FishTank

I've tried the Savage Gear version and they did not hold up for me either. I like the Gobius though. I can't say it holds up better than the Dark Sleeper. It does catch fish equally but I find hook ups can be more difficult with the elastomer. The hook gets caught in the plastic and is a pain to deal with sometimes. The one on the bottom is a Gobius that probably had 100 fish on it before it finally gave in.

I fish the Dark Sleeper on a regular basis and really don't miss too many fish on it. I basically treat it like a jig and not like a swimbait. The only time I've noticed myself missing fish is when I first started using them and I was using straight braid for line. I found fluorocarbon to have enough give to help keep the fish pinned. I do think you need to pay attention to the fin that covers the hook. They are snag magnets around rock as well. Its like the chunk rocks in my lakes eat them. Also, the last batch I ordered sort of fell apart after a day of use. They were not used in cover or rock, just soft bottom mud. Maybe it was the freezing cold water. In any case, they definitely are fish catchers.

I think I got duped by an article on Facebook and it was from Keitech USA. I have never seen these and the post I read was dated a few days ago. After a quick google search, I found a video from a long time ago. Once again, you can't believe everything you read on the internet.

About the only thing I get from Keitech these days is the Fat Impact and the Easy Shiner but I have had this bait in the back my head for years. I asked a few different companies to make something like it but it never happened. I wanted a tube that was solid with heavy salt on the inside but had the regular tube material on the outside. I also wanted it to be at least a 1/2oz so I didn't have to fuss with a weight. Well it only took about 25+ years. https://www.keitechusa.com/catalog/salty-core-tube.html Definitely going to be picking some of these up. What do you guys think? Might be the only bait I have seen so far for 2026 that is actually worthwhile.

Absolutely. I fish line from 5lb to 20lb in FC, 10lb and 25lb in mono, PE braid from #0.8 to #4 with leader and straight 50lb and 60lb braid. Each one of these takes a little bit different approach when setting the hook but there are other factors, like the rod also dictates how hard I swing and how I reel the fish in and I also consider how the drag is set as well.

When I first got the Daemos I made the mistake of bringing the rods I use individually for all the techniques I was going to use it for. So I brought an NRX 853C JWR (3/8oz jigs, free rig), NRX+ 883C BJR (spinnerbaits, bladed jigs, some swimjigs), and an NRX+ 843C (swimjigs, topwater, and Texas rigged plastic). I should have just brought the Daemos and switched out a few baits as needed but instead I spent too much time comparing it the 853C. Both set ups had a 3/8oz jig on it. I wanted the Daemos to have the same kind of hook setting power/load as the 853C but it's just too different. I found I had to really pull on the Daemos to get it to set the hook compared to the 853C. The tip of it is that much softer. For setting a jig on slack line when popping it off the bottom, the 853C is where it's at. On the other hand, when I started to fish baits that I would swim in (swim jigs and spinnerbaits) on the Daemos, setting the hook was better and easier than it was with a jig tied on. As far as it handling what you mentioned, Daemos should be ok but when you get to a 1/2oz plus a trailer, it pretty much maxes the rod out. I feel like it should have a top end of 3/4oz instead of 1oz. Where I like this rod is when you have a swim jig in grass. The tip is really good at ripping a bait through which makes me think it might be a good rod for lipless cranks but I have not tried them on it yet. With all that said, when it comes to spinnerbaits and maybe swim jigs, I like the 883C NRX+ the best but I hate the hook keeper. It is also more sensitive than the Daemos. The GLX 873C may be a good alternative but I think the Daemos would be more versatile. To sum up, the Daemos is a great rod that is good at a lot of things but it's not exceptionally great at one single thing. Also, based on how I fish, I might benefit from using braid to leader on this rod instead of straight fluorocarbon.

I took my wife fishing once.....

I believe the Steez SV Limited I have, has the same spool. I've been using mine for 3/8oz and 1/2oz jigs. It makes me look like a jig pitching pro.

It took me a bit to warm up to them but for crankbaits, I really like them and actually prefer them over the stock handles and knobs. I have fished jigs with this same handle and it's not my favorite. It just seems off to me. For jigs I like the bigger handles from Daiwa and Shimano.

My daughter brought the blue one back from Japan and she got me Pikachu from Tackle Warehouse. When she gave them to me I wanted to try them out but new if I lost one I would never hear the end of it so they have seen limited action. Pikachu really works though. I think i caught over dozen the few times I have used it. Fun baits.

Ya I threw these. I ain't proud but they caught fish.

When it comes to getting cranks down deep, I don't really think of rod length as one of the factors, unless it effects casting distance but the cranking rods I use are all less than 7'4" and they can sling a bait a long way. The longest casting crankbait rod I have is the St. Croix Legend Glass 7'2" Med Mod. For me, depending on the depth where the bait is landing, I want a crankbait with a fast diving startup but it also needs to be somewhat of a high float, like the Megabass Deep Six, OSP EX DR or the Strike King 6 XD. Next, and probably the most important, is line. I use 10lb or 12lb Fluorocarbon. It gets the bait down deep where I want it and it doesn't tend to get beat up as much especially banging around the bottom.

