rippin-lips

Tatula 200hd has a stock 100mm handle also. My suggestion of changing how you hold it would be the first thing I'd change. It's free and from how you said you're hitting your knuckles it sounds like the problem. A 100mm handle is 5mm longer from center to the knob post. I don't think that's enough to stop you from hitting your hand. It sounds like you are trying to reel like you'd be turning a crank on something.

Adjust how you hold the knobs.

My only dealings with Shimano was only a Curado and Chronarch 51e. I'd love to try one of their higher level reels but after being let down twice I'm a bit scared now.

As I mentioned the TRD worm is 4.5 grams. So with a 1/8 head you are looking at 7.7 grams total weight. That's over 1/4oz. Not a hard feat for any casting reel or medium light powered rod. Still curious why a lot of people seem to think it's such a tough thing. I use a PX68 and 7'1 ml for my combo. If a combo can throw a weightless 4" stick worm it should be able to toss a Ned rig far enough to catch fish.

The TWS Zillion has a thinner t wing. It's what Daiwa has been using to replace grooved t wings from the Tatulas. The TWS Zillion is a glorified Tatula. It's built on the same frame and has like 2 small differences from a Tatula. The sideplates interchange confirming it's the same frame. It's overpriced also. Yes, the Alphas SV uses a free floating spool. The new Fuego and Alphas SV are priced about the same. So he should just buy multiples of it instead. Except he's not gonna get a Black Friday deal from an overseas website. Maybe he should hold off for the new Zillions that'll have the SV spool if he's wanting a workhorse. Cause we all know the OG Zillion is one heck of a workhorse reel.

Yeah by a long shot. The Tatula is a fine reel for $100, but the Alphas SV is a whole different reel. It's smaller,lighter, and has the SV spool. It can handle finesse type baits or anything else you want to throw. It does not have that darned gimmicky Tws to deal with either. It outshines the Tatula in every way possible.

Just tell him to order the JDM Alphas SV from any of the online sites. They're right at $200 and probably they best bargain out right now.

#6 Yozuri hybrid is a good inexpensive copolymer line that works well on spinning reels. It's breaking strength is higher than what the line is rated at. As for braid. Brand is personal preference and so is size. I always use power pro #15 on mine. Then tie leaders of appropriate # test and type to match the conditions I'm fishing. 95% of the time it's a leader of Yozuri in #6 or #8. Granted I rarely use my spinning rod though unless we float the river for smallmouth.

The Ned rig is not as light as most of you are led to believe. A TRD worm by itself weighs 4.5 grams. With a 3/32 head which is a very popular size the total weight is 6.9 grams. As most of us know 7 grams equals 1/4 oz, and that weight is easily thrown on a casting combo given you have a rod that'll load properly with light baits. The rod is the more important factor in the equation verses the reel. Today's reels can handle 1/4oz just fine. I throw Ned rigs on a 7'1 medium light Phenix Recon. Will my spinning combo throw them better... Probably so, but I never use it. Here's a pic I took awhile back.

I'm not sure about the 300 power handles. That one might be a little different. The regular Lexa you can remove the knobs. From Daiwa a complete handle assembly would be about $20

Get ready for a lot opinions. Some of which will be based on a good amount of experience and others that are on very limited experience. You have people who buy 1 rod out of a series from X company 3 months ago and it then becomes unbeatable for price,sensitivity, and balance compared to other rods available. When that person has only ever used rods from a couple other companies. The endurance was/is still is my favorite rod series that I've owned in the price point. You could buy them all day for $150 brand new. It was sensitive and the balance is almost impossible to beat. One thing to remember though is sensitivity is subjective to some people. I know people who can't tell the difference from a $75 rod to a $350 rod. Balance is also subjective. Some people prefer rods to balance at different spots. From your list I've owned a Cashion. It was about the same as the endurance for sensitivity. The rod was lighter overall. Balance was good. The klx has nothing but positives from anything I've seen. I've owned other kistler rods and they were nice. I have some Dobyns rods also. Nothing negative about them except price. I'd never buy one at full retail. Balance could be better for some models. The $250 budget will give you so many options.

I saw his post earlier before anyone commented on it. I think Bill might be sippin' the hooch.

Rods aren't evolving as much as you are behind the times. You're getting closer to getting this action/power thing figured out though.

It's the Indian not the arrow.

It's a great idea, but it'll never work out the way you think in your head. There can be two threads on the first page asking about "best $100 rod" and someone will post a third. Not many will ever take the time to search ahead of time. Google is a terrific tool when you take the time to use it. You need the torque specs for water pump bolts on a EJ25 engine. It's a click away. No more flipping to the back of a Haynes manual to find out what page it's on.

Nowhere near one of those anymore. I loved those roadhouse tea's when I lived in Ga. Plus you can throw your peanut shells on the floor and not get a dirty look for it. That was nice.

The Tatula and the Zillion TWS are built on the same frame. The majority agree that the Zillion is not worth the extra money. That choice is yours to make though. The 8:1:1 is plenty enough for the baits you mentioned. 7:1:1 would be enough also, and my choice personally. It's easier to speed up verse slow down for me. You can only turn the handle so slow. You have to reel at a certain speed to get the bait to do what is supposed to do. Example - blades to turn on a spinnerbait,blade on a buzzbait to turn, blade to vibrate on a chatterbait. Just something to think about.

Not sure of total weight but I throw trick worms with a 1/16oz tungsten weight and a 2/0 offset worm hook with mine. The one time I will suggest upgrading spool bearings is with a finesse reel. It will aid in spool startup with light baits.

I'm taking it to my buddy Sean. He's been painting and airbrushing for a long time.

Thanks Goose. Planning on getting the drag star and tension cap anodized black. That should do it for this one. The other will be a similar build color wise. Charcoal with satin black parts. I'll use a swept star and handle though.

You'd be wrong to assume such a thing. The majority of pros use off the shelf rods from their sponsor. Nothing custom about them. JT Kenney - Halo rods with Bps reels Ish Monroe - Daiwa Randy Howell - Daiwa Aaron Martens - Enigma Aaron's edge rods Boyd Duckett - Duckett Ike - Abu was the Veritas for a while now Ike's Tracy Adams - Cashion Kvd - quantum Brandon Palaniuk - Abu Veracity and Ike rods Chad Pipkens - Powell

Mike, I think it's a mental thing for most people. They see it's rated abec 7 and they will believe it will be better than a 5. We should start selling abec 5's as abec 9's and charge triple the price. One could make a killing that way. One could also say that you used some space aged nano infused grease for servicing reels too. Add $15 for the 'special' grease. I'm only joking of course.

Both are ratings, but they aren't the same thing. Power: extra heavy - medium heavy - light - Action: extra fast - fast - moderate - The rod below is 9' long. It's a medium heavy power with a fast action. Companies like Duckett don't even list the action of their rods, or ratings for line and lure.

I buttoned a few things up on the TDZ the other night. Reel was painted and a 100m handle color matched to the reel. Zpi knobs,SV spool,boca abec 7's,carbontex drag, worm gear upgrade. I have another TDZ coming Monday to toy around with. It'll need painted first though.

There definitely is more diversity here. It's more average fisherman where TT is more enthusiast based. Which I also enjoy because I'm an enthusiast. I like messing with reels and swapping parts and so on. Half the fun of fishing is buying gear.