jtesch

I also have the 7'2" H F and it is a totally different animal then the 7'1" rod. the 7'2" rod is a beast of a rod that I wouldn't use for less then 3/8 and more like 1/2 or better. I have the 7'2" MH and it is even really stout. You will love the 7'1" it has a nice light tip for feel but a ton of power.

The 7'1" xh might be a reach down at a1/4 ounce but it might do the job. I paid retail for mine. Hard to hide a 7 foot rod shipped to the house from my wife so I had to do BPS

I have several and use them for all kinds of bottom contact baits. All of mine are MH or H so I'm not fishing small baits but I think they do a great job at 3/8 or up. I prefer them to my Crucials and any other rod I own in the 150-200 range. I love the 7'1" MH XF for all kinds of baits . It's very sensitive, light and has a ton of backbone. The 7'4" XF H frog rod is a killer heavy jig rod also. Read the Tackle Tour review and you'll be impressed

I have the 7'2" Heavy and the 7'1" mh xf. Both are great rods. The 7'2" is a true bottom contact rod and will easily handle up to 1 ounce. It isn't a stump puller but will get the job done in most cover. It is not an all purpose rod in my opinion as it is pretty stout. The 7'1" is a great rod, light and very sensitive. It can handle stuff up too 3/4 ounce and manages lighter baits well. I use it for a lot of things but it is my number 1 rod for 8" lizards and magnum super flukes. It has a surprising amount of backbone when loaded up. I would be OK with using it for some reaction baits but not every day.

Are you running the bearings dry? I run them dry and that gives you the best free spool. if you lubed them the type of lube can really slow down the bearings

I have the Tatula 7'4" frog rod and love it. plenty of backbone but still easy to cast. also use it for football jigs and punching, great rod

the reel magic does work well on the guides to keep them from icing up in cold weather

FYI, do not ever use Ardent line butter. it is the worst

used em both. KVD is the bomb. it bonds with the line and leaves no residue. the best for fluorocarbon. reel magic is a silicon spray that will work but doesn't last and can gum up a reel. it does work well on silicon skirts on lures and various rubber parts on your boat.

The Spro Aruka shad yo-yoed in the spring is my go to bait. I've tried them all and it out produces them 3-1 I use the 75 size and will be using the new 65 size as well. Perch is the hot color for me but they all work. the other lipless I use is the Live target bluegill, it can be really hot when the bass want a smaller profile

tried them all and Boca ABEC5 hybrids are as good as any, like the man said, run them dry

For me it's the Fuego, you can find them in like new condition for $100-$120 and then put a 100 Z spool on it for $75. There is a world of other upgrades you can do and they look great. I can't comment on the Z's as I've never owned one. A Zillion would cost you to much to upgrade to make it a good pitching reel, and the type R is way to expensive. The TD-X HSDF or HSDL(if your ok with a lefty reel are both great pitching reels but getting harder to find in good shape. The HSDF with a spool change can be a crazy good pitching reel.

a shallow spool will give you a quick start up and make pitching easier but long casting needs the momentum created by a deeper spool. That said, it's got to be an issue with the reel. I have a couple of the gen2 premiers that have the same dual break system and when they get a little dirty casting distance is cut in half. I found that I needed to clean the edge of the spool and the area that the centrifugal breaks contact the inner spool as well as the bearings. The type of lube you use is important as well (stay away from Ardent products). See what it's like after tuning and take it from there

I have 4 and they are great rods for the money

Mgx for sure. I have several and use them for all kinds of techniques. they can handle more then finesse fishing but are really great with light weights. I have the premier and it's a nice reel but I'll take the MGX. I love the reel for pitching jigs and creatures up to 5/8 oz

Thanks, very helpful. Funny about your Fuego, I put boca bearings and the 100z spool on mine along with carbon tec drag and a bent Zillion handle and drag star and it is my favorite reel. The drag still is a little weak but it will outcast my Zillions with the same modifications and it's very consistent with the casts. I can back the tension knob almost completely off with mags set in the middle and be just fine casting hard. Try the 100 z Gigas spool in yours it makes a huge difference. Tackle trap has them and it's well worth the $80

I assume by short shaft spill your referring to the free floating spool. In theory, with all parts being of equal quality a free floating spool will have a lot less friction during casting resulting in a faster spool and longer casts. As DVT said earlier, a long shaft spool with quality bearings and a decent polish can be the equal or better than a free floating spool with mediocre parts. A free floater with quality bearings that are correctly lubed or run dry if they are ceramic should outperform a long shaft spool because it's only riding on 2 bearings during the cast. Now having said all that, my longest casting reel is a Cronarch with ZPI bearings. Go figure, in fairness all my tuned Daiwas have the Gigas Spools which aren't designed for max distance and I can come close with them so I think a spool change could put them in the lead, but it ain't all about distance

Frame size and weight not an issue, as long as it can pitch in the 1/4 oz + range I'd be ok with it. I have plenty that will go real light. This would be kind of a knock around reel for me

Leader, nothing else

I'm thinking about grabbing a Tatula but would like some comparisons to other reels. For example hoe does the Tatula shape up to a Fuego or original Zillion or even a Curado G. I'm talking casting distance, ability to pitch light lures and line management/cast control. Thanks all

Sounds like a big smallmouth with the short hard runs

I got a couple of the TW clearance rods also but I was a little late to the show and ended up with rods that weren't vary versatile. I think I would pop the 200 for the 7'2" M or Mh. My favorite rod ever

Check out Mik Lurch tackle they have a website listing gen 1 Cumaras and some other old stuff for sale new.they even have Team Daiwa X HSD 100's. Their shop is somewhat close to me so I know it exists and they do in fact have a lot of new, old stock

Remember when You had to sit in a bar to share these story's . I miss the old days