FishTank

Guilty of it this year. I was bringing in a fish, held the rod up with one hand so I could reach down and grab it, then fish made a run next to the boat. I pulled the rod straight up and snap. Broke an NRX 803S. Still waiting to get my replacement. They are saying February now. That's 8 months from the time I contacted them.

I use EWG's for anything fat, senkos, creatures, ect. and offset shank hooks for anything skiny, ribbon tail worms and finesse. I don't tend to like straight shank hooks. I do use them on occasion but mainly the heavier wire versions for flipping and pitching. One of my new favorites is the Gamakatsu hybrid G-finesse. It has super sharp barb and the coating is really slick. Down side, they aren't worth the cost.

The main lake I fish in my kayak, Eagle Creek, is notorious for having strong winds out on the water and strong current when they are letting the water out. It might take me 20-30 minutes to get from one side to the other, just straight paddling. White caps are the norm in 15mph wind. I get a good work out just trying to keep the kayak still some days. The strangest thing is to have the current pull you towards the dam and the wind blow you the opposite direction of the current. You kind of go nowhere fast and work twice as hard.

Personally I wouldn't go with any of the ones mentioned above. I actually like the Super Destroyer when I am kayak fishing but I am not fishing in CA. I also like the regular taper. For me, I like to have a fast to moderate fast rod so I can let the fish almost swallow the frog and then whale on them. The Super Destroyer wouldn't be my first choice though for frogs. I like a the G. Loomis IMX 844C for frogs and topwater but not necessarily for a kayak. There is one rod that I have not fished but held in hand that might do it> St. Croix Legend Tournament 7' Heavy Fast (Doc Sniper). Not super sensitive but stiff with a somewhat soft tip. Think the 844C I have but one power+ heavier.

I tried a few President reels a few years ago. Each one did that, amongst other things. I used them quite a bit for a few months and they were great until they weren't. I ended up returning the ones I had and getting a Shimano Symetre, which I still have.

I have the Steez SV TW on a 6'8'' St. Croix Legend Elite MF and it works pretty well for skipping but skipping weightless plastics can be tricky (at least for me it is). I tend to start low and sort push the bait instead of flicking it or pitching it. For a weightless senko, I set the brakes to about 8 or 9 which is somewhat higher than I would if I were casting. I am not out for distance usually when skipping. I guess accuracy without backlashing would be my main goal. Great reel for just about anything. I would highly recommend it.

I use line conditioner on some of the thicker FC I have but never noticed it affecting abrasion resistance. Just a thought though, the KVD stuff is $12 retail and cheaper FC is around $15. So at least $27, why not invest in better line and is it really necessary for the line you are using? My choice would be Invizx and forgo the conditioner.

I like them all. Each is a pleasure to fish in their own way. The Antares 70A has been my go to and as wells as a Daiwa Steez SV TW but it's not on an NRX. I have it set up with a St. Croix Legend Elite. The Steez CT is for light weight stuff (not quite BFS). The Chronarch has been used for some pitching/flipping some bigger jigs and T-rigged soft plastic. I haven't had the Metanium long enough to give it an accurate account but it has been used for a little bit of everything and it does it all well. The Vanquish is used for Wacky Rigged senkos.

In the P5 line up.... the Bait Finesse or the X-bites. Personally, I only have the Super Destroyer. Great rod. If I were picking, I would go with these two rods that will cover just about anything..... G. Loomis 783C and 844C GLX. I know the Megabass rods look cool and are great rods. The G. Loomis rods will be more functional and come with a better warranty.

This how I have my NRX's set up..... 853C> Shimano Antares 70A 802C> Daiwa Steez SV CT 873C CCR (great for worms and jigs)> Shimano Chronarch MGL 904C MBR NRX+ (great for jigs and worms and anything else)> Shimano Metanium MGL 803S> Shimano Vanquish 3000

Except the 2 Megabass Vision 110's, everything in the pic is new to me as well. The Gold Label is for next year. I have been using Premier and it's OK. It does the job but it doesn't seem to hold up as well as I would like it. So hopefully the Gold Label will be better. As for the Depps Evoke, it's like a Lucky Craft crank. The quality is OK but not thrilled that I payed $20 for a plasticy feeling bait. If it catches fish, it won't matter. What I am really looking forward to using is the Sunline Shooter Invisible. This line is about the most expensive line I have purchased. We will see if it's anything special next season.

