skeletor6

Hooligan's statement and mine were both in agreeing that it requires lesser "force" in hooligans words and in my words I said as " not require as hard" of a hookset. Therefore, a slower action would be fine. We both acknowledged and agreed with that point. Most of the presentations you mentioned (lipless cranks, wacky senkos, spinnerbaits,) do not require a hard fast hookset anyways. They either set themselves on a pull or are just sweeping hookset. So a moderate action is fine and I agree with you. A faster action would be a good idea for the texas rigs that you use though. Not only would there be added sensitivity, but also it would help driving home those 3/0 4/0 5/0 hooks quickly. Also, remember the action is not just for the hookset, it also plays a major factor in the presentation of the bait as well. Also, there is something to be said about the St. Croix Legend XF actions. I really enjoy fishing with those even while using braid and they are the fastest I've yet to fish and they work very well with braid. The XF tips also allow me to launch baits much further with ease too. On my 893 NRX I was launching wacky rigged senkos with ease. When I put a 3/8 oz jig on my LTBC70MHXF I can launch baits too. The tip speed does allow further casting, that may come at a loss of accuracy though. I wouldn't just limit yourself to just moderate type actions just because you decide to use braid is my point. I am actually going to probably get a mf action for a heavy frog/jig rod just because I like the idea of getting into the backbone and pinning it there for when pulling fish out of the junk. But I am sure it felt good not losing a single fish. It sounds like you had an enjoyable experience. Good luck!

I do not agree with your last statement. Use a medium powered rod with an XF tip while using crankbaits and braid. That is a critical difference. Also, if it is not critical than why are you really liking the moderate action? A rods action is critical to your technique no matter what line you are using. DIfferent lines can change different actions desired, which explains your preference for a moderate action.

Hooligan is right on. The rod and its action does not physically change just because of the type of line you put on it.. Since braid does not stretch, it does not require as hard of a hookset that a line that stretches does. Sometimes, people set the hook too hard on braid or even worse break rods due to them applying too much force on their hooksets with braid. The rod's action will in your words "act" exactly the same, it is just how your line responds to that action that is where the difference is seen and where preferences in rod actions change while using braid. With that said, I have XF action rods that work fine with braid. Even St. Croix XF actions that are extremely fast work fine with braid. It is all about how you use the rod.

My Lews tournament drag and spool tension clicks upon adjustments. The best buy would either be the Lew's tournament or the Lew's TP. The TP is much lighter and is most likely the best buy. Get the 6.4 or 7.1 gear ratio since you have a gear ratio in the already. I am not going to discuss other reel options since your title is specifically asking about Lew's. They are making good reels right now, I have the regular tournament version and enjoy it. I heard the the regular speed spools are nice, but eventually if you keep fishing tournaments you will want to upgrade. Since it sounds like you are running low on setups, having only 1 combo will really slow you down in a tournament. With that being said, it can be expensive to buy gear that you are later going to want to replace for better gear. I know because I am in the process of that right now. If you want to just build up a bunch of inexpensive combo's just to have a lot available to use buying a Lews TP would not be the best choice. You are best looking at sub $100 reels and rods. If it were me though, I would want to buy something that I would not want to replace in the future. I have 2 H20 mettles that are nice reels that I got for very cheap. I would put them up against any of my buddies sub $100 reels (I dont see a huge difference). They certainly are majorly behind my Lews tournament and not even enjoyable after using my Curado 50e. Thus, I need to sell the mettles to upgrade. I had to buy them because I needed to stack up combos in a hurry. I regret that decision right now. The same can be said for some of my rod purchases as well. After buying a powell max it opened up the door to wanting many more things. A LTB, Loomis IMX, and finally an NRX. Now all I want is NRX's. It's a bad problem to have. Just some insight from my own experience. Good luck in your tournaments BTW. You certainly don't need the best equipment to catch fish. It just has made it more enjoyable for me personally.

