Jaderose

Net Bait made the best tube going. Of course they discontinued it. They had a color called "Lou's Special" that was probably the single greatest bass catcher I ever saw.

This is kind of an absurd question. It's like asking what's your favorite tool. Uhm.....the right one for the job.

Learn it, know it, live it.

I didn't really mean "luxury" when I said towing. I was talking about utility. You can buy a base model F150 and get everything most people would ever need or you can buy a 350 with a towing package. Both are trucks...one is just built for harder work

BTW...to the OP...sorry for the hijack

My point wasn't/isn't to slag on anything or to question what people do with their money. I KNOW the Stella would be a better reel. I just have a hard time seeing how it could be THAT much better. Especially in a spinning reel. I mean, it's not like it's going to cast farther or anything. I'm sure it's butter smooth and made with better materials and parts but at the end of the day, it's still a spinning reel. Don't take any of this as me saying I don't want one. Gear and bait monkeys bite me too!

*sigh* Ok........

With all due respect I don't see that as an apt comparison. A luxury vehicle will have a better ride, fancier gadgets, better stereo, high towing capacity or whatever. I'm talking utility. What does a high end spinning reel like a Stella do better than something like a President or even a Stradic.

Real (reel) Question! Not brand elitist or anti-snob but truly honest question....What makes a reel like the Stella worth $650 more than my trusty President? I get that they are probably smoother and "better" built but 650 dollars more better built? It just seems impossible to me that I could get that much more value out of a spinning reel in the Midwest that would never see salt or anything bigger than a Striper, Walleye, or Pike

I don't alter my frogs in any way either. I almost exclusively use Scumfrog Trophy Series and love them. I told him that because I don't know what he's using and every little bit helps. I've had fish knock my frog 6ft in the air when they slap at it. Makes me laugh every time. I've also found that huge blow-ups usually mean smaller fish. The truly big girls will sound like a toilet flush and the frog will just disappear. To the OP..when you DO set the hook on a fish, THAT is when that longer rod and faster reel comes in handy. You want them up and outta there FAST. I fish VERY heavy mats and My goal is to get them up and ski them into the boat. You do NOT want them going down or you're gonna be reeling in 30 lbs of muck, too.

I frogged for years with basically the exact same set-up you are using. Is it ideal? No. Is it the reason you are missing fish? No. You are missing frog fish for one simple reason...frog fishing is hard and requires lots and lots and lots of time and effort to get the timing down. That's why people tend to give up on it. I consider myself an "above average to good" frogger and I'm guessing my hookup rate is still only in the 80-90% range. I have spent countless hours frogging and the old chestnuts about doing a "1 count" or "2 count" before setting the hook are nonsense. You set the hook when the fish has the frog. Period. How do you know? Experience and feel. How do you get it? Time spent frogging. Bend your hooks out a little and keep practicing. Frogging is my absolute favorite way to fish but it took some work and WHOOOLE bunch of frustration to get there. To me, frogging is like chess...simple to do but hard to master. BTW...none of the folks above that said you should get a longer rod and faster reel are wrong but wait until you can frog on what you got before you buy dedicated gear. Only when you have started to get it down will any of that stuff help you. ps......I can actually remember the day the timing clicked for me. I was having blow up after blow up and miss after miss and then I stopped missing. I think it was about the time I stopped thinking. I just reacted to what I was given. Also....my response is ONLY about Bass. The waters I fish have no Pike or anything else that would hit a frog. If those are your problem, I dunno

This. Technically, you don't don't need any

First time you use it, tie on a heavy plug and cast in your yard as far as you can. Give what's left on your reel a good squirt or 2 and then squirt some in a paper towel and reel your line through it. You'll be right as rain

I thought KVD was hokum until I actually got some a couple of years ago. Casts are smoother and farther. It does reduce line memory. Now my reels usually get a couple shots after every trip and I run the line through a paper towel soaked in it when I'm respooling. It just flat works and I DO recommend. BTW...when they say to not let it freeze...do not let it freeze. I had a bottle that did and it pretty much ruined it

Use part of it as backing on another reel.

I don't hold a spinning rod nearly that far up but I agree that it looks uncomfortable. But then again, I would known that in the store and put it back

I have a Sellus Spinning rod and love it. Light, well balanced and I've caught a ton of fish with it

Naw.....my extreme rod is certainly not the "best" rod I have, but it was the first "good" rod I ever had. I bought it with a PQ (still on it) about 12 years ago. It and the reel have served me well. My PB was caught on it. I've caught bass, catfish and pike on it. I've frogged with it and thrown finesse stuff with it. It feels like an extension of my central nervous system. It is edging towards retirement as I get more dedicated equipment but it still serves as my "all-purpose" rod for when I'm throwing stuff I don't throw enough to have a dedicated set up for. I love it and the day I break it will be a sad one indeed. I should also point out that that PQ has only gotten better with a little maintenance and care. It will also cast further and smoother than any other reel I have. I just got a good one that day.

My old "Extreme" with the Power Hump is still my favorite rod

Use Spike it or JJ's.

I guess I gotta be the guy to ask the obvious question......Why?

All day...especially when the sun is high. Big girls hide under those thick mats and if you can find an area with a thick mat AND shade it's as close to a guarantee you'll ever get bass fishing

I have 4 or 5 of the older PQ's and they have got nothing but BETTER with age and basic maintenance. The PQ2? No idea but I suspect they are ok.

No worries and sorry if I was being a downer. I've considered making my own as a winter hobby. Knock yourself out!

I agree and will take this a bit further......Mepps Comet Mino. Throw it out and reel it back. The lure that got me started targeting bass. Back in my hook, worm and bobber days, I literally found one of these one day. I tied it on and caught my first bass. Probably around 1lb. I was hooked immediately and have caught several bass, crappie, panfish and even catfish on them throughout the years. Then throw in the fact that this lure looks like something a kid would design. So long as you got some open water, it's about as can't miss as you can get. If it's weedy, don't bother. This thing will snag every blade of grass it gets near and will frustrate the hell out of you.