FishTank

For around $50......... Spinning: Shimano Sahara or Pflueger President Baitcasting: Haven't found one yet that I would recommend

. Very Nice..... Will they ever be available at local bait shops and retailers?

I have been using 12lb Trilene Professional and have had zero issues with it but I did notice that when I used the KVD line conditioner, after the line had been dry for a couple of days the line become much stiffer. I would re-apply and it would be better but still stiff. I eventually stopped using it on this line and it has been just fine.

I don't tend to fish for catfish much anymore but I use to use a homemade dough balls made from Wheaties, syrup, shrimp, and flour. I would catch all kinds of catfish with this mixture but now I have been using Berkley Gulp Catfish bait. I easy to keep in my tackle bag but it really stinks. For a rod and reel I use a Shimano Calcutta and the an old 7' heavy rod. I will use an octopus circle hook with about 12in of leader tied to a 1/2oz egg sinker. I will just let it sit there until something hits the line.

For Crappie I like a 1/8 jig head and some type of live minnow or just a plain old bobber and a minnow. I also have had success with inline spinner baits and a 1/8oz jig head with a single tail grub.

Here in Indianapolis not to far from the Indy 500 there is a red light and turn trap. There is a one mile section where a four lane road goes to two because of construction and there are no left hand turns. The police are standing in the middle of the road ready to hand out tickets for all who get stuck between a light changing from green to yellow and eventually red because of the traffic. And guess what, if you try to turn left to avoid the traffic, you also get a ticket. Then at the next two lights if you try to make U-Turn (which use to be legal) so you can now turn south towards the track, the cops are there to give a ticket for that as well. Also no seat belt will get you a bonus ticket. To put it in perspective, a guy scalping tickets was arrested yesterday for having a sign that read "Welcome to Indy, tickets needed but not from IMP (Indianapolis Metro Police)". What ever happened to serve and protect?

I had a meeting today at work regarding four local companies that deliver products to us and one that delivers for us. They all are on the verge of going out of business. All of them use diesel trucks and simply can't stay competive enough in pricing to keep in business. I can't say I remember the specifics but on average they each have enough cash to keep things going for about 6 months. We are now in the process of looking else where. If this is how it is at my work, I wonder how it is effecting much larger companies. It is just plain sad.

I purchased a Quantum Tour Edition when they first came out and I really liked this reel but I too had quality issues with this reel. I ended up returning it. At the price range you are looking at, I would recommend the Daiwa Zillion but if Curado and the T.E. are your only choices I would go with the Curado.

If you're looking for a crankbait reel (and don't laugh), I would highly recommend the Shimano Calais 200APV. This is one of those reels words can't describe, you just have to fish it to enjoy it. It represents overkill in every manner possible, (mmm... with exception of the drag). It is the ultimate in smoothness and power. I am not sure what the drag is on it but I would compare the torque it can produce to a Shimano Calcutta. PS I know this is all well and good but you'll probablly come home with another Revo anyway.

I tried two spools of this stuff last year and found that I had issues with it breaking in cold water. Not sure why but it would break just about anywhere, at the knot, in the spool or just somewhere in the middle of the cast. But once the weather and water warmed up, this line worked out just fine.

I have the 6.2 to 1 101MG Core and love it. It casts a Senko better than any other reel I have owned. It also will pitch a jig with ease. On the downside it is not as smooth as I would like. I was thinking that it would be something like my Calais but the feel, minus the usual small amount of backplay from Shimano, reminds me of my Daiwa Zillion. Also, it is similar to the 50MG but costs quite a bit more. Bottomline, so far, it has become my favorite reel.

I bought two spools of it way back and both were just horrible. It had the worst memory and this line cost me more lost fish and lures than any line I have ever used. I had used XL for years and wanted to try something different from Berkley. Big mistake. However, I will give a big thumbs up for their new 100% Professional Fluorocarbon. Great line and it is the only fluoro. that lives up to the hype.

The Zillion would be my choice. Excellent reel.

Complete idiots......

OK I'll play.... I counted all six on the first try but I'm pretty sure, I'm no genius.

