FishTank

I have the DC and first off, I don't like braid on this reel. A lot of people have had success using it but for it seemed once it got wet all the way the breaking would act differently. I switched to FC and have had no issues. From a stand point of which setting to use on the dial, I would ignore the instructions from Shimano. I look at this way..... 1- Long casts - very little breaking is applied 2 - Pretty much this is where I set and forget it 3 - Less breaking than 2 but still gets it done. It seems to speed the spool up at the beginning of a cast more so than 2. 4 - Casting into the wind Also, this reel for whatever reason seems to learn how I cast and becomes better at breaking the more I use it. It also has been flawless for me, other than the braid, and supper smooth. It casts as far as any other reel I have used.

In the tournament I fished yesterday there were so many boats that I got to see what everyone had when we were checking in and pretty much everybody had a spinning outfit. The guy that won it with a 17lb bag caught pretty much all his fish on spinning gear. But on a day like yesterday, finding the fish and having the right bait were the keys to winning not the equipment. For me, I go in spurts with spinning gear. Overtime, I have noticed that I like using certain baits better with spinning gear than I do on casting gear but I can use pretty much use whatever on either one. They have become just different tools for the job. From a fishing fun stand point, there is nothing like fighting a big fish on light spinning gear. It becomes a battle with the gear and the line and there is a certain amount of thrill in feeling like > "Will I be able to get this fish in?". It tests my skills as a fisherman and the reward of getting a fish in like that is greater than just overpowering the fish and hauling into the boat. My PB, 10lb 2oz, was caught on a ML spinning rod and 6lb test line.

There are rods made in the US > G. Loomis and St. Croix are probably the top two. Reels now that's a different story. Working in manufacturing getting supplies from Japan and most other places has been pretty good. China not so much. With tariffs and customs issues it has been hard to get a good supply of electronics and certain types of steel products. Also, from what I heard from Shimano and Daiwa, they have been doing a good job of getting things here. Shimano's North Carolina distribution center has supply but few workers to ship and receive. Same can be said for Pure Fishing. When I called for a warranty claim they said in their case they are back logged on orders for 30-40 days and anything that is currently out of stock will be September or longer.

I use to use 50lb Power Pro with the 110 and 90. With the 110 it worked great but 90 it just seemed to nose dive a little, like it wasn't staying on plain. I have since switched to using 12lb or 15lb FC and have not had any issues. I know this doesn't sound right and I really have no explanation but FC worked this issue out with the 90 and I really don't notice it with the 110. I have a two 75's and have not had as much luck with them all around. They don't seem to plain as well with any line I have used and I don't tend to get as many hits.

I have been a member here for awhile and Mike is one of the best resources this site has. His info and advice is always spot on and even though I have not used his service yet, the comments from other members are overwhelmingly positive.

I often find that most of the baits I use are between 3/8 and 3/4 oz so I find a 1/2 oz crankbait to set the spool tension. Then I put two brakes on and set the dial on the outside at 3. I am able to fine tune it from there depending on the bait I want to use, the conditions and how I am going to cast.

I have been using a G. Loomis 783C GLX for years and it has been fantastic for Lucky Craft Pointers and Vision 110's. It's sort of fits in that Goldilocks Zone > Not too heavy, the tip is fast but soft, sensitive and it has hook setting power.

If the Stella is from Japan, there is a good chance it has been used in saltwater. Then you are taking the chance that the previous owner took good care of it. If it's in the US and is a newer model, it's a great deal. You can find the Stradic cheaper. Check A.L.F., they had the CI4+ on sale. https://www.americanlegacyfishing.com/2016-shimano-stradic-ci4-spinning-reels.html

I had a prescription but I kept having other things go wrong. The side effects were worse than the cure.

If you have heard about this..... Mopar no more? Peugeot and FCA are now one.

I use to use 20lb Power Pro with a 8lb or 10lb FC leader. I haven't used it in years but I just picked a spool of Sunline Xplasma. I found 6lb FC much more fun to fish and it just handles better. But with a few big fished lost on FC, I decided to go with some braid again.

Shimano Sahara and Symetre. I have seen a lot of the SLX on the water and mean a lot. Just walking around at the last tournament on Saturday, there was over 50 boats at check in and I bet 20 boats had them on the deck. It maybe to early to tell on longevity but for $100 and you get through more than one season of tournament fishing, bargain.

Any of those would probably get the job done. Here is my take on them.... I have the Curado DC and it will do fine for just about any size jig. It can cast a mile and does well in the wind and for pitching. The Bantam MGL is smoother and slightly more heavy duty but is smaller than you would think. I can't speak for the Curado MGL 70 but I do have the Antares 70 that which has an MGL spool. This thing will cast further than any reel I have ever seen. It will handle just about anything I can think of. So if you are casting 1/2oz or 3/4 oz jigs the Bantam would be great. If you are wanting to go with a DC reel, it will handle the lighter baits and pitching a little bit better but no MGL spool. The 70 MGL maybe a sort of middle of the road reel (1/4oz to 1/2oz).

