NBR

Agreed closing by hand eliminates the small loop that ends up a few casts later as a wad of snarls by the first guide but I don't understand how closing the bail by hand reduces or eliminates line twist?

I have used the Transition version with soft plastics for about three years and like it just fine.

Does anyone else think we have gone whacko over our tackle? I mean silicon chip reels, rods for cranks, rods for surface, rods for frogs and on and on! Don't get me wrong I usually have 5 rods on the deck as many in the rod box and more at home so the monkey has bitten me more than a few times but goodness! Some of those just getting into fishing must think it takes a ton of stuff to catch fish or compete in local T's.

Although the reels control have something to do the real backlash preventer is you thumb and practice. A moderately priced combo in the $100 to $125 range should work very well for almost anything. Much below that will limit what you do with the bait caster but if you don't want to throw light jigs and such don't worry about it. A friend who had a Quantum reel and an Ugly Stick about 4 years ago decided he wanted a better outfit so he could baitcast better. He bought a new Curado and a St. Croix rod, I'm not sure which model. He still didn't get in the yard and practice and I would guess his total time using his baitcaster in the 28 days we fished together in the past 2 years is less than 2 hours. Buy what you can afford to set in the corner and learn to use it. You can upgrade over the years and the original outfit will still be great for heavier lures like spinner baits, cranks, surface , Texas rigged weighted worms and the like. If you don't like baitcasting you don't have a fortune setting in the corner. I use both spinning and baitcasters. Probably 90% BC's in the early season and 75% in the summer and fall.

Check the GVW on both vehicules, get the boat, motor ,trailer weight estimate the weight of tackle add the weights up and see which vehicule can handle the load. If you get an automatic transmission get a tow kit with a tranny cooler. You might not really need it but heat is the enemy of automatic trannies. With an automatic never pull in overdrive.

I have an 89 Astro that is in great shape but it has always been garaged. As said check the transom. If this boat is like mine it has great storage. Mine seems pretty decent in rough water and trimmed out properly I have a dry ride. I fish some big lakes but rarely on the great lakes.

If there had been a "None of the above" category that woould have been my reply. Depending on the time of the year and the type of water I could have picked any of the choices.

Many years ago I had a fair degree of brand loyalty but that flaw in my make up disappeared long ago. I have Berkley, Shimano, Lews, BPS, Daiwa and other rods. Pflueger, Shimano, Browning, Daiwa, Quantum, BPS and probably some other reels both bait casters and spinning. All of these do the job for me just fine. I once was very loyal to Berkley lines but even that has faded over the years. Now I buy rods and reels based on the use I intend for them and the best price. Back in the depths of my mind there is a thought that Yamamoto soft plastics are a bit better than the run of the mill so I always have Senkos, Ikas and Hula Grubs and use them if the bite gets tough but I probably go through more knock offs in the course of a year.

It makes no difference what kind of sonar it is they show something submerged in the water. A sonar can't differentiate between a partially submerged stick, a plastic bottle or a fish. Bait does show as a blob because there is a lot of it close together. Other than a guess as to the fish type because of where the echo shows up the only way to know for sure what it might be is catch one, have an underwater camera or send a diver down.

Since I have aged to nearly or in the geezer class and got my first bait caster in about 1947 I find any of the moderate and upward priced reels are very good. I like the external spool adjustment a bit more handy than internal but at the same time I think inertial control is a bit better than magnetic but the difference is not a show stopper. I own Shimanos, Daiwas, Pfluegers, Quantums and BPS reels and frankly I don't have a preference in terms of function or life. Some are smoother than others but that makes little difference in terms of casting distance and accuracy. The rod may not be as pricey (although it can be even more) but it is as important as the reel. Think about where you fish; is accuracy more important than distance? Longer rods basically cast farther shorter rods are more accurate. When you get you rod and reel spool it up with a resonable quality mono in 12# to 17# test, read Reelmechanic's tutorial on baitcaster set up and go to the back yard and practice. You are going to get some backlashes you have to cut out. That is just a part of the learning curve.

Some years ago I tore a reel or two all the way down and remember sending one back in pieces when I couldn't get it back together. Now I pull the bearings and clean them, put a drop (absolutely no more than 2) of oil in the bearings and grease the gears. Although I haven't needed to as yet anything beyond this basic oil and lube would go to Reelmechanic.

I started using it 2 or 3 years ago and like it just fine. I don't respool any more often than with Trilene or Stren. Usually I respool when the amount of line is too low for good casting. Where I fish we have little cover except for rocks and we have some toothy criters that abrade line so I check the line often. It has become my mono of choice.

