JustJames

Must be winter in Texas.

Just Soaking them in acetone work but take a lot of time. To speed up the process use small mason jar, add acetone enough to just cover the bearing, then swirl the whole thing around gently. I use aquarium air pump and secure the whole jar on top. The vibration from pump would help spin bearing around. Some will use ultrasonic cleaner machine. This way I can soak them for 10-20 minutes not whole night. After the soaking process, I soak in 95% alcohol for a few minutes, let air dry, a drop of bantam oil.

One of these day I hope to get my bfs out for trout fishing, lol. Just like others, I started BFS because the excuse off “I hate spinning reel” too much problem, windknot, line twisted and no accuracy. I was to the point I have about 6 BFS setups altogether, not expensive more like Pixy with Ray’s spool of that kind. Late last year I had left frozen shoulder for a few months and forced me to use more Spinning, end up now I have 4-6 spinnings just for panfish. As of now I use spinning as my main setup and only use BFS just to “SHOW OFF” a few times a year. I already sold my Alphas air and will continue to sell some off to fund more spinning setups for both bass and panfish.

Third for finesse, good sensitive well balance, light weight rod, pair with reel that has smooth drag, well capable of light weight lure. Did I say 2020 metanium?

A lot depend on type of line, rod and technique. I tested my a few time and it fall around 3lb but that for my everyday fishing #6-8 copolymer line with M/F rod. If I fish jig, I crank up my drag, frog (braid) even more. If I use Light/UL rod drag pressure will be a lot less doesn’t matter how many lb test of my line.

So you have both 2500 and 3000, can you PM me picture of both spool in comparison? I’ve been suspected the same while I’m researching about 1000 vs 2000 size Vanford. This is totally different than Daiwa where spool on 2000 is bigger than 1000.

I mostly use thumb to assist more drag if needed, only a few time that I had to release the thumb bar and rely on my thumb for drag. I don’t watch enough pro fishing in tournament since that educates me nothing but how PRO horse, flip then weight the fish. I guess they (pro) use more thumb because the set drag super tight for guaranteed hook set and to be able to horse the fish as fast as they can. They also bring the fish in too fast so fish still have a lot of energy to run when near boat. I fight fish with ROD and rely on my drag to let the line out when needed. Just one rod tip down that should be enough when bass decides to go deep one last time.

@new2BC4bassmy offer is still remain for one of that elite tech, remember?

Oh another thing for you @Jonas Staggs you have to consider the gap of hook bend with your plastic of choice to. If you don’t have enough gap, you will have a hard time getting fish hook, remembered long ago when you tried to use #8 hook with bigger plastic.

If you are gonna test out sensitivity on the rod at Store, that is gonna be tough. You cannot really compare much when dragging line out of water vs on water, also distance of line out affect sensitivity as well. If I lucky enough to test the rod at store, I look for 3 things, 1. comfortable handle when pairing with your reel of choice. I hold my rod and reel with 3 or all fingers in front of trigger, so palm able and comfortable is very important. Secondly, the tip bend (mostly on my UL-M rod) I want fast tip not too soft and not too stiff for different applications and not too much or weak backbone. Don’t go in store and start bending the tip top yourself (you get kick out fast) ask associates to help you. Lastly weight and balance of the combo. With all that said, like @NYWayfarermentioned. I hardly accomplish testing rod out at store. I mostly buy online, used and test in real life fishing. I do a ton of research before I buy. If I lucky found one I like, I will buy more of that model or similar. I have 4 of Daiwa OG Tatula, 5 Shimano Crucial, 5 Majorcraft rod. There are some I don’t like too which I sold cheap or just use as loaner. My wife called me crazy, My t-shirts are full of the same in different color. I wear red, orange, yellow, green, purple you name it lol. My fishing shirt now is Columbia L/S Hoodie and I have 6-7 colors and still look for more when it goes on sale (only light color).

Check out mule jig 1/16oz #4 hook https://www.mulefishing.com/collections/frontpage/products/mule-jig-1-16oz My IG pal sent me 1/32oz #6 hook and perfect for bluegill and crappie. but with all these I still prefer Zman shroom head size 1/16 and 1/20 for Zman products. I use 1/10 exclusively for baby brush hog and hula grub. Think outside the box.

I am not sure now, who I answered too. It seem like you don’t have any problem with your wacky rig like OP stated. Now let help OP aka @Chaddy

I’m not sure if this consider shakey head for you but I bought by 100 packs last time. 1/8oz standup jig

I vote for little bass too or even a good size bluegill that only take part of the senko but not whole. Another problem is you set hook too hard to be able to pull the hook out of senko while in small fish mouth. This is open hook application, just a quick jerk or reel in fast should be enough to set hook and if don’t loose the lure of hook is not in fish mouth.

I normally use braid on my spinning but not so much on baitcaster. I only have one out of 10 on 30lb braid for 3/8oz jig or medium top water as well as frog. I think 8lb copolymer would be more versatile on SLX MGL for all techniques you listed, 1/8oz Texas rig, Senko or even Ned Rig.

Not really, but again I only use that when targeting crappie. For bass I usually go with 1/4 red eyes shad. I do catch bass on some tiny lure but never remember that problem. I hardly fish anymore with crankbait so my experience might be very limited.

Small lipless that work very well. Rapala UL ripping rap 04, 1 1/8” 3/16oz, or Tiny trap 1.75” 1/8oz. Another one to try is small blade bait.

Luckily I didn’t know even I know I don’t think I can afford it lol. When I said truly BFS I mean cast fluently and accuracy. A lot of BFS guys nowadays just concentrate on lightest lure and longest distance in open water. I’m not sure why, spend 3-400 for a BFS reel, then upgrade spool another 100-200 just to be able to cast trout magnet.

That guy is a master, I do really want his rod. He can cast old Abu with push button release fluently. That is true definition of BFS Baitcaster reel for. I follow him on both IG and YouTube. I do really want his rod, lol.

I give you my prayer.

Too bad, I know a guy that only do Daiwa not shimano. This is a thing for those Daiwa fanboys anyway, not so much with Shimano. ?? get SLX and you have matted black shimano ?? No matter what are you gonna do with shimano, please don’t do this. This curado 70 MGL will never look the same.

Actually I said they both equally important and even more important is the both balance each other well and comfortable in each techniques you plan to fish with. The sensitivity is very subjective more expensive rod might have a better blanks, components and transfer vibration better but in a hand of inexperienced it might not feel any different than cheap Walmart rod. I’m not there to just feel the bite anyway, when I fish I would look for “the change” not just the tab. With that said I admitted, it is harder to find favorite rods than reels.

If you gonna get Nanoace rod, I recommend 6’9 M 1/8-3/8 rod. It it more versatile. The stiffer tip will transmit vibration better than softer tip. I plan to get one myself, for real. My two friends just got their recently and very happy with it. The

I cannot tell for sure what is more important in my mind. I do care more about reels than rods and also rather pay more money on the reels as well. On the opposite side I have more rods than reels, twice or even three time as many. Now on my rods and reels are a budget, middle end type, nothing too expensive less than 200 bucks. I think I stop looking for new reels awhile ago (already have 2 set on my list, Vanford and 2020 metanium) but still searching for new rods, especially for crappie.

Last time I use this ^^^ I got them gills pretty good. I used it Dropshoting with #8 hook but should be good under cork both with jig hook or split shot. As far as setting hook, I don’t really set hook just a quick jerk or reel in fast. It might be different since I never use earthworm only lures.