Capt.Bob

The MHF if that was your average situation, if that is all you will be fishing is heavy cover and a lot of wood,,, I'd look at maybe going to the HF,,,,

Avid from St. Croix, depends on how and where you fish either the 6'8" MXF or the 7 MHF, either one you choose you have an American Made rod, with a Lifetime Warranty, and the best Customer Service in the industry,,,,

Full grip or 2 piece, and of course the skeletonized reel seat, I prefer the full cork handle and front cork on a full reel seat so I naturally would buy the Avid. If you like the discomfort of the reel seat and 2 piece grip,,,,go for the LTB. Personally I feel the Avid is the best value on the planet, it's as good as any rod available for twice the money. But in all reality they are both 100% BUILT in the USA and St. Croix, backed for a lifetime,,,,, with the best Customer Support in the industry.....how can you go wrong with either?????

You have your choice of three threads he started to answer this dramatic question in,,,,,over and over again,,,,this cats a real "piece" Mod's must be on strike???

Is this the first second or third tread you have on this subject, I don't know which to answer on.

which thread do you want your answer in????

Yep good luck on the trip and hope you catch a bunch, even if you don;t I hope it;s a good day on the water and one to remember. Took today off as yesterday,,, after I had my limit and was just fishing for fun, the wife called to let me know the mail man just delivered my new Bow!!! So since I can barely walk from the last 4 weeks and not knowing how to take a break I did decide to take today off!! Tomorrow the 1st the limit goes to 6 fish per day. But with the temps in the 70's over the weekend and the river low, it will probably warm enough to run the Walleye back out to the Lake for another season. Had to stay home today to get aquanted with the new bow and strip it and send it out for a custom camo job and some other custom touches, like rods and reels,,,,,life is to short to play with standard equipment,,,,,, Anyway I got it shipped and will be back in the river tomorrow, but I think Saturday and Sunday will be the end of my season for Walleye, for the run anyway!! This was this weeks best 2 fish, there gett'n smaller but still catch'n a few hogs, the big one was 8 1/2 lbs and 28" nice fight in fast water on a medium action 7' Avid,,,,,, And a smaller one still nice but most are 19 to 22" now, but you have to sort thru a few 16 to 18"ers.

Prety obvious the man knows what he likes,,,,,,, Nice assortment

Well a week and a half later and still pull'n limits, the fish are starting to run a little smaller but thats ok, you gotta have some fryers to go with them Grillers, But the freezer is gett'n full, put up close to my target of 100 Walleyes for the year. I think we got a week left anyway's maybe a little longer. If I can get 6 or 8 meals of Yellow Perch put up later this spring, I will have our fish supply for the year. There have been a handful of white bass caught, when they start it is usually a sign the Walleye have about finished up. This is when my season of fishing just for fun starts. I'll keep 30 or 40 White Bass to smoke for the year but mostly start catch'n and fish'n for fun instead of subsistence. Plus in the river on medium light and light rod's and tackle it's a hoot when you can catch literally over 100 a day. It has been a very good Walleye season, started a little late but it's running a little later too. Hope everyone else's softwater season is started off as good as mine, and that everyone is having as much fun as I am,,, even if it is starting to take it;s toll on me, I'm hurting with a grin on my face, and my 42nd year fishing this great tributary is almost coming to end!!!! Soon all I will be able to do is hope God lets me do it again next year

I own a lot of custom gear and pay a little more to have it my way, I own a some of the most expensive rods made factory or custom, I own a lot of top end shimanos but not one of em are casting reels. four or five years ago I couldn't say that, from smokes calcuttas and curados I bled shimano!!! Sorry to bust some bubles but I sold em all, still find the Shimano Sustains and Stradics the best spinners on the market and well worth their price. Unfortunately I feel quite different about my baitcast reels, and I only own one Calcutta today, every other reel I own is a Lew's because I think they are the best bargain going, my 250 dollar Team Golds are in my opinion better than any reel I can buy for 5 or six hundred dollars!! As for an egomaniac,,,, wy yes I am,,,,,, and that is not an opinion, it's a fact! I think whatever anyone wants to use today is better than anything I could have found just 20 years ago, even the 80 to 100 dollar reels today beat what we had available 20 years ago, so if you aint making a living with them reels and rods costing 100's of dollars, does that make you an egomaniac,,,,, I don't think so, I think it just makes you happy with what you are fishing with, and I think that is why most of us fish to begin with,,,,, just to be happy!!! Buy what you want and fish away, my bigger and better will always be bigger and better than someone elses, but to the contrary,,,,so will theirs to them!!! What a bunch of egomaniacs!!!

rest assured folks, as a true Licensed USCG Master Captain, owning my own charter, and being a state licensed guide, I take caution to honor my state laws. I think it is sad when so many are limited to what resource they pay for and are not allowed to use.

