Got1Fishing

My 2015 met dc (8.5:1) just came in yesterday and I'm just in "awe" with this reel. I'll post a more in depth review on it after a week of use. This reel is on a different level! The reel is so light and the free spoil is UNREAL right out of the box. I can't wait to see how it performs after I break it in some I ordered a Shimano Zodias MH to pair this reel with - should be here today. Goose I pitched with it for a bit and I can see where you stand with saying if this what you plan to use it for just stick with the regular met. The brake doesn't even really come on in that situation.

That's so awesome Hootie! Happy late birthday and I'm glad it was wonderful! I know how much I love getting fishing stuff for my birthdays... it's the best. My birthday was this past July and I just got married in May, and my wife gave me the coolest gifts I could ever ask for. Besides all the other stuff she did, she went and bought me an antique desk, chair, lantern, and frames for the walls and and filled the desk with baits and lures. She also hung up my kayak in the room, put some of my fishing and tournament pictures up, mounted rods on the wall... you name it... she made me a man cave. Best birthday ever.

I've experienced on different rod actions and with both PP and 832. Just seems to be one of the few trade offs

It honestly just may be wind, or how you're casting. I can't say that has ever happened to me without it being my own fault. Usually it happens to be when I rip a bait through stuff and it created slack or it comes flying out of the water.

Skip pitching.... A skill I have yet to master as well. When it does happen in front of friends... I try to not get excited ha!

I would also say the Damiki Air Frog. Cool bait. I love it and it always flips upright after landing. The only thing is that I can't walk the dog with it

Pinnacle Perfecta

I almost always peg my weights, but not the the hook. I put the peg between 2" and 1' from the hook. I haven't noticed any difference in fish caught or lost... but I just do it.

X2

And then sometimes... they just don't strike it how they should. Change color

I see a lot of great replies here. One thing to add to the St. Croix Avid with being a little tip heavy, is that with a a good reel it ends up balancing super well.

Guess I am the weirdo around here. Ha!

Personally I like trailers that I can slide down the entire hook, whether it's the whole baits or cutting maybe half and inch and sliding it down. I have confidence in rigging my jigs this way--without super glue or adding any scent to my jigs... although I do want to try dipping my jig in JJ's. I ordered some Uncle Josh's Meat Craws to try out and then it hit me: they are chunks, you can't slide then all the way down--I'm gonna have to poke through the the middle of the chunk. Now I know this is normal for some people since they only use chunk style baits on their jigs... Do you guys think it gives a really different presentation to the fish? I feel like sliding the bait down gives it a bulkier profile, but using a chunk makes it look like a longer, bigger craw. Do you guys have more confidence in one over the other? Am i over thinking it here? Comparison:

The D Bomb is my go to bait! There's always one tied on my rod with a flipping hook and a tungsten 1/4oz weight. I always start off my jig fishing with a D Bomb as well. Hands down my favorite beaver.

Thanks for the good ideas! I'll have to try the slimmer boxes and see what I can fit.