FrnkNsteen

I'm assuming the Mach One setup is a spinning reel and rod, and it sounds like you have a good feel for that. In regards to the casting setup.... Don't put too much emphasis on that the DC version would be all that much better. I bought a couple versions (SLX DC and Curado DC) when they first came out because I thought they would help my wife learn to cast a baitcasters better. They really did not. She actually did better with my smaller Daiwas like the SV 70 because they tend to have more easily controlled braking. The thing I found about the DC reels I had is they worked well if doing full harder casts for distance, but struggled if your casting motions were lighter or jerky, like most newbies tend to be. In regards to your setup. I have no idea what your baitcasting experience is so I am going to start as assuming it is very little, so please don't let it bother you if I simplify things too much. My suggestions are this... First, I believe the SLX XT has the external dial on the centrifugal brakes,... so open the side cover and set the brakes so all the internal weights are turned on and then set the dial on the outside so it is turned up near max. Then look at the Dobyns rod you have and see what the suggested lure weight range is and pick a lure or casting plug that is approximately in the middle of the range. So if the Rod's lure weight range is 1/4oz to 3/4oz, pick a lure that is approximately 1/2oz. Choose something like a jig or just a barrel weight that is dense and does not catch a lot of air. This will cast more consistently. Set the spool tension on the handle side of the reel so that when you have the rod at a slight upwards angle and press the clutch button and lift your thumb, the lure slowly falls to the ground without the spool over running line off. This setup is much tighter than I, or most experienced baitcaster users have theirs set, but it seriously helps reduce over runs while you get the hang of things. Now go out and practice your casting while focusing on making smooth casts,... even if they are pretty short at first. Spinning reels tend to teach bad habits of using your wrists to snap the cast out there farther. With your baitcaster, you want to focus on smoothness and eliminate snapping of the wrist. Practice smooth overhead or side arm casts that are hard enough to load up the rod to let it help you cast it out there, but without snapping the wrist and slingshotting the lure out there. That snapping the rod and causing a slingshot effect is what causes a lot of backlashes. Start with making slow lazy lob casts like you are pitching a softball or shooting a free throw As you start to feel more comfortable, start putting a little more into the casts while still focusing on staying smooth! Then when you feel more comfortable, you can start to turn down the brakes little by little and you can also then start to reduce tension on the spool control knob to loosen everything up. Getting used to baitcasters takes practice. There's no way around that or magic reel that will make you better. That SLX XT gets good feedback from people. I don't have one, but I have quite a few SLX MGL that have basically the same braking systems. Practice, practice, practice. Focus on making smooth casting motions and keeping a light touch on the spool with your thumb during the cast and it WILL come to you.

I was hoping to find an option for ordering the whole sideplate assy, but didn't see it.

From what I am seeing, it would be more than 12 parts. To me it looks like you would need all 19 parts shown in the side plate, and I don't see the magnets shown.

I can't speak specifically on the CT, but will say I don't have one. I've got the Fuego right under it, and a Tatula 100 right over it, but no CT. Seems to me people were saying the 2024 new version of the Tatula 100 was selling on Amazon for just a little over $100. I think it was the Japan version. Rather than go with the CT for $100, I would try to jump up to the new 100 for just a bit more. I don't normally suggest something above a price point someone mentions, but in this case I think it would be worth it. Seemed to me you search on Amazon for something like '24 Tatula 100. I will see if I can find it. Might not be available right with all the tariff stuff going on, but worth a look.

Hadn't thought of that! Great idea! I would think the hi viz DOES show up if you start getting close. I will have to try that!

I have become pretty resistant to the bait monkey myself. The last few trips to the local shops have had me come home with just a few little things instead of a bag full. My last trip came home with a spool of 15lb Big Game because I was out. A pinkish DT8 because I don't have any DT8's and pink tends to show as bright orange in the root beer colored Ontario waters of our June Smallmouth trip. I think the only other thing I grabbed was a pack of small jigheads to use with some little 2.5" Great Lakes Craws I had picked up at a show last year. For me to come home with 2 or 3 things is an accomplishment! I really have no need for any other tackle, rods, or reels and have been pretty successful resisting! In fact I just gave away 3 reels and a couple rods to a friend's son to use. I have more than I think I could ever really use!