I sort of look at this way, I would rather invest $200 in a rod I can depend on, that is more sensitive and has a nice lifetime warranty than a rod that is $40 that I might be second guessing. To compare two rods from the same company, there is the St. Croix Triumph and the St. Croix Avid. The Triumph retails for around $40-$60 and the Avid for about $160. The Triumph I had was junk and the Avids I have are a quality, middle of the road, rod. Sometimes the old adage is true, you get what you pay for. Also, I have mentioned this before when I here people talk about highend/expensive equipment but here it is again.> On average most people spend about $1000 on a computer and $20 a month on internet service. If you can't afford to spend the cash on a quality rod and reel then what is the thought process on a computer and internet service. If I had to choose, the computer and internet service take a back stage to my fishing.

I have a pair from Native that I got for around $100. I have beat these things up pretty good and they still look great.

5in Senko black with blue flake.....

I have a Jansport back pack that I use for a tackle box now. It holds tons of stuff, it's water proof, tough as nails, inexpensive and it has a lifetime guarantee. It also has a spot with a built in cooler for a sandwich and a drink and another spot for a cell phone , mp3 player, or gps. I would also recommend the Falcon boxes. I can get 5-6 boxes in this backpack. It has worked out great for me so far.

Sam Adams Sam Adams Summer Lager Sam Adams Oktoberfest Newcastle Bud Light PS For those of you that drink Coors light, I can still remember when that was a girl only beer. Taste like water to me. but I guess water with alcohol is not a bad thing. ;D Just joking.....

I like the Gamma Copolymer. Last year I used the 14lb on my Shimano Calais. It cast better than most, the abbresion resistance was OK, knot strength was very good and handled quite well. My only complaint is that it was kind of stretchy, almost like mono. If I had not bought about 1000 yards of YoZuri dirt cheap at BPS last year, I would have purchased more this year. I think Gamma has a deal if you buy 2 spools, you get on free.

I say get the good stuff at a cheap price...... Watch for sales and coupons. Maybe even a used reel or rod in BR's Flea Market Section. But far as equipment goes that is inexpensive to begin with, you are going to take your chances. Some stuff is great for the weekend angler for occasional use. For me personally, I don't want to have to fight with my gear> I wan't the chance to be fighting for a big fish. If I think (and the key word is think) a quality reel or rod will give my a better chance of landing a monster, then I am all for it. This doesn't mean that I can't go out with my anceint Zebco 33 and not catch a quality fish. I just want there to be more fun, less frustration and lots of fish.

It was about 3 years ago that I started to buy new equipment to replace my first bass fishing arsenal which would be 17 years old. My setups included a Daiwa spinning reel (might have been something similar to the BaitRunner) and a matching rod that was used so much the paint was gone, a Zebco 33 (not sure of the rod), and a Ryobi spinning reel with a plastic spool with a Empire Surf rod.

I have the a high speed Zillion and love it. I have fished for two years and have no issues with it what so ever. I do recal the reel feeling tight when I purchased it and questioned the same thing but once I put line on it, it felt fine. I have had no issues with the drag but I don't fish for monster striper. I have caught a few 20+lb catfish and I was surprised at how fast and strong this reel was. It can get fish back to the boat in a hurry. As far as light weight baits go, it's ok but not great. It does OK with some 1/4oz cranks and great with 3/8oz cranks. Having a rod that will handle light weight baits helps this reel out a lot. I have fished mostly braid on this reel and it handles it quite well. I think I have said something like this before, the Zillion doesn't excel at one thing or the other but it does all things, on average, better than most other reels. It is the best balanced reel, IMHO, when it comes to casting, strength, smoothness, durability (so far) and price that I have used as of yet. I believe Redline Robert said something to the effect that other than the weight, the Zillion is very similar in feel and performance to the Steez.

I have seen this letter numerous times over the years and I have yet to see it make a difference. There are several ideas out there but here is something to think about. The US Military in Iraq consumes 400,000 barrels of oil a day. They are the biggest purchaser of oil in the world.