Boomstick

My experience with the Zodias line goes as far as is holding them in stores. I'm not sure if they had either model in question, but they all felt like they ran quite a bit heavier than the rating. The 7'2" MH casting rod looks like a pretty sweet jig rod as a result. If you are looking for an all around sort of spinning rod, I would definitely go with the ML.

@cjam93 Nice. The one thing worth noting is that Matt Allen is almost always throwing braid to leader at least for the past several years. One thing to note is Sunline Sniper has very low stretch for a fluorocarbon from a stretch test that @FryDog62 did a few winters back - haven't actually used it yet but that may be worth a try too if you don't want to switch to braid and find the tip is a little too slow or maybe just cause. Worst cause is you have a pretty sweet all around moving bait stick

You know, I didn't even think to look for that. I had a similar issue. I was shopping for an all around jig rod a few weeks ago, ended up with a Daiwa Steez 7'5" MH-H/F "Bottom Contact" rod. Matt Allen recommended the 7'2" Steez as an all around MH for jigs and whatnot, but in the video he mentioned he only had the older model. The newer model is listed as a spinnerbait/deep diver rod and MH/R which is like mod. fast usually, but I'm fairly sure the older model wasn't all that much different. Anyway, the FMJ was a rod I was also considering, so while I've never owned a Megabass rod, I'm fairly familiar with some of the models in terms of bend from reading about them and also from PunchFishing's Youtube channel. One thing I learned is I would not want to throw a 1/2oz football jig on a MB Destroyer Daemos. It's like a MH- in backbone but has a bit less tip. Maybe it could swing a 3/8oz in open water, but even still I'd prefer it with braid or light wire hooks. Where the FMJ would be a little bit heavier than I would really need for a 1/2oz football jig, but it should still work well especially with straight fluorocarbon. And if you don't have a good rod for casting or pitching jigs, that might be something to consider. The Braillist is listed as a 5.5 power and is supposed to be a little bit lighter but a good all around jig rod for structure fishing. I've seen some people prefer heavy rods for football jigs but usually with a mod. fast tip but not always. I'm not one of them, as if there's weeds or too much wood, I'm probably not using a football jig.

I had a hinge on a couple week old BM 3700 break on me. I wrote BM and they sent me new hinges and I haven't had another problem. I am however slowly moving away from the Bass Mafia boxes, not because I've had issues with them not holding up but because they are a little bit larger and thus difficult to get in and out of the Black Pak on my kayak. I picked up the Plano Edge jig box which holds a lot more jigs.

No worries, sometimes life sneaks up on ya. Glad everything is okay

I just see this caption and my first thought was "in a blender"?

@cjam93 I just edited my comment because I found where Matt used the EMTF for football jigs, specifically for finesse football jigs with braid. The slower tip compensates for the braid's lack of stretch. He did also list it as an all around jig rod in another video but I wonder if that's the older model or he meant to put the Braillist which is usually what he recommends

After reading tackle tour's review of the Braillist, I wouldn't see why it wouldn't work - especially with fluorocarbon I wouldn't be worried about it being too strong. Maye a little if you're using a light wire hook.

If this helps, I'm fairly sure I've bought stuff for. Delaney's Outdoprs Inc who is one of the vendors on Amazon selling that reel, although slightly more expensive. But worst case scenario should you order from anyone and get a used reel you can still send it back.

Oh odd, I've only seen it in higher strengths, that's good to know

No worries, glad you could make it! And do let us know how that works out for you.

No... but I might have to get some

The info for those looking to join late: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85864017129?pwd=T2ZCbERQeUNIT1g1Y25meXhOUVJOdz09 Meeting ID: 858 6401 7129 Passcode: 109587

Well, I finally made it through at least sorting out what goes to who. Started sorting out some of my resupply lures, but good enough for now. Wrapping this will be fun!

I had them largely make wishlists....

Alright, prepare to be impressed lol.... most of this is for my kids, getting them the start of their own tackle collection for X-Mas. I'm honestly overwhelmed sorting this stuff out figuring out who is supposed to get what.

@TcRoc I didn't even know they made a Tatula HLC, don't ever recall seeing it on Daiwa's website or anything. If I knew about that, I may own one. Hows the distance compare to the Tatula Elite?

I found this review of a Rapala Digital scale on TackleWarehouse. I have questions...

I just meant that the Zillions and Steez's generally outcast the Tatulas for the most part, even the SVs. Like we both said, Daiwa doesn't make many reels that win in the distance game.

For the Tatula line, I'm pretty sure they're the furthest casting which was why I mentioned that. Higher lines will cast further, I'm just trying to compare apples to apples here. That said, Shimano does seem to win in the distance department even at higher lines at least from what I've seen

If I had a Tatula Elite I would get better distance as well, but even the Tatula CT can't touch a Curado K in casting distance.

In the summer of 2018, I had rented a rowboat and was out with the kids. Two things actually happened that day. #1) I nearly landed a largemouth and smallmouth on the same crankbait, same cast. If my oldest son grabbed the line, I would have gotten them both on the boat. Landed the 2lb largemouth, but the much larger smallie popped off and fell into the lake. #2) A little while after that, I caught a good 30"+ pike. On my next cast, I hooked something that looked like el mondo, could be possibly near state record - my neighbor told me he had caught a bass in the same lake that tied the state record, but it was too early in the season to keep it. The only really look I got was belly and it looked like a giant bass, both kids got a better look at it and they both said it looked like a giant bass. It hit not too far from the boat, never really got any ground on this fish it just towed the rowboat around the lake like a motor, eventually swam under the boat and shook the hook and off it went.

This is something I'm still working on. I feel I'll likely say the same thing in 20 years to. Sometimes I get it right, and sometimes I don't.

I'm a Garmin guy personally. Lowrance would be similar to Garmin in the sense that they're fairly easy to use and their perk is they offer high resolution screens in the HDS line. Hummingbird on the other hand is the leader of the imaging game with their super clear MEGA imaging. When I was shopping, the Raymarine Axiom was a little bit out of my price range and the HDS used too much battery power so they weren't in the running, really leaving the a 7 or 8 inch Helix and the Garmin EchoMap 9" as my top two choices. I picked the Garmin for ease of use and have been pretty happy with it.

I haven't tried gold label because the only time I regularly use leaders these days is for finesse fishing and gold label starts at higher test line.