I typically use my spinning setups for lighter techniques like what Susky mentioned, but I CAN see the benefit of using a spinning rig from a skipping standpoint. I'm still trying to get efficient skipping with a baitcasters. Getting better, but I still do better with a spinning rod trying to skip a senko or fluke up under trees or docks. I have no doubt you can find the right spinning rod and reel setup to fish heavier lures like a jig, Sensitivity typically isn't the issue with spinning setups. Most of mine all balance nicely on my fingers. My issue with using spinning rods with heavier setups hasn't been with finding the right rod. It has been with the line tension from the heavier lure tearing up your finger casting it all day. Not to sound like a wuss, but running that line off your finger all day with heavier lures tends to wear at it as the day goes on. To be honest,... I don't think I even own a spinning rod heavier than a medium action. The heaviest thing I probably ever throw is a 5" Senko, which typically run about 3/8oz total weight. A 3/8oz or more jig plus some sort of trailer starts to add up.

I personally have mixed feelings on the Zillion at the moment. When it first came out, I picked one up in a 6spd, mainly planning to use for cranking or running a Spinnerbait, and was blown away by the smoothness of the reel and how comfortable it was in the hand. My only complaint was where they moved the brake setting dial, I tend to bump it with my index finger on the cast. For some reason, the dial on mine rolls extremely easy towards increasing the brakes and when I cast in the palming position, my index finger bumps the dial and randomly bumps the brakes up a click or two at a time until casting distance starts to be reduced. As for smoothness,... It's still great, but I have to say other models and brands have made pretty big strides and the difference isn't as big as it once was. I'm pretty impressed with the SLX 71 MGLs I have. My Curado MGLs and Bantams are very nice and smooth. I will also say the Tatula 70, 80, and the new Tatula 100 I picked up are extremely smooth compared to the previous model Tatula (SVTW and Tatula 100). I just checked Digitaka and it seems exchange rates are creeping back up with the Zillion marked at $247.... It's still a nice price on a nice reel, but I have to honestly say that in my opinion, the quality of the Zillion doesn't separate itself quite as much as it did when it first came out.

Though I have a few other brands and models, Fenwick is by far my favorite on spinning rods (Eagle, ET Smallmouth, ET Bass, HMG, HMX, World Class). Others I have are a couple Falcon Expert and Phoenix Feather. Casting rods don't really have a set favorite. I've got a mix of the following. Ark (Catalyzer, Tharp, Invoker LE) Daiwa (Tatula and Elite) Dobyns (Fury, Sierra, XP, DX) Fenwick (Venture, Techna AV) Kistler (Zbone, Helium, KLX) Loomis (GL2, E6X, IMX Pro, GLX) Megabass (Levante) Phoenix (Feather, MBX) Shimano (Zodias) St Croix (Mojo, Avid, LTB, Legend X, Legend Elite) And a few others mixed in like older Fenwick, Carrot Stix, TFO, Academy Each have their place and I like different models for different things, but no particular brand jumps out like it does with my Fenwick spinning rods.

That's what I like. I have a hard time slowing myself down and default to a standard retrieve that tends to be too fast if using a higher speed reel. All of my faster reels are setup for techniques where I am moving the bait with the rod and use the reel to pick up slack or reel it the boat quickly for another cast. Well,... Except for Buzzbait. I use a high speed reel to keep it on the surface quicker and easier. Most of my other reels use a 6:or 7 spd reel. 6spds for slower moving baits or resistance baits like deeper cranks or something like Colorado blade spinnerbaits I want to slow roll around cover. Willow blades, swim jigs, squarebills, etc that I am ok with moving a little quicker usually get high 6 to mid 7 for me. I know spool size impacts inches per turn, but most of my reels are reasonably comparable so I don't worry about it too much.

My first advice on the cranking reel is get the nicest, smoothest reel you can for the cranking!! In my opinion, cast n reel techniques like cranking, spinnerbaits, and such are something that definitely something that warrants spending more to focus on smoothness of both the cast and reeling. You don't want to spend all day casting and reeling with a rough gear reel! If you like Daiwa, the new '24 Tatula 100 is getting good reviews for smoothness, or if stepping up, the JDM Zillion is always a great option. I like the Tatula Elite, but at the price, I'd go JDM Zillion. If you prefer Shimano, maybe a Curado MGL, or step it up to a Bantam. Smoothness isn't quite as important on jig rods in my opinion. If you're including skipping, I'd look to a Tatula SV first off, if not, then maybe a new Tatula 100 or 150 or Curado MGL. My opinion,.... Spend more on the cranking reel to go for smoothness and less on the jig reel where you are going to use the rod more for movement and the reel for line pickup.

I use it on certain rigs and don't have any issues. I typically only use it on crank baits, jerkbaits and sometimes jigs if swimming them in more open water. I hate leader knots clicking through my guides, especially on casting setups where I have at least 30lb braid and 12-20lb flouro. I typically run mono backer, then fill the spool with straight flouro. Invisix and occasionally Abrazix are my go to flouro lines.

