juicebass

I'm looking into buying a new set up that will I will use for pitching/flipping and frogging. As for the area of where i fish, the average bass is around 2.5-3lb, with the big ones nearing 5lbs. There's pads and some slop, and lot's of weeds. I've done well getting strikes off the frog and some day's my hook up ratio is good, and some day's it isn't (i'm using a 6'10" shimano crutial -spinner bait rod). I have been using the same rod to throw some 3/8oz jigs, and some plastics creature baits. I've done just fine with my ratio on hookset's off the jig and plastics, but like i said, some days with the frog it's mostly misses, and yes. i'm waiting to feel the weight of the fish before hooksets.. Looking for your guys help into the rod size i should get... i have been hearing a lot about 7'11 heavy rods, or 7'6 heavy rods (i've specifically been looking at the Abu Garcia Verita's rods because of the 100$ price point).. what would be a good hybrid so i can use for both frogging and pitching? seems like all the pros are using super long rods on 65lb braid... But would that set up be overkill for the smaller sized fish im catching? should i go Medium heavy or heavy? closer to 7 feet or closer to 8? im leaning towards the 7'11 heavy, and will put 65lb braid.. like i said sometimes im fishing in slop and pads.. yet somedays im in open water on the shallows.. I tried flexing the 7'11 heavy veritas in the stores, it seems super stiff and there isnt much flex.. i'm wondering if this will give me a harder time keeping bend in the rod with a lighter 2.5lb fish.. maybe im better off with a shorter or medium heavy, i did really like the 7'6" MH model, flexed it in store and it had nice bend, but i'm not sure if this will be a good rod for frogging or pitching? i find the bass elite series pro's advice on rods is hard because i always assume their talking about big rods and 65 braid because they reel in 9lb Okechobee bass. But maybe that same set up wouldnt be good for me, or maybe its needed for any sized bass as long as the conditions are the same (slop, pads, stumps) For the reel i think i will go with the Abu Garcia Revo SX in the 7.1.1 gear ratio. From doing my research it seems to be great for what i need. I want something with the high gear ratio, and for it to be durable and light. (and someone at BassPro told me to stick with a light reel when flipping so my wrist doesn't get tired) i was maybe going to go with the new shimano curado 200i 7.2.1, super smooth, but a bit heavier and larger profile, also its a sold 60-70$ more. please some replies and info will be appracited! Thanks

found a video on youtube taking the citica apart for maintenance. Was able to basically take off the handle and saw the line that was lodged, took it out and now the reel works great! Thanks for the tips guys!

Hey guys, My friend who doesn't know how to use a baitcast properly really messed up my reel. He was fishing and managed to get my line all caught up INSIDE the geers of the handle in my reel. The reel is the SHIMANO CITICA, 2014 version. Basically he had the line go around the handle and kept cranking and the line was being sucked into the reel. I had to cut the line because there was no way of pulling it all out... I'm guessing I have to open up the reel to get to the line caught up inside.. I'm also guessing the line is near a bearing of some sort. Are there any video's out there on how to open my reel up properly? Is it hard? let me know!!!

it's not that it won't tighten.. its actually the opposite. i can't get the bait to fall fast enough. therefore when i cast, my lure wont go very far... its as if the tension nob doesn't change anything.. i had a bad birds nest prior to this problem... maybe it has something to do with that.. i might try re spooling and see if that works...

BRNN*

Thanks for the reply BENN. Im going to try a few things with the reel before i send it in or open it up for greasing. i store it with the breaks and tension left from however i was using it for fishing thay day.. is that okay? Should i set it to a different setting? I had also played with the pin a bit... maybe that might have something to do with it? when i get home this afternoon I'm goin g to try and fix this issue...

Hey guys. This is mt first post. I have a black max baitcast. It was working fine for a few weeks. But now the tension spool is having problems. I cant adjust my tension spool so the lure will drop fast enough, therefore making my cast not go far at all. My magnetic breaks are off. And drag is set normal. And the lure drops slowly when thumb is off the line and the reel is engaged to cast. Any fix for this? Thanks