kickerfish1

Nice jig and trailer choices. Ready for the fall jig bite!

No the spool is NOT the same as the Ballistic.

The term "T3" is pretty vague. There are many different variations of the reel (1016, Ballistic, SV, MX, FX, etc.) Another good thing is that there are many tuning options as well from spools, to gears, and other various parts. I have a T3 MX that is the 8:1 reel. It casts well at 3/8 oz and above. Some complain about the fram material and the hood popping up being annoying. Personally I think the hood is a fun feature and the reel feels great to me and incredibly smooth. I would not recommend the reel for high resistance baits but that is just my preference. I prefer aluminum frame reels for that. I would be interested to know what you had in mind for intended apps for the reel? Which exact model were you looking at?

Don't jump. Step back slowly from the edge, open wallet, take a deep breath and buy said reel. Then proceed to lose countless hours of sleep waiting for its arrival.

Reel cleaning supplies and some goodies from HH Studios.

Downsize for quality over quantity. Had about 36 outfits. Down to about 25 right now. Working on getting that number to around 20.

For the $ they look solid. Would make a sharp budget spinning reel. Outside of cosmetics I wonder if there are a few internal differences?

When Kistler has their website sales they often discount the Helium 3 rods 25%. You can get one for about $210 shipped.

Where? Japanese sites like Japantackle, Digitika, JLS US retailers that offer sales of closeout prices Various buy and sell forums like the one on here Occasionally locally for a good deal

Carolina rigged or even texas rigged. I also like them as a big trailer too.

If you still have the PVC or heavy duty cardboard tubes from a rod purchase simply use these. Depending upon the size of the tube you should be able to get a few rods in there. Transport the reels separately in another storage device. You should be able to lay the rod tube down the middle of the floor in the van. Good luck on your trip!

The trigger x plastics don't seem to be all that popular. I tried them a few times with less than stellar results. Not something I would buy again or recommend. It could be possible they aren't selling enough baits?

Just in this thread alone you have seem to have bought Dobyns, Kistlers, and Powell's. For one reason or another the rods weren't the right fit or not what you are looking for. Now you feel that the ALX rod is the answer. Do you realize the grade of cork used in their rods is very average at best? Also the blanks are slightly slower as well. It isn't a bad thing but something to think about. I would say order one and see what you think. I have an ALX maestro spinning rod that was purchased as an all around spinning rod. I like it even though the action is a bit slower and the cork seems to have more pits in it. Only fished the rod about 6 times but have landed over 100 bass on it up to 6 pounds. You can search high and low for a frog rod that is "perfect" and probably never find one for under $200. It almost sounds like a custom rod may be the only way to accomplish what you want considering build quality and handle design seems to be your biggest gripes.

With over 50 colors I am not sure there is a bad one. Color choice depends upon the water clarity for me.

I have handled and fished quite a few however I just have 5 left. DX703 DX742 Champion 705cb glass 734 Savvy 735 Savvy

I would say like anything else, weight of baits used would come into play some. A DX744 or 745 would work depending upon the "other" factors. Also I think a Champion 734 would make a good choice if you wanted to opt for a versatile Dobyns rod without a bigger price tag. Dobyns makes a good rod, backed by a good warranty, and has excellent customer service. I have 5 and never an issue.

Outside of the slightly larger size and a bit more weight I have found the Tatula to be an impressive reel. It seems almost impossible to backlash. It would be a good beginner reel for ease of use and adjustments. I find that most helpful when throwing wind resistant baits. The finish is also quite durable compared to a few Lews reels I have owned. Since the basic model Tatula can be found for around $100 or less I dont think there is better choice out there. You should be able to find a local shop that has one. Just make sure the way it palms and the profile and weight don't bother you. A lot of folks really enjoy the Lews reels so you will probably find lots of fans of both. The $100-150 reel market is flooded with good reels.

Nice catch Matt! It seems like it earns Goose52's highest approval rating as well!

To the OP the *** would be my choice. Rippin-maybe try shooting a message Gary's way. From time to time Thetackletrap will have rep samples of these rods. If he doesn't have any in stock he may know when a few more will show up. You would get warranty support should you need it. Another option would be to hold out a bit longer for the Levante series for $100 less. I am going to purchase one to compare it to my Orichi XX rods.

Generally a baitfish color swimjig would suffice. I have a few Sieberts, Northstars, Dirty jigs, and Revenge. Frankily I would pick one that has the closest size to what you want in terms of a bullet head or California style head.

Looks good to me Bryam! Good choices all around.

Dropshot for the tougher fish Finesse and various hair jigs with painfully slow retrieves Chatterbaits with a paddle tail trailer retrieves slow and steady Jerkbaits like the LC 100 Chrome and blue lipless crankbaits These are my favorites. Generally I will try a few colors and retrieves until I find the right one for that day and the conditions.

Looks like a Duckett to me?

Try using Tinypic and select the message board size.

That makes me cringe AJ. Sounds like it was a rough trip for broken rods. Sorry to hear/see this.