PGA Dropout

Not really. Sniper for most things. SX1 on spinning. FX2 for frogpunch. Red Label for leaders if I have it around. 30 lb J Braid is on my topwater reel and it sucks (super soft, loose weave, doesn't lay on the spool well), but it's sort of the devil I know. Not super excited about trying 832 or going back to Powerpro. So it's terrible and I hate it, but it's catching fish. So I guess I'm open to change but probably after the season.

Zappu makes a tungsten Bredy but it's tiny. I'm sure Great Lakes Finesse will make a tungsten tube hook, if they don't already, because they love charging $7 for everything.

The Addermine has really grown on me. Initially I used it for small Free Rigs; 3" plastic with a 7 gram. It was OK. Then I threw 1/8 oz Neds, and it was still OK. Recently switched to Texas-rigged drop shots and it clicked. I know, drop shot rod excels at drop shotting? I'm as shocked as anyone.

Ryugi Infini

Topwater has been getting it done. Popmax, frog, and a CL8 mouse. The mouse in particular gets smoked. When the topwater bite dies, the free rig and drop shot pick up the last few. Fewer football jig and flippin fish this year. Picking up the jika rig to try and give them a different look in the cover.

Japan buys from me.

Yeah but the alternative, the Dolive Beaver, is more expensive. 😂 Xzone Adrenaline Craw is an option. Very flappy.

Met DC 70 looks right.

Scorpion 70 with an Avail handle, I think.

I went the opposite direction. Had BFS reels maybe 10 years ago. Sold them and went back to spinning. Debating buying a second spinning rod. It's much easier to acquire nice BFS rods and reels today so I may end up giving it another shot.

Redline pricing is ridiculous. The little hook keeper thing they come with is dope though.

Bantam MGL probably. I prefer to frog, punch, or drag a football when I can, and the Bantam feels better there. The Zillion is plenty good though. I would *almost* prefer the 2016 Zillion. I have two and they're hard to put down, despite the ergonomics being a lot better on the new one.

Orange or yellow Black Fury, yeah. Size 4 catches bigs.

Pike love a $10 markup.

That is some inexpensive fluorocarbon. It might be fine but I think you get what you pay for with fluoro. My recommendation is to start with Red Label if you want to dip a toe.

I use 50 and 60 lb FX2 on casting and 16 and 20 lb SX1 on spinning. No issues. Aware of Xplasma but no reason to switch at this time. The yellow looks radioactive out of the box but fades fast. The blue-green color holds up OK. The plain green fades but I think that's desirable.

Let us not talk about the price of golf equipment. 😅 I do think it's reasonable to be disappointed by price increases. Still enjoy Daiwa products. Will definitely look at the new 2025 AGS-less Steez. Definitely different. Very interested in the Heavy rods.

Probably complement. Makes a $400 Zillion a hard sell though.

Can't trust Vikings fans. Definitely suspicious.

The Legacy Elite folks probably got access a couple days ago. It's a perk of their subscription service.

It comes and goes for me. This year I'm back at it. Every sunrise this month has started with a Popmax, frog, and small rat. I'll get the walking baits back out as Fall approaches. Super Destroyer is what I started fishing Popmax on this summer. Way too much rod. I happily use mine as an open water and lily pad frog rod and would frog with it full-time if I didn't have to frog mats. Super Destroyer is also a lovely rod for the Sleeper Gill, 1/2 oz jigs, pitching 5/8 Texas, wobble heads, and a lot more. It is serviceable for the 3/4 oz Duo Pencil but below that doesn't feel great.

Yeah pretty much. 3 feet is fine especially if you use like a copoly or nylon. I think I have a couple feet of 16 lb Sniper on there now because that's what I had at hand. I don't notice it pulling down the bait or anything. For clarity, if that rod was topwater only, I would tie 12 or 15 lb CXX. Right now it runs a Popmax in the morning, then maybe a jerkbait, then an Ika, maybe a free rig, etc.

I've moved to 30-ish lb braid to a short leader for walking baits. Mono doesn't work for me.

Three certainties in life: Death, Taxes, and Tatulas.

3/8 - 1/2 is where the MBV is said to shine. Lots of nice rods in that price range. You could always buy another Daemos and that would be a pretty good decision. Adrena 72M or 73MH, GLX 843 or 844, P5 Dark Sleeper if you want to step down a power, Valkyrie 71MH if you like a little glass blend, etc.