Stephen B

100% agreed, managing a pond is brutal and hard work. Also, Hog Basser is right that crappie are not recommended for small ponds.

This is not the problem at all. The issue is that crappie and bluegill of that size are competing for the same food sources as the bass. This results in stunted bass. The solution I would recommend is to call one of your local pond management comapnies to electroshock the pond. This will enable the biologist to take a sample of the population and they can recommend a solution from their findings whether it be to remove a specific poundage of bass/crappie/bluegill per acre, stocking fish, fertilization, or liming the pond. Liming a pond is often overlooked as it aids in the fertility/reproduction of the fish. Having professional come out is the only true way to determine the root of the problem and improve the quality of fish and the overall health of the pond.

I understand that. Just curious as to where the 7'6 H Phenix K2 falls in between St Croix's MH and H or more to St Croix's MH.

Looking at a custom K2 7'6 H rated as 3/8-1 oz. Does anybody has any experience with this blank or any other Phenix blanks? Do they run pretty true in terms of power and lure rating? How does it compare in power to a St Croix 7'4 H or any G Loomis rod? Open to suggestions regarding the best blank available for a custom build and best builder.

I'd call Daiwa. They would be the best source of information.

Id say around 7-8 lbs. I don't think its over 8lbs but you never know as its hard to determine length and girth for a picture. Nevertheless, great fish!

I too think that cleaning and oiling them is all you need. The aftermarket bearing market will not yield the gains in my opinion to justify the cost as Kickerfish mentioned. I recommend cleaning the bearings or sending your reel to a reel tech to have a full service.

I am interested to hear the opinions of some guys that have more knowledge than me regarding reel maintenance. I was always under the impression brass gears are more durable which is why most big bait reels are brass gears. I like brass for moving baits and aluminum for bottom contact.

I know a lot of new high end reels such as the Metanium MGL comes with the duraluminum gears, but curious to the benefits they provide over brass other than weight. I have heard that some people don't recommend the duraluminum gears in current or baits such as DD crankbaits and big spinnerbaits as it can be harsh on the aluminum gears. Is there any truth to that?

That is unfortunate. I recommend talking to Daiwa and see what they can do for you. Good luck!

I notice that you are in Canada. I would recommend not shipping internationally. It would be much better to find someone in Canada so you don't have to deal with customs or paying extra for shipping. There is a place in Mississauga, ON named A Aikman Sporting Goods that could do the repair.

Trilene XL or Stren Original are among the best mono options.

Yikes!

All of BassPros reels are built by OEM reel manufacturers that also build many other companies reels such as Abu Garcia, Lews, Pfleugar, etc. It comes down to branding. I am sure a reel tech such as DVT could provide more information. How do the internals, components, etc compare?

Never heard that. I have been told that G Loomis and most manufacturers uses the same blank on their spinning and casting. For example, Gloomis uses the same blank for the NRX 852C and 852S. The only difference is the guide orientation differences for casting and spinning.

Both are great rods. Pick whichever better suits your needs.

Most Rapala lures are made relatively well. However, some of the specific models do tend to have more bill breakage problems than others. Overall, most are good lures at the price. However, I don't like the VMC hooks they use. Typically I put arftermarket hooks (Mustad, Owner, or Gamakatsu) on all of the Rapala baits I buy but not necessary to do so.

I have always used Invizx and sometime Super Sniper FC and recently used Gamma Edge on a buddies setup and was surprised at how manageable it was compared to both of the others I listed. Do you think that Gamma Edge and Tatsu are by far the best? Any others worth noting?

Reel wise Shimano is an first place for me and Daiwa is in second place. The others I don't even acknowledge exist.

Daiwa Fuego LT, Shimano Nasci are among my favorite around $100 Daiwa Tatula LT, Shimano Stradic FK, Shimano Stradic CI4 are among my favorite around $200

Heading to Lake Guntersville for some fishing. Any recent insight would be awesome (lures, techniques, overall conditions of the lake). Thanks

Agreed! Spot on.

I agree! However, Shimano spinnng reel in the 2500 and 3000 share the same frame size only the depth of the spool changes and handle style. I agree a 2000 size Daiwa Tatula LT can handle most all finesse applications. But the 2500 and 3000 Tatulas are great choices as well especially given how light they are. I typically let balance dictate which size reel I get especially since the Stradic CI4, Tatula LT, and Ballistic LY are so light.

How do you think the Luvias would do as a redfish/inshore reel?