freelancer27

Looking for a J.I.G. rod though I think the qualities of a great Jig rod would be wasted for Frogging, no?

Why is that? Isnt the rod more for pitching (as the name implies)?

I have a different rod for frogs, so I think I want to specialize this rod for Jigs (and occasionally other things like chatterbaits, paddle tail swimbaits, spinnerbaits). So, it seems like a MH - H might be the better: so these two options : * St. Croix Legend Elite Casting Rod 7'1" Med Hvy * St. Croix Legend Elite Casting Rod 7'4" Heavy I have a Daiwa Steez XT Casting Rod 7' Med Hvy that I can use to throw lighter jigs and Trigged plastics. The sensitivity on the rod is ok, hence I would like to get a top of the line rod for heavier jigs (1/2 oz - 1 oz jigs with trailer). I prefer a longer handle because it just gives me a bit more control when setting the hook.

Thanks guys! Ok, going to look closer at the MH as well then. I am planning to throw anything from 1/2 oz - 1.5 oz with the rod (most of the time Jigs, other single hook lures). I want a longer rod than 7', also the handle needs to be at least 16inches long. So that leaves me in essence with: * St. Croix Legend Elite Casting Rod 7'4" Heavy * St. Croix Legend Elite Casting Rod 7'6" Med Hvy The heavy is more of a punching rod? The 7'6'' has a moderate taper? Never fished such a taper for jigs. What are the pros and cons of such taper for the applications that I am looking for? Thanks again.

Wondering if should also consider the St. Croix Legend Elite Casting Rod 7'6" Med Hvy... Not sure if a heavy or a medium heavy would be better for my purposes.. THoughts?

Hi all, In the market for a Jig/Chatterbait rod. I chose these rods since they have a long, full handle. I have a Avid X with a broken guide that I am considering to use for the Gold program with St.Croix to upgrade to the Legend Elite. Considering the following: * Phenix Bass Recon Elite Casting Rod 7'6" Heavy * Phenix Bass Recon Elite Casting Rod 7'9" Heavy * St. Croix Legend Elite Casting Rod 7'4" Heavy Legend Elite would cost me: 280 USD Phenix would cost me: 200-210 USD (I could sell the Avid X additionally, not sure though how much I could get for it...) What are you guys thinking? Thanks!

new owner of a SV103XS

Tested the reels a bit and I am really impressed with the SV103. Only issue could be line capacity. I bombed a 1oz lipless crank out until there was maybe 5m of line left (50# Berkley Trilene Professional Grade Braid). Which was just for testing purposes. I have different set ups for for lipless and 'bombing' Also I was impressed by the skipping ability. I am a veeery long way from calling my self a decent skipper. But I was able to skip a unconvenient lure quite a bit. Its a keeper!Thanks all for your opinions and ***!

Yeah, fair enough. I just read a bit about the reels and I am not the biggest fan of the Tatula platform. Therefor the SV103 and the Zillion HD are in the final round. What are the pros of the Zillion HD vs the SV103? So far I can see weight and line capacity.

Went ahead and order the SV103 and the ZIllion HD from TW. Will have a look and see how they feel. Just saw that I could get the Zillion HD for 315 USD shipped from TTT vs the 245 USD for the SV103. Based on those prices, is the HD the better pick? Thanks!

Is the SV103 safe to be used for inshore fishing?

The more I search the more I find. I think I will make a decision between the following three reels: *Daiwa SV103* + Sturdy + Affordable (230 USD) + SV spool for lighter lures + good line capacity + good (fast) gear ratio - not officially safe for saltwater - bit heavier *DAIWA 15 ZILLION TW 1516 XXHL* + Sturdy + Super Fast gear ratio + Salt water safe + cool looks + TWS for pitching bigger braid - only available through Japanese websites (shipping time + no local warranty) - More expensive (270 USD) - Unsure about the torque for big bass - line capacity not as much (12mono /110 yards) *Shimano Curado 200K* + seems to be sturdy enough from the first reviews + fast gear ratio + nice looks + decent price - line guide seems too small for big braided lines - not enough reviews out there - not available till end of september What would you do guys? Thanks for your help!

Leaning towards the 9.1 model of http://japantackle.com/casting-reels/daiwa/low-profile-casting-reels/daiwa-zilliontw2015.html Anyone has experience with the reel or a link to a review? Thx!