It is outrageously ridiculous how resourceful you are. A bent paper clip and electrical tape....really? That's awesome

A quick slack line jerk of the line should remove the weeds from a jig. I fish many vegetated areas and will cast out and use brush heads just fine, they are very similar to Northstar alien heads too for reference. I like tying the line within the jig head as opposed to my knot being exposed. I use these because of the way it stands up the trailer when resting on the bottom. I also have siebert's grass jig and northstar's flip and swim which head design's are both effective at slipping through grass as well probably better, but will stand the trailer up different on the bottom. I enjoy the versatility and working the jig back to me with many different retrieves, until I figure out what is getting the job done that day. If I had a nicer boat I would rather not be casting out and retrieving it back, but that's a personal preference. Sometime's you'll get strikes when you jerk it through the weeds and the bait falls after that initial fast movement. I think when most people are talking about "finesse jigs" they mean the lighter jigs. The term is somewhat ambiguous, but the idea of using a lighter jig is that it has a smaller head and thus has less surface area for weeds to get caught on. Jigs with a weed guard and single hook are going to be weedless or 'weed-resistant' by design. Buy a few different head styles and see what works for you. It doesn't hurt to have many styles anyways. Siebert didn't call one of his jig heads a "grass head" without intent. Good luck!

check this thread out that I made http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/108396-tungsten-weight-questions/ Tungsten material is 1.7 times as dense as lead. It will sink faster than lead. Allows for smaller leader sizes than lead (1oz of tungsten has less volume when compared to 1oz of lead). Thus, it will slip through weeds/grass better than lead. There are many claims that it does increase sensitivity while texas rigging. Are those advantages worth the price tag to you? That is for you to decide. I will let you know my experiences when my order arrives.

I believe yo-zuri has about 2x the breaking strength as its rating. I would agree with it being the medium between fluoro and mono and also about its versatility. To the OP, if you do get some fluoro do not get the cheap stuff otherwise you will be disappointed. Justin's post was great at pointing out the pros/cons and qualities of fluoro. Whatever you do, do not put it on your reel/rod you use for topwater because it sinks.

It does help, thank you very much. If the sensitivity comparisons between these three are like splitting hairs then I figure it is close enough to choose the line based off the other factors that you mentioned. Sensitivity right now is weighed the heaviest when deciding which line to choose. The other factors are weighed less, but are weighed in my decision. If on a slack line, tatsu becomes more sensitive that is a huge consideration to take into account and also is an argument for making Tatsu a more sensitive line as well! In the type of conditions I fish, manageability is weighed heavier than abrasion resistance. I will be choosing Tatsu if it is, in fact more sensitive during slack line conditions, and contains almost unnoticeable differences during tight line conditions as well. Clearly, Tatsu is a very manageable and enjoyable line to use. That I read from others experience, but I can see their point and yours. Thank you

Seaguar invisX is one of the lines that is extremely manageable, but very stretchy. Those softer, more supple fluorocarbons are great for tying knots, but are not great in terms of sensitivity. With braid as your main line you certainly are getting all of the sensitivity one could desire when the line is tight. I use braid on a few of my setups, but I figure on the setups where slack line presentations are key, I need to implement fluoro. I figure I mind as well see how sensitive fluorocarbon can actually be so I can maximize out my sensitivity on my 893c NRX. With trilene 100% I felt there was something left to be desired, which is why I want to try the best to end my questions on fluoro. I believe both braid and fluoro have their places where they should be used. I have found samurai braid to be my favorite and now I am trying to do the same with fluorocarbon. Being able to sense and perceive what is happening with my bait comes with time and experience, but I want to make sure that I have the best tools I can to help me gain such experience. Thanks Adam. How big of a sensitivity loss would you consider there is between the tatsu and shooter? Out of all the lines you fished where does tatsu fall in terms of sensitivity? I'm worried that tatsu may be lacking in the sensitivity department. I know it is extremely good for all other aspects that one measures for a fluorocarbon (abrasion resistance, knot strength, manageability, etc.), As with most fluorocarbons, the more manageable they get, the less sensitive they get vice-versa. Does this happen with tatsu? Thank you for your response Barron