I like them in BFS reels but I don't feel the need to have them in anything else. Also, they can make working on the drag a pain sometimes. The little spring and ball head pin that make the clicking sound are often just sitting there and can easily fall out. Once they do they can be a challenge to put back in.

@Bandersnatch Just in case, I also noticed that the Forty Niner above is the 4in and not the bigger 5in. I use the 5in on swimjigs with bigger hooks but I do trim them down depending on the skirt.

Got it wrong the first time..... OSP Weed Rider. It has a tooth pick hole that is added to the hook keeper if you need it. I usually order them from Japan. The Hook Up TackleWeed RiderSwim jigs are one of the lowest rates lures for fishing in cover due to their tendency to entangle in weeds. Enter the OSP Weed Rider- built with an elongated, upturned head the Weed Rider keeps a sli

I like using them as jig trailers. For a regular hooks, I like the Owner weighted twistlock and the Owner Horizon Head LG. I have another batch of weighted hooks but I'm not sure how makes them. The weight is positioned close to the hook eye. Somehow it seems to swim better with the weight in that spot. With that said, I like the One Up Shad from Sawamura better. It has more of a shrimp smell to it instead of the garlic in the Gambler. Other than that, the baits are pretty similar.

It doesn't take much to impress me but when I saw this I had to share.

Catch seven different species on seven different setups/techniques all in the same day. I did it last year with six so trying to sneak one more in there. This is one my favorite and toughest challenges. It allows me to bring all that I have learned in 30+ years of fishing to the table. Let the games begin.

Sometimes. What I really want is the time to enjoy what I have. Some rods and reels still give me goes bumps when I pick them up despite them being old. I'm at the point where I don’t want or need work horse reels. I have plenty of them. I like to find a hidden gem or a nitch reel. For example, I picked up a Calcutta Conquest Shallow Spool and its fantastic for throwing jerkbaits. My hand fits it in a way where my hand doesn't get tired of holding it. On the other hand, if there was something new and unique that sparks my interest, I might jump on it like I did with the KastKing mg ti. Only time will tell on this one.

This was how I was taught. I struggle to keep tension with my pinky finger causing the end to be a little loose. I have been using the Carrot knot instead. I can tie it on the water pretty easily.

I recently had a run in with them but not for Costas but for prescription glasses from Target. The frame on my wife's glasses started to delaminate. They were only a few days old. They cost $450 with insurance, which they own as well. Not covered, even with their worthless 30 day guarantee. We have found its cheaper to go to Costco and pay their full price than using our insurance at an approved retailer. What a con.

I would say the same as @Don Preller about the Windbuster. I like it and its very versatile but for small finesse stuff, its not the rod for me. I like the Loomis NRX+ 842 SJR. There are plenty of other rods but this one does a lot of stuff for me, including shakey heads, neko rig, drop shot, and even small jerkbaits. Also, on the reel, if you want an upgrade, take a look at the Shimano Twin Power. Its as smooth as the Stella and Exist but at a much lower price. As far as the rest goes I'll just go in order...... I haven't been a big fan of the Expride. Some guys really like them though. My preference is any of the P5 jerkbait rods but the Z-Crank is my favorite. It handles the 110jr just the way I like it and I can use it for cranks and topwater. The Metanium is a great choice on reel. I don't have the Madbull. I'm not a big fan of the carbon grip. Not a deal breaker for me though but I prefer cork. I would look at Loomis' IMX Pro line for a big crankbait rod. For chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, and swimjigs I like the NRX+ BJR rod and maybe the P5 Daemos. For reels, Calcutta Conquest 100 for crankbaits and the Metanium for the rest. I have an older 844C GLX and its a great all around. I use it for jigs and topwater. The Zillion HD is also an excellent choice. On BFS rods, my thoughts are over the place. I would pick the weight of lure you're going to use the most and go from there. On the reel, the Aldebaran is great and has brought in a lot of fish for me but the Conquest BFS is my favorite. The Orochi XX Launcher, I have only tossed this one around on a buddy's boat. I didn't care for the handle and the feel of it. At that time, I liked my Valkyrie 7'1" H better. If I was choosing a new one, the Super Seven Eleven has been on my radar. I would put a Daiwa Steez A II on it. For the swimbaits and glides I throw, the Mark 56 would be my choice. I am also using a Valkyrie for those baits currently and a Tatula 300 but would love a Conquest MD here instead. Also one I would like to upgrade. With all that, I probably use these three rods the most and they are pretty much bait specific.... P5 Kasumi Six Eleven (I own two) Loomis NRX+ 894c JWR (favorite jig rod) Loomis NRX+ 872s JWR (favorite Senko rod)

Thanks for getting this fixed.

I had a Revo Toro Beast but not same model you have. I ended up selling mine. If yours is like the one I had, there is a spring that looks like an offset washer under the cast control cap. If that part is put in backwards or is not in place correctly, it can make the retrieve feel weird or tight. I would take the cap off, turn the handle and use your finger to manually hold pressure where the spool tension cap would be and see if it feels same or different. If you get the same thing without the cap, start looking other places.