So the SV 103 is considered to be a better buy than the Zillion HD? This one here https://japanlureshop.com/daiwa-zillion-tw-2188.html seems to be the perfect frogging and pitching reel.Is that the XHG version of the Zillion HD or what is it called in the US?Thanks!

Why wouldnt u be throwing heavier lures? What are the cons and pros of the reel in your opinion?

Thanks all, I am wondering if the SV103 is salt proof? I am also eying on the Daiwa Zillion HD that can be had for 250USD online. My applications are: * Line: Braid 30 - 65 # * Lures: frogs 1/4 - 1/2 oz, 3/4 buzzbaits, 1.5 oz weighted plastics for flipping, up to 1oz jigs Thanks all.

Nice reel. Though I need a lefty, also I am not sure how well the line guide works for strong braid. I made the experience that a smaller opening has a negative effect here.

How is the reel with lighter lures (popper) with heavy braid? Any experience?

Hi all, looking for a sub 250 USD reel for for frogging and pitching. I want to run heavier braid on the reel. Requirements are: * Sturdy * Light (sub 8oz) * Casting ability with braid * bonus: salt water safe * very fast gear ratio * Left hand retrieve * Cost under 250 Possible candidates: * Lew's BB-1 Pro Series * Daiwa Tatula SV TWS * Daiwa SV Casting Reel 103XSL * Daiwa Tatula CT Type-R * Daiwa Tatula Casting Thanks all. Cheers, Seb.

Thanks Tom, as always! The Delta is huge, tried to use Google Maps but it is just too overwhelming with options...

Hi all, I am trying to find out if there are spots in the Cali Delta that are eligible to be fished in a small inflatable kayak (Sevylor Rio 1-Person Fishing Canoe). I have never been on the Delta, so I have no idea where to start. I would prefer some calmer, narrower channels that would allow for some decent fishing. I would really appreciate some recommendations. I live next to San Francisco (Sausalito). Thanks all.

Ok guys, a little update from my side. On Friday I went ahead and bought the Genesis II Cast Rod 7'11" Fred's Crank Launcher. Put the Ora Winch on it with 12 pound fluro. Went to the lake in the evening and tossed some 8XDs and DT 22s around. The reel is pretty amazing for the price. Smooth and casts bigger lures a country mile. Of course the handles and finish is not top class but for 80 USD it is still pretty good quality. The rod handled the big cranks pretty well. Casting was not a problem. Caught 4 fish on it (2 decent ones in the 4's) BUT I also lost 4 fish that got unhooked though I put pretty good pressure on the fish. The taper seems to be a bit too strong and slow for smaller fish. Otherwise the rod handled pretty well. Weight was great for the price range and the handle length was great too to stuck the rod under the arm. After 1h our fishing though I had to find out that the first guide had a chip in it. So I went back to the store to exchange it. They did not have the rod in store anymore. So, I exchanged it for the Shimano Zodias Casting Rod 7'6" Med Hvy Glass. Reviews seemed great, so I am gonna give it a shot. Also had a look at the Dobyns 805 and 806 CB and also the Powell MAX 3D 7115 CB G/C MOD-FAST MEDIUM HEAVY. THe Powell felt nice too just liked the longer handle on the Shimano a lot more. Let's see how the Shimano fishes. Deep Cranking is really fun, though it is quite expensive. .Lost 4 cranks in 3 hours... Oh well.

Hi all, even given the risk that I am making a fool out of myself, I would love to post some topics that confuse me, to see if others have a plausible explanation, answer to it. So here it goes... Coloring braided line to avoid visibility I am seeing a lot of videos out there where guys are taking a black marker to color the last part of their braided line with it. That confuses me because of two reasons: 1: Why would somebody make a green (=grass = natural) line go black? Because at the same time people say that the color black is one of the most visible colors to Bass, hence to suggestion to go with dark lures in stain water. 2. Scent: Coloring the line with a sharpie sounds fake to a human, I can just imagine how bad it must smell to a bass. Big baits vs small baits On the one hand I am hearing that contradicting suggestions on when to use big/small baits. For Winter and Summer I am hearing people say: For winter/summer use big baits. Winter: they will only move if they bait is worth to put the energy in. For Summer: Because of the fish's high metabolism they prefer bigger baits. And then the exact opposite for small lures for the exact same seasons... I am easily confused...

I dont think that this is an option here. Since I would like to reduce the size of the knob to get it down from the power handle knob

Where is the best place to buy those things? Ebay?