I created a thread a while back asking about upgrading from yozuri to fluoro and was wondering which to choose. Now that I have had some experience with an average fluorocarbon (Trilene 100%) I am looking to try the most sensitive fluorocarbon out there and see how sensitive fluorocarbon can be. After speaking with a couple trusted and helpful associates It seemed to come down to these three. Sunline Shooter vs. Toray Superhard Upgrade vs. Seaguar Tatsu Here's what I know as of now. That shooter and toray are both very similar in stretch, with shooter being slightly less 'stretchy'. Shooter and Toray are both stiff lines and do not manage well. Also, that shooter and toray are very close in terms of sensitivity. I have read both TT's review of fluorocarbons and their stretch ratings etc. These do not include tests on Tatsu My confusion really begins when considering Tatsu. I have read many mixed reviews regarding this line's stretch and sensitivity. I understand that its handling characteristics are top notch, but sensitivity wise how does this line pair versus the other two mentioned? Seaguar's website even lists their "Red Label" as having less stretch than Tatsu, but there are claims that its sensitivity is the same or even better than shooter or toray. I have also read claims that it is too stretchy and its only downfall is its sensitivity. Hence the confusion. So, are there other factors besides stretch that make a fluorocarbon more sensitive than one another? I would believe one has to consider density because take braid for instance, it has no stretch and therefore is very sensitive on a tight line, but on a slack line it feels dead. Whereas, a slack line fluorocarbon will transmit vibration. Does the dual structure fluoro of Tatsu increase its sensitivity perhaps? I would like to hear your comments. Also, does line diameter have any effect on sensitivity? For instance, would 10lb shooter be more, less, or the same sensitive as 20lb shooter? So, those of you that have had the opportunity to use these lines, could you explain to me which one is the most sensitive and why? It would be very helpful to me. Thank you!

I would get the Powell Max 703c. It costs $140 and has a lifetime warranty. This rod is very light at 3.9 ounces and will balance well. It has very good sensitivity for its price which comes in handy while fishing t-rigs and plastics. Furthermore, the XF tip on this rod is nice for quick hooksets with those t-rigs and other plastics, not to mention it helps sensitivity wise as well. This rod will also be versatile. Having a MH powered, 7 foot rod gives loads of versatility and allows many techniques to be fished with just this one rod.It sounds like at this point you are only going to have 2 rod/reel combos after this next rod purchase. Therefore, you are going to want versatility out of your rod. Many people rave about the Abu Garcia Veritas rods, but not at the price point that you listed. That rod can be had brand new for $80 (this is below your range). In my personal opinion, the powell max series is a step up from the Veritas rods. That isn't to say there is nothing wrong with the Veritas rods, there are many that love them and they offer good price to performance ratio, but personally you will notice a different level of crispness, feel, and sensitivity with the Powell Max. Now if you are talking about buying a used rod, you are opening yourself up to many more options. For instance, ClackerBuzz who got the Legend xtreme for $140 jumped on a really good deal that would blow away any recommendations of rods that are in your suggested price range of $100-$150. If you want to stick with Shimano Products, a used Cumara wouldn't be too bad either. I think if you are looking to grab a rod right now and want the best in the $100-$150 price range, grab the Powell Max 703c. You will not be disappointed with this rod IMHO.

