TimTheGearNerd

I use the pacifun speed X as well. Mainly because I’m cheap and try to save my line or move line around among my 10ish reels.

I had the Dobyns SUF700c. The solid tip makes it great for moving bait. It does pretty well on bfs jigs like the ones from Keitech. It will do well with karashi. It’s not great for single hook stuff. I got rid of it because it feels very much like a bass rod. It’s a bit heavier than what I wanted for BFs. I upgraded to p5 megabass siglett. It’s a 6’6 and extremely whippy. But it’s feather light. Still does well with karashi but will be overpowered by slightly larger rooster tails.

I’m a big fan of kistler as well they’re very much alive due to unsanded blank. I’ve had chromium and KLX The best values I’d say are used Dobyns can be had for deep depreciations. Kistler runs crazy deals on the site so sign up for email. Also great value. If you’re waiting search forums and used for NRX, you might find a good deal. But new you may call a shop asking for a discount. You’ll see folks recommend NRX because it’s truly different from all the rods I’ve tried regarding bottoms contact. If you like it, you’ve got the market leader already no need to upgrade later unless you just like trying new gear. Resell value is always pretty good as well. Sensitivity is not a deal breaker and subjective. Not going to eliminate the times where a fish pick up bait and you don’t notice. The NrX feels different in a good way. For line even if you have grass I’d go 40 braids and 17 flouro, you’ll get more distance from bank. Maybe even consider 30 braids and 14 flouro

Cool. I can chime in. Ive fished a few of these options. The rod your want is the NRX 873. The 894 is very stiff and won’t do well on basically any cast and wind technique. It’s super sensitive and powerful. Half oz jig is ideal and balances really nice on a bantam A. 894 Will never balance on a metanium. The Daemos is not very sensitive. I’ve fished the USA destroyer, not the P5. So you may have to look to see if P5 became more sensitive. It’s great for single hook moving bait like swim jig and spinner bait. The rod feels very light and great bend for cast and keeping fish pin. It’s not great for chatter bait, it’s not as sensitive as my glass rod. If it’s your first high dollar, I don’t know if Megabass is the way to go unless you buy new to get that warranty. If sensitive rod is what you need, go NRX. You can get one for 400 on the forums or used with great warranty. a good second is maybe the xtasy. It’s always well balanced and Dobyns always has great tip for moving bait and you can get one for a good deal on used market. You can slap the metanium on it and the balance will be awesome. The replacement/warranty will also be pretty good even after the gsm situation.

I own the USA destroyer Daemos and the drx 724c I throw the 3/8 oz Megabass Uoze underspin exclusively on the Daemos and it’s perfect. Daemos is pretty parabolic and requires heavier lures. I cannot throw 1/4 oz lures well if that gives you a sense of the rod low range. It needs heavier lures but is pretty parabolic which is great for a long cast and keep the fish pinned once you set the hook. It’s 7’2 but feel much smaller and nimble. It’s one of my favorite rods but isn’t very sensitive in my hands. It’s just easy to fish all day. It’s pretty versatile for moving baits. I usually fish off a kayak with 12# flouro. The drx724c is way less parabolic so it’s good for bottom contact but has a good tip and does great with 1/4 oz lures. Both for bottom contact and a small paddle tail. I would not recommend for 3/8 swim jig. It’s also way more sensitive. It has a longer full cork handle so actually feels like a bit more rod if that makes sense.

This is my view as well and I’ll add a few points. I own both reels Met DC XG Steez A 6 speed. Met DC will cast longer especially with braid or light line. I use it for jerk baits. Palms great and I would use for bottom contact as well but nothing too heavy. The Steez is more solid of a reel. The mag breaks are very user friendly with fewer backlash issues. Also Palms low which is comfortable. Great for heavier moving baits. 1/2 and up would be great on this. Even some heavy-ish swim baits would work well, maybe below 2 oz soft baits. Both are smooth on retrieve so hard to choose there. Zillion is great and a bit cheaper. But also has material and paint that wears faster. Antares 70 fishes great and is smoother and cast further, I have used it don’t own it. I can’t justify the added price as I don’t think the different is adding anything in my hands. Feels super solid though closer to steez than the MET. @Magic_Man94 how heavy is your usual trap? Half oz might get you pretty low on the spool depending on how thick your line is? If you’re lighter side like 1/4 or you’re fishing wind a lot. Or throwing that light crank more often Go met. If you’re throwing heavier or those easy to cast traps. Go steez. I also kinda like the T wing for those easy to cast lures like a trap. I just like how the line flows out more. Can’t say the performance is very different.

