War Eagle 44

I agree 100%. I know every guy has small things he likes or dislikes about different products but this one surprised me. Shimano's Septon grips are one of the the things I really like about their reels, but of course I'm an all Shimano reel guy myself so... I'm sure you'll be happy with your choice to go all Shimano as well, good luck. Oh and sorry I didn't answer any of your original questions with my reply.

Original Power Pro is very good braid but their new Super 8 Slick has become my favorite. I'm super impressed with the S8S in 20# on my spinning gear. S8S would be my top choice in braided line at the moment, it's been really good for me with any technique I've tried it with, spinning or casting.

100% incorrect statement. I use a 735C Powell frog rod that has a lot of "backbone" and isn't light powered at all and I have zero problem getting great casting distance. Spooled up with 50# PPS8S brown. My point here is the line on your reel isn't the problem at all, start with J Francho's suggestions and see how it does then. This should improve your reels performance a good bit. In time going down to one brake block will also boost distance.

AllStar rods are still being made, sadly not in the USA anymore. Those old rods were really good for their prices.

Friction Ring, that's it!! Couldn't remember glad someone else did.

This isn't exactly true, Bantam1 addressed this problem along with the solution on the Tackle Tour forums some time back. I can't remember the exact fix but I do recall it was fairly simple to do. Maybe you can go there and do a search of the forums and find it or if all else fails join and ask in the Shimano sub-forum and I'm sure someone will know how to get you fixed up. I'm sorry I can't remember what the fix is so I could be of more help to you here but at least maybe I have pointed you in the direction of someone who can. Don't worry though because there is indeed a fix for your reel.

Total BS statement. They sold very well.

Yes I agree that the 201E6 is the best choice for you and what you're looking to do with the reel.

In the comparison between the 100D and the 50E I'd go with the E series. On the other hand I think the Curado DHSV was the best Curado to date, bar none.

This is the EXACT info I was told by a tackle shop owner who actually went to Malaysia and toured the factory. He said it was an amazingly clean and modern factory. I'm not an "insider" by any stretch of the imagination but I was told 2014 ICAST will be the year for the new Curado and Chronarch's.

I don't think you understand what I'm talking about exactly. It's more than likely my fault for not explaining myself well enough, let me try again. When I say "spool play" I'm talking about side to side movement. I don't use it at all to control my spool speed, all I use is the one brake and my thumb. If you wiggle my spool you can still feel it move side to side a very small amount, there is zero tension on the spool. I hope to be able to turn all the brakes off at some point and just use my thumb but as of right now I'm just not at that level. It's amazing to me how much of a difference that one little plastic brake block makes in spool speed. It just doesn't seem like it would create that much braking force being as small as it is but it does. I fished with two brakes on for years and when I started going down to just one I thought that was a big deal but it doesn't even begin to compare to going from one to none. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to get that far, it seems I'm about at the limit of my abilities with the one brake. I guess I felt that way about going from two to one at some point but I didn't have nearly as much trouble adjusting to just one as I'm having with none. I've heard Larry Dahlberg talk about not using any brakes on his reels but I'm not sure if he does this with all of them all the time or if he's only able to do it under certain circumstances. Sometimes when a reel starts to get low on line and I need to respool anyway I'll go ahead and pull off more line until the spool is half empty and then just try to play around with no brakes. As everyone knows the less line on your spool the easier it is to control but I still can't do it reliably. Sometimes I'm able to get three or four good casts in a row and then BOOM, super blow up. This is the exact reason why I wait until I need to respool anyway to practice, I already know I'm gonna backlash.

It's in my top 3 favorite spinnerbaits as well. Some of my favorite spinnerbaits are made by a small lure co called Envision Lures. They used to be based about 15 minutes from my home but the owner sold the co to someone in GA I think. They were easy to get at that time, I'd say about 6 or 7 years ago or so, and I'm still fishing the few I have left. They don't really look special or anything but for some reason they really catch fish around here well. Especially now that everyone and his brother aren't throwing them anymore. I fish the spot remover a good bit though, it's just such a good bait. As long as the water has about 2 feet of visibility it's golden.

