PGA Dropout

Got a good deal on an Alphas Type R and an orange Pixzilla. The Type R and the new SV are going to have a rumble tomorrow night. I'm trying to remember that I'm physically impaired and should not be purchasing. So far it's not working.

The frog and swimbait rod does not need braid. She fast!

But why?

Those might be bad for inshore as I'm pretty sure they're both magnesium.

You say heavy cover, I say 5 power.

I have the 7'3" HF Frog and Swimbait. It's a nice rod. The locking nut foregrip is a little big.

SD Jam for not braid. Uni for braid. My fat fingers hate cinching an Alberto with thin braid but I don't think there's anything strictly better.

You need a Boga Grip!

Mepps Black Fury #4, yellow or orange.

I haven't used any of Mike's footballs since I fish grass and grass accessories. However, you can't go wrong with Blue Bug, Blue Craw, or PBJ (Smoked Jelly if you're adventurous). Personally, I think Blue Bug with the Blue Sapphire head is some of Mike's best work.

NRX 853 with 15 lb. CXX is what I've been swimming with so far this year. You could easily drop to 10 lb. CXX or something else; the extra diameter is there for bite protection. To fit within your price range, I would go with a Loomis E6X 853. It's on the upper end of your range but would be $161.50 with a 15% off sale. If you want to use braid, I'd recommend a slower action and would point you to the *** Black (wait for the new ones if possible), Daiwa Tatula, Shimano Zodias, or an MBR rod within the E6X series. A lot of folks throw moderate actions for swim jigs and do well, so unfortunately some of this is going to come down to preference.

It sort of depends what you're going to use the rod for (reel, line, techniques). If you can wait til August, the new 13 Omens look great for a very reasonable price. The first gen had amazing sensitivity and gen 2 will certainly be a winner if that carries over. There's always a surprise or two at iCast as well. If you have to buy a rod now, the Shimano Zodias looks great, the Daiwa Tatulas are a very good bang for buck, and the St. Croix Avid or Avid X is a solid, safe option. However, if you want a big blue blank, I'm not going to stop you from buying an LTB; blue's one of my favorite colors. Of course, any Dobyns Extreme will be sweet and make you very happy if you've got the dough. However, if you're considering Dobyns Extremes, then it's not too far of a jump to a rep-sample Loomis NRX. I have probably over complicated things for you, but the takeaway here is that you have a great many options in, below, and slightly above your indicated price range (which I assume to be $250-260 based on the Champ vs. LTB question).

I'll be sendin' good thoughts your way. I'm in a similar boat, pinching just about every nerve I can find. Luckily right now I just have to deal with physical therapists and their sharp, bony fingers in my skull a few times a week. Summer fishing is overrated though. Maybe we'll all be good for Fall, eh?

Yar, Dobyns Extreme. IMO, if you buy Dobyns, you should buy Extreme unless you need a cranking taper. The Champs are good but they are sort of "old-tech" as many newer introductions from other manufacturers are competitive/slightly better at a lower price-point. FWIW, I feel the same about the Croix LTB.

Wait for a big Memorial Day sale and buy a DX. Best of both worlds.

Conquest, Metanium, Steez SV, Ryoga, Zillion Type R or J Dream, PX Type R, Team Daiwa Z R+ or Ito.

Zillions on NRX's

735

Tatula off Amazon or the 'bay for about $100. You can find $129.99 Curado I's around as well. Personally, I'd grab an Alphas SV straight from Japan for approximately $205 shipped to your door. With the yen weak as it is right now, I can't justify purchasing domestic reels new.

Nope. I use 15 lb CXX for 5" ish paddletails. You could certainly go less (or more), but I'll take the larger diameter when there's pike around... and there's always pike around.

I found the 200E series Shimano reels to have a fairly wide spool. It would be easy to find a nice Citica 200E for under $100.

Definitely go used.

Yeah, maybe see a doctor. I had occasional pain while fishing that ended up being the first signs of a couple pinched nerves. Turns out I've lost a lot of muscle strength in my rod arm; no wonder the fish were gettin away!

Stop reminding me of the early 2000's and getting sunburned at Warped Tour while asking scenies for their Myspace. Staaaaaaaaahp.

I have an 853 and I like it very much. I took advantage of a trade-in program from an online retailer in Arizona; they "hooked me up". A rep sample 893 should run you around $415 ish, and normally there are a few of those to be had in the mid to late summer. However, I don't see a reason to change if the Helium is working for you (and it seems to be).