FrnkNsteen

I could have sworn my wife's was the same price as mine this spring (She is older than me) but just didn't have an expiration. I'll have to dig them out of my wallet and look.

How stupid is that! Leave it to the Land of 10,000 lakes to screw their fisherman! I'm from there so I know what I speak of!! Indiana offers a lifetime license once you are 65 and they don't rob you. It costs the same as the normal annual,.. Just no expiration. We just don't have many fish here to use it on!! ?

I have 2-3 pretty good bait shops reasonably close to where I live. I MUCH prefer to go buy things from them and couldnt tell you the last time I ordered anything from Bass Pro or the other big brand stores. The issue I have with them is either they have expanded their own name products so much they don't carry much else, or they take so long to ship that it kills the impulse to purchase due to knowing I won't get it for 2-3 weeks. That said,.. I do occasionally stop by the local Academy if I head that way, but they have reduced their rod & reel options so much I typically just look for clearance deals. My favorite local shop is Honey Creek Tackle in Indiana south of Indianapolis. They have a nice mix of name brand baits and lures, plus a mix of their bulk plastics. Also have a nice variety of rods abd stock most models of Daiwa, Lews and Shimano reels. They are also a boat dealer and have a hunting sectuon so I can cover a lot of bases.

For casting from shore,... I think I would look at something with centrifugal braking since you will likely be making long casts and not pitching, roll casting, skipping around shoreline structure like laydowns and docks. For under $200, I think I would go Shimano Curado MGL, or save a little cash and get the SLX MGL and put the rest into a little better rod. I have both the Curado MGL ($200) and SLX MGL ($150) and really like both. Even the regular SLX at $100 or SLX XT at $130 are pretty decent for the money. They cast as far as you would need and are smooth on the cast and reeling. I personally like Daiwa reels, but they typically don't cast quite as far, though more controlled in my opinion, and the fishing style you will be doing just lines up better with the Shimanos in my opinion. My 2 cents!

I just did it this summer! It was at the end of a long day and I took the hook out and dropped the pliers back into the water instead of the fish. ?? They were a 20 year old pair of Rapala with the split ring tooth at the tip. They had been great and never rusted. I immediately realized what I did as soon as I let go and there was no stopping them. They took a glancing blow the side of the boat and sank away. I looked back at my wife and she was watching me and said "Did you just do what I think you did??" I couldn't help but laugh!! ?? Still have the sheath that originally came with them. Bought the newer 6" and 8" versions but they aren't quite the same and no sheath, but I think they will work

Agreed,... But I checked and it looks like Fenwick only offers 2pc rods in their Spinning models. The casting only seemed to ffer 1pc.

That could be a challenge! I know of a few 2pc offerings in spinning rods, but none in a casting rod. What kind of car? When I need to put a rod inside a vehicle, I put the handle end down in the passenger seat footwell and run the rod up through the center over the seat into the back. You can fit a fairly long rod angled up through the middle like that

Not great at skipping, but I am trying to get a feel for it. During my learning curve, I am findung a good mag brake works better for me than a centrifugal brake as the spool speeds aren't really high enough during the skipping for the brake to help me, while the mag brakes are always on and trying to help slow the spool. Like said in the post above,... I've had a MUCH easier time with my SV reels than anything else. Others like the MGL and Lews Pro SP helped a little on good casts, but also are more punishing when I screw up. Though the Pro SP is easier to pick out with the extremely shallow spool.

If you are casting from shore, is the area you typically fish pretty open or do you have to cast around trees? A longer rod may give you a little further casts, but needs a little more open space. Where a shorter rod may be a little easier with trees and objects around. If it were me, I think I wound start with around 6 - 6 1/2 ft long rod if not open around you. If open space and room to cast, bump that up to 7ft (give or take a couple inches) for longer casts. I'd choose a Medium Heavy Fast action with a reel of your choice from the ones you listed depending on your budget. That would make a nice all around setup that can do pretty much anything you mentioned. May not be ideal for crankbaits, but would work in a pinch. How much were you thinking of spending? The SLX combos get pretty good reviews, and I've seen decent deals on the combo. Obviously the DC and MGLs you mentioned would push the package price up a bit. Once we know budget we can make some suggestions.

Yes. It's just a spring and pin in the sidewall of the upper drag washer that clicks against the wall of the main gear. It could be easily removed if you didn't like it

I don't have a Kaden 735cb. I've only seen good reviews for them. I do have a Kaden 714 and 744 that I like, but those aren't crankbait models I can say I've got two of the Mojo 7' MHMF rods. I'm typically not a big fan of the Mojo rods. They always seem to feel tip heavy to me, but for some reason I like that one. It is what they call their "Spinnerbait" rod and I really like it. I throw a Whopper Plopper 90 on one and the other is used as a backup for lighter chatterbait style lures weighing 1/4 - 3/8oz. I was throwing a Rapala OG Slim on it this summer up north and got a nice Muskie up to the boat that just had ahold of the tail hook. It did well working it to the boat but let go as we were trying to land it. I'll warn you that the Mojo MHMF has a soft tip, but it helps it cast well

You have!! That's why your membership was free!!