Could Your research on the 23 met is showing 100 size is 12/120 meters. Not yards? It’s actually closer to 130 yards if try, which leds us to be believe the pages are just wrong. 100 size is 20 yrds or 60 feet more than 150 size? I don’t think that can be true. More likely shimano just take all their 150 size reel in USDM and say it’s same capacity. Then international market they say 100 size is 12/100 and for some reason the met 100 is 12/120? The most likely thing is that the 100 and 150 USDM size is exactly the same. internationally shimano just fudge the numbers so the 100 size and JDM smaller size met show a line difference of 20m for marketing purposes. All other 100 size like the Calcutta 100 is 12/100. Either way the size diff is likely not going to make a noticeable difference. Get the international 100 size. The price on those Met have come way down on secondary market. Whether it’s 150 or 100 size. So either way used is going to be cheaper than JDm or USDM. If you hit fish hard and are fishing a lot I’d find something brass gear. Knobs and handles are cheap if you have a pref of bigger handles. Gomexus has good alternatives if you’re into those.

Only thought that isn’t heavily mentioned is the frog set up I find I have a hard time with top water hollow frogs without 8:1 speed reel with 50# braid. It’s just not a good time missing bites. If that’s good for your single hook and t-rig set ups then you’re good to go. Also my favorite versatile set up is a p5 tequila Baccarac. 7’ it’s super light weight for the power It will throw anything 3/4 oz up to 4 oz so will cover anything your levante cannot. You might even be able to eliminate two rods with that one set up. Including a rig or Carolina rig. Versatile, does good a lot but not the best at any technique.

The OG zillion is honestly one of the best built around. That drive gear is giant and bullet proof. yeah those T3 were on the chopping block for sure. the Chronarch these days fetch such low prices. Market is between 50 and 100 bucks. It’s. A solid caster still. I have a few of Calcutta I’ve been using more. Most of my techniques are basically covered with all these reels gone. im surprised no one mentioned stradic or the Met since I figure those would get picked up fast for a good price. Sorry sir. All right handed

Hey all, I have the following reels and I need to let go of some l but can’t decide which. I just have more than I would use. Seems like it would be better to put the money towards maybe an upgrade of some sort. I appreciate the help. Feel free to choose 5 or more you’d post for sale. If so inclined, share your reasoning. Metanium B DC 8:1 Daiwa T3 1016 7:1 Chronarch MGL 7:1 Team Daiwa Zillion 7:1 Zillion SV 7:1 Metanium B 6:1 Daiwa Lexa 5:1 First gen Tatula 6:1 Daiwa T3 1016 6:1 Steez a 6:1 26 IPT Ultegra Stradic FL 4000

I talked to a shimano rep. He definitely said a new Chronarch is coming but didn’t provide details. I saw a few sites discount the reel 100 bucks so good time to grab one.

How did no one respond to this. I’m curious ! Bump bump

Maybe grab a Stella , or twin power for some power spinning or an exsense for a super light set up. all will be super smooth, you’ll catch a ton of bass off a drop shot and you’ll never need another spinning reel again as those reels better last forever for the money.

what kind of cover are you throwing in? Pretty heavy cover usually? football jig? I’m trying to find ways to make this rod really stand out. It’s sensitive for sure, I’m just trying to find how others are utilizing it.

Which dark sleeper do you throw on 853? Is it the 1/2 oz?

I’ve had a NRX 894 for a long time and it’s not getting a ton of time on the water. Today, I tried to throw a 1/2 oz dark sleeper and I think that might be a perfect fit. Curious to see if anyone else tried this. I assume the OG NRX is similar enough to the NRX+ and it should fish about the same. I had a Daiwa T3 on there that was able to cast that 1/2 oz dark sleeper a mile due to the length. I fished it like a jig and felt everything on the ground which is expected for an NRX but since the rod is tip heavy, swimming the Dark sleeper tip down worked well too. Originally, I wanted a rod to throw 1 oz Caroline rig but found the rod too stiff to get good distance. I ended up using my Dobyns dx745 instead which had a softer tip. With the heavier tip on the 894, I didn’t use it as much for pure tip up presentations. It wasn’t as comfortable as some of my other rods but with the dark sleeper, it felt like a good fit for this swim bait & jig type presentation.

