fishingman88

Not really a fan of eating LMB. As stated above, I'd rather catch a mess of bluegill

+1 Really great information here.

Hope he speaks up and clarifies the true weight of the fish...

+1 on the Release Reels. They are made in Virginia and definitely are up there in quality. They are looking to expanding their product line too.

I use JDM Metered Multicolored Line for braid when I have it available. I love that it is a different color every 10 meters. (FYI, this is not jigging line, it is all purpose metered braid). Plus it looks aesthetically pleasing. But for normal usage, I prefer either a red or hi viz yellow.

Great advice Bill! I couldn't agree more.

+1 on the Symetre. Has held up for me like a champ.

Thanks for the heads up. I thought they were sold out on Rakuten when I last checked, but I re-checked after your suggestion and saw they were there. Looks like I'm passing on the HLC I saw in Korea. Couple more weeks until I'm in paradise...

I saw BNIB HLC's go for $400 on eBay in October, but haven't seen any other ones pop up since. I tried bargaining with the store owner, but he wouldn't go down on the price at all. I even offered cash payment, no luck. Trey, I'm assuming you're referencing a used Lefty HLC? I'm basically at that point where I figure I might as well just get a used one. I've seen righty's run for a little under $300 for used.

Okay, so I still have 2 weeks until Japan....but I stumbled across a nice JDM while I'm here in Korea for a bit.... I'm torn in between whether I should buy the reel, the only problem is that I feel the prices might be a little higher than what I could find them for in Japan? I could be wrong about that, but I would hate to buy the reels in Korea and end up finding them cheaper in Japan. So here's the reel I found and the price...seeking advice on whether I should it up: 1) Daiwa Zillion HLC (Righty) - Owner wanted $492 for NIB - Seemed like a fair price, but I feel like I might be able to find one in Japan for cheaper (even though they are discontinued?) Also stumbled across some Alpha Type-Fs and a lot of Steez models, but nothing else too special.

You don't even know the temptation I have to just buy everything....I figure anything I don't like, I'd be able to sell pretty easily Thanks for the input guys, I'm making my final list of things to buy and when I come back from Japan, I'll be posting pictures

I'll be on the lookout for lefty models that might be good collector's items Any recommendations? I'm still torn in between the non-DC and DC version of the Conquest though. It seems that fishermen are half and half on whether they like the DC system or not. I'm almost tempted to pick up both versions.... On the other hand, the Daiwa Zillion HLC...If I run across one, then I'll be sure to pick it up. I'm fearful of walking into these tackle shops now....So tantalizing to just buy 10+ reels. I'll be doing some more research as time gets closer, but if anyone else has additional resources or input, it is much appreciated.

Thanks for the input so far guys! So it looks like in regards to spinning reels: Higher end reel: Twinpower Lower end: ? Still Baitcaster: I'm really liking the Conquest after doing more research on it. I guess I am still trying to figure out whether the DC version is better. Some reviewers seemed to have preferred the non DC version, but that was not testing the DC+ version of the Conquest. Other ones seem a little up in air, but thanks guys for the input so far. Any more information or place I can find reviews would be much appreciated!

So, I have been granted an awesome opportunity and will be visiting Japan in late January for about 8 days of vacation. I'll be in Tokyo most of the time and plan on visiting Sansui, Joshua, and basically whatever tackle shops are in the area. Anyways, I basically want to get some advice on what 2 JDM baitcasters and what 2 JDM spinning reels I should end up purchasing while I'm there. From what I've been told, the prices should be 20-25% lower than getting it from an online retailer who ships JDM reels to the US. In regards to the baitcasters, I'm thinking about getting 1 sub $250 baitcaster and then 1 high end baitcaster up to $500. In regards to the spinning reel, I'm thinking about doing the same. The high end baitcaster and spinning reel will probably be more for sentimental value (since I've always wanted to go to Japan and have a keepsake from there), but the two lower end spinning reel and baitcaster will definitely be getting their use. I don't really have any missing gaps in my fishing gear right now, so I am basically just wanting an opinion on the best reel I can get in that price range Thanks in advance guys! Reels I'm considering: Metanium, Steez, Aldebaran, PX 68, Scorpion, Biomaster, Twin Power, another older Stella (Have a 2008 SW).

+1 . I have been outfished by large margins by some ole timers using Ugly Stik combos. They have put me to shame and it almost makes me put away my gear. It truly comes down to the fisherman. I guarantee you that even if KVD was using a $30 setup and I was using a $250 setup, I would be super humbled at the end of the day. Moreover, the high end gear truly just makes the experience more enjoyable. It doesn't mean you will catch more fish, but it means you won't have to worry about rough drags, etc.

Congrats!!!! Always great to see dads spending time with the daughters

This is awesome! Thanks to everyone who put in so much effort

I've actually experienced this quite a bit on some of my higher end custom saltwater rods. Each rod even though it is built on the same blank, same guides, etc. has a different feel to it. I think it derives to QC issues when they were being made, but it hasn't detracted from the overall performance.

Hahaha, cicadas are terribly annoying with the sound they make, but they are awesome to use for bait when you're bored and want to have a little fun

No need to have buyer's remorse unless the reel doesn't work out. Some people will have better luck with one model of a reel than others. I remembered the nickname "Penn Craptiva" for the Penn Captiva reels, but one of my buddies still fishes it to this day and has had no problems.

Never saw a need for anything on my braid or mono. I usually replace my mono after a season or two of fishing. Braid just seems to get better with age.

Haha, glad you enjoyed your meal Sounds delicious.

My only piece of advice is to make sure you get the right size hook to replace with. The Mirrorlures's action can change if the hooks you use are heavier/lighter than they are supposed to be.

Ahhhh, I don't know what I am going to when I visit Japan. You are a strong strong person for being able to resist buying JDM reels

I personally fish custom GL2 rods. I think it all comes down to how much money you are willing to spend and what purpose you are using them for.