I have a Supreme that I bought in about 1952 or earlier. I believe your reel is newer than mine since there are features that look like improvements on yours. I recall very well that my reel cost $35.00. What I can't remember if that was 1 or 2 weeks pay from my summer job. Add inflation to that $35.00 and all of todays reels are bargains. At the time I bought mine the Pflueger Supreme was the best you could buy in a bait caster but it was followed closely by the Shakespeare President. As has been said there is no drag. Your thumb was/is the drag. Backlash control was the cast control knob but if you wanted distance you used very little or no cast control knob pressure and either had a very intelligent thumb or a lot of backlashes. And the crank does turn with the spool so you can rap your knuckles with a heavy fish or during the cast. Grease the gears and oil the bushings (you won't find any bearings) and the level wind screw. I have tried mine with mono but found that the small diameter (12#) will get between the spool and the housing, then around the shaft. This creates one major mess. I fish for lake trout very rarely and I'm thinking about spooling up the Supreme on a rod nearly that old with lead core. When all is said and done you might want to just clean it up and put in a place of honor in your rod rack,

Think about this. Locals have looked at this boat in Oklahoma and have passed. If you buy this boat it will be one of or the biggest holes in the water to throw in money.

My best fishing bud lives a long way from me but we on a two week trip every year. We at times fish for hours and not say a word more than, "there's one" or we might banter constantly. During the two week period there are times and or days you just don't want to be on the water. (We are both very allergic to lightning.) We can pass those times with variable amounts of bull or read. We discuss our families or solve the worlds problems but when the weather starts to clear we both seem to head for the boat at the same time.

I went through the load the boat thing and never again. Unless the lakes are big enough to get rough I'd look at a john boat with a trailer. More stable than a vee or semi vee and generally roomier. Shallow draft so they are fine on rivers and streams.

You need to consider where and how you fish and if you will use the boat for family outings. Frankly, I don't like the fish and ski models because they are a compromise and don't do the best job for fishing or family outings but for some they are a wonderful compromise. Big lakes call for a bigger boat and for my part bigger is better almost anywhere. I have a 19' but would go bigger if buying today. If you are going to be pulling the boat up on shore think about aluminum, if not I prefer fiber glass. In general fiberglass will give you a better ride. What are you going to tow with? Does the tow vehicule have capacity to tow the boat you want? Buying a used boat has some advantages. In my mind the most important is that you can learn what features you really need in a boat with minimum cost. My first performance bass boat was used; I ran it for 7 years, spent about $200 on updates and sold it for about what I paid for it. Regardless of new or used get an engine at the maximum rating of the boat.

Jenga. a large flat is any location where the contour lines are far apart. The bass also need some cover on the flat to concentrate them. Also they are not always on the flats. Bass location depends on time of year, weather, wind and many other variables with the most important out side of time of year is bass food. There is a book named "Catching Bass with Maps" that you might find helpful but I would suggest an In-Fisherman book on largemouth or smallmouth as being more helpful.

I'm with you Roadwarrier. I can't believe that any major retailer would risk their reputation with such a tactic. One thing over the years I have learned don't believe most of what you read on the web. If I was interested in that reel I would compare the features with the features of the same model in the catalog and make a decision. It might be an older model on close out but BPS sure has an obligation to make that known.

I bought a BPS Prolite finesse combo last year and I like it just fine. I cast well using a 1/8 oz jig with a small grub on 12# line.This year I will respool with 8# line. It will cast a 3/8 oz. lure like a rocket. I have to many BC outfits if that is possible including a Curado, some Quantums and Daiwa's and I like the BPS PLF as well or better although I use the others for other methods. If you are an experienced bait caster you should have no trouble if your aren't experienced you will go through your share of backlashes.

I mentioned Erie and Champlain earlier but you might want to think about Winnipesaukee in NH. Winni is a big lake, 72 sq. mi. with lots of coves and sheltered water. Lots of smallies with a decent population of LM's. Smallies in the 3+# class are fairly common with 5+# daily possiblities. Also smaller lakes in the area. No closed season but C&R only during the spawn and limited bag just before. Lots of rock cover on a deep clear body of water. Plenty of lodging and resturants. The area is very touristy and I don't fish the lake on weekends, although many do, after Memorial Day and not at all except on rainy days after July 4. Closer to MD with I would guess about a 11 hour drive from DC

I have a BPS 7'6" HVY with a Quantum ACS that I use for c rigging and flipping. Most of the lakes I fish are clear, deep and few weeds so I rarely flip. The rod has enough backbone and length to move a lot of line on the hook set when c rigging. I would buy another identical setup.

I am right in agreement with Reelmechanic. Any bearings more that 3 make the reel smoother but doesn't do a thing for casting. I also don't think the number of bearings do diddly for eliminating backlash. Get rid of backlash with reel set up and educating your thumb through practice.

Put the line through a few or all of the guides. Put the spool on the floor with the label up. Take 6 or 8 turns of the reel handle. If the line is twisted (very rare) turn the spool over. If not fill the reel to about 1/8" below the lip. I have done this for many years and can't remember the last time I needed to get the twist out of a line. You might get some twist if you have a lure that spins or if you reel against a slipping drag. I solve these problems by putting a swivel in line when using a lure that spins and by back reeling in lieu of depending on the drag.

I have never had an issue with BPS that wasn't handled quickly and in a very satisfactory manner. Use the 800 number and there are no long distance charges for you.