FishTank

I would say no to both. I use to use Ultra Soft and I liked it for years but all of sudden the current version started to break easily. I tried multiple spools for a few years and decided to give up. I just started using Defier Armilo and it is a stiffer line, IMHO. Regular Defier, though, is awesome. Soft line that casts a mile. I have been using 13lb and 17lb on casting gear and love it for crankbaits. On spinning gear though, I like Trilene XL 100% FC 6lb.

G. Loomis 803C GLX with a Shimano Core 101 and 12 lb Invizx.

When I was younger I had few spincast reels.... Zebco 33, Zebco Bullet, Daiwa Goldcast, and Daiwa Mini-Cast. They were all great and they, at that time for me, had their place. My favorite was the Mini-Cast. It was a blast to fish. It was like an ultra finesse reel. The days of fishing these reels have passed me by but they will always bring back great memories.

I have a 2019 Shimano Antares and an NRX 853C. Each time I have used it, I'm like..... What was I thinking? Followed by... Ya, it really is amazing. Then I don't feel so bad.

There is a guy I know (sort of), I have fished against him and he is sponsored by Aftco. They have nice stuff and I believe I saw him with one of the hoodies last year on a few occasions. If it is the one I am thinking of, I think it's less than $40, which is not too bad. My favorite summer time shirt though is Patagonia Capilene. I have yet to find it's equal. Am still searching for a sale on Megabass stuff. There are a few baits that I have a hard time paying full price for.

Got it. Thanks. Picked up a few odds and ends. Seems like a good site.

I have the 7'2'' Med. I have been repeating this too often but it is the best crankbait rod I have ever used. If I could own all the rods in this line up, I would. Just a thought on the Heavy... If the Med. I own seems big and heavy, I can only I imagine what the Heavy is going to be like. I think the diameter on the one I have is about double the size of my G. Loomis IMX Heavy 844C. If you are planning on using this for big cranks and heavy lipless cranks, at 7'11 that rod should cast them a country mile.

One of the guys I fish with uses E6X and likes them. I have tried a few of his and did not care for them. They seemed kind of cheaply made compared to other rods at that price point. They also felt kind of dead in hand to me. I am not knocking Loomis rods. I have serval and I am a big fan, just not these rods. Couple of suggestions around the same price.... St. Croix Legend Glass. Best crankbait rod I have used. I have the 7'2 Medium Mod. Another cheaper option and I just received this rod. I have used it once and right off the bat it's much better than expected.... Shimano Curado Crankbait 7'4'' MH Mod. I plan on using this as my dedicated square bill rod. It easy to load on a cast and can send a 3/8oz or 1/2oz square bill a long way. It's not very sensitive but it doesn't have to be. Last one.... St. Croix Avid.. all around great rods and probably the best bang for the buck.

I was just on their site. Where in checkout do you use the coupon code? I can't find it. Thanks

I cut mine into pieces and recycle them at work. I try to keep one or two on hand.

Today was a lot of fun despite the heavy rain. I caught this guy and a couple of weird ones.. I caught a yellow striped bass and a silverish-gray walleye. I wish I got a pic of the walleye though. It was about 6-7lbs. No brown or green at all. I have never seen anything like it.

Nice fish. Enjoy. Smallmouths are the best, BTW.

So for the rod that I broke in the window, I used the G.Loomis Xpeditor Service. It's a fee based warranty program that allows you to get a new rod rather quickly and for pretty much whatever reason. They send you the new rod and you send them the old one back. In my case, I paid $100 to get the rod replaced and since the rod I had was discontinued, I was upgraded to the next line of rods, which is the IMX. I could have chosen pretty much any IMX rod but I got the same rod in a longer length.

I haven't used it in years but it used to be good line. Very similar to XL. I would say it was sort of in between Stren and XL.

