kschultz76

Depending on the range of weights and baits you need to throw based on personal experience I'd suggest the following: - Kistler KLX Crank Rip Twitch series MH/MF they offer a 6'9" that's great for close quarters target casting and topwater, and 7' and a 7'3" version that likely is better for long casts. I have the 6'9" and love it. When the run sales you can get it below $200. I may add the 7' or 7'3" someday. - St Croix Avid 7' MH/Mod or Avid X. Got the 6'6" version for my Dad and it's a nice stick for moving treble baits(he's not comfortable with anything longer). A bit softer then the Kistler, and certainly the longer 7' blanks will facilitate longer casts and absorb some more shock. I have the prior gen Legend Xtreme 7'2" MH/Mod and the extra length is def more parabolic then my Dads Avid. Rods I'd consider but have no hands on experience with myself that are in your price range are the Daiwa Tatula reaction bait rods or glass rods ( not into the glass thing myself), the Megabass Levante Flatside Special or Spinnerbait Special or Launcher, an ALX Zolo, Dobyns or Phenix. In the MB Orochi I have the Spinnerbait Special and Jerkbait Special. The Spinnerbait is faster/less parabolic and more powerful I think then my St Croix, and I think a bit more powerful then my Kistler. The Jerkbait Special is awesome for small light cranks, really sweet casting rod, more parabolic. I'm told the Flatside Special handles like the Jerkbait Special just longer. Personally I don't like EVA grips or glass rods, and tend to prefer a Mod Fast for most crankbait a I fish. I'm not cranking deep ledges. Hope some of that helps.

I've held but not fished an Avid X. It was very nice and well balanced. I wouldn't hesitate to get one. Certainly the LTB is a slightly better blank, but not night and day in my hands. But the reel seats on the current LTBs I personally loathe so the only LTBs I have are the prior generation.

They're both excellent all purpose spinning rods. The seat on the LTB is love it or hate it. I have a 6'6" MF Avid and love it. But it all comes down to your application. I don't think they're ideal for really small finesse baits or dropshot, but I'm far from a dropshot expert. For that stuff I'd be looking at a ML F or XF in a St Croix.

Agree I like my H3 quite a lot.

I've not personally fished the EMTF but I understand from many who have that the 1/2 oz jig and higher are starting to push its limits. I think most people with experience in the Orochi line recommend moving up to the Perfect Pitch for 1/2 oz and up. Also if you're willing to spend a bit more Megabass just announced a new 2017 Destroyer line for the US. The line features a dedicated jig stick called the FMJ, and from talking to someone who's had time in the water with these rods it would be a great 1/2 oz jig rod.

Thanks for this post and thanks Smalljaw for your response. I've been looking at some Loomis rods and this summary was helpful and informative.

If you've got to stick to that $200 price range then earlier input about the E6X vs the Orochi XX is likely not useful. When comparing a $200 rod to a $300 rod those with experience with either are likely to recommend the more expensive stick. Id suggest if you want good input from the group here that you start over and restate your requirements in terms of lures/weights/cover you want to fish, budget, and preferences like grip material. If if you want feedback on specific models then list them out. Ive never fished an E6x so I can't give you meaningful input. I've held and inspected them in store and they didn't "feel" great in hand and I noticed on everyone I held some small cosmetic issues. If you want a good all purpose rod, the MBR series is better than JWR series for that need for sure. I think the suggestion to look at the Avid or Avid X is also a very good one, especially if for your needs something like a 7' M/F will work. I tend to find the St Croix MH/F rods too heavy for any crankbait. But they're certainly good for jigs/trigs. I have no experience wit them but have read good things about ALX rods and their Zolo series is in your budget and has a cork handle. I also think Kistler rods that are built on NFC blanks are a really good bang for your buck option in your price range. Look at rod reviews on TackleTour where the reference "Search For The One" where they're specifically considering all purpose sticks. Lots if if good options for $200, and likely none of them is a "bad" rod.

I haven't had the pleasure of using the EMTF. Based on my experience I don't think you'd be overloading the Diablo with those weights though. Though I've not fished the Keitechs on my Diablo at all, and swim jigs and chatterbaits sparingly those weight ranges have posed no problem for me. My understanding of the difference between the two is more taper then power, the Diablo leaning more towards a ModFast and a bit more forgiving for moving baits.

If you're on a budget you could look at the MB Levante series Diablo. TackleTour did a review and gave it good marks. It has Eva grips though, and word on the street is that it doesn't compete with the XX in terms of sensitivity or crispness.

Thanks that's what I needed to hear. I have a TV and trying to decide if I want the PP or the J&W at some point. I've heard the same feedback about the J&W as well so I've always been far more interested in the PP.

