Capt.Bob

.22 cal Benjamin Sheridan Steroid by Mach 1 airguns. I shoot Beeman Kodiak pellets, WWHHHOOOOPP!

come to Erie@ the Maumee river in the spring, think what you want, but when you are in the freezing white water of the LARGEST TRIBUTARY of all the great lakes. you don't run down sh@! people try it every year in a lot better shape that you snook. you can read about them in the obituaries. A bolder littered flooded river is a lot different than an inlet! I use a 2500 and a 4000 when the river can go up or down 8 to 10 feet, flow will put to shame a florida tide! If I can get em slowed enough to bring the in to a eddie or tangle up into some shorline brush I I have a chance with the bigger ones in high water. Been both places, the frozen flooded whitewater is a whole different animal.

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I'd agree with snook, the 2500 holds plenty of line and for any bigger species, the 4000 is welcome and gives you a stronger drag from 15# max on the 2500 to 20# max for the 4000, and believe me I have ran out of drag in the spring time fishing the Mighty Maumme river catching Walleye over 10 lbs. and Drum and Carp over 30, a flooded river adds to the fight in a hurry when your fishing rapids and downstream shallow raceways into deeper pools the fish head to.

Get out early guy's! Here in NW Ohio it comes in next Saturday morning, the 29th. I was out checking #2 woods and have a scarape line with about a dozen scrapes all at licking branches, so twice this week Iv'e set up a ways from th area in the morning to see whats up, Thursday morning 2 mama does with there twins came out and a big freezer doe after that with 3 fawns???? Then a smaller 8 pointer came out like he was scent checkin the big girl, and freshened a couple scrapes, anyway Friday morning one of the mama does came out with her twins and a little later the trip fawns no BIG mama, after about 10 minuets her she come with the buck chasin, they went across the small been field a couple times and he acted like he was waiting not willing to leave her. Everything has been early this year here and I think here the activity is about 3 weeks early??? I am looking for an early winter, cold and wet, Time will tell, but this is 2nd week October action for here! GOOD LUCK FOLKS and stay SAFE!!

I suggest you check out the new FJ series Stradic before you buy the Ci4, the Ci4 has thee old FI Stradic drivetrain, the New Stradic FJ is much smoother, I have both.

The centrifugal brake system on the Shimano is totally different than the Lew's, as they don't use the same system. I most often use only one brake on the Lew's if I am using any at all, I use no breaks most of the time, The Lew's uses a spring assisted brake where Shimano relies totally on centrifugal force. The pins are also much larger and heavier on the Shimano reels. Lew's recommends the use of one two three whatever is needed not like Shimano which suggest two, four, or six whether you need them or not. I will say I have used 1 on Shimano when it was needed, and it did cast better than 2?? Ether reel will be capable of being dialed in to suite anyone's needs!

Six pin four pin??? I have had both and have never used more than 2 brakes on any real, I think anything over 4 are a waste, does anybody ever turn all there brakes on and try and cast???? I think to many worry about a feture that can't be used, without hindering performance! Either one of these reels cast superb, one is smoother than the other??? Pick one and you will be happy, they are both excellent reels.

For the money like I said the Lew's can't be beat, you want centrifugal braks and Magnetic, go here, this was what I replaced a Curado G6 with, and am glad I did, best $118.00 you can spend. I spent $108.00 on the one I got, if you watch I am sure you will catch one cheaper, but there worth the 118.00. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lews-Speed-Spool-TS1HL-Left-Hand-Retrieve-Bait-Caster-Reel-6-4-1-/140838890838?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20caa6ed56

Forgot to mention, that Excal love affair would probably end if Hoyt ever decides to build crossbows, but I don't see that EVER HAPPENING!!