I have owned both at one point or another. I just feel Daiwa has more to offer and sometimes the US market gets short changed. I was thinking the same thing about the SLX's when I created this topic. They too have done well with these and we will probably see more in the future.

Well it arrived today...... I like it but I don't think the price tag fits the reel. It's really smooth, super light, strong and cast a mile but I think I was expecting more. It is pretty fast for a spinning reel and I find myself ripping the bait from the fishes mouth. I think it will just take some time to get use to. Where this reel excels though is bring fish in. It is just fun to fish. This I can't truly explain in words. You just kind of have to experience it for yourself. So I guess overall, if it increases my fishing fun, it's a keeper but I probably could have gotten away with another Stradic. I did get the job done tonight. I caught about 6 little ones and this guy.

I have the Curado DC and love it so far. I was able to pick it up for $200 at DSG online when they had a 20% off everything community sale, which had no exclusions. I have had zero issues and its a blast to fish. I can't speak for the SLX DC but I have fished the regular version and it's not bad for the money. I don't know if a DC version of this reel is worth the extra cost. So my take would be to get the Curado.

With the new 300 size Tatula that is coming out, I am starting to loose track of what Daiwa makes besides Tatulas. It seems like they have a successful platform and are taking it a bit too far. I am not for sure but I think there are eight current versions for Tatula baitcasters not including the limited designs and JDM versions. I hope they start to change things up in the future. Maybe bring the Alpha and Morethan to the US market? What do you guys think?

Fished in a tournament this past weekend and couldn't believe the amount of people on the water and on the beaches. The tournament I was in had 50 or so boats. One of the biggest ones I have been in. I didn't come close to the money but I think the top pay out was $2500. The winning bag was 26+lbs and the big fish was almost 7lbs. It was a packed lake. I don't think Covid in my area is keeping people away at all. In fact, I think it's just the opposite. This will be my new fishing t shirt until further notice.

I tend to use braided line for topwater, thick vegetation, or for anything that requires the line to float. I wouldn't use braid as a general purpose line unless you are fishing in some pretty heavy cabbage all the time. I would go with either 12lb or 15lb FC for general use line, especially for the techniques you have mentioned above. Add some leader to the braid you are wanting to use and I would probably have a different opinion. With that said, 40lb would work but as mentioned 30lb might be a better choice in 832. Also, 832 is pretty good line.

I use both for T-Rigged plastic but prefer an X-Fast rod for deeper water and/or long casts and a Fast rod for baits I like to use in shallower water (4-6 ft range). This is a loose guide for me and not a strict rule. I also like X-fast rods for baits I like to pop off the bottom and fast rods for soft plastic that I either slow roll in (ribbon tail worms) or baits that I jerk and drop (senkos).

Casting, probably 12lb (maybe green). I will add that I would trust AJ's review and his comments on this better than mine since I only had it for such a short time.

6.x:1 is the best average usage ratio you can get. As a general rule of thumb..... 5.x:1 > Crankbaits 6.x:1 > General Purpose 7.x:1> Topwater and Lipless cranks.... And jigs if you want to pick the line up quickly. Also, I am not to sure a Daiwa Fuego would be my first choice up against snakeheads. Those fish can be monstrous and hard to bring in. A round reel or a larger baitcaster (if you want to stay with Daiwa >the Costal, Lexa or the Millionaire) would probably be better.

I tried it about 3 years ago and did not care for it. I think I had it on for about a month. I had so many knots break and line breaks in the spool that it only took one backlash for me to give in and get rid of it. From what I remember it did cast well.

When I have used leader in the past it was on casting gear. I used 50lb Green Power Pro with whatever I had left over from a filler spool of 12 or 15 lb line. My favorite leader though, Abrazx 15lb. It seemed like it was made for this task. But here lately, I have been using straight braid. I use it only for topwater. In your case, I like what you are currently using. If I had to pick, maybe the spinning set up. My thing with braid is that the pros and cons of using it never seem to push me away from using FC. With all that said, I just order a 600 yard spool of 16lb Sunline Xplasma for my jig and worm spinning set up. I told myself I would not do it again but here I am.

My father in law had a 2010 Ram Single Cab and it was a rust bucket. The bed started to rust after 5 years of ownership and then pretty much everything fell apart on it (electrical, braking system, every seal and hose, etc.) Dodge failed to cover it under warranty because he made the mistake of saying he put snow in the back to way it down in the winter. He did this with his 85' Dodge truck for as long I as I have known him and thing rusted but not like this one and it refused to die. The last straw was the steering column mount rusted and dissolved. He literally went to start it and the steering wheel fell through the dash and the column went straight to the ground. Sad thing was it only had about 50,000 miles on it. He had been brought up a die hard Mopar guy and became a certified Chrysler mechanic but now drives a 2019 F150. His entire family for three generations worked at Chrysler in some sort of fashion. They are probably rolling over in their graves.