There you have it, from a guy who definitely knows and owns some very fine rods!!! If he can say it's a keeper with the other rods he has to compare it to, they ain't box store beauties or run of the mill, I would not think twice about the others!!!

Brake drum, light oil on a Q tip and wipe it,, and forget it,,, like Tywithay said,,,, do like DVT recommended for cleaning first. But Bluebasser is correct, stripping the bearings and degreasing is a great idea use light oil one drop per bearing, and I think you will see a huge improvement in a fine reel. But the Q tip trick should cure the noise you mention.

as long as it is 2500 or larger but if the 1000 size,,,,, 8lb mono, copoly, or fluoro will leave you looking for better performance. If it is a 2500 as size matters not model, then I would probably go with Tatsu Fluoro, or if mono I would go with Trilene XL, but with all the comments I've herd lately on the Mcoy I would have to try it since I never have, but Trilene XL is what I would be comparing it to since I have been pleased with it in the past. Personally any reel I own would have 832 Sufix for it's mainline,,,,JTWIDI

I would go with the 1000, whether it will work or not isn't relevant, the fact is the 1000 will work better,,,,,,,on that particular rod. I have seen guys put casting reels on spinning rods,, they worked and were able to fish with them, but hardly worked anyting like they were intended for and not at all desirable. They are both good choices, they just aren't built to work together. I agree there is a St. Croix for any budget that will excel in that particular price range!!

Never have had a problem but usualy have a leader in Fluoro or mono that my lure is tied to, seldom do I tie any bait or weight directly to braid, but every reel I own uses braid (832 Sufix, because of it's ability to take abrasion better than any braid I found on the market!!) but when I do I tie and pull it up "TIGHT TIGHT" I have never had one slip, and I always trim my tags 1/16" or less!! Like J said, if there was a curly Q on your braid,,,,,I would question the brand of braid you chose!!!! this is all new to me as I don't know how that could happen with any braid I have ever tried.

St. Croix is always my choice when I buy,,, build,,, a new rod, they have anything you want from in an "AMERICAN MADE ROD" with their Premier, Avid, Elite, and Extreme models with a rod to handle any situation you can fish in, and for me they do it better than any other brand out their. Then after the sale they back you with more customer service options than any other maker on the planet, upgrade options, to customer service and warranty, Just about anything from Bluegill to Musky, I have found the perfect rod for my needs, and they are all St. Croix!!! I made this choice over 20 years ago I have had 2 failures and both times St. Croix never questioned anything,,,, even on one Legend Elite that was over 15 years old,,, it is now their newest updated L.E.!! I have bought the latest and greatest from time to time when other brands come out with their better idea, but they don't seem to stay long,,,, I have never found one I thought was as good as what St. Croix offered for the same technique, I always go back to what serves me best,,,,,, just a picture of a few to let you know know where I turn when I want to GET "R" DONE,,,,,,

Thats what were talk'n bout!!!! very Nice !!!!

Who would have expected anything else!!!!! I have found this to be true for decades,,,,, one company that still puts customer service at the top of their priorities!!!!!! Just one reason I own over 20 of them, (been thinn'n the cave) beside the fact that "I believe" they are the best rods on the planet buck for buck,,,,,,,

Use better rods and a quality braid and you will find it very sensitive,,,, I have no problem but don't fish slack line, and most of my fishing is rigging for walleye, much shyer biting than largemouth, except when the jig bite is on!!

Mono I use Trilene Big Game with fluoro I use Seaguar Abrazx water clarity dictates my leader length at times sometimes I know I am going to have a lot of breakopffs when rigging and will use a longer leader to eliminate lost time tying on another. Conditions and species will determine the lbs. test I use.

I have used 6 lbs test braid on spinning gear and never had an issue with line "burrowing" on spinning gear, but this is exactly why I use 30 lbs test instead of 20 lbs test on most of my baitcast reels, the ones that don't get 30 lbs get heavier,,,,,,

You do realize your not talking about a "Spining Rell" don't you,,,,,,,,,

I have used both, I now own 7 Lews,,,,,, they are made in the same place but I can assure you they are far from the same. Both are nice reels, I prefer the Lew's!! I started with the Tournament and MG, after being convinced of the quality and features,,,, I have SD, BB1, and a slug of Team Gold's and an original Team,,, you can't go wrong and in my opinion they are as good as reels costing twice as much,,,,regardless of Manufacturer,,,,,,,,,

If you look at the specs,,,, it is what it is,,, an entry level rod,,,,, with a loomis price tag,,,,,,