I have 2 friends that have had Parker Crossbows for several years, never one Problem and the one is on his second, a Cyclone, the same one I have, FANTASTIC!! I can easily put all my smokin fast arrows (336 fps. @ 415 grain) in a 2 1/2" group at 50 yards, and will ruin arrows if I try that with 4 or 5 shots, same hole often. I have a buddy I hunt with down in southern Ohio who is good friends with one of Ten Points district reps. and as I have never hunted with him myself, but we have been around the same campfire more than once, he would love your remarks, he knows I think they are a great bow, but more money than they are worth, You can buy a compatible bow for much less. Of all the people I know that have crossbows from many different makers I have never had one experience a string fly off or a limb explode unless they made a mistake, but they are willing to admit their mistakes, if you know where I am coming from!! Parker bows require a bolt with a capture knock and must be used as they instruct, if it is not completely on the string when fired you will have problems, if you don't check your arrows every time you shoot one and is nicked cracked or damaged in any way no matter how slight, it can cause a "partial dry fire" and that can cause strings to come off, limbs to explode and injury to the shooter!! Use it the way it was designed and I know three old men that are very happy with them. Be careful who you listen to on the internet. There are many who never do anything wrong, but they are the ones with the problems, the people who have been using crossbows for years don't seem to be the ones having problems, but when they do, they admit or understand what they did wrong and don't blame the bow to make them selves look like know it all. Strings coming off and limbs breaking are usually shooter error, a leaf in the way of the cam is all it takes, you have to be aware if things that can contact a string or cam, as well as the limbs, and keep them clear. Between me and my two buddies we have over 12 years combined and I believe over 20 deer taken with Parker crossbows, and many arrows down range, too many to count, we have had one limb failure, the one guy left his limb hit the tree he was in trying to shoot behind it. Many new hunters bring on problems because they think all the little things shouldn't matter, and blame the bow instead of taking blame for being know-it-alls. Lastly My Southern Brother ( what I call my huntin bud from southern Ohio ) don't even know how to shoot a compound bow, or any Vertical bow, he has never used anything but crossbows the same with most of his buddies. They all have taken 100's of deers over the years, I know many of them personally, they don't have any more problems than the guy's I know and hunt with that use or, USED, vertical bows, Like I said don't believe everything you read, if Parker made junk, they couldn't stay in business, that much you should believe! and No manufacturer in the crossbow industry makes a more durable bow than Excalibur, they are bomb proof, and have fewer problems that any crossbow made. I just hate the 35" tip to tip width, but I think for the security and durability and accuracy and low maintenance and weight and LIFETIME TRANSFERABLE warranty, I will keep the Excal, Exomax, I am liking it more and more every time I shoot it.

Both no doubt good bows, but I have bow hunted for nearly 30 years, and in those 30 years Hoyt is all ever owned. I bought my last of 6 new Hoyts over the years, in 2002, it and a Mathews were the two I had the Pro Shop set up to decide, the Mathews shot as good as the Hoyt but no better, and was heavier, so it was the Hoyt yet again. One thing I never got to find out though, is how is there customer service???? I never in all those years had a chance to find out, as I never ever had an issue, even with the Havoc Tech I dropped 25 feet out of my stand, so I guess I would say Hoyt!! Last year at 57 with 11 busted vertebra I had to go with a crossbow or give it up, if Hoyt made one of there bows with a crutch on it, I would have had to try it. Now we will see how Parker and Excalibur fair, I have both in my new adventure and can't decide compound (narrower, much more compact and as accurate), or recurve (simpler, less maintenance, as accurate, but wider)?? this season will tell.

Both are super reels decide how much you want to spend and that's the one to get, the Team is a little better reel than the TP with the Titanium coated aluminum side plates, and can still be had for less than the Chronarch, and either one of the Lew's has a stronger drag, and every bit as smooth with their Carbontex drag washers.

Any of the Stradics will have a drag that is as smooth as butter and will rival a level wind drag. I upgraded my old Stradics this year and even my old Stradics FH, FI, MgFB MgF all had Super smooth drags, now there all waterproof the FJ is the way to go. It is worth a little nore cash for a lot more reel.

