jimmyjoe

Some people refuse to believe this, but I've seen it more than once. The way that a fish's lateral line works is nothing like the way our ears work. And then you go wading, and after you stand in one place for ten minutes, fish brush right against your leg. Go figure. ? jj

They're not just for the fish. They're primarily for you. ? jj

I haven't fished from a boat more than 8 times in my life ...... and that includes the time when I was 8 years old. I daydream about a Hobie pro angler. But I'd need a trailer and a new tow vehicle, which I can't afford nowadays. But like you said, @Mobasser ...... I can daydream. jj

I had no intention of making any sort of comment to that effect, but I took the Tatula 150 fishing this PM, 50 lb. test Sufix 832 on a 7'-02" Mojo Glass H/M rod. I was really curious about performance with braided lines. With lures 7/8 or 1+ oz., the Tat did indeed trounce the Curado, and by what seemed a fairly significant distance. With 3/4 oz. lures, it beat the Curado, but not by anything important. Less than 3/4 oz? No difference. So the Tat isn't a total loss. jj

It might turn into that. I don't know yet. I'll find out this afternoon or tomorrow. jj

Wrong person. I apologize. jj

Yes, but with the Japanese standards being based off diameter, as you have shown, and both brands being Japanese, one would thing that the conversion of test to diameter would be consistent. Same/same, right? At least I would have thought they were close. But this far off? Hmmmm ........

I apologize, but I'm not quite sure I understand. You're subsidizing a sales site that reviews have indicated is a scam, and you expect it to be a scam, and you still go ahead and deal with them??? Why do you even CONSIDER dealing with these people? It's like going to bed a girl who you already know has venereal disease and thinking you won't get it. And then you play PayPal for the fool, using them to subsidize your behavior? And you teach your brother to bilk PayPal, too, on an advertised offer that's obviously crooked? And brag about it here? Have I got that right, or did I not understand something? jj

Pardon me. Not the focus of my post. I was commenting on the fact that two Japanese reels were rated as having a 36% difference in line capacity, but in actuality had the same line capacity. jj

I think someone (maybe @bulldog1935) touched on Japanese line standards for reel capacities in another post. I (finally) bought a Tatula 150 this afternoon. It's rated 150 yards of 14 lb. line. I already had line on a Curado 200. It's rated 110 yards of 14 lb. line. 36% difference in capacity, right? So I simply transferred the line from the Curado to the Tatula, thinking I wanted to see how much backing line I would need to add. Guess what? Exactly the same amount, from full spool to full spool. Draw your own conclusions. jj

Lucky 13. It wasn't. jj

Oh, heck yeah ! Truer words were never spoken! jj

For shock absorption and more time delay, yes. For less time delay, no. jj

Our friend @Team9nine has given us a video a few entries down from this one. No one expects you (or anyone else) to agree with everything in this video, but notice at about the 8:00 minute mark that Mr. Latimer says that he uses braid for topwater. Don't get hung up on stereotypes and what other people say. Believe what you see at your feet. Braid works now for you, doesn't it? So experiment with mono if you wish, but keep track of your results. Good Luck! jj

Like @Catt always says, "Rods cast lures. Reels store line." The lures you want to cast are interwoven with your choice of rod. jj

They don't call it "magic" for nothing! ? jj

HEY! DO NOT, AND I REPEAT DO NOT FEEL LIKE THE LONE RANGER! I'm 70 years old, and I have problems with the %@)_*@!(!$ things myself. I rig my plastics at home before I ever go out. I get much better results that way. ?? jj

I see your userame is "bigspirit", as in Big Spirit Lake? If you're talking about the "stripers" in Iowa, ............. there are none. Despite popular comments to the contrary, there are only white bass (Morone chrysops) and wipers, which are white-x-striped bass hybrids. This doesn't mean that wipers are not fun. Heck yes, they're fun! But they're not quite the big runners that true striped bass (Morone saxitilis) are. I fish the Mississippi, and I run into wipers now and then. I have always preferred the Abu 5500-size and Shimano 300-size reels. Unfortunately, I have arthritis, and if I tangle with a school of them again, it'll be with a 200-size reel, 12 lb. Big Game minimum line strength. I'll have to be a little more careful, but I wouldn't exactly say that I'll be under-gunned. OTOH, if you're planning on traveling to other states where there ARE true striped bass, I would DEFINITELY take the 300-size reels. A true striper can strip line from your reel pretty quickly! Good luck! jj

I love it when he calls a 2/3 oz. crankbait "light". ? I like this guy. No-BS presentation, clear and with logical reasons. Nice. jj

Red hooks make the idiocy of marketing very, very obvious. Stage One: Someone discovered that red is the first color to disappear as depth increases. Stage Two: This is distorted into "red disappears underwater." They're talking about the color. Stage Three: This is further distorted into " red hooks disappear underwater." Ah ..... no. Not even. Step Four: Social media and advertising pick this up and manufacturers are forced to go along. If they don't, there's a possibility that their competitors might sell more hooks. Circle of confusion ..... or spiral of something else. ?? jj p.s. - My hooks are all bronze colored. That worked a hundred years ago, and it still works now.

If you choose your lures judiciously, the Daiwa Fuego line of rods has both a 7'-03" and a 7'-06" Heavy model. They're $80, and top out at one and a half ounces. jj

You said, " .... engaging their spool .... ". To me, this means the spool is locked and the anti-reverse is active. If that's the case, then the only reason I know to thumb the spool is more drag. Maybe their drag overheated, or maybe they had it set lower than what they wanted to fight the fish. OTOH, if you mean that the spool is DIS-engaged, as in free-spool, then it makes no sense. Are you sure that they're not just using their thumb on the spool to sent the hook? jj

I see the spinning guides still have 1940's blackwall tires for inserts. ? jj

Anyone else notice that the price of EVERYTHING has skyrocketed? jj

Personally, I care how many fish I actually acquire, not how many hits I get. If I'm fishing a fluke above weeds (which I do a lot) I'll opt for the heavy hook every time. jj