FishTank

I have never used it on spinning gear. So I can't say for sure how it will be. I have only used 13lb so far on two baitcasters. I can say I have used it for two full seasons and it's still good. Most mono I have used is done in about month or two.

I have tried both and like both. Regular Defier is softer and Armilo a little stiffer but tougher, like FC. I use regular Defier for crankbaits and Armilo for some bigger topwater and swimbaits. They are both the best mono's I have ever used and also longer lasting.

This or the Bantam MGL JDM.

I use a 7' H Fast G. Loomis 844C IMX.

I have the 6'8'' Legend Elite M Fast and if the LT is anything like it, it's a great rod. It works great for lighter T-rigged plastic, smaller jigs and of course, jerkbaits. I can't speak for the 7'4'' but my guess is it will be stouter than the Expride. As far as a sale goes at TW, I have never seen a sale on them at that site. I have seen them go on sale occasionally at local shops and shows. Typically it's 20% off.

Same here on that thought. As far as the rod goes, I have a couple of Avids and based on those, I would go with a ML Fast. I have a 6' ML Fast and use it for all sorts of lighter baits. Never had any problems with it. Great rod. I caught my PB on this rod, 10lb 2oz with 6lb test and a Zoom Lizard.

Braid: Green and gray Mono: Green and clear.... also hi vis orange. Bright out of the water but dissapears under it. FC: Clear

Nice. Have to ask.... What do you use the split rings for?

It would help to know which reels you are planning on using. I would add the 803s NRX, 844C GLX and the 783c GLX from Loomis and the 6'8'' Med Fast Legend Elite from St. Croix.

Sunline Defier.

Picked up a G. Loomis PR844C GLX. Odd rod but fun to fish. Sensitive, old school taper, and loads perfectly. Also the Monkey got me for some tackle. $150 goes quick these days....

Very cool. I have the Chronarch 51e and it has always been a fun reel. It's strange how much power they can pack in such a small reel.

I took it out today and paired it with a Core 101MG and some 12lb Invizx. It is an odd rod to me but I like it. The tip is softer than most rod I have. I wouldn't consider it a fast action rod but not exactly a moderate. One thing that is strange to me is the size of the guides. Not sure but they are larger and are the same size from the the 2nd one up. I tested it out with crankbaits, topwater poppers, spinner baits, jerkbaits and chatterbaits. Below are my thoughts on each....... Crankbaits> 3/8oz square bills are good but not great. The rod is almost too sensitive but the taper is perfect. Didn't care for 1/2oz cranks so much. Lipless cranks> excellent. Topwater poppers> Good Spinner baits> Very good Jerkbaits> 1/2oz is too heavy but smaller ones like the LC 78SP were great Chatterbaits> Fantastic. It was almost magical.

That's the plan. It's a different animal than I am used to. Taking it out tomorrow to run it through its paces.

6'6'' to 7' . So I guess 6'9'' might be perfect.

Tatsu has been the best line I have ever used. I like Smackdown but I have ton of Kanzen. Smackdown is better but until I run out of the Kanzen I will just wait. I did notice the stickiness of Smackdown but it was short lived. After a little use, it was gone. I have also noticed this with other braids as well.

I generally clean each reel I buy. Some have too much oil and grease and some not enough. Cleaning each new reel as I get them allows me to assure that it's just the way I want it.

Well it came and it has a super soft tip and it's lighter than I expected. It is a nice rod though.

I have the 844C and it will work fine for 1/2oz and up spinnerbaits but may struggle with 3/8oz ones.

I use to have a rod (G.Loomis GLX 803C) that had Recoil guides throughout except the top guide. I never had an issue with braid but have seen guys that try to use this rod like it's a winch and do some damage to the guides. Also, like said above the top guide from Recoil is not the best. I couldn't find a good pic but this was an old issue discussed a few times over..... The pic below shows what a few people were getting with braid and recoil guides.

Awesome. It's a flawless reel.

I hate to say it but in rain gear...... There is no such thing as good value and breathable. I have tried tons of different jackets and pants from cheap to expensive. Staying dry and having breathable gear are what drives the cost of rain gear up. I would buy the best you can afford but try to find it on sale.

There are 8 DSG's in the Indy area and none them carry a good selection fishing stuff but the one closest to me is getting better. They have stocked a few items that are new to them, like Daiwa Tatulas and few St. Croix rods. What is strange is that they are the closest store with fishing stuff to a large local reservoir and nobody that fishes there buys stuff from DSG because they are always more expensive than Tackle Warehouse. I only get what a few things from them when they have a sale and I have coupons. On the good side though, they will price match and take their coupons off of the matched price. For instance Amazon had Plano Edge 3700 boxes for $15.80 on a lightning sale. DSG matched the price and let me use a 20% off coupon, making them about $13 a piece.

I have reels from Shimano, Daiwa, Abu Garcia, Quantum and 1 Lew's. If I weigh all things I look for in a reel, Shimano and Daiwa are my favorites.

Good to know. It sounds versatile. Depending on how the tip is, I might use it for heavier jerkbaits and spoons. Also, some bigger topwater stuff might not be a bad idea