FrnkNsteen

I think I have seen those. I may have to try that. Are Alphas handles and drag stars still available? I've got some parts models of TDZ 103HL and Fuego... Does any of that stuff fit. Guess I should get off my butt and try them! Is Tackle Trap still the best option now that they reopened?

Any suggestions for upgrading older Daiwa Sol straight handles with the riveted knobs? I have a couple older LH TD Sols that I love, but the riveted handle knobs are sloppy loose and click while reeling. Can't shim them since they are riveted. Interested in some options if you have any!!

^^I will agree with this^^ I used to put a finger under the line and lift slightly to feel the line when fishing bottom contact. When I used my first Twing for this, I started noticing line lay issues. Started looking and realized when I did that on a Twing, I was lifting the line out of the narrow portion and it then rode loose in the wide upper portion affecting line lay. Took a bit to get used to, but I started resting a finger on top of the line to feel it instead of under. Works fine ever since. I personally have no other issues with the Twing.

Good suggestion. The Tat 80 is a nice compromise as it's the same frame with larger line capacity. Didn't even think of that option! Good call!!

I only have the Elite Pitch and Flip model and it is bigger than my SV70. I like it, but it IS bigger. I currently have our SV70 on an older Loomis GL2 783MBR my wife is using for throwing Whopper Ploppers and or swim Jigs. It works fine for that for us. She likes the smaller profile. I'm not someone who concerns myself with making the longest casts I can,... Unless it's a deep diving crank. You mentioned using it with 8lb or 10lb line..... Personally, I have not noticed a capacity issue with ours and I don't believe you will either. Look at the line capacities and see what you think though. I checked and Google says 110yds of 8lb or 90yds of 10lb. For me I think that would be fine.

I will agree that I have found that minor changes in color typically don't make a huge difference, BUT,... I can also recall multiple instances where it did One example was we were in Northern Minnesota fishing a weedy bay for large mouth. We were catch a fair amount on various shades of green tubes and senkos. Around mid day, they just stopped. Couldn't catch a thing. For whatever reason, I took my Green Pumpkin Fizz tube and dipped the tail in chartreuse spike it. They immediately started hitting it hard and I caught a ton the next couple hours. Couldn't get my friend to try it and he caught nothing. Stubborn! Another time I was hammering the small mouth during mayfly hatch on a clear Zara puppy. It was the only one I had in clear. Let my buddy try a pearl colored one I had and they wouldn't touch it. They wanted the more subtle clear one or nothing at all. As others said... "It doesn't visually matter much until it does"

^Agreed^ I've had these issues the most if I am trying to fill a reel while holding it in my hand reeling line directly from a spool. How you hold the line to apply line tension can affect how it lays on the spool. I have also learned that I get better line lay when I have the reel mounted to a rod and the line going through at least a few of the guides. Had I thought of it, I should have saved a broken rod and cut it down to 2-3 guides to use just for filling reels.

I never ground up cork and mixed it, but I fill bad spots with Elmer's Golden Oak wood filler, sand to smooth and even, then seal with U40.

I've used it and it was ok. Personally, I typically watch for deals and stick with Seagaur. Mostly Invisix as @rangerjockey mentioned, but also some Abrazix. I've tried some of Sunline's options too and was pretty happy with them. To be honest,... I don't really believe there is as much difference in flouro lines as we like to believe, but there are definitely distinct differences.. I've worked with different line manufacturers because we use it in some of our processing , mainly in chemical baths for it's acid resistance. It works great for part holding in etching and polishing baths for electro-polishing. Most "Flouro" lines are around 95% Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) with the remaining % being additives to soften or add handling characteristics. I believe the differences you see in lines is what they do with that small % of additives. Some do very little and it is tough and stringy. Some do their homework and make it much more supple and manageable. I believe hat small percentage of additive work is where the differences lie.

^ I agree with this ^ First,.... I personally hate braid to leader in most instances. I have a few spinning rigs setup with braid to leader, but absolutely no casting setups using it. The biggest reason is knots get bigger when you start talking 30-50lb braid plus a 15 -20lb leader and I HATE the sound and feel of a leader knot smacking through my guides on every cast, then again on every retrieve. Do I use flouro? Absolutely, but not in all instances. I have straight braid on some rods, straight flouro on some and straight mono on some. A simple breakdown for me is like this,... I like braid for the no stretch, direct feel, and ability to snap it through weeds. I like flouro for it's abrasive resistance around wood and rocks, and it's clarity and sinking for things like deeper cranks. I also run a LOT of mono for things that are worked more shallow or on top. Some spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, ploppers, poppers, I think they each have their place and I use each when I feel it fits the situation based on my experience and preferences.

I like the Abu Garcia Winch reels in 5.4:1 gear ratio. However, the only experience I have with them are an Orra Winch and a couple Revo Winch reels. I do not have any experience with the Max Winch. Mine are both aluminum framed reels and my concern is how well the graphite frame of the Max would hold up. That said,... For $30, it may be worth a try! I understand that $30 is $30, but it's not a huge gamble and good way to try out a Winch reels.

