LCG

Sorry for your mom health. Hope she gets better soon. With everything going on in the world nowdays, I can't think of a better time to go fishing. Unplug and take some time to slow down. Enjoy.

I bought the alphas sv tw 7 speed left hand about two months ago. Very nice little reel. Cast well and skips like a dream, something I have been unable to do with a baitcaster until now.

Been throwing 10lb yo Zuri hybrid all this year with no issues at all. It's diameter and breaking strength is 14lb. Same with big game, but a bit more stretch. I am running 6lb p line c21 copolymer line on my spinning, can't find 4lb yo Zuri anywhere. It is true 6lb line or .21mm. So far no issues. Fishing is only as complicated as you make it. Unfortunately marketing does what it does best and sells us things. For line, choose based on diameter, not advertised strength. As a gauge, use seaguar invisix or tatsu as a true diameter to strength ratio. I am really liking yo Zuri, but buy based on actual diameter. As for YouTube overload, happens to everyone. Focus on one technique at a time, become proficient with the technique, then learn something else. When someone first starts out, I always recommend a senko and either an inline spinner or spinnerbait if they have a baitcaster. That covers finesse and reaction.

Yeah, I always look at local buy and sell sites. Just happened to come across them and couldn't say no. The 6'10" M-F casting 2 piece rod is incredible. Now if I could just find one in a ML spinning rod...

HMG for sure. I had one a few generations ago, always regretted selling that one. I found two older elite tech smallmouth rods over the last year, those are my favorite Fenwick rods.

I have not had a fresh water fish take more than 30 yards of line. I would love to experience a 200 yard run, but that is unlikely in my area.

I have seen videos of people using retractable dog leashes. I use a 2 1/2 pound weight and about 20ft of Paracord, but I don't fish deeper than 10ft and never use an anchor in current.

My condolences on your loss

I have the Daiwa Rebellion 6'8" ML-F and it is a fantastic finesse rod. I chose the 6'8" as I wanted a two piece, they also have a 7' ML-F. It has the backbone for Texas rigs and the tip to keep them pinned. Caught a few 4 lb smallies and largies and the rod handled them just fine. Have mine paired with a Stradic FL 2500. Use it for Texas rigged Ned rigs, wacky, drop shot, weightless senkos, etc lure rating is an accurate 3/32-1/2oz. I also use this combo for panfish, trout, etc. Very versatile.

I think you are on the right track. A 3/4oz spinnerbaits will weigh close to 1.5oz in true weight, so a heavy action rod with a slower tip sounds right. No experience with the rods mentioned, but I would imagine there will be budget friendly rods with those qualities available. Good luck to you.

I hear you, I have been recovering from back issues all spring, summer, and fall. Stuck on the bank, but at least I am fishing again :). I have noticed far less pain when I concentrate on my form and not over do it. I listen to my body much more now and call it a day when it starts acting up.

Elbows tucked in, kept close to the body. During the roll cast I like the rod to load deep so I am usually at the top end of the lure rating. I find this makes roll casting very effortless and my accuracy greatly improved. Not overpowering the cast is key, slow and smooth. No shoulder or arm pain.

I like to try to locate fish by using a spinnerbaits if I can, then slow down and pick the area apart. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

I start fast, but slow seems to work best.

Drop shotting from the bank was my first confidence technique. Still produces well. For all finesse applications I use the lightest weight I can get away with, depending on wind, depth, distance, etc. My starting point is a 1/8oz weight, usually maxing out at 1/4oz. Then there is "bubba shotting" 1/4-1oz weight in thicker cover. Same idea, just beefed up. That's more of a medium to medium heavy rod application. My standard finesse rig is a 6'8" ML-F rod rated for 3/32-1/2oz paired with a Shimano Stradic FL 2500 lined with either 10lb braid to 6-8lb leader. This year I am trying straight 6lb coploymer line. This is also my Ned rig rod using 1/32-1/16oz bullet weights and a size 2 EWG hook.

Use to be braid to leader for the longest time. Last two years I have tried different lines and now have coploymer (p line c21 and yo Zuri hybrid) on my set ups. Think I have changed my preference to copolymer line in general.

Thanks for the tip. I decided to order a 95mm carbon fiber handle from a cheap overseas company and a clicking drag from the site as well. I actually prefer the cheap handle to the smaller factory one :). Still waiting for the clicking drag assembly. One thing though, I have noticed that my Alphas has a slight edge to it, gear side plate on the rear portion. It catches my finger if I palm the reel a certain way. It's like the frame was not seated properly, but there doesn't appear to be any raised areas anywhere else. But everything works really well, so not sure about that. Maybe it will correct itself when I clean it in a month or two.

I seem to gravitate towards smaller frame reels with similar line retreveal rates. 7:1 ratio with 28" ipt feels right for most things I do. Mostly target casting. I feel I can speed up or slow down as required.

I have the 6'8" 2 piece Rebellion and it is something special. Also picked up the 6'10" MH-R casting, that thing does everything I can ask of it. Those fenwick elite tech Smallmouth are really nice. I have the 6'10" M-F casting 2 piece and love it. Been looking for the ML-F spinning model, but no luck finding one yet.

I have had rods that didn't really fish the technique I had in mind very well, but they did excel at other techniques. Plus if you change the line type or reel, it can change the dynamics a bit. That's part of the fun sometimes, just have to keep an open mind. I bought a rod for plastics, but preferred the rod for light spinnerbaits. The rod I bought for spinnerbaits also worked great for plastics, that one was a win/win. Even bought a few rods that never saw a fish, just didn't feel right for me. I am super picky though.

Make sure the drag star is seated all the way down on the main shaft then tighten the handle nut.

Fenwick elite tech Smallmouth 6'10" M-F casting, found it used earlier this year. Also bought two Daiwa Rebellion rods, 6'8" ML-F spinning and 6'10" MH-R casting, my workhorse rods now. Between these three 2 piece rods, I am good to go pretty much anywhere. Just as sensitive as other higher end rods I have had, and the versatility is incredible.

I am just learning to skip with a baitcaster. Tried for the last two years, but just couldn't get the hang of it. No problem with a spinning combo but it took the recent purchase of a Daiwa Alphas SV TW for me to start learning the technique without blowing up every other cast. I envy the anglers that can use any reel with any setting to skip, I hope to get there someday. For now, I need the training wheels approach until I gain the muscle memory of the cast and the thumb control. The Daiwa SV reels really help and I have also learned that a softer action rod really helps load the rod without whipping the cast. I actually need to re-learn skipping with a spinning rod and not whip the cast, I am aiming for using the same casting motion for both types of rods. For me, consistentancy is the key to muscle memory. For now, I keep practicing every time I go out.

I wanted two very versatile combos and these two piece rebellion rods have been wonderful to fish with. Higher end two piece rod that has a nice action and plenty of power. Lightweight and sensitive. The fact that they can go on family trips is a huge bonus for me. Caught a 4 1/2 lber yesterday up close and personal with a wacky rig, the ML had the power to get her in. The MH is more of a "hold my beer, I got his" type of power with a nice softer action

A little trick I learned from a video a ways back was to use your index finger the same way you use your thumb for a baitcaster. Hold the line by placing your index finger on the lip of the spool, feather the same way. I found I had to adjust my grip with two fingers on each side of the reel stem.