rangerjockey

I have to chuckle because here in the Ozarks there's always been a big secret about the recipe to make a Red fin run right. Guys bend the bills with a lighter but that method has put more than a few in the trash can . My personal favorite is a feathered treble on the back and 2 or 3 suspend dots right in front of the joint and hope for the best. Some are magic and some never will run. Braid helps a bunch. These days I'd just buy a Surge Shad .

Usually, a speed craw or the small zoom chunk.

It's really the same deal as years ago when we either swam or scrubbed a single tail grub. Then it was the Easy Shiner for a couple years, now the Fat Impact ect. Personally, I've gone back to the 3 inch Easy Shiner instead of the 8 million Fats they see a day.

If you can find a B model Bomber ,that's the ticket. and the 1 minus of course. For me they are a spawn/post spawn deal when then are still up around the bushes.

I use the NRX 872. For me it's a great all around rod. Ned's, Small swimbaits, tubes ect. Where do you fish ?

I think you're looking for a problem in every solution. If you want to try Steez go buy one. Big swimbait? buy a Tranx .Only you can say whether or not it's good for you. Where do you fish that you need to punch a 2oz. weight? What rods do you actually own that you plan on putting all these reels on ? You have been given some good advice by folks with years of experience and know what they are talking about. I would suggest at some point you take it.

I do it a lot.. The speed craw works really well on a shaky head.

I grew up with round reels and I can't see a need to ever own another. Anyway, do yourself a favor and buy a Curado or Tatula and learn to fish. At this point I think it's silly to spend that kind of money on a Steez or Antares ect. If your a Beginning golfer you can buy the most expensive set of clubs on the market and still not be able to break an egg. Once you have some decent equipment and experience and if you think you've outgrown it then I get it.. Time on the water is more valuable than any equipment.

I personally wouldn't spend the extra $ on a conquest over a NRX but I'll also say the 843.

Read closer, the parent company.

It was the same way when they were still out on Hwy 65 in Springfield. There was a bin full of them. Back then they had a good tournament rewards program and I suspect that why some guys (including me) started using them. I no longer have any. The problem Lew's had was the bad blood between ownership and Johnny Morris. Now, the headquarters in Springfield is gone along with the tackle shop and Strike King or its parent company owns Lew's, and they are in Bass Pro Shop.

If your considering a Powell step up to the Endurance. Something in a 3 power in the length of your choosing.

Yes, Its softer than a 3 power Loomis. I like mine for flukes, floating worms, 1/4-3/8 oz. spinnerbaits and smaller topwaters like poppers or chugbugs ect. Everybody always talks about the 733 and 734 and they are super versatile rods, but I really like the 703 and 704.

Falcon's have always fished on the slower side of fast. It was designed for a small jig with a light wire hook so it makes sense to soften it up some. The Original Eakin's rod was really soft and a lot of folks didn't like it ,including some folks at Falcon but it wasn't intended to be a football jig rod. It was a good squarebill and slab spoon rod however.

The Falcon finesse jig rod is a dandy. Originally it was called the Eakins rod and was in the Lowrider series. Jim Eakins designed it to pitch his Signature 5/16 ball head jig on Table Rock and Bull Shoals. Falcon still makes a version of it in the Cara and Expert series. I personally think they have tightened that rod up over the years but it's still good. Or... Check out the Virtus version . In the Red Diamond series it's a little over your budget but I believe they have it in the Blue Diamond series also. They are made in Harrison Ar. in the same place Falcon was before they moved offshore with the same Mandrels. It's an outstanding rod and it makes a good walking bait rod with mono also.

I would add Eric Olliverson. Eric's Elite guide service. September isn't the best time to fish Table Rock but the weather should be good .

I like the Carolina keepers also.

They used to do that back in the day with the original P-70's. I personally wouldn't risk one when I can just buy a Yellow Magic or Rico.

I only own the NRX and K2 on your list. They are both about equal in terms of sensitivity but the K2 is a much better finished rod. I can throw a 5/16 Eakins jig on the K2 heavy . In typical Phenix fashion they fish soft.

Ever since Tactical Bassin' Pronounced the Expride as the holy grail of stick bait rods that thing took off. Personally I never found it to be all that special and the handle is what , 15 inches ? Shimano is selling a load of them so something worked.

5XD's don't pull all that hard. I personally would probably go with the 705 CB and have a rod I could use for other purposes. In the interest of full disclosure, I live on a lake that isn't exactly known for a deep crankbait bite except for a few weeks in the summer and even then, you could probably catch the same fish on a swimbait.

Jewel has a new bait out that was intended to be used with FFS. It will work without it around shad schools. You can chuck the thing a mile. Kinda an oversized little George / spinnerbait cross.

704 CB. If you like a shorter rod,the 684 CB.

They make the weed guards too long so you can trim them to your liking. I would cut that one about even with the hook point.

I had heard there was going to be a merger. I don't know if Hog Farmer will stay a stand alone company or it's products will fall under the Missile banner.. I've been buying up some of the HF versions just in case.