LunkerFisher

Good morning! I couldn't find any threads on these reels, so I was wondering if anybody here had any experience with the GSX reels from Gander Mountain, more specifically the GSX elite (since it's on sale right now). I'm looking for a new froggin reel and would like to find a bargain. I'm not in a huge rush to find one, and my first pick right now is the Citica G7, but I am open to other options as well, especially if the price tag looks appealing and the quality is there.

Either a senko or a frog since I have been mainly throwing those, although I also throw jigs and chatterbaits to it's possible on those too. If I had to pick one, I am guessing it will be the senko, but I really hope it's the frog!

I picked up a $70 Veritas rod the other day.

I only caught one bass with the frog today, probably about 1.5-2 lbs. The rod had no problem fighting the fish through the pads I threw my frog into, and was easily able to cast it far. With a quicker reel and thicker line, I should have a great setup for froggin! P.S. It sure is fun when a fish hits that frog!

As a fellow noob to baitcasting gear, I would recommend a reel with either both magnetic and centrifugal brakes or just centrifugal brakes, but not magnetic brakes only. The centrifugal brakes will help prevent backlashing (birdsnest) during the cast. Thumbing the spool at the end of the cast is much easier to figure out (or at least it was for me) than thumbing the spool during the cast, so the the centrifugal brakes really help out a lot. I picked up a BPS Prolite Special as my first baitcast reel for $60. It's nice and smooth and easy to learn on.

I've been having luck with senkos and senko style baits wacky rigged. I've also been catching a few on chatterbaits with fluke trailers.

Good afternoon! I want to take a quick minute to share a good deal I got at Dicks yesterday. 7'6" Veritas casting rod (MH) for $70. I've been eyeing these rods for awhile and at $30 off, it was too good to pass up. I am going to be using this rod for frogging, so I threw on my Skeet Reese Victory (7.1:1 ratio) reel currently spooled with 30lb power pro on it for the time being so I will be able to use it tomorrow. I am going to hold out and try to find a good deal on a Citica and spool it with some 50lb 832 braid in the future, but for now this seems like it is going to do the trick. I'll have more info on how this rod performs in the days to come. I'll also be using this as a flipping/pitching rod as I learn the techniques (I am very sloppy and almost comical attempting to perform both of these techniques). Wish me luck, and stay posted for some more info!

I caught my first ever northern on accident while targeting bass with a chatterbait. Great fight and what a tug on that line! I was surprised he didn't bite through my 15lb fluoro line. Measured in at 28", not too shabby for my first I'd say

Alberto here too: 7 wraps up and 7 wraps down. A tip of mine, swap out your leaders after each heavy session, and you'll get pretty good at tying that knot relatively quickly.

I've been using 20# 832 lime green line on my spinning reels for wacky wormin and skipping tubes. I've also been goin with a 10# fluoro leader from 3-6' I'll change my leaders after each sesh of heavy use. I really like the visibility of the braid, and the lack of stretch lets me get away with using medium power rods for solid hook sets even when I have a lot of line out.

Thanks, fishinfiend and Cgrinder! I also want to add that those fish are still in that lake, so get the senkos out and catch em again!

Welcome, fellow Michigander!

if it has 4 strings, it's a bass

Good evening! Spend the afternoon on Kent Lake today and destroyed the local largemouths with some 5" senkos wacky rigged. Watermelon/red Flake started the feeding frenzy, and once those were all gone, watermelon/black flake finished em off! Pulled out some dinks and some rock bass, but also some nicely sized largemouths. For those of you trekking out onto one of the most fished lakes in Michigan, give in to the hype and wacky rig (and then lose) those senkos! Here's a few of the good ones I spent some quality time with today. If you fish this lake, PM me and I'll tell ya the spot I was at.

I am a guitar player, and therefore believe in gear mojo. Red hooks are definitely added mojo for me, so I will keep using them. Also, sometimes they're cheaper than black nickel hooks!

2/0 Gammy finesse wide gap in red (not weedless) hooked through the senko.

another vote for hi-vis braid here. I think the suffix 832 lime green is easier to see than the yellow power pro. Those are the only 2 i have tried.

my pb is my new profile picture. Wacky rigged 5" senko, watermelon black flake. Caught it a few hours ago!

I'm not a fan of the laguna spinning reel I have. Was using it fishing white bass in the Detroit River and when I was reeling in modestly sized whites, the reel was pretty rough. For $10 over your budget, you could get the Pflueger President which is a far superior spinning reel.

i always use texpose instead of the standard texas rig. if theres no weeds around I'll even leave the point exposed instead of tucking the point back in the plastic, leaving the point flush against the plastic. I've also had success hooking flukes with the point sticking straight out the side of the fluke. It will get hung up more but it makes for some pretty erratic jerking action that the fish can't seem to resist.

bought a gander mountain vortex casting rod on sale for $15 and a wright and mcgill skeet reese victory reel on clearance at dick's for $50

Welcome! Can't wait to see the tattoo once its drawn up!

Thanks, Ron! I am already feeling right at home!

I mainly have time to fish only on weekends since I work during the week. So far the few bass I've caught there have been on nightcrawlers, crankbaits, and soft swim-baits. I definitely appreciate the tip, though!

I haven't had anything big on Kent Lake yet. I've been having much better luck from the Benstein Bridge on down to Upper Proud Lake.