FishTank

Decided to do some bluegill fishing last night. I was pretty awesome. It felt like I caught some sort of fish on every cast. All the bluegill I caught were really good size.

How did this go? Catch anything good? What did you end up using?

At my lakes, jigs are the most expensive bait to fish. There seems to be these magic portals that suck them into another universe. Between softplastic and hard baits.... It's probably softplastic simply because I am fishing them more often and get hung up with them more so than I do with hardbaits.

I think I might hang on to it for a while. I really like it for deep cranks. I also need to figure out why the thumb bar keeps sticking on the 6.x:1 model. It's probably something I did when I worked on it. It's weird. It may not happen at all one day and then next it starts back up. Sort of. I can only describe it as flex in the whole reel when it is under load with either a fish on or with a deep crankbait/jerkbait. I first noticed it in the 16 Steez SV about 2 years after buying it. I think I have mentioned this a few times. For some odd reason in my head I thought it was the frame material but the more I used it, the more I noticed it and thought it had to be something else. My guess is, if someone besides me were to use it, they would never feel it. I think back then, I was using the Steez SV for soft plastic and Shimano Antares 70A for jigs. The difference in the feel of these reels probably made it more noticeable. The Antares is solid like a tank that powers fish in with no movement and Steez SV is light and easy going (more finesse).

The Zillion has loosened up over time and use. If I fish the HD Zillion side by side with regular version, you can't mistake the difference. They were very close in feel at one time. Also, I have taken my Zillion apart more than once since I bought it and you can tell the difference there as well in the parts. Again none of this bothers me. I do totally agree with you on the body construction on the Metanium being better.

As of right now the Metanium is definitely tighter in feeling than the Zillion. Its not really much and it doesn't bother me in slightest. The Metanium does have some back play to it like most Shimano reels but very little compared to the reels of old. I would describe what I feel in the Zillion as more of a flex than wiggle room though. I have same feeling with my older Steez SV, Costal 80, Steez CT and I'm starting to get it in one of my Steez A IIs. I don't have that feeling in the new Steez SV TW, Steez SV Limited, Tatula BF 70 or the Zillion HD. With my Metaniums, they felt a little stiff out of the box, have loosened up a fuzz, and feel perfect to me know. I would also say the same about the four Calcutta Conquests and the Bantam I have. The Shimano reels with the most play I have, have been the Curado BFS reels. They function and feel OK but seem sort of clunky. I do like them though. Also, out the reels in question. The 20 Metanium has seen the most abuse, followed by the Zillion. That particular Metanium has been probably seen four times as many fish as the Zillion and some big accidental catfish as well.

I feel the same about the HD. I am starting to like it better than the Steez A II I have. I feel more connected to it, if that makes sense.Also, it might actually be a little smoother as well.

I've liked my Zillion so far. Easy to use and cast a mile. I have Shimano and Daiwa reels and like both in their own way. As far as a comparison, I like my Metaniums more for jigs and softplastic but the Zillion I like for everything else. Also, just an observation but I think the Metaniums will out last the Zillion. The Zillion I have is starting to feel broken in and a little loose but still awesome. While the Metaniums feel exactly like they did when I bought them.

Not sure of your budget but check out Tenryu. I have the Rayz Integral RZI484B-L. I have caught bass, crappie, trout and bluegill on this rod. Its a blast to fish and a work of art. It is soft and light so you can't pull big fish from cover but for fishing small streams and ponds, its great.

I haven't fished it a long time. My C-rig fishing has been replaced by the free rig. If I want to make more like a C-rig, I put a bobber stopper on it and move the weight where I please. Another option I have tried is the Decoy Switch weight. It works pretty well but I have yet to put 100% of my trust in the design.

I would say the same about the Slinko. I have turned to cutting the tail off and wacky rigging it. With the swim senko, I can't catch anything on it if I Texas rig it but as a swim jig or bladed jig trailer, its not bad. I trim it down about a 1/2in to an 1in. There are better options though.

