chelboed

Got 2x Tournament SL's and love them. Just got a new Team HM85 6'10" MH and love how it feels. Got to get it wet though. With my Team Pro, it's the most balanced combo I've ever had/held. My Tournament SL's have a Team Lew's and Team Lite and felt incredible and perfect until I held the Team Speed Stick...now I want to buy more! Only paid $99 for the Team Speed Stick. It feels so much nicer than my Bucoo Micro that I also paid $99 for.

The man's first reel was a crapped out dud. His second reel should be something that's tried and true with a history of success. Your first suggestion...recommending a reel that you have never used nor has anyone you know...seems like a Crap-shoot when it needs to be a sure thing at this point. Maybe when he actually becomes an enthusiast and can think for himself when it comes to buying reels, a Pinnacle might be cool.

Since I'm such a Lew's fanboy...I was thinking about the Tournament Pro HD with a tournament sl rod. Can be done brand new for $150'ish. But I also know that the world of spinning equipment is a whole different place that I don't yet know.

Hahaha apparently my budget and your budget are quite different. Trying to do this for under $150 combo.

Cool! I'll check into it.

I'm a baitcaster geek. I know squat about spinning rigs. I've been trout fishing all winter from a dock, but am starting to venture out to the bank more. I can cast down to 1/8 oz spoons, Mepps, cranks with my little Baitcaster, but I want to cast 1/64 & 1/32 Trout Magnets. I have a Daiwa Apollo (short, like 5' or less) ultralight rod with a Shimano IX 1000 reel running 4-6# mono. My ultralight spinning setup won't get me much distance with Trout Magnets. I'm assuming I need a longer rod for some distance. Wouldn't mind a light setup instead of ultralight. As far as spinning reels go...I'm dumb. Looks like larger diameter narrower spools get better distance...and larger line pickup will yield less line twist. That's another thing...I hate spinning reels because of line twist. How can I minimize line twist without respooling all the time? Thanks in advance.

Doesn't matter. They're both owned by Bass Pro and produced in the same outsourced factory. The PQ is rated really well and well loved by the Bass Pro fans.

This

I have a BPS micro lite. Used it more than anything last fall.

I guess I don't understand the question. If there's no top $$$ limit per the OP...why not just ask what the absolute best rod on the market is? It's probably not, but if it's less than $250...the people who buy boutique rods for the sake of having the most expensive rod (not the best rod) won't acknowledge it anyways because you'd feel like a tool spending $800 on a rod that won't catch fish better than a $150 rod. (BTW, an $800 rod won't catch fish better than a $150 rod, hehehe) So I guess the OP should say "What's the best rod on the planet?"

I have the Team and Team Pro which are basically the same thing as the Tournament Pro with weight differences and cosmetics. I have taken them apart for pre season prep. I have spooled them and casted them off the water. I'm very impressed with what I see so far. I've casted them into the wind, with the wind, flipped, back-hand...light lures, heavy lures...can't go wrong with either, but bang for buck IMO is going to Lew's.

I've only used a few different types of braid...but I didn't like the experience. Tell me what you think: Spiderwire...I felt that rubbing it against rocks and stumps caused it to fray badly. Berkeley Fireline...by far the noisiest line on retrieve I've ever experienced. I have a sensitive rod, so the line was audibly annoying and felt like crap. Casted okay, but not as good as Stren mono. Any thoughts?

Which one will cast better? I've heard mono casts better, but after its been on a reel for a month and turns into a phone cord...I'd think zero memory line would cast better.

My gosh...this answer is as funny to me as the question itself. 20 years ago...mono was all we had, most people used a 6'6" MH rod for everything, and we still caught fish. I get it...it's all technique specific this day and age...but you don't need special line to catch fish. You don't need 5 different rods either. 9 times out of 10, you don't need more than a few lures. Yes OP, mono will pull a crankbait through the water. Not to disrespect anyone's opinion, but marketing has really gotten people buffalo'd into thinking they need 1 of everything. Since when does line stretch "help" set a hook? Line stretch is counterproductive in setting a hook.

I finally attempted my first rod fix. My guide was damaged in shipping so I replaced it...I also added a Fuji hook-holder. Daggum...placing tiny micro guides is tedious! Here's a factory guide for reference: And compared to my thumb for size reference:

Grant...that's what I hear. They just got a new rod engineer and those white rods are his first introduction. The staff said they are beyond incredible. Lunker...I have 2x Tournament SL Speed Sticks that I got for a steal. ($59, & $44) Haven't had them in the water yet but they feel good practicing in the yard. The only reason I brought this thread into being is because moboy (sfo) is selling the HM85 rods for$99 on eBay...but I can get the Bucoo Micro for $99 at Wal-Mart still. They have the 6'6"MH, 7'MH, & 6'10"H.

I called Lew's yesterday and they said they are designed to be 1/8" under.

1/4 oz practice plug casts like a madd beast with a Team lite on my 6'6" rod.

What's the advantage of a larger capacity spool when flipping? How far do you generally flip?

That one does have the dual braking...good call.

My opinion

(Eh-hmmm....8:1, not 8.1) Anal number Nazi over and out, hehehe.

I can get the Lew's for $120 shipped, or go to Wal-Mart and get the Bucoo Micro for $106 out the door. The HM85 is using Fuji KR Concept guides, the Bucoo looks to be Fuji NGC. This will be for all around bank fishing. Not interested in book value, I can find that out myself...just want to know which one is better. Opinions?

1/4 oz crankbaits are fine. Little red eye shad cast a mile. Weightless Senko /Yum F2's are heavy too. 75ft + should be just fine unless you're shooting it straight into the wind. Then you need to be ginger. Shorter rods will have less resistance IMO due to fewer guides to have to send the line through. 6´ ML is what I use to throw 1/16 oz beetle spins, 1/8 oz micro rattle traps, 4"weightless senko's, etc...(using a Crappie Maxx with 8# mono) Full size Senko, 1/4 oz cranks, Mepps #3...you don't really need anything special. MH rod, any modern casting reel should be fine. I tossed all that with a standard Speed Spool last year. Even on a 6'10" Heavy Falcon Bucoo Micro...with the entry level speed spool...it worked well from the bank. I can only imagine from a boat how much better it would be, hehehe.

1. I don't tie-on. I use a snap. I don't have a boat where I can leave multiple rigs on the deck. I'm on the bank...1 rig. I just read a thread where some guy leaves his flouro in his rig for multiple seasons. Assuming you have no catastrophic backlashes throughout the season, how can you leave your line on that long without running out if you tie on? Figure 60 catches...these guys are retying every 3 fish...Figure the average knot taking 8" per tie. So that's 20 reties...that's 4-5 yards every 60 fish...plus abrasion control. Figure another 1-2 yards occasionally to cut off abrasion. Say 60 yards every 10 cycles. That's half a spool on an average reel. How the Crap does your line last multiple seasons? 2. Seriously...is tying on all that necessary with these new small/strong snaps? I don't think the bass can see them, I don't think they affect action. Am I wrong?