^^This^^ I have not tried the newer model SLX 70, but I am a BIG fan of the previous SLX 70 MGL. I prefer lefties, so mine are the SLX 71 MGL, but I have around 6 of them. Had a couple of them I REALLY liked, so when people were discounting them to $99 or lower when the newer models came out, I bought like 4 more. In my opinion, they fish WAY above their price point!! I like them every bit as much as my Curado 71 and 151 MGLs!

Not a fan of warm water bass of any type. We go to Ontario every summer on a family trip and like to have a fish fry one night of the week. The lake we fish has very tight slots of what you can keep. Most we catch are above the slot and not able to be kept. To get enough to have a fish fry we often have to keep anything that fits the slots so you might have some Walleye/Sauger(13-17" slot), Smallmouth (13-15"slot), Northern, or maybe a few Perch or Crappy mixed in. Hard to beat that fresh fish with some fresh cut fries and some pork n' beans!!! In my opinion, that cool Northern water makes them all taste better. Northern taste best IMO and hard to tell a difference between the rest other than by the shape of the filets.

It has to be a buzzbait for me. I see people like Wheeler and Montgomery do well with them, but for me,... I've just never been successful with them.

Palomar for tying to lures and uni to uni for leader knots are my two main knots and I really haven't had many issues. I am working on getting comfortable with the FG, but still struggle with it. Getting better though!

Current lineup has been pretty good ( SLX 71MGL, Curado MGLs, Bantam MGLs) but they should because they are still fairly new. When I start thinking of "Favorites" thought, I resort to older models that still stand out. Currently, the Shimanos I have that stand out for me that is a 201E7 I picked up used at a swap meet. Buttery smooth running a Spinnerbait on a Megabass Levante. Another is a Scorpion Metanium MG7. I have it on a Dobyns Champion 734c throwing buzzbaits and REALLY like it! Casts great and very smooth!! We are focusing on Shimano here but others include some Team Daiwa TDZ and Fuegos. Those frames just seem to melt into my hand!

I've cut the big end and folded it back in, but the ends are no longer fused so they poke through and catch on things. I found I liked cutting the tipped ends and re-shrinking them seemed to work better for me.

Agreed! I have always liked the Daiwa Regal spinning reels. I don't currently have any as I have replaced them with Fuegos and up to Tatula, Ballistics and Shimano Stradics and Vanfords. I've had Regals going way back to the old Regal X and Regal Z reels from the 90's up to having a couple newer versions as recent as a year or two ago. To this day I think it's hard to beat the lower priced Daiwa reels like the RG, the Revros, and the Regal reels. My experience with them has only been in the 2000 and 2500 size. I don't know how well a 2500 will handle 4lb braid though. I used them for #2 and #3 Mepps and Aglia spinners up in Ontario for smallies, but I used 10 or 14lb Berkeley Fireline. That fused Fireline holds up surprisingly well to the toothy Northerns and Muskies and is very limp once it wears in and starts to turn gray.

You could also shorten them to whatever size you want. I buy 3/8" heat shrink from the electrical section at Menards. Cut the tipped end off an off-the-shelf mesh rod sock to the length you want. Fold the cut end into an "S" shape and slip a 1" piece of heat shrink over the end. Apply heat to the heat shrink to tighten down on the tip and Poof! You have a shortened rod sock! The only thing I do is pick a standard color for the ones you shorten so it's easier to get the right ones on the short rods at the end of the day. I only use the silver Academy rod socks for shortening. All the regular length ones are various other colors.

I love my Sierra 734 and use it for everything from 1/4 - 3/8 spinnerbaits and swim jigs to 90 & 110 Whopper Ploppers. I don't know what is going on with Dobyns recently, but I have a few Sierra models, including a 682 I use for small topwater poppers like a chug bug or Popr, to a 733c and 734c and all of them are a bit slower than the Kaden and Champion. In my opinion, they work fine for treble hooked baits as long as you don't swing for the fences on the hook set and try to horse them in like your fishing a frog

Thanks @Bigbox99. I've been happy with the spools I have in the ML100 and TD Fuegos, but the thought of having other options was interesting. Nice to know there are options and what to watch for.

Hey @bulldog1935... Didn't the old TD Fuegos, TDZ 100ML US Trail and Zillions have a 36mm spool?, slightly different than the TDZ and TDX 103 and 105 reels that had the 34mm? Do you know if the 1516 spool you mentioned being a 36mm spool would fit them? Just wondering if it would be an option for the old TD Fuegos and 100H US Trail Team Daiwa reels I have.

You're a kinder gent than I @bulldog1935. Very patient response to a post I found rather rude! For the record, I have always appreciated the help and information that you have always provided!

Me too!!