jbsoonerfan

IMO there is no best all-around. More personal preference. I prefer XG's 8:1 in almost all my reels. You also need to decide what technique you are going to use it for, line diameter, etc. All those will also help to determine "best" for you.

The same thing people say about technology can be said about location. You have a much better chance at catching a giant bass in California or Florida as opposed to Iowa or Illinois, but killing a giant deer in Iowa or Illinois is a different story. I don't guess I saw where anyone ever said that you had to have the latest and greatest to catch fish. I wish I could afford a $90K bass boat but I don't really think I would catch many more fish. But if you put me in that $90K bass boat on El Salto and put me in the same boat on Lake Thunderbird then I would venture to guess my chances of catching big fish are better on El Salto reguardless of the rod and reel. As far as comparing people with better equipment to people with inferior equipment will only effect the skill level of the person if everything else were equal. I think I hear Irene coming.

No matter how you slice it, 30 year old reels are not even in the same ball park as reel of today. I have a Curado "tomato" from I believe 1993 that is brand new, in the box, and it is a tank compared to today's Curados.

Populations of giant bass may have

A bunch of them here https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Gamakatsu_Offset_EWG_Worm_Hooks_Black/descpage-GOSWG.html

Bringing up the top 25 bass caught was meaningless to the post. Most of those fish were caught 30 years ago with the best there was at the time. The example of the two most recent ones were caught with high end gear. I'm not real sure what the point of the top 25 bass was. Should have just said that older equipment still works. Just like guys still shooting old Hoyt Pro-tecs talk bad about guys shooting short axle to axle 350 fps bows. They both obviously get the job done, but the newer stuff just makes it more enjoyable for some.

I went ahead and ordered a 2020 Zodias 7' MH to try out. If I don't like it, I can swap some stuff around. Now I need to order a reel. I'm guessing a new Met would work well

He didn't mean those fish LOL Looking back, there hasn't been but 5 fish on the top 25 list from California caught in the last 17 years or so, the others were caught about 30 years ago.

And anytime you want to try to catch all your giant bass in any other lake in the country outside of California, they are all open. Its all about the skill after all.

In cold weather, I hook the muffs on and turn the water on and start it before I head to the lake. Since it is a 2 stroke I mainly do so to get it warmed up a little bit so I am not sitting on the ramp and possibly keeping someone waiting.

Second thread today about low stock on shelves, the internet is full of everything you could want. Except flat worms apparently LOL

The Big 12 is just waiting for the ACC and SEC to cancel their seasons so they can figure out a way to play a few games and claim a National Championship

I must have missed the post that said you had to have high tech rods and reels to catch giant bass. I would guess the location and lack of fishing pressure has more to do with it than any rod or reel. You know those lakes where trout are stocked with the specific goal in mind of growing giant bass and closing the lakes at certain times to make sure those fish reach those giant sizes. But I guess that wasn't really the point of the thread. I'm sure I will be told I am wrong though. I do know that 20 of the top 25 were caught in California though, so telling me anything different will be a stretch.

I currently use it for bottom contact, haven't tried it with moving baits yet. Sorry, just being honest.

Thanks, you put exactly what I had in mind for a lot of them.

The cumulus is probably more on the softer side. I would say it is a moving bait or or slow moving light weight bottom contact rod.

Yea, I will give you a reply as well. These are all casting rods. I have plenty of line on bulk spools in the following: 14, 16, 18 lb Sniper Fluoro, 12 & 14 lb Sufix Elite Mono and 40 or 50 lb Sufix 832. I have enough 65 lb 832 to do a couple reels

I didn't figure, just interested to see where everyone differs on how they would use a rod. My thread about a chatterbait rod is what really got me to thinking about it.

Beyond fan boy I suppose. Bigger question is, can you guess the reel brand that sits on these? LOL

Lol, yes, I do have 2 spinning combos though

Yep, water temp was 89 yesterday. I will take a few weeks off and get back at it come September. Going back to work really put a damper on things as well. Having 5 months off was nice.

I fished hard this Spring and Summer so now it's time to settle down a little bit. I plan to take all my reels off, clean them up and re-spool them. When I start putting them back on I will be going a different direction with a few of them. I am going to give you a list of my rods and you tell me what technique you would use it for. I have any reel to fit the bill and any line as well, but if you want to include the line feel free. I have most of them figured out, just trying to see if my ideas are any different. I'm also interested to see if you have an idea for a rod that I haven't thought of. Thanks in advance for taking the time to play along. Shimano Expride 6’6 M Fast Shimano Expride 6’8 MH Fast Shimano Intenza 6’9 M Fast Shimano Zodias 6’10 ML Fast Shimano Zodias 6’10 M M-Fast Shimano Zodias 6’10 MH Fast Shimano Zodias 6’10 MH Fast Shimano Zodias 6’10 MH Fast Shimano Cumulus 6’10 MH Fast Shimano PA 6’11 M+ Fast Shimano Crucial 7’ M Fast Shimano Zodias 20 7’ MH Fast Shimano Curado 7’ MH X-Fast Shimano Zodias 7’2 M M-Fast Shimano Expride 7’2 MH Fast Shimano Zodias 7’2 MH Fast Shimano Expride 7’2 H Fast Shimano Zodias 7’2 H Fast Shimano PA 7’3 MH Reg-F Shimano Zodias 7’5 H Fast Shimano Zodias 7’6 MHG M-Fast

I guess I misunderstood as well. That being said, if I am going to be throwing a lipless, spinnerbait, squarebill, or any other moving bait then I will take a high end reel over a high end rod everyday and twice on Sunday. On the flip side, if I am throwing a texas rig, shakey head, jig, or any slow presentation on the bottom then I will take a high end rod over a high end reel any day of the week. I'm still not going to compare a $50 reel to a $200+ reel and say they are equals.

I guess we will just have to agree to disagree on this one.

I have a 7'6 MH G Zodias but I think it might be a little bit much for a 3/8 and even a 1/2 is at the bottom end. I throw deep cranks on it and I don't think it would fit the bill. On the other hand, the 7'2 MH G may just be the one. Oh the options.