jimmyjoe

It is from 1993 ..... or thereabouts. The Triumph line is the older Premier blank that is being assembled in Fresnillo, Mexico. It was designed at a time when stiff-tip rods were NOT popular. So the tip "gives". That being said, the Triumph line is strong and robust. However .... you say that you're going after river hybrids? I do that, too. I love to get into a school of wipers. It's like hooking onto a runaway freight train. I use MH/F casting gear. You said you're using ML/F? Wow! I did that a couple times, accidentally. What a fight! Got broke off at least twice. Are we talking about the same "hybrids"? They're a hybrid of white bass X striped bass (striper). They run from three to (rarely) ten pounds in the Mississippi river. They hit at 90mph .... and then they accelerate. ? They are naturals at using the current to their advantage, and they pull, as I said before, like a runaway freight train. As far as the hard tip on St. Croix rods ..... it's the Avid series and up that have it. I have a M/F Avid spinning and a ML/F Avid-X spinning, and I've lost fish on both of them because they shook the hook off. Funny, but the more forgiving rods that I got to deal with that problem were both Fenwick rods; a L/MF River Runner and a M/F Eagle. That being said, I've always admired the Triumph line for their all-round capabilities. It's just their reel seats that I can't stand. I've always thought that the blanks were absolutely great. jj

Today, my retailer finally got both the TranX reels and the Bantam. I got to check both of them out. I admit the Bantam is absurdly smooth and quiet. The TranX, however, makes it feel like an itty-bitty toy. If the TranX will throw the lighter set of lures that you will use, forget the Bantam. Go with the TranX. jj

This is how much respect I give to 5-star ratings ...... on anything: Yup. That much. jj

Number 1: Big rocks Number 2: Riprap Number 3: Gravel ? jj

Maybe I'm crazy, but my opinion is that the slower gear ratio saves the fisherman's aching back and forearms. It doesn't have anything to do with the action of the lure, because you can just slow down a faster-gear-ratio reel, right? Yes, but if you slow down a faster-gear-ratio reel to fight that long, resistive bill on the deep divers, you'll find out that the mechanical advantage disappears .... unless you install a longer handle, which many do. And no, you won't notice the effect for the first hour or two. You sure will after that, though. As for hearing that now you want to burn your deep crank back .... just remember that if you scan the web long enough you'll read everything there is, whether true or untrue, good or bad. The best solution is ALWAYS to do it yourself and see whether it's true. Unfortunate? Yes. Expensive? Yeah, maybe could be. Reliable and definitive? Absolutely! jj p.s. - I use a Curado 200i PG (5.5:1 ratio)

Regarding carp, the old people used to say, "If you can see'em, then you can't catch'em. If you can't see'em, then you can catch'em." Don't know if that is true or not, but I've never seen anything to indicate that it's not. jj

The 300e is, unfortunately, unobtanium. If you do happen to find one, it's $$$$$$. And yes, the Cardiff has the high bar, also. Other than that, it's a great reel. Okuma reels (Citrix and Komodo) are well-made, but they don't cast very far. It looks like the Lew's might be the ticket, but I have to find out more about it. jj

I had been thinking about the TranX, but my dealer had the 300a as well as the Lews. The TranX has a thumb bar position that's almost as high as the ABU bar, and just about as uncomfortable for me. As for Daiwa .... I'm in the middle of a hissy-fit over them ?, and I don't want to get another Daiwa baitcaster. But if you have any ideas regarding other reels, sling'em my way. Worst case is I'd shoot'em down, best case is I find a new favorite. ? jj

I have arthritis in my thumbs. I recently got a St. Croix Mojo Bass Glass H/M rod. I didn't know for sure whether I'd like it, so I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a reel for it. I got a NOS 5500c3 ABU off the auction site, and spooled it with 15 lb. Big Game. Turns out that I love this rod! It's great, and I'm keeping it. However, I really need to watch my grip on the ABU closely, or it hurts. I tried the Lew's SD3H, and it's MUCH more comfortable. The ABU is a given. There are oodles of aftermarket parts for it, and it not only will outlast me, but it can be transformed into a true long-cast machine for heavier lures. The Lew's is NOT a given. None of my friends have one. Other than the fact that it's more comfortable than the ABU, I know nothing about it. I don't know how reliable it is, how long it will last or how far it will cast. So ..... I need advice. Should I put money into the ABU, or sell it and get the Lew's? What's your opinion of the Lew's? As always ..... thanks for the help. jj

Excellent advice, especially for someone beginning to use baitcasters. jj

Not schmoozing. I've been married 43 years. I sold 3 rods and reels last year, and I have 11 left. I'd throw every one of them in the junk pile if it meant making my wife happy. She's that important to me. And yes, I'd do it on my birthday. Does @flipflops BF think any differently? I don't know. jj

