other guide, they are that good. One thing I should add is that with the improvements made to the Elite and Extreme blanks, you would probably notice the difference in them the most with them under stress or a load, that is what most upgrades to these fine blanks have been aimed at.

Sufix 832, or,,,,,,,,,,a,,,,,,,,,,,well I guess thats it, 8 3 2

Stradic FJ, at least be sure to check one out before buy anything else in that price range, you can find them below your price range, I prefer the 1000FJ, but some need the 2500FJ to balance the rod properly,,,,very important consideration!

They are great rods, the newer Elites are a tad better but you can't go wrong with any Legend Elite. On as used Legend Elite I probably would stay under $300.00. Any more I would just go ahead and spend a little more for the new rods and Lifetime Warranty without having to give any to boot money to use it. Great rods! But brand new is only $360.00 Retail, and if you look around you can get one around $325.00

With a 160 yards of 30# braid capacity I would have to doubt your claim of even coming close to spooling a Super Duty on a cast. As great as it cast we have to be realistic here, even if you used 50#!! Like I said mine is spooled with 50# Sufix 832, and I got over 130 yards on it, tied directly to the Braid Ready Spool, I wanna see David Fritz spool that. Take it for what it is worth, in reality no other Baicaster this size is more up to the task!!! But with a testimonial like this what other real will cast over 100 yards?????????????

Nope, get the Tournament with dual Braking, it gives you most features of the Tournament Pro with the biggest difference being Brass drive gear instead of the lighter harder Aluminum alloy Gear. For the difference in money I would never suggest the MG over the Tournament w/MBS.

That's been my Muskie and Northern Pike reel for better than a year now. I throw 1.5 to 3 oz bucktails mostly with it as my hands are ate up with sever arthritis and throwing some of my 11 1/2" 7 to 8 oz hard baits is becoming harder to do these days, but the reel handle more than I can of them. With 50lbs 832 this thing is beast,,,,,,I even used it last fall to land one of these brutes, the drag is getting a little anemic for them, but using the rod to add pressure was all it needed to get the job done. I am sure it will take anything you can throw with it and put a smile on your face for many moons to come. In all my life it was the smallest and lightest reel I have ever trusted for Salmon in the Manistee River, quite a task!

It's all about searching for perfection,,,,,,I mean what do we really need to catch a stink'n predator, that is ions behind our intelligences,,,,,,even mine,,,,,

Yes they can, they balance perfect now, they were way tip heavy,,, but with the full cork, especially the heavier rubberized dark rings used to add better balance, and why the 6'10" MXF the lighter shorter rod with the lighter Team Pro reel used a smaller diameter profile and less Rubberized cork rings, and the 7"2" MHM used more and bigger diameter rings, it got them almost perfect but the internal balancing in the extreme rear of the but made them perfect without moving the reel seat and extending the rear grip. I am blessed with a very talented rod builder!!!! Off subject but the other thing I got with these newer rods was RECOIL Guide's, the ugliest guides on earth, but I have to say out of all my rods Loomis IMX GLX Croix Elite Avid Extreme, these are the most sensative rods I ever fished with. I think the RECOIL guides had a lot to do with that, and that is why the Rod I am building this year is being built with Recoil Guides.

If I could only have three riggs I would have to have these, 1) 6'6" or 7' MF good for most light rigging and finesse,,,, 2) 6'6" or 7' MM,,,,small to medium crankbaits 3) 7' MHF bigger lures Carolina rigg's big Cranks, jigg'n, spinner baits etc. this would be pretty basic setups but would cover most of your techniques.

All my rods have full handles, I bought 2 St. Croix Extreme's last year for a real good price, in a months time both had full cork handles, to me they just feel right and look finished! Before. After The big thing is with the MHM when I have a bigger fish, it is much more comfortable tucked under your forearm when you are using it for leverage to help fight a larger fish. Which would you prefer,,,,,,,,

With that logic, don't buy a house or a car, the house could burn down, or you might have a wreck,,,,,,,, This is why I buy insurance,,, guns, boats, tackle, rod's reel's, electronics,,,,,I don't spend $400 or $800 bucks for a reel, or rod, but if the ones I have are stolen, dropped in the lake, whatever their insured,,,, Amen Brother!!! If I had money to buy everything I wanted,,,,,,,well I wouldn't want anything, regardless of cost!! The question wasn't is it the best buy for the money, but is it better, that answer is obvious,,,,,YES!! I don't need Stradics or Sustains to do what I do with them, Sedona's and Saharas would do the same thing, I buy them and use them because it's all I can justify on my income, and just because thats what I use, does not mean I wouldn't rather use a Stella!!! If you got the cash and you like it jump on it, when you do ENJOY!!

For that money If you look around you should be able to find the Lew's Tournament Pro new, it's the best I have found for twice the money. You could save a few buck's and buy the Tournament w/dual casting control,,,,,,,,you wont be disappointed in either!

St. Croix,,,,,unless you don't want that much rod,,,

Enough said,,,,,,,

If you have to have the split handle go for the Mojo, I would step it a notch and go with the made in USA Premier, there have been some Mojo models with problems (quality control issue) they are warranted so they will take care of any problems, i would go with the Premier since it has a great track record, and a great rod plus they finish it with a complete handle and reel seat!!! Been around for over 20 years and will be here for another 20,,,,,,says something!

No dif, just the finish, like said for the ladies,,,,gotta keep em special,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Jeannine is anyway!!!!

Don't think this is an average limit. This was the last one of the year, the 11th of May. This is when the limit goes to 6 fish after May 1st. For 42 years I have fished this run, the largest Walleye Run in the World! Less than 10% of Lake Eries Walleye run up the rivers, 85 to 90% spawn out in the Lake on the many reefs, and Lake Erie has held the title #1 Walleye destination and fishery in the world for some time, and the fishing stays world class!!! Sometimes you have to understand, whats good for some bodies of water isn't for others,,, and vise versa!!!! Walleye Bluegill and Yellow Perch,,,,,I DON'T PRACTICE CATCH AND RELEASE. I do however fill my freezer ever year with the finest table fare there is available. I keep mainly 20" - 23" fish, and mostly males, as that is what I find has the least red meat to remove and the texture is my favorite for deep frying and baking. I do however keep several limits a year of fish over 26" for the grill, these thicker fillets are better as they don't dry out as much. Bass are not what I consider edible and are great catch and release species, the best thing about them is they fight great for there size, that's about it! Walleye are the best eating fish and are considered by most catch and eat!! Trust me, when I was young and did iron work my Buisness Agent knew better than try and get me to go to work from the middle of March to the middle of May,,,,,,priorities. I fish it 4 to 6 days a week during that time every year, the flooded river is full of life this time of year, and by mid May, the walleye are almost non existent till the following March, when fisherman that know the river can catch a 100 or more of these beautiful fish most every day during that time. It hasn't changed in 42 years and there are many that keep nothing but the big hogs,,,,,,to each their own, but one thing is for sure, fishing these fish is showing no harm to one of the best fishing Lakes in the world!!!! Now that the freezer is full for another year,,,,,,I can practice catch and release, come home and kick back after a day of fishing, not have to get em filleted freeze yesterdays and soak todays, get a shower and get to bed to run 65 miles agin at 4am day after day,,,,,,,,,whew,,,,,,it's tough but someone has to do it!!!!