jimf

The Avid uses upgraded components, a better finish, and has a better warranty. Premium cork is expensive, and both the Avid and Avid-X use upgraded cork. In the case of the Avid, it's a full cork grip which will significantly add to the cost of the rod. The Avid-X uses micro-guides. The blanks are the same, but that doesn't mean the rods are the same. Guides, upgraded cork, wraps .... these things make a difference in the quality of a rod and it's justifiable to charge the customer a few bucks for those. Whether or not it's worth it - that's a personal choice. But I think to the OP, the fact is that the current line of Mojo's use the same blank that is used on what some consider the entry point of high end stuff.

Dale Hollow would have been on my list as well - 60+ year Smallmouth record kind of puts that in the "legendary" category.

I'm curious to know what people think are the legendary bodies of water for bass fishing. Those lakes or rivers where you just gotta' fish them once in your lifetime. What would be that one body of water that is on your bucket list to fish?

Blues and then greens.

The slower tip would be better for cranks but I still would probably go with the Fast if I had just one rod. To the OP the combo you are describing is pretty kick butt. You might develop a taste for higher end rods as you go, but the rod is good enough to have a permanent spot in your arsenal forever. It's a great combo.

I get a little jealous when I read about folks that have no true down season. I'm not sure it's a terrible thing, to have a few months to get the boat fixed up, the tackle in order, tie a few flies etc... I think I went out once in November, and then just shut down completely. New Years Day I started cleaning reels etc..., and then just last weekend finished all of the maintenance on the boat. Everything is clean and ready to go, I'm taking off for week in Mexico Thursday and when I get back it should be time to start fishing. My two passions in life are fishing and baseball, and they both start at the same time. I am as excited now for both at 53 as I ever have been. There are the two things in life that I will have had with me more or less from cradle to grave.

I have used everything, from cheapo's to the best. I own two pair of Maui Jim's, one an aviator pair that is about $300 and another sport pair that probably was about $150. I had Lasik done which is wearing out, my eyes have drifted and now I am back to wearing glasses, and now use the Cocoon fitovers which are about $50. The biggest difference to me between the expensive ones and the cheap ones are comfort. Maui Jim also has great customer service. I honestly can't see much, if any difference, between sunglasses in terms of optics. Comfort and style, sure. That's what you pay for imo. I agree with this guy pretty much, especially when he says he would rather buy a rod or reel with the extra money I

It's brutal here. I just picked my boat up after some routine service and I thought I was going to get blown off of the road trailering it. I really love early and late season fishing because I don't worry about getting up so early. Favorite part of the day early spring are those days where you freeze your bippy off motoring off, but then the morning warms and eventually there is that one exact moment where you actually feel a little bit of warmth in your bones. That exact moment is my favorite.

Kind of same as OP - I'm not as good deep as I would like to be, and it's an area I think I could improve greatly. But really my 3 main goals are 1) Fish with my Dad (82 years old) at least once, 2) Get a couple of my lifelong friends out a few times and 3) Getting my 2 grown kids out a couple of times. I'm a couple of hundred miles away from parents and childhood friends, which is an obstacle at times, but I just need to make that happen.

I guess it depends on what you mean by "close". It's not just that the Mojo and Avid-X are both made out of SCIII, it's that they use the *same* exact blanks. That is my understanding. The reel seat also appears to be exactly the same. What I don't know are the tapers Guides, cork, finish, wrappings, warranty - all upgrades on the Avid. Tapers? I have no idea. And those things matter in a rod, a rod is not just the blank but the sum of all it's parts.

I just assumed the warranty was a no-fault thing, in other words they will honor it no matter how it happens. I have only once cashed in on a warranty - my wife slammed the truck door on a $600 R.L.Winston fly rod and broke the tip. Accidentally, I think. Sent it in with I think $50, and a couple of weeks later got it back no problem. I just now read the St. Croix and it clearly says manufacturer defects. Oh well, I'll bet if you sent it in they would either honor it, or fix it for a reasonable fee.

Difference betw The biggest functional difference are the guides. Avid X's use micro guides, and I think there is 1-2 more guides on the Avid line than the Mojo. Cork is higher quality on the Avid, it looks to me like the guide wraps are different. And of course the warranty - 5 vs 15 years. I think aesthetically the Avid's look nicer. Is that worth $70? I don't know, to me it is but I could see the other side too.

