PatrickKnight

I loosen them up if they will be sitting for a while. If I am just between trips I dont bother with it.

So other than the relaunch of the E6X and XX rods did I miss anything else?

I used the heck out of a 3 inch Kalins for a while but my go to has changed to the 4 inch Yamamoto in green pumpkin. I do love that smoke hologram color Kalins has though.

I prefer tubes to skirted jigs but in the river I fish I will take a jig head tipped with a grub or swim bait over them both.

I use them for bass fishing as well as inshore fishing. I much prefer them to fast action rods for general use. The only time I feel a fast action preforms better is when drop shotting. One thing to keep in mind is there is no industry standard for this. Many feel the Dobyns Sierra line is on the slower side of fast but for me this is as fast of a rod as I like. I love the Avid line from St Croix but I find the actions to be just to fast for me when it comes to general use. My light jig rod (when I say jigs I mean jig head tipped with plastic or a hair jig) is a Cajun Custom Rods Trigger and that rod will bend in half and flex almost all the way to the second guide, but it is amazing at casting a 1/16th marabou jig or a 1/32 oz jig with a 3 inch grub on the back. All rods have a purpose but for general use a 7 foot medium power mod fast action is about as good as it gets when it comes to a general purpose spinning rod for how and where I fish.

I still firmly believe the Chronarch E series is the best line of baitcasting reels ever made by any company. I am in a place budget wise where I can look into a reel over the 200 price point for the first time and truth be told I am nervous about spending that much as I have had such good luck with reels ranging from 100-200 for a long time.

Checked with my local store today he isn't able to order a Luvias. So I guess I am back to Ci4 vs Sustain.

I walk a river mostly so when I want to go light its some grubs and swim baits in one pocket and some jig heads in the other. Normally a carry a small Cabelas brand tackle bag that will hold 4x 3500 series boxes. I used to use a backpack but swinging it around to change baits in the middle of the river proved to be a pain so the sling type bag works better for me. Looking to pick up one of these bad boys this year: http://falconrods.com/fto.html

You could always put cheap mono backing on it to eat up space.

I have been very happy with my BG 2500. Honestly that is the only reason I am even looking at Daiwa now. As a self admitted Shimano fanboy the BG has opened my eyes a bit.

Due to a previous experience I dont shop Ebay plus I have $230 in credits at my local shop due to the returned Ci4. I have looked at that reel MANY times. Have you fished one?

From what I have seen they are also cut much deeper. The line capacity seems much larger on each model.

You are a bad influence

I have thought about an LT but the Tatula has no seals. Also none of my local shops carry the Ballistic and being unfamiliar with them I am hesitant to buy sight unseen. Plus I am kind of a Shimano fanboy

Honestly if the blank is decent just the guide train alone justifies that cost in my eyes.

I am sure I have watched just about every video he has put out!! Love that channel!! I have given serious thought to just adding another FK to the mix but I do find the MGL rotor turns a bit easier than the FKs rotor does. Thats another thing with the Sustain is aluminum and carbon mix instead of all carbon.

So my recently purchased Ci4 has a bad grinding sound to it (almost sure its a bad bearing). Lesson learned on buying a display model but do you guys think the Sustain is worth the 70 dollar upgrade? Ball bearing supported spool Carbon drag washers Xprotect Those seem to be the upgrades. I wade fish almost exclusively so the xprotect has my interest peaked. On my FK I am going to upgrade to carbon drag washers and a bearing to support the spool. If I get the Sustain I wouldnt have to do that to the new reel.

I don't see a need to. All I fish is spinning tackle and I never back reel, in fact most of my reels (new Shimanos) do not even have an anti reverse switch. I do upgrade the drags to carbon washers if that matters at all.

Get the LE for the ml and the LTW for the medium.

Tatula Elite

Arachnid by a good margin.

After a terrible experience I had several years ago I just avoid Ebay for anything.

I cant think of a single rod completely made in the states but yes you are right. American assembled with international parts. When it comes to which rods fish heavier than average for the ratings the St croix and Abu I have fished tend to fish slightly heavier.

I wade fish a river or inshore salt water 99% of the time I am fishing and I use spinning gear only. I don't like fishing with rods under 7 foot and prefer 7'6" if I can get away with it. I don't even bother to look at rods under 7 foot anymore.

I would buy them in a heartbeat even if I didn't need them for those prices.