You bring up a good point LMG, I have been fishing Shimano exclusively for years, until I bought the G6 Curado this year, which I sold for 20 bucks more than I bought it for two weeks later, (because of the 30 dollar rebate). This is when I bought a Lews Tournament and now own three more of their top of the line reels. I found 15 years ago, I could fish my Shimano's for 3 to 5 years and recoup most of my original cost, and buy new models for very little cash. I will see if that can be done with the new Lew's reels in a couple years. I sold 3 older Curado's and a Castaic this spring and never lost more than $10.00 on any one of them, same with 5 Stradics, FI, FH, and MgFB's. I even used to run Symetre's on my Charter boat for 2 or 3 years, and before they started looking to bad would cost me about 10 to 15 bucks a reel to sell theem on E--- and buy new. This has only worked for me with the better reels in the Shimano line, and they are kept in top shape as I serviced reels as part of my Charter Fishing business, which I still do, only time will tell if the demand is there for these Lew's I have now, or any of the new latest and greatest better than Shimano reels we hear about now or in the future. Time will tell?????????

Congrats and GOOD LUCK!! I got my stuff ready a couple weeks ago, ain't put the fishing gear up totally yet but the times they are a changing. I will hit the hard water when the tags get filled. Every since I been a youngster I've chased the whitetail, But about 30 years ago I bought my first bow, a used compound, I wish I would have started bow hunting 20 ears earlier, I know how you feel!! It is a new adventure. But now you have a problem, if you think fishing gear is expensive and the type you need to catch fish is the most expensive, cause inexpensive gear don't catch as many. Your in for a big surprise at expensive!!!! Get ready to spend more and I mean a lot more!!! The new bows and tree climbers are allways better faster lighter quieter more accurate safer, , , , , you would have to ask Jeannine about all the reasons. I know you can fish and hunt with less expensive gear, especially once you learn your quarries habits and life style. But I started with a used bow from the pro shop, first deer opening day and you guessed it, before season was over my brand new hoyt was in, that worked for about 4 years but then my top of the line was ordered, I never missed or wounded a deer with the one I was using but had to have the latest and greatest, Now 30 years later and after owning 6 brand new Hoyts over the years I have had to go to crossbows because of physical problems, and last year I bought my first a PARKER Cyclone. I assure you that the bow you bought will make you happy. I also will bet money, after a deer or 2 go down to it, you will be after another, probably a new stand at that time also, then the rangefinder since there available too, oh ya, been there done that! Hunted the State forest for years miles back in, never lost, the compass always got me back to the truck or to the ridge I wanted, but I am on my third new gps, just gotta have equipment to do this stuff. Oh ya and a month ago I bought a new Excalibur this year, still have the Parker and haven't even wore a string out yet, but in order to keep hunting, I had to have a new bow, believe me your in trouble, once this stuff gets into your blood it doesn't change, year after year, I figured out how I got better at it, hell it aint because of experience or because I have spent hour after hour year after year doing it, hell everyone knows it's because I got new better and more advanced equipment????? Well I made Jeannine believe it anyway. Good Luck!! and keep it SAFE!! oh by the way there coming out with a new SAFER Stand later this season, and I heard about a quieter crossbow from,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Oh well you get the drift. Good Luck!

I understand and totally agree, why I didn't mention the talking out a backside or being full of #$^& as some. I simply stated how to him it was cheaper and it was better for him, I also am allowed my opinion and for me the more expensive perform better TO ME! MY LOSS!! I also found that it was much cheaper supplying customers for over 20 years with Premier rods over any other I tried, believe me I watched plenty test the durability of abused rods in those 30 years. I currently own over 20 St Croix rods for one reason, and it ain't to try them out, been there done that. Spin Fly Cast UL to H. 4wt. to 9 wt. I hope you understand ST. CROIX DOES NOT IMPORT THEIR BEST PERFORMING RODS, I am sorry but that much I do know?? I am only giving my results, and believe me I didn't test them just in my spare time! Or as a hobby.

