The Maestro

Thanks for the virus OP. Now posting this from my microwave.

I guess I'm asking if it's worth it to pay top dollar for sensitivity for an application where it may not be the most important thing for detecting bites. The rods I use are mid to mid-high level but I hear you about the addictive nature of fishing with high end gear. It just enhances the whole experience even if it's not necessarily resulting in more fish.

I'm sure I still miss some bites on those super subtle takes and drops. But like you said even the most sensitive set up probably wouldn't transmit those. For the way I fish, line watching, managing the slack and concentrating on the feel or weight of the bait have probably resulted in more caught fish than actually feeling the bite through the rod.

I've read that super sensitive rods (like an NRX) really excel when it comes to fishing bottom contact presentations. I don't do much of that. I mostly fish weeds vertically on short-medium range pitches. I guess my question is do you think I'd detect more bites with the most sensitive rods available? I feel like I'm probably not missing many fish but have any of you noticed that you could feel more bites with super sensitive/high end rods when fishing the way I described.

I just finished cleaning and greasing mine. I feel like I lucked out when I decided to make these my primary casting reels.

Any MH or Heavy flipping/pitching rod should be fine for 3/4oz. Really depends on where you're fishing them and what rod(s) you prefer. I use 65lb PP and 80lb PP for my heaviest punching rig.

.

I buy the craws. I'll first use them Texas and when they get too beat up to rig like that I save them (provided the claws are still intact) to use as trailers. I do this with pretty much all my plastic craws. The Rage chunks and craws are the same price. Doesn't really make sense to buy the chunks.

The point of the question in my OP was to ask about what others have experienced. No different than if we were having a conversation irl. At no point do any of us ask for the peer reviewed studies (there aren't any) related to the topic or we're just going to disregard everything. Time on the water obviously matters and drawing on the experience of others can help shorten the already steep learning curve.

You're on this forum right? Do you watch fishing shows to try to pick up tips and information? Do you read about fishing? Do you talk to other anglers? Its ALL anecdotal evidence when it comes to fishing.

If you're looking for proof and absolutes on the level of proving 2+2=4, it's not possible with fishing. That doesn't mean anecdotal evidence has zero merit.

If you were in an area and not catching so you decide to switch lines (only) and start catching. If you're being badly out fished by someone doing the same thing you're doing except he's using flouro. Some people just swear they started getting more bites after switching. Obviously none of this is very scientific but scarcely anything in fishing is.

I remember when it first came on the scene it seemed all the pros were pushing it really hard without ever talking about the drawbacks. I haven't noticed them shilling it as hard these days.

Interesting. In the early stages of getting serious about bass fishing I joined a club as a non-boater. For one tourney I drew a well known angler on the local scene (he went on to win a major event in FLW in the US) I asked him why he was using flouro and he recounted a similar story to yours. I tried straight flouro on a spinning reel once. Stripped it off and threw it out right in the boat first time out.

I also recall reading about a study that was done to answer the question of whether or not bass can see line. They determined that bass have a hard time seeing anything that's less than the thickness of a nickel.

Thanks for the reply. I guess I should have specified switching from braid to flouro. I'm guessing the difference in visibility from mono to flouro would be less than from braid to flouro.

What type of line are you talking about? Braid is pretty limp until you get into really high strength.

Personally I run braid on all my rigs. I just prefer it from a line management perspective as well as sensitivity + it's just more fun to set hook and fight the fish with no stretch in the line. I do sometimes wonder if I'm potentially spooking some fish with it though. I mostly fish in pretty heavy weeds so I doubt it makes any difference there, but sometimes I'll fish more open/clear water situations.

Bass are known to be a "smart" fish as far as fish go. Are they solving mathematical equations or composing symphonies? No. But I believe most anglers don't give them enough credit either. It also stands to reason that the big ones likely had some competitive advantage (possibly including above average "intelligence".) This, combined with "experience" makes them a formidable adversary.

I've seen people arguing over fractions of an ounce on forums. We're talking grams. These people are a marketer's dream.

You also have to consider the fact that the additional weight could (and often does) improve the balance of a rod which will actually make the whole setup feel lighter. My thoughts exactly. Not to mention the outrageous price increases for these super light reels. Don't get me wrong I'm sure they have their applications where they really shine but I really like the solid strong feel and sound that comes from using denser materials vs. the "hollow" "airy" feel of the super light reels. I also have to wonder if the aluminum gears in those reels will last as long as brass gears.

How do the K's feel in hand? The E's just fit so comfortably. It's a simple looking design but the roundness of the palm side make them a joy to fish with. It's almost as if they took a mold of the human hand and designed an ideal size/shape around it.

I've got an order in for an 8:1 Bantam. The weight isn't an issue for me. Tbh I'm not really a huge fan of the whole light weight craze. I like the feel of solid reel, at least on my jig rods and this will be going on my punching rod. Something like a jerkbait that involves a lot of aggressive rod action I definitely prefer a lighter reel though. It's funny you mentioned reels flexing. I haven't noticed that myself. I actually took apart my Curado E to check the strength of the frame and I seriously think you would need to put it in a vice to bend it. It's that strong, so I don't know if the whole solid core thing is really just a marketing gimmick. But then these things are built to pretty tight tolerances so it could be that even the smallest, imperceptible amount of flex could cause the gears to misalign which could translate into excessive wear and a lack of smoothness. Either way I'm looking forward to getting it and finally fishing with it this summer.