That's exactly what I am going to do. Thank you for expanding on your statement those specifics are very helpful to me. When I was talking about the densities and sink rate I was agreeing with you that a substance that is 1.7 times as dense as lead is going to sink significantly faster. That should also allow one to use a lighter weight tungsten leader to accomplish the goals that a heavier lead material would do. To what degree, I don't know. But for instance, t-rig a 1/2 ounce tungsten leader rage craw, then do the same with 1/2oz of lead. I'm sure the tungsten will sink faster and hit the bottom first. That's all I was saying really. Something I had absolutely not thought of that is an excellent point. Thank you. Would a parasite clip protect the knot as well? A-jay recommended these to me so I'm giving them a shot I have yet to use them. No your absolutely right, I do remember him saying he poured his own in that video. Actually, there's a post that gene made saying he uses gremlin bullet type sinkers for his mojo rig, since it is easy to just pinch them on and open them off. I could find the post for you if you are interested. I believe he said he went to that purely for convenience. As for your last statement, that was what I thought as well when I feast heard it, but I couldn't refute since I've never used tungsten. To be fair those werent the exact two rods he mentioned but the idea itself was what seemed exaggerated which is confirmed by you. He just really enjoyed the response he was receiving while t-rigging with tungsten.

I am glad you got a nice deal. The curado 50e on this rod casts anything amazing. It is by far the best reel I've used. I am sure the rod helps too but I throw weightless Senkos 30 yards without much effort at all and no chance of backlash. I enjoy the smaller spool on the 50e's and I am seriously considering pulling the trigger on a chronarch 50mg if they cast just as well as these curados? My only wish is that the 50e would come in a faster gear ratio.

Thank you, I will go with the non-inserted ones then. Could you expand on your statement "especially the larger sizes and the positive feedback", I am unclear as to exactly what you meant. The reduction in size does make sense and since the material is denser, meaning it will fall faster, 1/4oz tungsten may have a similar fall rate to a 5/16 lead. That's just a guess. That is good news to me. I have all lead jigs and plenty of them and was not looking forward to having to change to something else. I will grab the sizes you mentioned since I am looking to experiment and tungsten is not light on the pockets. I didn't think of it that way. The initial "clank" does make sense and the suggestions about its sensitivity seem more relative than what I heard. I was told that for texas rigging, using tungsten weights would be the equivalency of a rod upgrade sensitivity wise, such as going from a St. Croix Avid, to a Legend Tournament something like that. Not those rods specifically just one step up in rod sensitivity. That being said, I do not see how it could hurt to switch my leaders to tungsten though for texas rigging and especially punching. I go through grass in a lot of areas I fish, its ability to slip through would be very helpful indeed. One last question pertaining to the MOJO rig. I have found tungsten weights that are similar to the mojo style leader weights. Watching "BassResource's" videos on this rig one mentions its ability to go through grass well and is great for those situations. Would tungsten be preferable as well as the leader weight on this rig, or is the mojo rig designed to sit on top or in the grass and let the worm float behind? In other words, using the mojo rig, would tungsten be a better choice for the leader weight? Thanks for all of your help.

I've read and heard from some people that tungsten weights for leaders adds a great deal of sensitivity while texas rigging. So I am going to purchase some to try this out for myself, but I have a few questions. 1.) They are offered with inserts and without inserts. What are these inserts? Do the inserts reduce sensitivity since they most likely will not be the dense tungsten material? 2.) Can you peg a tungsten weight that does not have any inserts? I have the pegging kit (6th sense peg stoppers) I also sometimes implement the method that Glenn uses where he uses a piece of line and some strands of skirt material. 3.) Should the weight sizes I use be the same as the weight used for lead texas rigs. For example, if one suggests a 1/8oz weight on a t-rigged rage craw, would the 1/8oz tungsten weight work the technique the same? (Common sense tells me yes, but I just had to ask) 4.) What sizes should I get the most of? I realize this is subjective, but I will be fishing these for rage craws/paca craws, 5'' senkos, 4.20 Beaver's, and Twin Tail Hula Grubs. I was thinking getting an equavilent amount of 1/8oz, 1/4oz, 1/2oz and a lesser amount of 1/16oz, 3/16, 5/16, 3/4. Does that sound right? 5.) Regarding Tungsten jigs, would these be more sensitive than lead jigs? If so, where are some good places to buy some of these since I have all lead jigs and I've bought all of my jigs from Siebert Outdoors and NSCB. Unfortunately, they do not have a lineup of tungsten jigs. If someone could give me their experience with tungsten jigs that would be nice since I have many lead jigs at the moment and will continue to use those as well. Such as, what are the differences between the two? Thank you all for your help and if you have any additional comments about tungsten materials in general that would also be helpful.