My favorite War Eagle spinnerbait is in the Screamin Eagle line, 1/2oz, double willows one gold one silver, spot remover skirt color.

I only use my centrifugal brakes and my casts are controlled just fine so your statement that it can't be done is incorrect. I never adjust anything on my reels, I fish them with one brake on and the cast control only tight enough to eliminate spool play no matter the lure or wind conditions of the day. It is very possible to learn to use your reels this way, just takes a little practice.

My favorite "toad" bait is the Gambler Cane Toad and as tstone pointed out it is thin compared to most other toad bait's. I very rarely miss fish on these baits. I use an Owner TwistLOCK Open Gap CPS hook in 5/0 for all my toad style baits. Granted the only two I throw anymore are the Gamblers and Rage Toads but still the hook works great. Before I started using these hooks my hookup % was about 50/50 but now it's in the ballpark of 90%. The biggest problem I was having with EWG style hooks was the bait "balling up" and preventing the barb from getting through. CPS fixed this for me. Braid also helps a lot if you aren't already using it. When I rig my bait I always push the hook point all the way through the bait so that it has a "path" to follow on the set instead of having to make one. Then I just pull the point back down into the body until the bait is nice and straight and fish away. I'd have to disagree with you here, if I get 10 solid hits on a frog, solid meaning the whole bait is in their mouh, then I expect to catch 8 of them. Over the past week I've been out 4 times and I've caught 15 frog fish over those four trips. I think I missed two in that time. All fish were caught on the same lure, a Spro Bronzeye Jr in Amazon color. I expect the same type of results when using toad baits as well. Don't get me wrong here, I have my share of days when I know I do everything right, get the bite wait to feel the fish then set and still have them come off but most days my % is pretty high. I think equipment is very important with this technique. Braid is a must along with the correct rod.

I still have my first low profile baitcaster, a Shimano Chronarch A. It's seen better days cosmetically but still performs great. I've moved it from rod to rod over the years but it's always done whatever job I asked it to. I've thought about supertuning it but I never do, it's still bone stock. I don't fish it much anymore but it does get taken out for a spin from time to time. I don't see myself ever getting rid of it. It has boat rash and scratches all over, I didn't do a great job showing that in the pic but trust me it's there.

I have all my reels set up the same way, 1 brake on, cast control just tight enough to eliminate spool play. My 4 Citica E's are all stock with flushed stock bearings, my Curado 51E, & 301E have Boca Lightning ABEC 5's with one drop each of Shimano oil. My Curado 201DHSV has Orange Seals dry. My Chronarch 101B also has Lightning 5's with one drop each of oil. As Fishwhittler points out the upgraded bearings let you cast "easier" and still get great distance. They will out cast stock bearings but not by as much as some people think. I especially enjoy this added ease when pitching. It takes every ounce of skill and concentration I have to cast dry Orangle Seals with only 1 brake though, but boy the distance to effort ratio is through the roof. If you are trying to get all the distance you can from your reels then I say practice, that's the way I got to the point I'm at now. I don't want this to sound like I'm trying to say I'm the greatest caster here or anything I'm simply telling you it is possible to set your reels up the way you want and successfully cast them without backlash. I agree with the others though about not using the cast control to stop your backlash problems, use the brakes. Start with as many as it takes to completely stop them then turn one off at a time until you get to where you want to be. I really hope this helps you a little and that it comes across the right way, I really don't want it to sound arrogant.

I was thinking the exact same thing, I agree 100%.

Flukes are about all I ever use with'em. Caught plenty of bass though, fun little heads.