Got it. I have just never heard it called a wind brake. I typically hear it called a "Cast Control" or "Spool tension" knob. I typically start with my external adjust centrifugal brake adjusted as above. Half of the weights activated on the spool and dial set to midpoint and adjust as needed from there. If the brakes seem lacking, I have had to turn them all on and dial back on the external brake dial.

Ok! LOL! ?? I don't agree, .... But ok!

I'm definitely not a spinnerbait expert, but in my experience, and what just seems to be more logical is that a thinner lighter blade will turn easier so should work better than a heavier blade at slower speeds. Deeper cupping seems to put off more vibration and may better in water with kower clarity, or deeper darker water.

What do you mean by "Wind brake" and "Main Brake"?

Absolutely! I have appreciated DVT's feedback on reels and am putting together an order for Siebert jigs and Fogys based on members reviews and Sieberts replies to questions.

Confused by this. If you like being able to ask member's opinions,... Why would you be opposed to asking the opinion of someone who spent the majority of their adult life fishing competitively? Especially someone with the experience of KVD, Bill Dance, or Hank Parker as Glenn mentioned?? Seems a little arrogant to me to say no!! I agree with Alabama that it would be nice to have them just be a member and resource to chat and give advice based on their experience. I read another forum that just doesn't have as much to offer as this place does, but one thing I do like is Gary Dobyns comes on and chats with the members about specific rod designs and what he intended them to be used for, as well as which rod he would suggest for a specific application. It is nice to hear first hand suggestions from people with that level of experience, whether that be from members like WRB, A-Jay, or someone like KVD, Bill Dance or Hank Parker

If I am fishing weightless plastics, I use a spinning rod about 6'10"" to 7' in a ML or M, specifically Fenwick Elite Tech Smallmouth, HMX or HMG. I also have a couple Phenix Feathers I like in a 7'1" M that fish like a ML. For casting rigs, I've got texas rigged worms, lizards and creature baits on a Shimano Zodias 7'1" MH and a Dobyns Kaden 714c. The Kaden is rated a heavy but fishes more like a MH.

I've heard good things about the Kaden 735cb as well. That one is priced around the same as the Sierra,... Maybe a bit higher, but cheaper than the Champion XP If you watch for sales though, I've seen the Champion XP crankbait rods as cheap as around $190

Sorry,... Both are a 7'3", which is the first two digits of the model#. The last digit is the power, so a 733 is their MH and 734 is their H, but remember they seem to run a little light, so, a 733 is like a heavier medium and a 734 is around a MH, but in my opinion,... a little heavier MH. In my opinion the run about 3/4 of a power light. Fury 733 is rated for 1/4 - 3/4oz while the Fury 734 is rated 1/4 - 1oz. My Mojo MH Mod Fast is rated for 3/8 - 3/4 oz

Never had to send one in, but I have had to contact Lews a couple times and their service was awesome. Bought an LFS and while gettu,g ready to use, I noticed a couple of the brake magnets were missung. They sent me a replacement side plate

If those are the lures you were planning to use and want Dobyns,... I'd jump to a 733 or 734, and if you want a little slower action, jump up to the Sierra series. It's not much more than a Mojo,... especially if you can find a 10% or 20% off sale I love my Sierra 734 for spinnerbaits and swim jigs. I think it would work well for whopper ploppers too. I use a 735cb glass or 736cb glass for my chatterbaIts, depending on what weight I am using. That being said,.. I think the 705cb would throw 1/2 spinnerbaits just fine as Fisher said. It definitely slower, but will casts those nicely.

^^Agreed^^ Whenever using apinning reels, I always close bail by hand, not with the reel handle. Then give the line a quick tug. After awhile it becomes second nature. I do this and almost never have these issues with my spinning reels. My wife claims to, but doesn't, and regularily has these issues. Ive stopped fishing to watch her while saying I was just taking a break. She does it right about half the time, and eventually has it happen. Especially later in the day as she starts to get tired ( and or bored ?). Trick to undoing it if still on the spool. Don't keep pulling with the bail open, it will just get worse. Instead,... Keep your bail closed and loosen you drag way up so line easily peels off. Slowly pull the line until the loop clears itself. Then tighten your drag back up.

Don't know,.. Can't justify the price! I thought about getting the jig box, but went with the cheap spinnerbait box instead. It has three rows and holds jigs and bladed jigs great. One row is jigs, next row is swim jigs and last row is bladed jigs. For terminal, I bought cheaper "Terminal Tackle" boxes with 4 red latches that I think were made by Flambeau or some other company. They have molded in markings for weight and hook sizes. I've got two of them. One holds offset worm hooks in sizes 1/0. - 6\0, wacky hooks and lead bullet weights. The other holds EWG hooks of each size and tungsten weights. Plenty of room for other terminal tackle as well.