LCG

This may be a stupid question, but does the gearyness occur without line on the reel? I have the Curado 71 MGL HG and the only time I ever feel anything abnormal has been when my line has some wear. I also don't lock down my drag, other than that I can't imagine what else other than a bad bearing would cause that sensation.

Thank you for all the info. Wife has approved a new reel purchase ?. The Alphas SV TW is sounding like the best fit and that I can customize to my liking. I plan on installing one of those cheap drag clickers on the brass gears. The 85mm handle will need to be replaced though. The handles on the pic of the Alphas on the scale appear to be aftermarket... May I ask what brand that is and where you got it? I like the look of the knobs and the length looks longer.

You peaked my interest in the aplhas... How is the Alphas SV TW with skipping? I have the SLX MGL (JDM version) as well and it has served me well, but I can't skip a baitcasters to save my life. Does the aphas have a metal side plate (palming side) or plastic / Zion material?

1 ml spinning combo, 1 medium casting combo, and 1 MH casting combo. Bank fishing I take 1 usually. Kayak and boat I take 2. Location, weather, season, etc dictates which combo (s) I take with me.

I bought the stradic FL 2500 when it was first released. No issues at all. Super smooth drag and the reel is solid as they come. Vanford will weigh less, but I would imagine just as solid. I would mount each on a rod to see which "feel" you like more. If I could it it over, I would probably go with a JDM Stradic FL 2000 shallow spool as I use braid to leader. But the 2500 size is not large by any means.

Marketing. Rods are complicated due to no industry standard. The rod is composed of the reel seat, rod guides, inserts, various materials effect the blank as a whole. Add in personal preferences and it becomes easier to narrow down the search.

Braid will make a huge difference in sensitivity on tight line. Flouro for slack line. Or braid main line with a leader for best of both worlds, just learn a good knot such as uni or Alberto. They are easy to tie with practice.

I will second the Stradic FL 2500 spinning reel. Had mine since late 2019 and it's very smooth and powerful. Never had an issue and the reel weight seems to help balance off the self rods better. I am also from southern Ontario and fish the same waters. I have mine paired with a Daiwa Rebellion 6'8 ML-F and it's the most balanced and sensitive combo I have fished with yet. FYI the rebellion rods are on sale at the Sail stores if you have one near you, $195 CAD which is cheaper than the US price of $200 USD.

I plan on keeping the Curado MGL 71 as it has been by far the most well rounded reel I have tried yet. Is the Alphas SV TW that different than the Curado 71 MGL? I don't know much about that reel, but I will certainly look into it. Thanks. I have been using 10lb yo Zuri hybrid a lot and it has served me pretty well so far as an all around line. I like the idea of a clicking drag, as I tend to fish on the lighter end of the spectrum. This would seriously trigger my OCD

Hello All, Hoping some members could offer some assistance. Been going back and forth between the JDM Zillion and JDM Bantam. I Have not used Daiwa since original Tatula and a Fuego about 4 years ago. I have been enjoying Shimano reels since, particularly the Curado 71 MGL due to size and performance. However curiosity has peaked my interest in the 21 Zillion as an all around reel on a Rebellion MH-R rod 1/4-1oz, But I have a few questions... How does the size compare to Shimano reels ie 200 K, 150 MGL, etc? Is the location of the brake dial an issue with accidental movement? How are those aluminum gears holding up vs brass? Can the zillion skip easily (not skilled enough with baitcasters, no issue with spinning)? Any long term issues with the T wing or springs with the sv boost spool? Is the paint holding up / showing scratches? If anyone has experience with both the 21 Zillion and the 22 Bantam, any general observations would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance.

I don't know if the hook orientation matters much. Kind of depends on how the bass strikes the worm I would imagine. It's anyone's guess if the bass hits it from the bottom, top, sideways, head on, etc. Just another one of the million variables that is fishing.

Not sure on the 7'3, but the 6'10" MH is 3.9oz.

I have the 6'10" MH-R rebellion rod and I think it is very sensitive. Caught a few using a weightless senko and had no trouble feeling the bite. They are nice rods.

How does the Bantam palm? Do you notice the weight of the reel? Bantam seems like a reel that will last a very long time, bait monkey is calling me

I wanted higher end two piece casting and spinning set ups. Bought both the 6'8 ML-F spinning and 6'10 MH-MF this spring. Unfortunately due to a recent back injury haven't been out much, but I did mange to catch bass on both set ups and I am a very happy camper. Both rods are light, sensitive, comfortable with great actions. The two piece models fit together great and don't come apart until you want them to. You would never know it's a two piece. Balance is fantastic and the action is exactly as described. The rod loads well and keeps the fish pinned very well. I looked very hard at zodias, expride, levante, etc, even passed on the rebellion a few times. Then a sales guy sold me and I took the leap. No regrets at all, would highly recommend them both.

I had two president xt's at one point. Liked them well enough, but ended up selling them and buying one Shimano Stradic FL about 3 years ago or so. Big difference in quality and overall feel, granted the price is double, but I have no doubt it will last quite awhile. If that happened to me, I certainly would buy another. You could probably order another handle and sell of the reel for piece of mind and buy something else. Would recommend sticking with Shimano or Daiwa.

The best way is to put the two pieces together so that the guides are not aligned at all, then slowly push and twist until the are aligned, but don't fully push the pieces together yet. I then look down the first guide and make sure the other guides are aligned, then make the final push together. Reverse to take apart. The push and twist method keeps the two pieces together very solid, no worries of the tip flying off.

For all around line, big game mono or yo Zuri hybrid 12-15lb, for heavier cover 40-65lb braid. You can use mono backing or electrical tape, up to you.

I recently picked up a Daiwa Rebellion 6'8" ML-F rated for 3/32-1/2oz and it fishes finesse style very well, mainly Ned rigs. Sensitive, comfortable, and has enough backbone to bring them in but a nice soft tip that is remarkable sensitive. And the rod is super light weight. Balances perfect with a Stradic FL 2500.

May I ask what lure weight range / type of lure your using with the Curado DC? While I don't own one personally, a buddy of mine does and he doesn't blow up his reel at all and seems to get good distance. Granted my SLX MGL 71 and Curado MGL 71 were out casting his casts. Niether of us had blow ups during our outings together and both equal of skill or lack of sometimes

Out of curiosity, are the blow ups near the begining, middle, or end of the cast or is it random?

My finesse rod is a 6'8" ML-F rated for 3/32-1/2oz. Use it for Ned's, neko, drop shot, wacky, etc. I have used it in open water to light cover with no issues.

I love those $1 parts but $10 shipping

6'8"-6'10" is my sweet spot for rod length. But there is more to that equation, look at the handle lengths. I prefer a shorter handle length personally, so the working part of the rod is almost the same length as most 7ft rods. For reels, I would highly suggest sticking with Shimano or Daiwa.

Daiwa Rebellion 6'10" MH-R.