The two biggest differences/advantages I personally see with a shorter rod are 1. The ability to work the bait with a downward action (Think of walking the dog or working a jerkbait) without slapping the water 2. I can usually cast more accurately with a shorter rod when casting. A longer rod typically helps with longer casts due to the larger arc length of the tip putting more speed into the lure and flinging it out there further. Popular for moving baits where you really want to get it out there, or when you need the distance on a deep diving crank to give it time to dive to full depth A longer rod also helps pick up line quick on the hook set for flipping and pitching!

I would get the MGL. I had a Curado DC I got shortly after they came out and never really liked it. It was a decent novelty at first because it did cast ok, and the noise was different,.... For a while. Then it got irritating. I originally bought an SLX DC and a Curado DC thinking the SLX DC was a little smaller for my wife. We've since gotten rid of both of them. She likes my Tatula 70 more and took it over and I liked quite a few other reels better than the Curado DC

Well,... THAT was a pain! My new phone is a Google Pixel 9 Pro and has a great camera, but in their infinite wisdom, they decided to omit a way to resize pictures. I searched all over for any advice to do it and,... Nope! Everyone says they just don't let you. I hate adding unknown apps and dealing with ads and stuff, so I had to send the picture to home computer, resize with MS Paint, then send back to phone!! 😕😕 But here they are. I really like the colors and details of these rods, but it appears they are done. Tried to look up their website to get the rod descriptions but it wouldn't load. The TDZ looks like it has seen better days, but it smooth as butter. Thought about repainting as I've seen others do, but haven't gotten around to it, and it fishes well!!

Now where's the fun in that!! 😄

LOL! I kind of wish it hadn't because I'm getting over-run with too many rods! I will try to take some pics tonight. Have a hard time getting my new phone to take pictures small enough to attach.

You all are buying new exotic stuff!! I went the other way and bought some used Doomsday Tackle Co. rods from ALF. Got three of them cheap while ALF had 20% off all used. I already had a 7'3" MH/MF that I have been using with a Tatula CT Type R throwing lipless cranks. Not the lightest or most sensitive, but fishes nice and has a classic retro look with the antique cream and crimson. Picked up the 7'0" BCF, which is their BSF rod. I put a Tatula SV with a Ray's BFS Spool on it. Haven't used it yet, but it casts an 1/8oz casting plug very nicely. Also got their 6'10" crank bait rod that I put an old TDZ 103ML on to throw some cranks and their 7'3" MH Fast rod. Don't really know what I plan to do with that rod yet. I'll try it with a few different things and see if I like it.

I was using this same box for mine, but found it works REALLY well for Jigs and Chatterbaits, so it got taken over by those. Right now I am using one of these boxes. I have some Buzzbaits in the two narrow rows and have spinnerbaits bagged in individual bags stacked in the larger portion of the box. I don't lose many or have to change them out often so it has worked pretty well so far

I just looked and I didn't see the one I typically use. Maybe it is from Pre-Rapala buyout. I think it was a perch color. Others I have are the Green Gizzard, Bluegill, or Hot Frog (Firetiger) colors.

Yes... In that instance, a popper would likely have done as well. Some were on the retrieve, but very close to where it landed. The thing I like about them is you can slow them down way slower than a buzzbait. I usually use the 90, but have some 75 and 110 as well

I have done well with them. Conditions DO have to be right. Haven't had much chance to get out much lately though, so it has been a while. Caught quite a few on them on the Ontario trip this year. Most were right after it landed and just started moving it. Not as many later in the retrieve. I run them SLOW! Like just fast enough to to make the blades turn. Chug, chug, chug!

I have a friend that swears by them. One of his favorite rigs is Zoom Millipede mock texas rigged on a Tru-Turn hook with a bobber stopped 1/16oz bullet weight. Small piece of toothpick or heavy mono through the hook eye to keep the Millipede from sliding down the hook. He does well with it! Haven't seen him use it as much lately. He's been kind of stuck on a damiki rig type set up lately.

The only round reels I have setup anymore are a pair of Shimano Calcutta 101's on Dobyns 736CB Glass rods with heavier chatterbaits and an Abu 4600 (I think) on an old musky rod I used to throw. Cool old reels though. I often drool a bit over some of @bulldog1935 setups! Very cool stuff that he has!!

Nope,... I think Ike is still a freak! LOL! I understand the intent as you mentioned, but I think he over exaggerates it at times. 😁

I look at it as how fast the bend gets into the backbone of the rod, as in the image Ski presented. I like a more moderate action for lures with treble hooks especially due to having more bend range to absorb a fish running or lunging and less likely to lose tension long enough for those smaller hooks to come loose. I also like them for moving baits to slow down the hook set and allow the fish to fully close down on the bait before the hook gets set so I am less likely to rip it out of their mouth. I saw one source describe the benefit of a slower action like this. They said there are times we are retrieving a moving bait and what we initially "Feel" is the bass inhaling the bait, but they haven't necessarily closed down on it yet. They said a more moderate rod helps give you a tiny bit of delay when you set the hook for them to close down it. Kind of like people saying they count to one or two, or take a step back, or just wait to feel the weight of the fish. It's all intended to give the fish a second to get closed down on the bait. Some believe that, some don't. I personally believe it it to a point that I believe you can set the hook too fast and pull it away from them. Especially on topwater, but I believe it to be true on moving baits as well. I use more moderate actions for crank baits and topwater, but also for spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, and swim Jigs. Basically any moving bait.