PatrickKnight

Those AGS guides are the real deal!! I always feel my spinning rods are more sensitive because I buy higher end spinning rods than I do casting. I think sensitivity is such a personal thing that once you get to a certain level of rod its more in your head than in your hand.

Cajun custom rods

I fish the Ohio as well and I am 100% braid and use a leader when needed. I can not stand to fish anything other than braid for a main line. 99% of the time on the Ohio you can go straight braid with no issues at all. I pull up some serious log jams on 10 lb 832, and often with straighten my hooks before I break my line. One thing to keep in mind when using braid is not all knots will work. A simple palomar knot will be good to go as it wont slip like some of the other simpler knots do.

Unless you are seriously concerned about weight the BG is a better all around reel than the Fuego. It has a carbon fiber drag, aluminum body, and a bearing in the line roller. All of which the Fuego is lacking but the Fuego weighs less and has super space age power oil around the main shaft.

Medium power Cajun Delta full grip spinning rod Daiwa Luvias 2500H (getting a good cleaning right now) 10 lb 832 with various leaders based on conditions. This is the same set up that does 70% of my fishing.

I have owned a Ci4+ FB 2500 as well as fished a 2500 Tatula and I would pick the Tatula.

I have fished them both and own the Sierra. They both fish very well and I don't think you can go wrong with either. I just personally can not stand how many threads are left on the reel seat after you mount a reel on a Cashion. This is the same reason I don't care for the Falcon Bucco which is likely the best 100 dollar rod on the market. I also don't care for the location of the hook keeper on the Cashion. Now all that being said the Cashion I fished was a more sensitive blank. One thing I really like about both of them is that they are slightly slower actions. I think the industry as a whole is trying to make the fastest action rods possible, and I personally think that is a mistake.

I explained to my wife how plastics (I mainly fish paddle tails) only last for so many fish. She looked at me and said "Then you have enough to last a really long time". I said "I only have 8 bags right now" and her response was "Exactly for the amount of fish you catch that should last a long time." I hate that woman sometimes.

For something with a good line capacity and a useful drag setting get a Tatula LT 2000. At 5.8 oz it has a bit more line capacity than the 2500 Shimanos do and at 11 lbs of drag that is still more than you will need for bass fishing.

I have fished almost every braid out there and I am using 832 now because I got a stupid good price on a bulk spool of green 10 lbs 832. My favorites are 832, original Power Pro, and Fins Windtamer I use them for different situations. I like Smackdown and Samurai braids as well but they cost to performance ratio keeps me from fishing them often. My suggestion is see what you can get the best deal on so long as its not Spiderwire.

I use 3000 Shimanos and 2500 Daiwas (non LT if I was gonna get an LT reel it would be a 2000), as my reals all see inshore use at some point. For pure bass fishing with braid a 1000 size will do fine if you don't need casting distance.

My Cajun Custom Rods Delta is the best rod I have ever fished in the 200-250 price point. Its good enough to keep me from looking for much else and just add more of them as needed. They don't have a huge selection of lengths or actions but I for one don't need technique specific everything. I do need a good rod that is sensitive, durable, not super fast in action, and made with quality components. This rod checks all of those boxes.

I throw them both on a medium power spinning rod with braid. If I wasn't using braid I would go with a MH.

I own a Sierra and have owned an Avid. If it was for a jig rod at $200 go MH Avid or 5 power Sierra, both will get the job done for you. In my hands the Avid was the more sensitive rod (703 SF and 7 foot ML Avid spinning). That being said the most sensitive rod I have fished at $200 has been the Tatula Elite line (same blank as the originals from what I can tell).

My Daiwa's have it my Shimano's don't. I don't care either way because I rely 100% of my drag to fight a fish, that being said it is nice to be able to use it to let some line out vs having to open the bail. I would rather have it gone to help keep water out but then again I wish all my spinners had only manual bail trips. Cant please everyone.

I go ML vs M based on the hook I am going to use. Heavier hook I'll step up to the M really light wire I will go ML.

832 is great so is Fins Windtamer both have hi vis colors. I like original Power Pro but don't care for the slick 8.

I use braid to a mono leader or straight braid. Mono has many advantages to fluro when it comes to leader material imo. Its more abrasion resistant, better knot strength, its less expensive, and has some stretch (yes this normally is a good thing).

I think casting gear is just easier for most people to use for an extended period of time. I use all spinning tackle at this point because of the baits I use and where I fish. That being said a full day of fishing is easier on my arms and neck when using casting gear.

Wow just wow. That is stunning but curious how the handle knobs feel in hand.

You see spinning tackle more in the inshore fishing due to casting very light weight lures (often 1/16th of an oz) into fairly heavy winds. If you go to the Texas coast you will see mostly casting gear because the winds in this section of the gulf are not as bad as other parts. Its about right tool for the job at hand. I can tell you its 100% possible to pull 15-20 lb snook and redfish out of mangroves on 15 lb braid, medium power spinning rod, and a 2500 size spinning reel. So its often not about the fish but more the lure in use. I was skipping a weightless fluke in the situation above but if I was punching mats for bass with a 2 oz weight that same set up simply wouldn't be able to present the bait even though the fish would likely be much smaller and much less powerful.

Very well put

I own them both as well and after 3 years my FK has developed play in then handle (not an anti reverse issue just a "wiggly handle") but my BG is as solid as the day I got it. I am not saying the FK is a bad reel, far from it but if I could do it all over again I would own 2x BG 2500s.

Says the guy with some of the sweetest Daiwas on the forum!

Aluminum body vs cheap plastic (no where near Ci4 or Zaion) Carbon drag vs felt drag Direct drive one piece handle Bearing in the line roller Bearing supported spool The 2500 BG would pair very well with that rod.