FishTank

Picked up 5 bags of these form Gander Mountain when they had them for $1 a bag. I have had zero luck with them and the ones I have used have not lasted long when it is hot outside. They sort of melt. On the other hand I can find senkos for 2 for $10 or 2 for $12 with a $10 off $50 coupon that makes them $4-$5 a bag. I have also tried KVD version and Dingers. The Dingers are not bad but I have better luck with Senkos. I can't remember it was years ago but there was an online source that sold a senko knock offs for $3-$4 a bag and they were awesome. I ordered 200 from them and it took me a long time to use them with all the other stuff I had. Bottomline, if it works for me, I don't mind paying a couple of bucks but I if I can find a deal that works better, I'd be all over it.

Senkos, Fat Ika, and Zoom Lizards (in that order)....

I have one from Falcon but I don't think they make it any more. I have tried to find another one but no luck.

I have tried this same experiment with braid. I too don't feel happy with it. I like braid for fishing heavy coverage but it is not my go to line of choice. I like Yozuri Hybrid and Invisix. Tatsu is on my list for next year.

Ya, not the norm and it seemed liked forever but I may have overstated it. Below may explain a little..... The pond I was on has a lot of algae growth in patches. Any big fish will try to run for cover and at that distance I had to play it slow. I was using 10lb test line and I brought in about 2lbs of salad plus the fish. This would have gone quicker if I had been using braid. I also had the drag set kind of light. The drag washers need to be replaced on this reel as well. It just happens to be my favorite so I had to take it with me today. I was hoping to be able to wait until next year to service this reel. I have had it for 7 years and have never replaced the bearings or the drag washes. I think it is time.

Sorry no pic. My phone was acting up... Anyway.... I hit a local pond today and usually the fish I catch are in the 3lb range, which is great for a pond like this. I caught two this size today and then I hit a one that was in the 5-6lb range, biggest of the year so far. It just destroyed the senko I was using. It is always the greatest feeling when a big fish just tags a bait like its angry and hungry. I caught it with a G Loomis MBR 783GLX and Shimano Core. It was a blast. The fish hit the bait as soon as it hit the water. It was a long cast so I had to fight it for about 10-15min. Thanks for reading... I just thought I would share.. I was kind of excited.

Well done. In MD that is a huge fish.

Spinning or Baitcasting? I have the 6'8" MHXF Avid spinning rod and love it. It is great for Texas rigged lizards and senkos. I did have at one time the 7' MHXF Avid casting rod and did not care for it as much. I did not like the hump on the handle and seemed to load weird on a cast, making it difficult to cast accurately. I ended up returning it to BPS. I did feel sort of bad returning because I knew I was just being picky but the sales guy said, "If you don't like it, bring it back." If it is a casting rod and you don't mind the hump at the handle, then I guess I would pick the MHF. In any case, the avid is a fine rod.

The Ika is my go to bait. I have not fished any similar baits or knock offs but I can't imagine it being any better than the Ika. They hold up well. If one end tears, I can put the hook through the other and still catch fish. I have caught everything from bass, catfish, bluegills, crappies, walleye, wipers, smallmouth and lake trout.

Works well in all conditions but dark or murky water the best.

For that application, I have been using a Fenwick 7'3" H Elite Tech Smallmouth Rod. This rod has been discontinued but the are coming out with a Bass Series that has an improved version of this rod. I use it for all of my heavy stuff. It works great for everything from Crankbaits to heavy jigs. It has a great warranty and their customer service is second to none.

If it is the new generation, the Revo maybe slightly better. I look at this way, the Citica is just a good basic reel that just keeps doing it's job. On the other hand, when you put the Citica in your hand, it's seems cheaply made compared to the Revo S. I think overall though, based on long term use, I would go with the Citica.

Braid to me is the most sensitive but that is not always a good thing. It just depends on the application.

Nice... Best give her a big hug.

I believe the weight rating are sort of a guide line but not a rule to follow. I think commonsense is in order when using lures that are over or under the limit. I just look at the weight ratings as a way for the manufacture to tell us that is where the rod performs best.

I have Fenwick elite tech smallmouth rod and a couple of avids. Both are nice rods. The Fenwick casts further but the avids might be a litte more sensitive. If it's a casting rod,I would go with the Fenwick and for spinning, the avid.

I tried some hi vis line a few years ago. I did catch fish but the small blue gill kept pecking at the line. It got annoying and I never went back.

I like Aaron's Pro Magic and Hologram Shad.

It sounds over stocked. Pike and musky in 6ft of water with bass? I would guess that you need to hit the pond early when the fish are feading, pick up some 5 in Senkos (any dark color), rig it weightless with a 4/0 EWG hook (check out the Senko sticky), and if there are bass in there, you should hit something.

I ordered some megabass lures from Japan via an ebay store. They shipped them EMS and I got them in 3 days. Oddly enough I ordered some lures at the same time that came from California. They were shipped UPS Ground. It took over a week to get them. You just never know.

So far Power Pro has been my favorite.

Nicely done. How does it feel with the Curado? I have a Curado G and the previous version of the Crucial (Crankbait rod). They seem to made for each other.

Invisix or Trilene 100% FC.

I was able to pick up and cast a new IMX 844c rod this weekend. It was paired with a Daiwa Zillion. This was also not on water, just a casting plug outside a tackle shop. With that said, I have the old 844c and the new one reminded me of my Shimano Crucial. It may be the split grips. It was lighter and the sensitivity was about the same but overall it felt unbalanced with the reel that it was paired with. It was kind of tip heavy and stiffer. Again this was not on water. My opinion may totally change if water and a fish was involved. One thing though, it looked less conservative compared to other G. Loomis rods. In the end, I think if this rod is paired with the correct reel, it might have felt better.

I have a high speed zillion and do like it but I tend to like my Shimano reels better. In general, I find myself getting more backlashes with the Zillion and the braking seems inconsistent. It also does not cast small lures well, 3/8 oz lures and above work the best. I find myself messing with the brakes more often with this reel. I can't speak for the Curado I but maybe you just need to give it some time.