I agree with everything you said. I've have enough rods to cover the situations I come up with, so now when I get a rod it's to replace or upgrade something, and because of that I would much rather wait and save until I had the money for an Avid (well actually now I think I've just raised the bar to the Tournament Legend but same idea). But having said all of that, really the differences between the rods we are talking about are pretty subtle, and everyone has their budgets. When you get right down to it, the rods being discussed at the 100-140 price point are all pretty nice fishin' sticks.

I own two Mojo's, one of which is made with the scII blank and one made with the III. It's a little hard to compare because they are completely different tapers, but I personally think the current Mojo is a jump worthy of the price. It's the same modulus as used in the pricier Avid. When you say you fished the Mojo's and weren't overly impressed, which blank? Other options? Sure, no doubt about it. But for me, and this is purely personal, St. Croix has won me over. My entire lineup is essentially St. Croix, from the Panfish ultralight to the Tournament Legend Bass I just bought today. If you decide to go with the Mojo, I don't think you will regret it.

I got the 68 MH LTB. I got $50 on a trade from BP and I had a hair over $20 on my awards points or whatever, cushioned the blow to the pocket book a little bit. Thanks everyone for the advice.

I just looked up the Spirex and see that it has that evil knuckle smacker feature on it (quick fire thing). Man I hate those things with a passion, especially when it's cold out. Maybe my paws are just too big or something but I am constantly smacking my knuckles with it when reeling. That would be a show stopper for me.

Cheap is relative I suppose, so I'm not sure if the 7'4" Mojo Bass Heavy is "cheap". I think it is, the Bass X even a little more so, but curiously my wife would have the complete opposite viewpoint and say NOT cheap at all to both of those. I have the Mojo and love it for what you are talking about.

$ for $, it's hard to beat the President. That would be my choice.

Kind of a different angle on the use of O rings .. I read just this week a recent study on the effects of lost or discarded plastics on the environment, and O rings were mentioned as a means of reducing the chance of losing them. Stick baits are by far the biggest polluter. They broke the baits into 6 categories, the study found 12 total plastic lures in a fish' gut and 9 of them were stick baits. Snorkeling an area they found 26 plastic baits on the bottom - 20 were stick baits. They said: It maybe a consideration for some that there maybe a small positive environmental impact using O rings. Food for thought I guess. Entire paper here: http://fishlab.nres.illinois.edu/Reprints/Raison_et_al_Soft_Plastic_Lures_Water_Soil_Pollution_2014.pdf

St. Croix Avid 7' MH/F + Lew's Tournament Pro. Culprit 7.5" Black Shad worm, 3/8 oz chartreuse spinnerbait, and a frog because it doesn't always work but when it does it's the most fun way to catch a bass.

To the original question I have a collection that more or less follows your "1 crank in 2 or 3 patterns" and then have all of the depths covered. I like the Rapala DT series, and I'm pretty sure I have a few in every depth.

Sorry. Time flies I guess.

The type of bearing is important, but the number of bearings have very little if any bearing on what reel I would buy.

Of the reels mentioned I have the Lew's Speed Spool, and think it's a good choice in that price range although having said that my next reel purchase will probably be the MB or a Tournament Pro unless I can find a good sale. I own a TP and it's hands down my favorite reel. Speaking of sales though, I have to agree with the above poster in considering the BPQ for $49. I love Lew's, but I will say that at the Speed Spool price point I actually think the BPQ matches up well. For that price, you can't go wrong.

Just talking out loud here fishing for a nugget of wisdom that might come my way. I'm torn between the St Croix LTB (6'8" MH/F) and the LTB (7'1" M/F). Again, looking for my general purpose TR worm/jig rod, generally 3/8 - 1/2 but I wouldn't mind having something that could go lighter. I'm leaning toward the 6'8", but I'm a bit concerned if it's a little too much rod (St. Croix I think underrates). Trying to google online about this specific rod, and I only found one thing where I guy fished it once and was out looking for a trade to the 7'1" because it was too much rod. I do have a dedicated finesse rod - 6'6" M/F Avid spinning. I also have something stout - a 7' MH/F but I'm probably going to have a spinnerbait tied to that rod much of the time but it could double as a heavy duty worm rod if I chose to go M/F. If anyone has any experience with these two models I would most definitely appreciate any insight.