Chris at Tech

Your reel should have come with a few small plastic shims. They look like washers. You need to add a few shims to the spool shaft to get the line o play evenly. It'll likely take some trial and error to get the proper line lay

And looking at those pics of the backyard, I may have even been in that house if it was one of the model homes. Small world!

Hampton Lakes in Bluffton, SC? I tried to bribe my folks to buy a place in there when they retired to SC. They opted for a place on Hilton Head instead so I have redfish and other saltwater critters to keep me busy

Whenever Tackle Warehouse has one of their sales, you just need to call them and order by phone. They have Shimanos on sale but they just can't advertise it due to MAP or some such crap

Agree on bigger hook. You need to ensure there's enough gap to push through the plastic and into the fish's mouth

I've got a Daiwa Advantage 153HSTLA lefty in the flea market that would do the job well. I bought it for my wife as her first baitcaster and I found it to be a pretty easy reel for her to use despite her lack of experience

The rod is part of the equation but what about the reel? Are you adjusting the brakes and reel tension to suit the bait you're trying to fish?

Symetre and Saros would also be good options from Shimano at a lower price point than the Stradic

I've got a Daiwa Tierra 2500 in the flea market. I don't think there would be any issues getting parts or support in the event it's needed

Geez, you getting a condo on Baccarac?

Depends how much lead you add. If you're using 1/8 oz heads, I think you can get away with "normal" MH or H casting bass tackle For heavier heads than that, in my opinion, you're approaching the need for bigger tackle.

I think my telescoping Cranking stik will come in handy

I have the 70MLF and 70MF one-piece spinning models I use for inshore fishing. They're great rods for that purpose but are quite a bit slower in action than bass gear. I will say that the quality, fit and finish of the rods is top-notch as you'd expect from St Croix. Do you have any stores nearby where you can at least get your hands on the one-piece models?

What does it take to get a smile?

I hope all our members in the OKC area are ok. I've been glued to the TV for a few hours and the footage is absolutely stunning and horrific.

These are my colors as well for about 90% of my soft plastics

St Croix Avid AVC66MF It's got a good soft tip that's great for treble hook baits but plenty of backbone when it's needed.

Hehe, you said "heavy duty"...hehe...

Avid 69mlxf or 68mxf

That a pretty sweet "budget combo"

Or perhaps more appropriately, how much ar you willing to spend? Swim baits go from $5 to over $100

Look at BPS combos with either Extreme or Pro Qualifier rods. In that range, PQ reels aren't bad either

It happens... More weight on the keel should help. Either a double hook or a single keel-weighted hook should help

Price range and favorite techniques?

Where are you located? I have a 2-bank MinnKota on board charger I took off my old boat that is just sitting in the garage. I'd let it go pretty reasonably but hoping to avoid shipping. Insure the chances are slim that you're nearby, but thought I'd ask