I know this isn't technically what you asked but I frog fish a lot and I've been using a Powell Max 735C for some years now. Here in Alabama 95% of my frog fishing is around fairly heavy grass and the 735 does a great job of getting their heads up and them coming the right direction. It was my first Powell rod and it's still my favorite to this day, it resulted in my picking up 4 additional Powell Max rods. It does a really good job casting 99% of the baits I want it to, such as Gambler Cane Toads, Strike King Rage Toads, Spro Bronzeye 65's, and Bronzeye Jr's. It's also a great rod for pitching jigs, paddletail swimbaits, swim jigs, and medium duty flipping. Just to be clear I have never fish the 734 that you're specifically asking about, my friend has the 733 and I have the 703 and 706CB but no 4 powers. I'm sure it will do just fine as long as you aren't fishing mats or thick grass. I just wanted to say that the 735 is a great frog rod for the money but it has other uses as well, it isn't limited to just frogs. If you're really serious about throwing frogs you may want to reconsider it. I hope this helps you, I'm sorry I didn't have any real info for you on the 734.

I'm not a 100% sure but I'm thinking they come with #4's.

As has already been said it's basically up to you. I have a friend who goes straight braid to his jigs, he catches plenty of fish that way. I myself use a fluoro leader. It just looks better and makes "sense" in my mind to use one. On days the fish are really active it doesn't seem to make a big difference but on days they're not I usually end up with a few more bites than he does. Is it the leader, I'm not sure but this has played out on more than one trip so I tend to lean toward yes. Like I said I have more confidence using a leader, you should try it both ways and see if you think it's worth it for you and where you fish. Good luck.

Powell Max 703C - Citica 201E - 15# CXX This is my "all purpose" combo, mostly used for jigs & t-rigs but every now and then I'll throw a spinnerbait or chatterbait with it. Powell Max 706CB - Citica 201E - 10# CXX Crankbait/reaction bait rod, mostly crankbaits (square bills to 6XD's) and scrounger head/flukes . Powell Max 735C - Citica 201E - 50# PPS8S Frogs/Toads and swim jigs. Powell Max 7105 - Citica 201E - 65# PPS8S Flipping/Punching. Powell Max 683S - Symetre 3000FJ - 20# PPS8S Shakeyheads, finesse jigs, & weightless plastics. Cumara A Umbrella Rig - Curado 301E - 25# CXX A-Rigs, swimbaits, & big swim jigs. Clarus 7' MH - Chronarch 101B - 50# PPS8S This is my "pond rod" and one of two I usually take when going on a friends boat. Scimitar 7' M - Sedona 2500FD - 20# PP My pond/travel spinning combo. This falls in the same category as the Clarus rod. I use it for anything the baitcaster isn't best suited for. Those are the 8 setups that get the most use by far. I have lots of other higher end gear that I don't use much at the moment. I plan to try and change all that this year though, trying to get rods for my Calais and Calcutta DC's, Curado 51E, & Curado 201DHSV. Then I have a few rods that I need reels for like my Cumara 7'7" Reaction, which I already know I'm picking up a Chronarch 201E5 for.

Nice gear you have there. I would love to have a Cumulus rod to compair with my other tackle. I've heard nothing but good things about them. I have a couple of first gen Cumara's and one Cumara A and I can tell you there is a difference in sensitivity between them with the new models being a little better. Not sure if they're Cumulus range or not but they are improved.

How's the Cumara A 6'8" M XF for lures like, say, a finesse jig? I'm asking because I absolutely love the one Cumara A I have and I'm really considering picking up more. I have a first gen Cumara 7'2" MH F that I really like for finesse jigs, shakeyheads, Senko's, and light t-rigs but I'm a little skittish about dropping down to a M power rod for these lures. I know the x-fast action will help with that but I've never fished an x-fast Shimano spining rod before so that's why I'm asking your opinion. Basically I'll only use it for "bottom contact" lures, in your opinion is it enough rod or is a little more power needed for jigs? If I decided to pick up a new spinning rod I'd like to get one that isn't exactly the same action I already have if I could. Thanks