JustJames

Maybe because you hold the line to one side of the reel while spooling. Cast it out and it should spool just like normal.

Every once awhile Shimano will have promotion for free shipping plus some discounts on other items. I took advantage last year ordered a bunch of small parts for my Shimano reels.

Sometimes in algae cover the shoreline like in your figure, dropshot rig is the way to go to have lure on top and being see. I either fish with some type of slow swimbait on top, jerk bait and dropshot. Weight Texas rig and even weightless Senko can get buried in those thick weed fast.

If I value my money and time that much. I would do something else beside fishing. For real, you spend a couple of thousands on rods and reels but you are being so frugal about lures? As bank fisherman, I think I get more chance of catching fish with plastic more than hard bait. It is about fun fishing, not catching or saving money.

I still have two full boxes (more than 50 lures) of hard bait that more than 70% never get used and less than 20% that actually caught fish. The past two trips it cost me about 1 fish per Senko fishing around weed. Most of them small 1-2lb, just one 4-5lb, that a whole bag of Senko we are talking here. Worth it? Hell yes to me. I guess if you can catch fish from crankbait all the time and every time, it well worth it, I just don’t have confidence in cranking. And with those soft plastic I can fish in any situation, deep, shallow, rock bottom, weed, under tree.... you name it. These days I only carry a bag or two of soft plastic and few hook and I’m good to go. my Senko fish.

I have weight and scale a numbers of 19-20” bass, they can be range from 4.5-6lb depends on shape of body (regular season not gut full of eggs). Question to you though, are you completing with that guy for something or you just search internet to compare your 8lb with others? I wouldn’t brother with other ppl catch. I’ve seen many long hand fish all over internet, I just chuckled and told myself “Japanese wanna be?” sorry for Japanese reading here but they are the best long hand in the bass fishing world. They might impress none fishing person but they can’t lie to the one who fish.

No if you don’t need efficiently distance and accuracy, yes for any other reasons. All of the baitcaster reels can be set with no thumb used but you are also in mercy of mechanism instead of you to control it.

I’m not sure how thick of the weed in your area and what kind. Yeah you should use heavy setup for very thick cover but if Bass drive into weed and you can’t control it the best way to keep pressure and pulling it out little by little not hard force. I love finesse weightless worm thru weed with my Medium 10lb Red Label FC. It is not super thick weed though just here and there. Sometimes you lost and sometime you win but at least you know you get a bite. BTW these 4-5lb bass feel like 10lb once you try to pull it in with 1lb salad.

#1 you can fix this by lift the rod tip up while thumb the spool lightly after lure hit the water. #2 it will create more loops at beginning. If I see a lot of loose loop, I either cast it out the next cast or just simple pull out line in free spool mode with thumb lightly pressure on the spool. Pull out loop against the drag might create kink and damage light mono/FC line.

Nice setup and good to hear that it got tighter handle than old Legalis. I sold mine and got exceler 2000 for that screw in handle. Daiwa using Zaion V on this reel very interesting to compare with my Tatula. The 2000 size is good for both panfish and bass, no need for heavier 2500 size.

Sound like my young friend, that just moved here in canyon lake. I provided him, whatever I think would be the easiest to catch bass here, even show him a few bass while he was watching. So far he caught none when I caught plenty. Why? 1. One time he called me to fish with him, 15 mins later I got to the spot but he wasn’t there. I called him and he said, he tried 10-15 mins, no bites why he left. 2. After I caught a bass and missed another bite, I gave him the same rig to try. I showed him how to move the rod tip, how to slow down. His retrieved was still twice or three time faster than mine and nothing but just cast and reel. 3. He always fish at this location (about a minute walk from where he lives). I told him that spot is only good for certain time of the year. So far he never make it to other spots that I show him pictures of my catches. He is not in-experience at all, he said he loves saltwater fishing and want to go out on charter boat with me. He always use live bait or cut bait and only caught one bass on Senko (with me on my boat a few years back). He is only 25 years old that got very short attention, less patience and choose conveniences. I don’t mean this is you, I just want to said, patient, slow and move to where fish might be are the key to catch bass.

You get one and give me the vanford lol.

That might be true since Daiwa ditch the anti reverse on MQ body and most of them got Magseal? No matter what, you still need to service the reel for grease and lubrication? Im gotta find out more on it, if what you heard is true, I might get one myself. Love the reel with no maintenance need. Luckily one of my friend got Luvias airity and he always use in salt. Gotta give him a call lol.

So how are you gonna maintenance the reel without getting into the inside lol. The MQ body purposely built for rigidity, I believe For now this might be the only Shimano reel I consider . I do believe eventually I will own one Stradic FL 2000 lower gear ratio.

