The Maestro

If you use hi-viz/yellow line make sure you color the last few feet of it with a black marker so the fish don't see it. Also. Use a black jig/bait so the fish can see it better.

Anyone try the new Metanium for punching/heavy flipping? Wondering if it feels like it'll hold up as well as the Bantam.

How's the 7'2" MH Expride for lipless cranks and spinnerbaits?

It depends on the model doesn't it? I know the Curado E's were the last Curados made in Japan. Currently, I know the Bantams and higher are made in Japan. I've always wondered how much difference it really makes. In theory they should be able to machine/mold/stamp the parts and assemble them with the same level of precision regardless of where the factory's located but in know things don't always work the same in practice as they do on paper.

I've always been a Shimano guy. I know Daiwa makes quality reels as well but one thing I rarely hear mentioned about them is longevity. It could be right up there with Shimano for all I know. I just don't recall reading much about it. My baitcasters are Curado E's and Bantam MGL's. They're very simple to take apart and put back together which I really like because I don't enjoy doing reel maintenance at all. My Curados are 10+ years old with some having been used almost exclusively for fishing in heavy weeds with a meat stick rod and 80lb braid - drag locked right down and they're still going strong. Though admittedly a couple of them are starting to feel like they might not have many years left in them. Still I can't complain and I feel like the Bantams will be at least as durable and they're really fun reels to fish with.

It also had a flipping switch (next to the cast control knob) so you could release and engage the spool with just your thumb. It was a nightmare to put back together properly with all of these added features/gimmicks.

A 2 speed Shimano Beastmaster circa 1989. That thing was a back lashing machine.

What's the noise we're supposed to be listening for? It's sounds like you're reeling in a bait that's causing the rod to vibrate like a chatterbait or a lipless crank. If that's the case it's making it difficult to hear the sound you're talking about.

I had a 13 Envy Black that was made with a Toray blank and I didn't like the feel of it at all. It was quite sensitive but it had a kind of "brittle" feel to it. It might've also been due in part to the taper. Whatever it was I just didn't care for it and sold the rod.

Great muscle separation A-Jay! Truly a sign of a dude who's put in years/decades of work. Have you ever run body part splits aka bro splits? Chest day, back day, leg day etc... I've been doing it for about the last 3 years when I joined a commercial gym and suddenly had access too so much equipment vs. my home gym when I ran an upper/lower for about 2 years. I've noticed more shape and separation but I don't think it's been optimal for mass gains. I'm also starting to think it might be less than optimal from a recovery stand point for natural lifters. I think pounding on a body part with so much volume raises cortisol and was causing me sleep issues as I workout in the evening. I do enjoy the crazy pumps you can get training that way though. I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts as I'm sure you've tried just about every conceivable split at this point. Also curious to know how long it takes you to get through a typical workout.

Could be a sticker that indicates the rod passed a quality control inspection.

It's more than enough to train every part of your body. I used it for 2 years before joining a gym. I got sort of spoiled with all the variety. I was doing a 4 day body part split as I liked hitting specific muscle groups hard with lots of sets and different exercises. Will probably go back to a 4 day upper/lower split like I was doing before I joined a gym.

Thanks. My home gym is actually PowerTec as well. Very solid equipment. I have a power rack and an adjustable bench with free weights and Power Block adjustable dumbbells. Would love to trade up to a unit like yours. Seems like it might be too high for my ceilings though.

This thread is great motivation A-Jay. My gym's been closed for a couple of weeks but I have a pretty good home gym. I've been dragging my butt getting back into a routine that will consist of more basic exercises due to limited equipment compared to a commercial gym. I'd love to have a setup like yours. That yellow machine you have looks phenomenal. Who makes it?

So far I'd get a Bantam MGL. Possibly a new Metanium if it feels as good as the Bantam.

I usually colour it with a green or blue marker but I have used straight yellow braid for senkos and pitching jigs. The thing is yellow is more visible to us but it might not be for bass. I remember reading somewhere that bass may actually see things with a sort of yellow filter to their vision. That would make yellow line LESS visible than if you color it with a marker.

I appreciate the enjoyment factor of using quality gear as much as anyone. I don't find that weird at all nor are my feelings hurt. You're a random person on the internet that I'll never meet in person. What's weird to me is feeling the need to mention how many over and over. Way to completely miss the point though.

Did you count all the ones where you did mention it? There's a thread on the first page of the other forum right now where you posted 4 times and mentioned your Conquest/Metanium arsenal in 3 of those posts. I own nice equipment as well. Lots of people do. It's not really any type of accomplishment. It just seems like you do it to kind of stick it in the faces of people who might not be able to afford that stuff. You even go so far as mentioning how many high end sonar units you have on your high bass rig being pulled by your high end truck in your sig line on the other forum.

I like my high end gear as well. It's just something I noticed over my time on this and the other forum. It struck me as a bit weird that someone would feel the need to repeat it so often.

Don't think I've ever seen you make a post where you didn't make some type of reference to your 17 Conquests and/or 10 Metaniums.

Last season I started off taking about 10-12 combos with me. By the end I was taking 6-7 and definitely preferred it.

For the places and the ways that I like to fish, i run straight braid on everything. The odd time that I may be dropdropshotting is the only time I'll run a flouro leader.

It looks to about identical in size to the Bantam MGL which would make it considerably smaller than the previous version

Lots of good answers already. I wil say that for me I feel like I leveled up in bass fishing when I was no longer bothered in the slightest by not getting bit for an extended period of time. When I was starting out I would get really frustrated when I would go a while without catching anything. This would cause me to lose focus which would lead to even more frustration. I guess after having experienced it first hand many times I finally came to understand that a big one can bite at anytime and sometimes the fish can really shut down and then turn on like a light switch all of a sudden and sometimes they don't. That's just the way she goes in fishing. You just gotta keep your head in it and keep grinding and eventually you'll be rewarded. Now I can go for multiple hours (probably even the entire day) without a bite and I'm just as focused and into it as I was at the start of the day. Took me around 8 years of serious fishing to reach that point.

A lot of people love the 7'2" MH Expride as a utility rod. I have one but won't get to try it out until the spring/summer. Just from handling it, it does feel like a really nice rod that would be good for multiple applications.