I found I don’t really use all these rods so I paired a few that I like and I have a bunch of gear waiting in the bench for when I need them. • USA destroyer Daemos (7’3” MH MF) – Good for Swim Jigs + Zillion SV 7:1 (31 IPT) – 12# Fluoro, 1016 Spool • Cranker 2 (7’3” MH M) + Lexa 5:1 – 12# Fluoro • Expride (7’3” XH) – Frogging & Punching + •Bantam 8:1 (35 IPT) – (Line 50# braid) • DC736 (7’3” HF) – A-Rigs + Tatula 6:1 (26 IPT) – 25# Yo-Zuri • Orochi XX (6’10” MH Mod) – Jerkbaits + Metanium 6:1 (26 IPT) – 10# Fluoro • Tequila Baccarac (7’ Mag Heavy Mod) + team Daiwa zillion 7:1 14# mono Dobyns suf700c + Conquest 8:1 (28 IPT) – 6# Fluoro for bfs Kistler KLX 6’9 HF + • T3 SV 8:1 (33 IPT) – 12# Fluoro expride 7’w ML spinning + Vanford 2500 Reels: • Steez A 6:1 (26 IPT) – 14# FC Sniper • T3 6:1 (26 IPT) – 20# Fluoro, 1016 Spool • Curado 50E 6:1 (25 IPT) – 8# Mono • Chronarch MGL 7:1 (30 IPT) – 14# FC Sniper • T3 7:1 (30 IPT) – 10# Fluoro, SV Boost • Curado K 7:1 (31 IPT) – 30# Braid • Spinning (, Stradic, Ultegra, etc.) – Used for finesse techniques Rods • DX745 (7’4” MHF) – • NRX 894 (7’5” H F) – • BuCoo Micro (7’ MM) – • DC735CB Glass (7’3” MH Mod) Dobyns xtasy drx 724c DObyns champ extreme dx702sf

following! Great video. Btw

@Darth-Baiter have you got any old spools size 34mm? for heavier stuff, I swap the 1016 spool for the SV. It’s fun to tinker and try that out. I had an old T3 and those had nice spools that fit well. It might be fun for those Mexican green monsters and 1/2+ oz lures. -21 Zillion SV TW • Steez SV TW Series • T3 Series • TD-Z 103/105 Models • SS SV Series • Ryoga 1016 I think getting a zillion was a good chose for what you were looking for. I really like my 20 Met but it’s just not an ATV style of reel for me. It does a few jobs way way better than any other reel. I throw jerkbait on it and it can outcast anything. The feel of a shimano cast is just different. If you know what I’m talking about and you like it, there is no comparison. that tiny reel is more cozy in my hand if the technique is wrist twitching or tip up all day long. That bantam is likely super similar, just more heavy duty.

I started watching THEREELTEST before he started to put the annoying bible verse in his intros. I liked that there were some quantitative data that I couldn’t get elsewhere and I loved reel porn and gear talk, I do trust Bass resource gear advise more for sure. I often don’t feel like the reel test knows how to set up his reels which results in crappy results so I stopped watching. I don’t trust TheReelTest I am a huge fan of PunchFishing for entertainment purposes. His videos are just fun to watch. I’ve 100% purchased gear because he pushed it only to find I don’t like the same things. I do agree with his opinion about Daiwa Reels but I still enjoy Shimano reels more. I did buy a Zillion when I kept seeing praises pop up on the rod and reel forum. So far, cool reel but not blown away yet. Perfect click bait title, I’m glad you did it. These posts are great.

I was a big fan of both companies. bottom line, the Helium is more sensitive and lighter. I’d go with Helium for your purpose especially if you see that sweet deal they had for under $100 bucks. I own a 7’2 MH Fast helium. I have a handful of dobyns mostly XP and HP. I have a DX745 which is closest to what you’re considering. It’s heavier but well balanced so weight isn’t really a factor and it’s got more aesthetics and a great tip for versatility. This is always true about Dobyns. As some have said, I don’t know what’s going on with Dobyns the company so I’d be careful when getting these rods and just purchase the rod and don’t expect any backing from the company or warranty. I can answer any specific questions you have.

Appears to be just spool size

If I were buying reels for tournament I’d get the same reel because that would help me win and have more time with line in water. I have the 20 Met and a steez. Sometimes as wind picks up or I retie a different lure on the Met, I’m more prone to having backlash. Steez doesn’t cast as far but mag breaks are just fool proof. Punchfishing on you tube has a good video & compare. Your JDM Zillion has aluminum gear vs USDM has brass gear. Maybe you like USDM zillion better, can’t say that explains everything you don’t like about the zillion. if you’re curious about what else is out there maybe try one at a time on used market when you see a good deal. Don’t like it, just sell it. I have the Bantam too. It’s heavier and for some long rods like my 894 NRX it balances way better. Seems like the Bantam should be something for you to try as well! My favorite is my 20 Met but I wouldn’t bet my entry fee on it.

It makes sense to up the braid size. I thought my casting set up would be similar to a jig set up. Interesting to know folks up size to something more like 50/56 pound. I have 20# YZH on now. Might try heavy braid if I get issues with the YZH line.

Broken a few in ten years. first rod was broken standing up in a kayak and the rod got broken by a over hanging tree. then I found one with tip broken off after pulling out of rod mule another rod had an eye pop out of of guide and got a free replacement rod. I had a Cheap academy spinning rod break twice on hook set. Same rod back to back. Must have been that rod. I do have a few megabass. I heard those will explode after a few years. Time will tell