That sounds very promising. On Daiwa's website, the Sol weighs 7.4 ounces and the Liberto weighs 5.7 ounces. After a $50 gear upgrade and $10 carbontex drag upgrade that would put me at about $260. Would I have a better reel if I just went ahead and spent a little more on a different used Daiwa Lightweight reel. Such as trying to find a Daiwa PX68, Steez, or PX Type-R? The liberto was made many years ago so I do not know how far technology has came since then. Furthermore, are these high priced reels worth the money, or could I get the job done just as well with Curado's, Lews, Sol's etc. Do these extremely lightweight reels add more sensitivity to the overall setup and allow one, after practice, to present the baits much more effectively? Thanks for everyone's help and input, gotta love the community here at BR!

Okay thank you I will do that. Is 6:8:1 the fastest that cango in there? I see lots of people raving about 7:9:1 reels. It's not a huge deal to me either way. I just like to know my options. Much thanks.

The external condition is not great. There are many scratches and one big one. I have a Daiwa Sol, would this be pretty much the same reel just with a smaller spool? Since this is the predecessor to the px68 and the type-r, can I expect similar performance? I can find a lot of information about the px68 and type-r, but not so much on the Liberto. Would a St. Croix Legend Extreme 6'9'' MLXF pair well? Would carbontex drag washers be the right way to upgrade this reel? And are there any other upgrades that should be done on such an old reel? I am going to take a second look at it today and most likely buy it if I can't find anything wrong with it. I just don't know exactly what to look for to tell if internally there are any problems. The guy selling says he used to use it all the time and that's how it got the scratches, but he has not used it much lately. I don't know how it got all of those scratches and if that maybe is a sign of how poorly it was treated.

Thank's Mr. Clary, So would this be a good reel for lightweight applications? And how does it compare against the other Daiwa's like the PX68 and their type-r. I've heard those are amazing reels for lightweight applications. I bought a Shimano Curado 50e that is going to be supertuned by DVT and have ceramic bearings added. Will that be better at casting very light baits such as weightless senkos or 1/8 oz jigs? Or is the Liberto Pixy better at that?

Can anybody tell me any information about a Daiwa Liberto Pixy? I found one locally and the guy wants $200 for it, but I know nothing about the reel. I found some information while doing a google search, but not much relative to this year. How does this real compare with others in its price range. Also, the reel is orange and it seems the ones I find online are either yellow or red. It mentions a 5:8:1 gear ratio and that it weighs light at 5.8 ounces. How does this reel compare to newer reels being that this one is 8 years old? Is it anything like Daiwa's other offerings such as the PX68 or their type-r? I have read good things about those being the best of the best for light weight finesse fishing, would this be in the same league or would it be more of a collectors item at this point? Any information would be helpful, the reel cosmetically is not perfect, but functions just fine when I tested it. Thanks for the help, Skel

Thank you I decided to go that route instead of buying a $200+ dollar reel. What upgrades should I do to it? I am going to need new handles, but is going with ceramic bearings and a carbontex drag the best route? If so, how much maintenance would it require to keep the bearings in good shape and relatively quiet.

Ok thank you guys for clearing that up. I will go ahead and not worry about it then.

Ok so I should not be worried about the manufacture year when going to purchase a 50e? I am asking because I can get a 2011 manufactured pretty reasonable at the moment and didn't want to have any issues.

Do you find that notch being bothersome in any way or pressing into your palm because I noticed 2012 versions do not have that notch.