FishTank

Don't know yet. I just got them and my lakes are still frozen. I have high hopes. Out of the package though, they are a well made jig and they have two rigging options. You can rigged your trailer the regular way, by threading it on or you can use the twist lock it has on it and make it weedless. Pretty cool.

I would say yes but prior to using a Blue Label, I would use whatever I had left over from a filler spool. Then when Seaguar Gold Label came out I was not going back to using whatever. There is one exception, Tatsu. I still like this stuff for leader. I keep some 12lb left over from a filler spool on my kayak. After Gold Label, I started using a few different ones and noticed the different properties each one had. For instance, I really like Seaguar Grand Max and Grand Max FX. Grand Max is tough and strong but FX is stretchier and has excellent knot strength. Another is Daiwa Saltiga X Link. Great all around stiff leader. One other is Varivas Absolute. This one is soft but durable. I think it comes down to..... does the leader you use hold up and does it have good knot strength? For me the answer is yes, regular leader material is worth it. I end up changing it less and it just does what it supposed to do, bring in fish.

Thanks ! You clearly share my like for the classic round reel. Yes I was debating 200 vs 100 a bit too. I know my old 200 for sure feels a bit large on my 3 power Loomis. Is that a Imx pro the 100 is on and if it is what model? That is what I would be putting in on an MBR783 so curious how it compares to your Imx there Good eye. It's an IMX Pro 903C CBR, totally different rod from the 783C. I have an older (20 years ago maybe) 783C GLX with a Chronarch 51e. I would think the older 200 would feel pretty large on it. I also have an older 251 Calcutta and it feels heavy and big on a swimbait rod by today's standards. I don't think you could go wrong with either the 100 or 200. I would advise when you get it to give it a little bit of a break in period. All of the new ones I have seemed to need a few hours of fishing to get to its full potential. You basically go from smooth to super smooth so no big deal.

I have one each of the new Conquest 100 sized reels (101, 31 and BFSx2). They are all the same body but with different capabilities. Love each one of them. They are smaller than the previous versions, more like the old 50. I use the 101 for crankbaits. It's great but I was use to the old size of my 101 GT TE and sometimes wonder if I should have purchased a 200 instead as it closer to the old 100. In any case, the 100 will be fine as a general use reel.

I am fairly certain that, that was not the case but it would definitely do it. The particular reel in question was an old Stradic 2500 FH. I would always check the drag before going out by pulling the line, something I was taught when I was kid. I never set it tight. My guess, it got exposed to too much heat or was stepped on but I really don't know for sure. I swapped the cap from another reel and the issue followed the cap. I ordered another one from Shimano and moved on.

I have seen the video with Geoffrey but what I was referring to was a guy I saw win a local tournament last year on this jig combo. He blew everyone away with it and it was pretty much all he fished. He would come up to spots we picked apart, just slow roll it from long distance and the fish would come up and smash it. I was determined at that point to find some. I even tried a 4in and 5in spark shad on several other swim jigs but never had that great of success. I had better luck with the 5in Magdraft. Like you, I am waiting for the ice to melt. So it's going to be a few before I find out if these things will work.

Already opened a topic on the PD Choopers but I thought I would post all of what the Monkey got me for. I also got some custom spinnerbaits made but the guy who made them asked me to keep his stuff quiet. Says he's too busy as is. Hope they work as good as he claims. I think the plastic from 6th Sense might be my new favorite, especially the Congo Craw.

So I was once again victimized by the Bait Monkey. If you can believe it, this was around $135. All because I saw a guy just kill it on this bait last year. In particular, it was the Ayu color combo. I have been hunting for them since but they are always sold out. Sad thing is, I'm still waiting on more 5in Magdrafts and Spark Shads to come in. Next, might be a new rod purchase. Anyone have success with these? Are they worth the hype?

If it is a baitcaster, I would start with checking the line as @Glenn suggested. I would also check the idle gear below the main gear. If it is broken, random weird stuff can occur. Also, the anti reverse ratchet could be slipping off of the main gear. Maybe installed upside down. Both of these are unlikely but a possibility. On spinning gear, one of my old Stradics did something like this. I swapped the cap from another 2500 Shimano and it fixed it. No idea why.

Have you tried Plat. It would be a JDM part. Not all are a perfect fit but most are. https://www.plat.co.jp/shop/catalog/partsorder.php?products_id=570

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Sounds good. Just one more suggestion, I would go slightly heavier on the PE line, maybe #1.0. My recent struggles with #0.8 have caused me to go heavier. I mainly got tired of fighting the wind and my leader knots weren't always the best (eyes are getting old). I also up sized my leader to 10lb. I really haven't noticed any issues with going slightly heavier, just less frustration and less fished lost. Also, the drag on my two Twin Powers hits immediately. It definitely has a quick start up, which was another reason I went to a heavier line.

That is a really old color. I think they brought it back in a limited release a few years ago but I haven't seen it since. I have a Deep-X Leviathan in it. It's a good basic natural color. There are a few other colors that are similar to it. I would check out GP Pro Green.