If you like a Mojo or Triumph better than an Avid or Legend, more power to you, you will be happy and save a lot of money, It cost me more to be happy. Trust me there are many out there that cant tell the difference between a Legend Elite or an Ugly stick, thank God I can! If you are as happy with cheap imports, congratulations! you will be as satisfied as I am for a whole lot less$!! I assure you if I could find rods as good I would save some money, but I can't so to me it's worth the extra price to pay for quality you can feel! Believe meI buy reels made by Asians for the same reason I buy the Rods made by Americans at St. Croix, I am willing to buy from whoever makes the best product!! When it comes to rods it's St. Croix! and they don't import there best! FACT!

This is true, I own both and 4 or 6 is really irrelevant, I don't know anyone who uses more than 2 on either one, they both have more centrifugal breaking than anyone is likely to ever need. Personally I find I can turn them all off most times in calm conditions.

I love the Lew's top end reels myself, but it will take more than a couple years to see if they aree going to be the timex reels that Shimanos are! If they will hold up like the Shimanos there a steel, but only after a few years can we determine that. Right now though I can assure Shimano ain't scared, and I assure you it will be some time before they would have to be. The only thing these companies are doing is drawing attention, and you can be sure Shimano has plenty of time to react! and if necessary they will! Guaranteed!! Kind of like they did to Abu and Diawa since you mentioned it, that was a good example of what happens when the have competition with the Calcutta! I don't think there to worried about round reels either.

Most don't understand St. Croix. When you talk about the finest rod manufacturer on the planet!! Amazing the difference between an AMERICAN CRAFTED ROD compared to a foreign import. you get what pay for no surprise! Seems everyone who compares Triumph, Mojo, Rage,Eyecon,Panfish Series, which are all made with foreign craftsman, think that is the same as all others, and they are!! There is no way they can compete with experienced professional craftsman from Park Falls Wi. Plus the fact they are built with the bottom of the line hardware from major suppliers not they top end components used on the American made rods. I mean believe me, there is a big difference from a low cost entry level Fuji guide to a top of the line performance Guide from the same company, one slows the same blank down and one actually enhances it! If these are the rods you want to compare you will find they are about the same as all other rods from other manufacturers. Now if you try an Avid, a Legend Tournament, Legend Extreme, Legend Elite, you will find it very difficult to find any rod that will compare to those regardless where they come from! I mean even the Premiers like Goose52 demonstrates are better than most others and give the loomis a run for their money. Top end components and hardware built and assembled with AMERICAN CRAFTSMAN just can't be beat, it's like comparing the Olympic Dream Team, to ? ? ? ? well there just isn't anything to compare them too!!! Buy the Extreme and be assured you won't find a better rod, you can buy cheaper but not better. They are as good as it gets! PERIOD! You won't have to thank me, but you WILL!!!

No way to buy a better reel for 50 dollars more, you would be very surprised with the quality and performance of this reel!!

If you use Hot Sauce, be prepared to relube more than once a year.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LEWS-SPEED-SPOOL-SS1SH-7-1-1-HIGHSPEED-RIGHTHANDED-LOW-PROFILE-BAITCASTING-REEL-/180952846037?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a21a14ed5 What more can I say.

http://www.stcroixrods.com/shop/catalog/Freshwater-23-1.html#Legend_Xtreme_Casting_Rod_XC68MXF_12-408-23.html This is one of my favorite rods, super light and sensitive, with plenty of backbone for bass and walleye plus Fast enough tip for good hook sets even in deep water. I only use a MH when I'm fishing cover like weeds and wood. If I am fishing a finesse rig I am never using line for leaders over 8 lbs. test. which is perfect on these rods.y The new rods in this Extreme lineup are heavier than the ones being discontinued, evidently the cork is much lighter than the new ???? handles! I always liked the Elite better, old fashioned full cork grip. But at these ridiculous prices, if you got the money and can afford it load up, there unbelievable deals!