TylerT123

If you want it to last, look for an ALUMINUM FRAME. Get one with quality bearings, 3 bearings help with casting distance and anymore than that just help with the retrieve. 5.4:1 is a slow gear ratio, it has a lot of torque, good for big cranks. 6.6:1 is a good all around purpose, worms, shallow cranks, topwaters... 7.1:1 is decent for frogs, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, buzzbaits.. These are considered slow, standard and fast, respectively. There are 3 types of brakes, centrifugal, magnetic and dual. Centrifugal brakes slow the spool when it reaches a certain speed during the cast. Magnetic brakes slow the spool and are applied throughout the whole cast. Dual brakes are a combination of both. Brakes are needed to slow the spool because the spool can spin faster than the line and cause backlashes. Your choice of baitcaster depends on what weight lures you use, what type of fishing you do and personal preference.

Graphite frames flex under heavy load, causing the reel to pretty much go to junk. Don’t look into the IM8 ratings much, the only reason you should take it into consideration is when you’re looking at rods from the same company. One company’s IM6 would be another’s IM8, while in the same company, you know that their IM graphite ratings will be comparable. Also, you can’t tell how sensitive it will be from the graphite rating.

My Winter Buys now consist of a cheap fly rod to start out on, 3 Alabama Rigs, A double whopper plopper, Curado 200K, iBobber, Savage Gear Topwater Bat, Real Magic, Booyah Prank Lipped Popper and I’m waiting to handle a Dobyns Fury in store to decide if it’ll go with my Curado. I still need: 50# Braid, 600# braid for bowfishing, Swimbaits, Jerkbaits, maybe a light spinning combo, Hooks, Weights and beads. I might be broke but at least I won’t be hungry!

I think the gears are wider so it wouldn’t matter much, I love my Curado K, I can cast around 200 feet.

Tackle Warehouse allows people to demo reels? What about rods?

Thanks for the offer but I think I’m going to buy some smaller ones.

Could I see some pictures?

I have a rod rated for 2-8 oz.

All purpose wouldn’t work? I’ve been wanting to try some swimbaits.

I don’t even buy Senkos, I buy Yum Dingers and they work fine. I can probably justify spending at most $20 for a single bait every now and then, the most I’ve spent on one is about $16 but $32 for a lure would make me not want to fish it. The more expensive lures I have, which are topwaters, I usually fish with 20lb line, I’m young as well, need to save some money. Yeah, I’ve seen some that are around 10 oz or so.

I think quality over quantity. I have a big spinning reel for catfishing that only has 2 bearings and I think it’s pretty smooth for only two bearings. With baitcasters, 3 bearings help with casting distance and any more than that will only help with retrieve.

MS slammers are out of my price range and hudds are a little more than I’d like to spend.

By heavy, I mean heavy in ounces. Like the A-Rig, Swimbaits... I can’t think of many others, any you can think of or can recommend?

I feel stupid now, that didn’t cross my mind

Is this because they are more brittle or..?

I’ve heard good things from people about Shimano’s BANTAM oil. But ask @Delaware Valley Tackle.

I was thinking this as well, but I wasn’t sure. I have a Spinning Rod that is rated down to 3/16 and it throws 1/4 oz baits really well IMO. I was wondering about a Dobyns Fury Rod for my Curado 200K, I can’t think of many heavy rigs that I’d use though, I can’t decide if I want to go lighter with this setup or heavier.

Either one

Is their lure rating accurate? 1/4 to 1 oz seems a little too good to be true on some of their rods. How does your Dobyns Fury cast 1/4 oz baits?

Faster reels get the crankbait down to the strike zone faster but you won’t get the maximum depth out of them

A slower gear ratio would work better, it has more torque for the deep cranks. A higher gear ratio wouldn’t work. I think you’d be fine though.

I know it’s not a finesse reel but what’s the lightest lure you’d throw with yours? What’s the heaviest you’d go? Anyone put one on a rod with a light lure rating? I also know that the rod casts the bait but the reel plays a part as well.

Yeah, the only thing is that I’d like a few different colors.

I saw this right after I posted this thread.

Are there any quality hard bait lots? I bought a kit from Amazon and that was a mistake. The paint chips off, they break, the hooks snap off. Do the better brands such as Rebel, Booyah... make hard bait kits/lots?