Love my Diablo Spec R, I'd go that over the E6x any day. But it also depends what you intend to fish with the rod, as based on the specs of that E6x it's a totally different rod. The Diablo is more of an all purpose rod with a taper that works well for a lot of moving baits especially single hook moving baits and lipless cranks. But for me it's plenty fast for creature bait and worms on a weightless or light trig, light jigs, swim jigs. I've pulled a dozen bass under 2lbs out of lily pads with it throwing a trigged sweet beaver and 3/8 oz tungsten. But I do love my Diablo, it's one of my favorite rods. Specs on that E6x indicate it's a dedicated bottom contact type of rod with an exfast taper. I'm not familiar with the series or how they handle. But if a traditional American exfast JWR taper is what you're after the Diablo is not that rod. If if you want a jig and worm rod in the Orochi series look at the EMTF, Tour Versatile, XH Jig n Worm, or the Perfect Pitch. In the price range I'd also suggest the Kistler Helium MH XF in 7'1", some say it's not a true XF but it handles with a faster taper then the Diablo in my hands. But it's a hell of a great casting and pitching rod. Hey Rippin, do you have the Tour Versatile or XH Jig n Worm?

For those that read them or care Tackletour has posted a review of the Chronarch MGL.

I'd trust .ghoti and get it serviced before using it any further.

I'm not sure that you've permanently damaged anything. Im sure Mike at DVT will respond. But to start have you tried taking the side plate removing the spool completely then reinstalling it? Oh and like Bill Dance says on his commercial for BPS, don't do that!

It's been on JapanTackle for awhile. Once the LH is available it might could be my next JDM reel.

None of the Shimano low profiles have a clicking spool tension knob, not even the Chronarch or the Metanium. Oh and forgot to mention I love the new 90 mm handle it is just right on this reel. Won't need to upgrade it like I have on my CI4 reels. But I will change out the knobs for PG2 knobs.

I've finally got time to post my feedback on the Chronarch MGL. I've only been able to make a few casts on the water with a jig and trailer, most of my testing has been in the yard with rubber practice plugs. I've done all my testing with Sufix 832 50lb braid. Also my reel was cleaned and tuned by Bryan at The Tackle Trap before shipping. Im very pleased with the reels performance. Casting and pitching is effortless down to 3/8 oz and very accurate. Even able to cas 1/4 oz but distance suffered - mostly due to the rod I was using I think, was way to heavy for throwing a 1/4 oz total on. Side by side with my CI4+ version the MGL has an edge in distance. Side by side with my 13 Met they're performing evenly, with maybe a slight edge in distance to the MGL. Braking and spool tension took me a dozen casts or so to dial in. I found at first I overfilled the spool a smidge too, stripping a few yards of lined helped tame it. As I learned with my others SVS reels for the brakes to work their best I found spool tension has to be adjusted for the lure, I can't just tighten it enough to remove side play. With spool tension adjusted I'm casting and pitching well controlled with two tabs on and the dial from 1.5-3. I could see in wind turning it up to 3 tabs or turning it up if you're really laying into a cast. But my thumb is still helping, not trying to cast thumb free. The reel is smooth and solid. I think the new frame material is an improvement over the already excellent CI4+ version. But this version seems denser and solid. The previous material seems to kind of echo vibrations, this material seems not to. Retrieve is buttery smooth and you can feel the reduced feel of the gears from the micro module. I expect under load it will be even more noticeable. Looking forward to to more time on the water with it once it warms up.

I don't really know much about fishing salt. But certainly for heavier line, heavier lures, and bigger fish that make longer runs the 4000 would be good.

Knob on the previous version is easily replaced. I now have a Power Grip II knob with two bearings under it on my 2500. To to the op the previous version is fantastic. I honestly couldn't conceive of it getting better. But unless you're fishing larger species with larger baits I think the 4000 size is just ridiculous overkill and waist of line.

If you dig hard enough you're going to find complaints about any reel. It's just like any consumer product. I have to say I've read of very few issues with either of the reels you're talking about. I have two Curado Is, and several other Shimanos with no issues for several seasons. Pick what hat you like best and is most comfortable, but you can own and fish either reel with confidence.

Interested to see what folks have to say. I tried Sufix 832 and don't care for it, then I tried Daiwa Samurai and like it quite a bit. I have used 40 lb Samurai for a couple seasons now. I could just stick with Samurai, but wanted to look at something else to try and Smackdown is at the top of my list.

Curado I is a solid performing reel. You can also easily add a longer handle from a Met XG and as 4 bearings under the handle to improve leverage and smoothness.

13 Met and Stradic CI4+

Yes what the super tuning entails improves the performance of even a brand new reel. Besides involving a full cleaning, bearing flush, and proper lubrication with quality lubricants a tuning would involve polishing of friction points beyond what the factory does in mass production. Proper lubrication of the bearings and reduced friction means less effort required for casting and pitching, which equals less backlashing and more accurate casts. I've experienced the results and I'm a believer, especially in the fact that even a brand new reel needs the bearings flushed and properly lubricated.

Start with sending it to DVT for a professional cleaning, and supertune. Do a drag upgrade if he recommends it for that reel. If possible add bearings under the handle knobs to increase smoothness/refinement. I wouldn't upgrade other bearings until doing all of that first. The cleaning and tuning alone will be a surprising increase in performance.