So I called about two rods that I had broken, one was probably operator error and the other was in the usual car door/window. The first was a G. Loomis 783C CBR. I broke this rod putting it in my truck. It was my fault but I thought why not see what could be done. So I called and asked about the Xpeditor Service. Since this rod was no longer made, I was upgraded to an IMX... Awesome. Next I asked about a rod I cracked slightly a few years ago (Shimano Crucial 2nd generation), pulling in a fish and some cabbage out of the water. It was really dumb on my part but the rod cracked under the weight and was still useable so I never called. After they did some research, they called me back and they are sending me a Shimano Curado in place of the Crucial. The overall experience was great and the guys I talked to seemed more knowledgeable than usual. The times I have called them in past my experience was not the best. They did give me some info on their current situation..... They are not doing warranty claims but they are doing the Xpeditor Service if they have the rod in stock. Certain rods in the NRX and GLX lines are in short supply. Sales have been good all year, even now. Since their factory is closed down for the time being and some of the wrapping is outsourced this has compounded the inventory issue. I got the impression they are working in the offices and shipping rods and reels from their facility in Charleston, SC. Here is their response from the G. Loomis website. Also, please take my experience as a positive thing and don't turn it in into something else.

I kind of like the G. Loomis 853C NRX but it's overkill. Also, I like the 783C GLX and 844C GLX if I use a trailer. Both of these rods will do just about anything.

I can't speak for the SLX but I do enjoy the Curado DC.

If your budget is unlimited..... Daiwa Steez SV TWS. There is pretty much nothing this reel can't handle, smooth, light and handle anything from about 1/8oz to 3/4oz easily.

What reel is it specifically that you are trying to work on? It would help to better find parts. Also, it is not uncommon for $100 and below priced reel to have repair parts cost, like you stated, around 1/2 of the cost of the reel. You can get the 3x10x4 from Shimano for $5, the 4x10x4 for $9 at Boca (stainless), and the 5x11x4 also at Boca for $4 (radial stainless). the Boca's will be the correct size but are not probably shielded for fishing. I would think as long as you oil them and not dunk them in water, you would be OK. This should put you at about $25 with shipping for the 3 bearings.

Forgot one, maybe two... The St. Croix Truimph. Granted it was $60 but it was not a good rod. Next, an All Star rod (can't remember the model). It snapped at the tip and cracked at the bottom. Might have been user error but it came highly recommend. It never felt right in hand and it felt cheaply made.

The original Fenwick Elite Tech Bass. I have the 7' Heavy. It's a pool cue. It's a great catfish rod and maybe good for a few heavier jigs but it's not sensitive, it's heavy and it doesn't balance well with anything I have ever put on it and it even has a weight set in the butt of the rod to help. I should have, at that time, bought a St. Croix Avid. It was only $30-$40 more. I later purchased another Elite Tech spinning rod in the newer version. It's pretty good, no regrets with this one.

In a way the build quality may be better on the Legend Elite but not by much. As far as the guides go, I like the recoil guides. I think and this is just a guess, that they are what makes the rods just a little bit more sensitive. I am not a huge fan of braid but if memory serves me right, if you torque down on the rod with braid the recoil guides can groove. I would hope they have improved this over the years. Also, I can't recall anyone ever saying this happened on the NRX rods.

I have both the rods you are looking at and both are great but the NRX is by far my favorite. The St.Croix is well built, sensitive and a bit more stout. The NRX is lighter and more sensitive. Is it worth the extra cost? Maybe but when it comes to rod sensitivity, it's very subjective and the law of diminishing returns is definitely a factor to consider with your purchase. If it were me, I would go with the NRX for sure. My only complaint about this rod is that it doesn't load as well as I like for long casts but it's like a magic wand at everything else. Its definitely a pleasure to fish.

I have been using 6lb Trilene XL 100% FC for a few years now and have had zero issues. Good stuff. I am not fan of braid on spinning gear.

I have been doing a little here and there but I don't have to worry about passing time. Where I work, I have absorbed two other people's jobs and we have been as busy as ever. Business has been booming. I really can't figure it out. It's starting to catch up with us though. We have a limited amount of workers (some out sick with the virus, a few in quarantine, and few in the hospital) and more work than we can do in a week. Luckily our customers are understanding. My wife is working from home and my kids still have school, online. So what does that mean for fishing... I fish when I can. I have been able to get out for a few Saturdays since the weather has been better but I have spent more than my fair share of time online shopping for fishing gear and what not. This weekends damage.... Mulch, fertilizer, plants, soil and bug killer Shutters for the windows Riding tractor maintenance> Fuel filter, air filter, oil change and spark plug New Battery and Cable for daughter's truck Weber Grill 2 pairs of boots (work and hiking) G.Loomis 903C IMX Pro Patagonia Fishing Shirt 2 sets of Boca Bearings for old reels New NRS Chinook Life Vest And....2 hours of fishing