I have the previous Vanquish C3000MHG and the current C2500S (not 2026). Both have taken a beating and both work great. I was going to suggest one but I like the Twin Power a bit better. As far as which rod for which reel, I am not familiar with the Hedgehog Syringe but if its the new Evoluzion version, I would think that it has a soft tip and a stronger backbone than the Flyssa. Both the Certate and Twin Power are strong, heavy duty reels. I would think you couldn't go wrong either way. The double handle on the Certate helps balance it out and the Twin Power is fine as is. I think I would go Certate on the Hedgehog Syringe and Twin Power on the Flyssa. On the other hand, the drag on the Vanquish is better suited for light rods. I can't explain it. It's one of things you would only notice if put all three reels head to head against each other.

I have both the 2500 Certate with the double handle and the 2500 Twin Power. Both great reels but my favorite, hands down is the the Twin Power. Its smoother and I feel more conected to it. The Certate is really good though. I use it for wacky Senkos on a NRX+ 872s. The 2500 Twin Power is on a P5 Windbuster. I liked the Twin Power so much I bought another but I got the 2000 model. I have it on a P5 Whippet. I use it for small swimbaits and little shad raps. Its a fun set up and it can cast a long way.

@Brycecover Is this the sounds you're getting? Hopefully I clipped this right. It should be around the 1hr mark. Also, I watched this in hopes of learning something about FFS but that didn't happen 😔. https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkxub1VQNGh-QAl70A1ECjv9_kpMoR4VHe4?si=ILKtm-GXEP_-diXM Each Tatula variation I have has made this sound at some point. Just Tatulas, not any Steez or Zillion I have owned. It doesn't seem to effect the performance of the reel but sound is annoying. I have sent two reels off to Daiwa for this and they come back fine but they eventually started making the same sounds again. Also, this is the first video where I have clearly heard the noise.

I like the 3700 Plano Edge boxes and the knock off ones from KastKing. The Plano Edge Jig box does crush some of the weed guards on jigs but I just fold them back when I put on a trailer. It's not a big deal. I do like the Edge Terminal boxes and the Spinnerbait box. On the KastKing boxes, I like the latch better. They hold up and do their job. I think the problem for me is that I have too much stuff and I cram the boxes full of specific baits. Lately, I have been just carrying two 3700 boxes in a backpack with my favorites and a few new ones. I put my terminal in small pouches. I keep soft plastic in one of dividers in the same backpack. When I am done fishing, I cycle through those baits and pick out some different ones for the next trip.

Zoom lizard, wacky senko, or a jig. Sometimes a small crankbait will fire them up as well.

If those were the only options.... 20lb Invizx but I prefer a lighter line usually 12 or 14lb. I have used Invizx, Sniper, R18 or Tatsu for bladed jigs with no issues.

My favorite set up for 3/16oz cranks is a Megabass P5 Kasumi Six Eleven with a Shimano Calcutta Conquest and 6lb Sunline Invizible. It was by far my best producing set up last year. If there was a day where nothing was biting, I always caught something with it. I like the rod so much, I picked up another one. My favorite bait, Evergreen PC-5. I can't explain it. I have tons of other baits but this one has caught fish on every lake I have been to.

The Carbon Ultra might be worth a try. I am sucker for new line anyway but I am equally critical of it if it doesn't perform. I wonder how it compares to R18 LTD? I am good on line until maybe July of this year. I will probably wait until then. I also want to give the Toray Exthread that @bulldog1935 suggested. It's seems to be similar in cost to a lot of other lines.

I would go with a 6.x:1. Even though I have few slow Calcuttas, I don’t see the need anymore for slower reels, especially if its for a general purpose crankbait reel. You can take a 6.x:1 and speed it or slow it down as needed.

@Brycecover I was sent a one time use code from KastKing. Not exactly sure how to get it. I have used it a few more times but on a limited basis. I went out on my kayak a few days after Christmas and to a local pond. I unfortunately didn't catch anything on it on those two days. It did cast well and was fun to use. If you are deciding between the Metanium and MG Ti, I would go with the Metanium but with right line the MG Ti can do light weight lures. For me, I have several reels and wanted to try something outside the box and the MG Ti fit the bill.

@HawkeyeSmallie Sounds good. I don't think you can go wrong with the GLX rods for what you want to throw. For a bladed jig/spinnerbait rod, the NRX+ is overkill but sure is a pleasure to fish. In the really old GLX line, I still have a 783C MBR and an 844C MBR GLX. I have used both rods for spinnerbaits and they work ok but they are also really versatile. For me, I actually like the split grip on some rods, especially for jigs and worms. I think the tip on the BJR rods is softer than the MBRs as well. It comes down I think to a personal choice. Also, the only new GLX rods I have is an 803c that I got through Loomis' warranty service. It is definitely lighter than the old one and has more of JDM feel to it. I have really liked it so far.

Its a trout bait. Its the Bassday Mononofu 50s. I use it for smallmouth but it catches everything. Its one of my top producing baits. Be prepared to change hooks often. I fish it on BFS gear with 5 or 6lb Sunline Invisible FC.