You can’t find anything better that Tatula in that price range, period ???. Most of the reel sold overseas are about the same as we have here, only name, color scheme that different. Oversea reel though, more reel size, line capacity (shallow, medium, stardard and deep) and speed to choose from. If you are looking below Tatula, then we have Fuego while overseas got Freams LT and Gekabiji LT (offer super low speed gear) or Prorex Line from Europe market. Above Tatula, with about 50 more you can get 2020 Ballistic FW or 2020 ballistic LT (magseal). The Luvias is also nice with MQ body but I’m not sure if anyone get a hand on the special tool to remove side plate.

Very nice, roadrunner is one of my favorite search bait as well. It catches everything from tiny bluegill to 4-5lb bass.

It is gonna be tough to find a used reel that you not even know the name, especially you saw it on eBay where Shimanos all over the world listed there. What color was it, base and trim? You might better off with modern reel where a lot have improved, lighter, smoother, stronger and more protection.

Nice, I might get one for myself too.

You might already got good answers from @bulldog1935 Now my take on this subject and no I don’t claim to be an expert just a guy used to be in your shoes once. First of all, I would have two setups, creek short, easy to handle and portable, pond as long as you can for maximizing distance. Secondly, 1/32oz lure? What kind of lure? true/total weight at 1/32oz? If total weight 1/32oz that gonna be hard on UL rod to get good distance. You might have to go down all the way to SUL, XUL type rod lure rated down to 1/64oz or lower. Other things that would help in casting distance especially for super light weight lures is line. 10lb braid is quite heavy for 1/32oz lure to have energy to pull out line for long distance. You might have to go down to 4 or 6lb braid to see some improvement or special line like Nanofil/Nanobraid.

If you want to use light braid go with spinning but some prefer 8-10lb Mono/FC then baitcaster might be a ticket. Modern baitcaster can cast such wacky rig worm no problem especially popular wacky rig Senko. If you use finesse/trick worm then just use 1/16oz weight wacky hook. Myself I prefer baitcaster but if I’m on float tube or kayak or cast to shallow bank, spinning work the best. I can keep moving slowly down the bank better with spinning. To me, it is the way I fish to dictate which setup I wanna use not just by weight of lure.

Why saving a few bucks for something that you are not sure. There are plenty of legit site JDM from expensive but you got megabass 110 as a gift, Japan lure shop, Japan tackle, plat, digitaka asian portal or even Amazon Japan. How cheap are you trying to get? Maybe settle with something cheaper that available locally?. I know everyone want to get as low price as possible but is it gonna worth the headache? I paid a little bit more for my Vanford 2000s that shipped from Japan, because I didn’t wanna take a chance with shipping from China. This was when the first 2000 size available.

Daiwa Fuego is good for its price. You shouldn’t be disappointed at all or if you don’t need Magseal you can even get exceler for a little bit cheaper. The rod, I love my Tatula Rod (original Eva foam handle) it is light weight and sensitivity is exceptional. It is versatile rod from finesse all the way to Senko. The new Tatula (cork handle) should handle the same. I don’t have St. croix in spinning but got Avid X in casting. Pretty light and nice bend. Shimano Intenza this is the rod I wanna try in 7’6 Light but if it anything like Curado. I would pass. I actually sold mine M/F (rated for shakey head) a little bit heavier than Tatula, stiffer and stronger tip. It is good for wacky rig Senko, Shakey head, Texas rig and all, I sold it because I want a little less power for Finesse fishing. Majorcraft Nanoace. the one @WRBmentioned is nice too. Softer of them all but good balance, comfortable and sensitive. It might feel a little bit overload with 5” Senko but 4” Senko, 1/8oz Taxas rig this rod would perform exceptional well.

I’m not sure what is your reel and if it’s worth to do this modification. There are these “the screw on knob shaft handle”. You can knock off old rivet shaft and install proper fit shaft with screw on both sides. Again don’t ask me how to remove old river without damaging the old handle and which one would fit your reel. Maybe go with @bulldog1935suggeated, and that I would do.

Yes make sure you got the right side (left or right), most of Shimano knob are swappable.

Once you open a few Shimanos up, you won’t need schematic anymore. It is very simple and all about the same. Your Daiwa, on the other hand a lot more complicated ???. Just side plate screw alone (old pixy) are all different size (3 screw). Hard to get to internal bearing (main shaft and pinion support bearings. Don’t ever think about maintenance those magnetic, you might not be able to put it back together. ?? Oh btw for those Daiwa fanboys, please don’t quote me again. I’m just kidding with my old friend not you guys.