I haven't fished a speed worm this year but in the past I would use 1/8oz bullet weight pegged and a 4/0 or 5/0 Owner Cover Shot HD skin hooked on the side of the worm. If it got torn or it wasn't getting bit, I would cut the tale off and wacky rig it. Its not ideal but it works.

I have the 904C NRX+ and the 894C NRX+. I use the 904C for all kinds of stuff that is around a 1/2oz (except cranks), including football jigs. My favorite jig rod is the 894C though. Both have plenty of power but when it comes to jigs I tend to like the 904C for deep water dragging and the 894C for everything else. The 894C may feel a little more sensitive to me but it's probably the faster taper. So for me the 904C is more versatile but for jigs 894C is my go to.

I adjust it as needed based on the weight of the lure, wind, and how the rod loads. I have found most of my stuff runs between 1/16 to 1/4oz. Unlike the Curados of old where they were sort of a set it and forget it kind of reel, the Curado BFS, and pretty much any BFS reel I have fished, you need to keep an eye on it when fishing lures on the lighter end of the spectrum. This could also be my way of casting as well. Just keep in mind the rod, reel and line all work together to make these little lures easier to cast.

https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/e-commerce/faqs

The tariff is being charged to the manufacturer and they are raising prices to offset the costs. If you order from Japan, you could be charged import duties which is different from the tariff. Also, the exchange rate is no longer in our favor. I also just went through a few orders from last year and the prices I paid are the same in yen for rods and reels. For instance at JLS, the Twin Power I bought on May 29, 2024 was 44,400 yen same as it is today. It came out to $281 at a rate of 0.00634 and today it is $306 at a rate of 0.00690, which is still pretty good.

Thier inflation rate has been steady at around 3-4%. It has hit food and rent the hardest but this is due to a pay increase across Japan. Exported goods are influenced by tariffs.

Have you noticed the costs (yen) of specific baits on JDM sites have gone up? I think they are trying to spread the impact of the tariff out across their markets. Also, in my conversation he mentioned some give and take in the costs increase so it may not be exactly 24% but it was mentioned that this summer will be difficult on the bait industry. In what exact way, I'm not sure at this point and until we see it in the things we use most often (terminal and softplastic), it won't really hit home.

I had a conversation with the owner of a popular online store and let's say they have a lot of JDM stuff. This is just the beginning. 24% tariff price increase from Japan.

So I went to a high pressured pond tonight to test out and fish one bait I have been avoiding, the OSP HP Bug weightless (about 2.5g). I was using a size #2 EWG hook with a San Diego Jam knot, #1 PE Sunline Almight, 8lb FC Sunline Grand Max leader, Megabass P5 Siglett, and Shimano Curado BFS. This whole thing is a challenge for me to say the least. I can only cast it about 30-40 feet. I needed my A game with casting, setting the hook and bringing them in. I caught 11 bass (and some good ones), a gazillion bluegill, and a couple of crappie. No break offs. It was a blast. Just totally fun fishing. The rod was the key. X-fast tip with a Moderate/Slow middle but no way am I taking this rod on to a deep water lake. Its a toothpick.

For me, I hold the rod parallel to the floor, have some one hold the tip and I then lift up. This way I can tell what the rod will feel like with a big fish on. My wife hates it. 😁

1/2oz, squeaky like a rusted door hinge, black for cloudy days, white for sunny days and silver or gray for clear water. No trailer.

I have had no issues with using the San Diego Jam knot. I've been using both braid to leader and straight fluorocarbon. What I've found in my fishing when it comes to BFS soft plastic/jigs and breaking off, is the rod, hook and my hook sets are key. Thinner wire hooks work best. A soft, more let the fish hook themselves hook set. The rod is the main component though. For me, I want it to have a fast to x-fast tip and a soft middle. This let's you set the hook, and then helps ease up the strain on your line as you are fighting the fish and trying to keep it pinned.

I like a lot of Seaguar lines but not a fan of Abrazx so either Invizx or Tatsu. To me Invizx is more user-friendly but Tatsu more durable, longer lasting and has better knot strength.

Amazon has select colors of 5in Senkos for $3.50. You'll have to hunt through them but its definitely a great deal.