This is hopefully the last time before the end of the year that I get cornered by the monkey.

According to Sportsman's Warehouse website, it's not in stock at that location but you could order it. You could call the store as well..... 215 867-7200.

Great reel, no issues on my end. Think a round reel like the Calcutta in a low profile. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one.

I stock up for next year (Bait Monkey Be Damned).... I re-spool, clean, and tinker with my own reels and clean/lube a few reels for some fishing buddies (it's always surprises me what people do to their reels). Clean my kayak Update hooks and terminal tackle on baits Re-organize as much as I can

Definitely would have plenty. I am just not the biggest fan of DC reels even though I have a Curado DC (great reel by the way). They have their place but I tend to like the regular brakes for most of my fishing. On the other hand, the baits you have picked would be ideal for a DC reel. So I guess the question is.... Why not the Antares DC then?

I have a suggestion for you guys.... Would it be possible to put a chart together showing which jig style heads you carry and their applications? You could include links to them with suggested trailers. Anyway.... your stuff is awesome. I think my new favorite thing from you guys that I bought is the tungsten weights. Great quality and the price can't be beat.

I have the same rod but I have an older Calcutta 101 TE GT parked on it. Fun set up to fish. I would also agree that if you fish about 15lb and are launching a heavier bait, you will run out of line. That is the one down side to some of Shimano's upper end low profile reels, line capacity. I like the MGL spool but not much help there if you want to throw some heavy lures with big line. The options turn to the Calcutta/Conquest and the Tranx. You might look at the new Steez Hyper Long Cast. JDM but it's made for big baits. $400 at JapanTackle.

My thoughts on this as well. I keep hearing too many horror stories.

Conquest 200 size would be my choice or depending on line choice, an Antares 70A.

So what defines a workhorse reel for me..... It should be consistent in all aspects and conditions> casting, drag, brakes, and ease of use. The reel should handle as much abuse as I can give it and still perform, again consistency. It has to feel like an extension of my hand as well. Also, after being beat up and mistreated , I want to easily be able to take the reel apart and just clean and oil it. I want to be able to do this year after year without any major parts failing. Simplicity in design is key here. Not many reels or brands for that matter can do this but they do exist.

Excellent.... There is a lot to unpack here. Great vocals, a classic R & B groove, and it's funny.... Only because of my German heritage.....

A Shimano Bantam that it is mint or near mint might get like stated above $75-$100. The rod is hard to say. I know its hard to sell a rod valued at $50-$75 on ebay as shipping will cost $25+.

BPS, Tackle Warehouse, DSG, and even Amazon have them in stock. You could order one and see if it fits. It's sort of a niche rod so I would imagine they could be found a little more easily than others. I don't know how far south you are but there is a tackle shop called the Angler that is in northern Indiana. He usually has a good supply of rods.

I have several rods I use from time to time on my kayak from a G. Loomis NRX to a Quantum KVD rod so I am all over the place on which rod I like best for kayak fishing. My favorite so far is a G. Loomis 783C GLX but the best all purpose rod that I actually use the most is a St. Croix Mojo Yak 7' M Fast. It's a good balance of what I want in a kayak rod. It does take some getting use to though> the sensitivity is average at best, the construction is tough and durable, the rod loads better than most so casting is fantastic, shorter butt is helpful on hook sets, and the Wynn grips I like for a kayak. Overall, I have caught a ton of fish with this rod and if need be I would buy another. Also, it has been my experience that I don't like longer rods (over 7') when kayak fishing. It makes it harder to work around the confined space. For example, one of my favorite set ups this year is an NRX 873C Carolina Rig rod and a Chronarch MGL but not on the kayak. The 7'3'' length and the longer rear handle is a hinderance to getting fish in the boat and sometimes hooks sets. Fishing in small spaces with tight casting windows are easier to deal with when you have the right rod and reel.