FishTank

Personal preference ........... jerkbaits + braid + spinning gear = aggravation Baitcaster 7.x retrieve, 7' and under MH Fast rod with a soft tip, and 12lb FC = ?

My favorite so far is a G. Loomis 783C GLX and a Shimano Core. The rod is just about perfect.... Soft tip, sensitive, shorter length, and a slightly shorter handle. As far as the reel goes, it just does the job well.

Sunline Natural works for me.

If you can't get it fixed, I have a the Abu Garcia ALX (new version is the AL-F) and it is a fun little reel. You can pick it on Amazon for about $200. The only down side to this reel, is the finish.

I had the Chronarch 51e do the same to me a few years ago. I had cleaned and lubed it each year but one year it started giving a back lash about every other cast. I kept scratching my head as to what it could be.... I cleaned and lubed it again, same result. I replaced the brakes, same result. Took it to a local guy to look it over and repair, he found nothing wrong with it. But then.... As usually with stuff like this, it was something simple. I found one of the pins that the brakes rest on was dull looking, sort of a worn appearance. I oiled (very lightly with a swab) the pins and cleaned and lubed the inside brake frame. It has worked great ever since.

I have been using a Curado K this year and so far it has been great. You can get it on Amazon for $152..... https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-LowProfile-Baitcasting-Freshwater-Fishing/dp/B0756NR3Z7/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=shimano%2Bcurado&qid=1558130062&s=gateway&sr=8-1&th=1&psc=1

...If I had to pick one, G. Loomis 6'6'' MH Fast 783C GLX but an alternative St.Croix Avid 7' MH Fast (way less sensitive but it covers everything).

I think there are a bunch of factors in why they produce so well........ Salt, fall rate, they wiggle differently, maybe overall quality. But IMHO, the thing that makes them hard to stomach sometime is also the thing that makes them great and that is how soft they are. With a 4/0 EWG, this bait is usually a one fish and done piece of soft plastic but I think the softness also allows the hook to sink in better/faster.

I have couple that I like for jerkbaits. My personal favorite is the G.Loomis 783C GLX. It has a nice soft tip and the 6'6'' length is perfect. The sensitivity is about as good as it gets. Also, I can use this rod for just about anything. My other favorite is the St. Croix Avid 7' MH Fast. I like this one for Vision 110's and LC 100 SP's and anything bigger.

One of the guys I fish with uses the E6X and loves it. Personally I did not care for it that much. I love Loomis rods but this one was not my style. It just seemed way different from anything G. Loomis has ever made. The St. Croix Legend Tournament is a fine rod series though. I don't think you can go wrong with this one. But if you are comparing St. Croix to G Loomis, the LT is closer to the old IMX line. Both great rods. If you want to save a few bucks, I would also look at the St. Croix Avid. The sensitivity is similar to the LT, just a fuzz less sensitive.

Grease on gears only. If you put it on everything it might effect the performance over time. Oil on everything else. Also, a little goes a long way.

It would be a couple bucks over you budget but the St. Croix Avid series has been great for me. This would be the three I would pick. Spinning> 6'8 M X-Fast - Soft plastic (weightless), spinner baits, and light jigs Casting> 7 MH Fast - General purpose, topwater, jerk baits, jigs, and weighted softplastic (has worked for everything) 7 M Mod - Crankbaits

Agreed. I like the DC over the K. It's weird how it is somehow slightly smoother. The E was great but the BSF was the one that lit the fire for me on the Curados. With that said, I also have the G and it has been a great reel. I know people dog it but I have never had an issue and it cast great.

I saw a duck lure on a shelf at Dicks, feathers and all, and got a chuckle. I thought who would buy such a dumb thing. Then I saw this. Never saw this happen in real life but I guess that is how nature is....

Recently I received some questionable Invizix from Amazon. After seeing many pictures, I thought the stuff I had was bad. I sent some pics to Seaguar and they said it was the good stuff. Not sure how the packaging could be so different but I since moved on. There is one fake line that I have seen at shows, online (eBay) and at a small tackle shop and that's Power Pro. I guess the fake version has been made for years now. Here is an article on how to spot it.... https://www.thecounterfeitreport.com/product/598/Fishing-Lines.html

Did I miss something? I checked amazon and it's $146 for a 1000 yard spool of 15lb. I was excited.... Great line though. The best I have ever used.

My favorite is a G. Loomis 803C GLX> Light, sensitive, and a little stiff but can cast a jig a mile. Another would be a St. Croix Legend Elite 7' MH Fast. Same as the 803C but the tip is a little softer (less fast) in that respect. Also, I find it to be a more versatile rod.

I tried in the past in (I think) 12lb. It did not perform well for me. In this type of line, I like Big Game and CXX.

10^ Amazing as always..... Not for everybody but man these guys are just bad a**.

How did your team do? Being a Colts fan, I always hope things work out well but there are typically a lot of question marks. This year it was a little different...... ?

You are lucky and I am glad they you got it fixed, especially for free. My experience has not been that great with their reel repair service.

I have the older 844C IMX and at $100, it's a steal.

For me, I like a MH Fast for a general purpose rod but it depends on what you through the most. It also depends on the rod too. In the St. Croix Avid line, they tend to be one power heavier than most other rods. I would put the rod in your hands and check it out for yourself. You may find a M Fast may work just fine. I think the 7' M Fast Avid is great for jerk baits and weightless soft plastic and the 7' MH Fast is great for T-Rigged senkos with a 1/8 oz - 3/16oz bullet weight or medium sized jigs. The 7' M Fast seems to have a softer tip and the MH is, overall, a stiffer rod. I am not big on Moderate rods unless it is for crankbaits.

Keep it and put together a general purpose setup. Sometimes good to have a rod and reel that will get the job done, no matter what you want to through. Also, I try not get caught up in how fast a reel is anymore. I find that I tend to pay attention to how the reel feels and how fast I need to crank it to get that desired feel. Each reel is a little different that respect.

I have the Abu Garcia Fantasista Regista 7' M Fast and it is fine rod. I would say the sensitivity is on par with most of the G Loomis GLX's I have but it doesn't have that magical balancing feel, of say my 783C GLX. In the price range you are looking at, I would say the St. Croix Legend Tournament 7' MH Fast is a great get it all done rod. The Avid is also a fine rod at a few dollars less.