I believe you're not thinking straight. He's got you. Forget the rod and reel. jj

When you say the fish "are going after my braid or my fluoro leader", do you mean they seem interested in the line where it enters the water? If so, change to a topwater immediately. If they seem interested in the line further down in the water column, it might (I said MIGHT) be a vibration mechanism. I used to see that on windy days when my line would "hum". Good luck! jj

Kelvin, right? jj

I'll be 70 next year. If that happened to me, I'd know FOR SURE that she was interested in the fish! ? jj

"PRIVATE!" "Sir! Yessir!" "Two demerits for you. Here .... give me fifty." "Sir?" "Do you have a PROBLEM with that, Private?" "Sir, No, sir! But this is a fishing rod, sir!" "Very good, Private! This is, in fact, a Saint Croix LTB casting rod. It is one of the most viciously weight-forward weapons in the Saint Croix arsenal. Now you give me 50 casts, Private, and RIGHT NOW!" "Sir! I cannot do that, Sir!" "WHAT? What did you say, Private? Did I hear you say "cannot", Private?" "Sir! Yessir! My family only casts balanced rods, Sir! This punishment is cruel and unusual, Sir." [short pause] "Private, report to Headquarters Company IMMEDIATELY!" "Sir! Yessir!" jj

I use racquet tape to cover mine. It started as an attempt to keep them clean. But I sometimes fish when the rain is starting, and I noticed that my rods didn't get slick anymore. I like that. Any covering that doesn't improve grip when wet is undesirable to me. That right there is super important to me! Thanks! jj

I think ABU made the Cardinals and Zebco sold them in this country under their name. I could be wrong, though. jj

Yup. And BTW ... those Extractors have a MUCH better hook than the Mepps. As for Snagless Sallys, I've never caught a fish on one. ? I think the OP would get much better results by going at this the way walleye fishermen do; treat the blade and the trailer as two separate entities. Why not put a spinner blade ahead of a worm, or a fluke, or any soft bait rigged weedless? Change the color or shape of the blade independently from the bait behind it .... and vice-versa. Think it would work? jj

Went today, but only 45 minutes, above Lock and Dam 19. Caught a 20" walleye, but no bass. Ol' Man River is always changing, and always interesting. jj

Measure the inside diagonal of your truck bed. Rods don't need to lay in there straight. Make a cushion box out of Styrofoam, shaped to the diagonal. A six foot bed that is 4 feet wide has a diagonal of 7 feet, 2and a half inches. Longer bed, longer diagonal. jj

The only reputable testing is the testing you (or we) do ourselves. I've been exposed to a lot of new ideas since I joined here, but in every case I spent the money and time, and I saw for myself whether the material at hand was good for me or not. I don't really care whether it's good for someone else; I care only whether it's good for me. And yes, I'll recommend the stuff to someone else that I find useless to me. Everyone is different. They might love what I hate. But I expect them to find out the same way I found out; USE THE STUFF. Videos don't mean a thing. Opinions don't mean a thing. What you find out on the water is what means something. jj

I think if the truth could be told, that there have been 100 bass caught on Mepps Musky Killers to every one musky. People don't talk about them, but they're great bass lures. In fact lots of the pike and musky lures are great bass lures. If you talk to tournament musky fishermen, they often catch more bass than musky. I don't know whether it's the weather or the season, because I never asked. Maybe I should have. ? I'm not saying that I want to carry around a whole slew of Believers, Li'l Ernies, Jakes and Grandmas for lures, but if my shoulder were in better shape I'd be into the musky spinnerbaits faster than you could say, "Fish on!". Come to think of it, I have a rod that might handle a 6" Believer ........... ? jj

Reminds me of a (short) conversation I had with a guy a few years ago. I love spoons. I use them almost any weather and any season. I had caught a decent bass with one, and a fisherman about 20 feet away asked me a few questions, which I answered. Then he said, "Y'know, I've never caught any fish on a spoon." I said, "Never at all?" he said, "Nope." I said, "Gee, I wonder why that might be." He said, "Because I've never used a spoon!" Duh. Looks like you're a million miles ahead of that guy. ? jj

I used the Mepps Comet Combo, the old one with the Mr. Twister Keeper hook. IMO worst hook for that application. I took it off and used a twistlock hook. Caught a couple fish. Lost interest because the blade kept getting hung up. Once I questioned whether or not that spinner blade was necessary, I found the T-rigged Anaconda a much, much better fish-getter. I see that Mepps is making the Combo again, but I'm not interested this time around. jj