Mbirdsley

I replaced the bushing in my slx and I could feel the difference. This reel is used for crank fish up 5xd’s. I guess I don’t know where they come up with charging the extra 80 bucks over a doyo reel from Korea . If okuma can put full carbontex drag washers in a $45 dollar trolling reel made in china . Why can’t diawa put $5 worth of carbon Tex washers in a $180 reel made in Thailand. I’ve worked with enough engineers in the auto industry. They are not mythical creatures. They have a job like everyone else. Some are very very good, some are average, and some are bad at what they do.

So I’m kinda miffed at this and I know 95% of people will never notice or care. I’m tearing down my diawa 150 for it’s yearly cleaning and I’ll super tune it. I bought the reel last year so it’s the first time I’ve done it on this reel. First thing is that it doesn’t have full carbon drag washers in the drag stack. Drag washer #79 ( top one) is carbontex or carbontex type washer. I guess it would be a semi carbon drag. However, the bottom one #77 is not. It’s red in color. I don’t have the drag washers on hand so I’ll orders those. 2nd issue is in the worm gear. It has spacers instead of bearings #59 and #65. I already have the bearings on hand. I’ve had $100 reels that have bearings ( atleast one ) here supporting the worm shaft. that’s 2 glaring things I’ve noticed and I don’t consider myself a reel professional. I just play one and stayed at a holiday in. It’s the newer version of the tatula. This was a $180 reel. $100 reel sure what ever. I know they are easy fixes. I just kinda expected more at the $180 price point. I’m sure this isn’t just diawa doing this. 1st pic drag washers. 2nd picture. The bearings I’m putting in on the left the spacers on the right

I may try this. I usually only put about 75-100 yards on at a time

The sister company to anglers work shop is lureparts online. This is my personal favorite place to buy from. Not as big as a selection as mud hole but, they have a lot of stuff. I have a whole sale account through them for my jig side gig so that helps. They ship a lot faster than mud hole. Mud hole probably has the easiest site to navigate and they have a lot of stuff. HFF has a lot of things but, I hate navigating the sight looking to look and components. I need to go down and check them out as they are instate for myself.

That’s not totally out as an option either I am using size 30 reels. It happens on all of my spinning reels from $250 reels down to $60 reels. I’m using 8 lbs on the one reel and ten 10 lbs on the other reel

Diawa legalis. Very good reel in the $50-$60. It actually replaced a phluegar president. I will never by a phluegar again. I had 3 phuelgars at one time. 1 had one supreme bait caster and 2 presidents. Smoke the one president and the one president with 2 months of each other. As far as the rod there are a bunch of good choices

I’ve kinda had it with flouro at least on spinning gear. No matter what I do I get wind knots. I’ve tried just about every major brand and technique to mitigate the issue. Does co-polymer have the same tendency as flouro with wind knots on spinning gear? I know they make some cheaper flouro IE kast king’s flouro kote and p-lines flouro clear out of co-polymer with a flouro coating but, didn’t know if straight co-polymer would behave the same. I would be using for your typical finnesse spinning gear plus jerk baits and shad raps.

I ended up ordering a second rod through rod geek. It’s a 7ft 9 heavy fiberglass rod for deep heavy cranks 3/4-2oz. This one in dark metallic blue. I’ve never had a fiberglass crank rod so this will be totally new. it says right in the web sight that it takes 4-6 weeks to ship. I don’t know if st.croix is making them after I placed the order or what. Not a big deal we’re in the depths of winter right now. So waiting isn’t a big deal.

Actually I’m pretty well set on most tackle. I’m sure I’ll add a couple deep diving cranks 20-25 ft. As well to other cranks as I’m addicted to buying them. First time since 2017 that I don’t really need to make any big tackle purchases other than some odds and ends. I need 2 replace 2 rods that I broke. So I’ll be building those my self in the next 2 months. Other than that it’s just buying new line to re rig my poles.

I do like my abu’s too

It’s all different lakes from crystal clear you can see down 12-15 ft to lakes you can’t see a past a foot. I’d say on average it’s 6ft-8ft of water or less. Generally speaking chatter baits are the first artificial lure I can get fish on in the spring. Coldest for a fact I know was 45 degree water. some years it’s been the end of March others the first 2 weeks of April in Michigan. I just use a straight crank retrieve. I try and keep it slow just enough to get the blade vibrating. I don’t pick up a chatter bait for what ever reason once the water gets above 60 degrees. I got into a good October bite last year in 52-53 degree water. Which, was actually the latest in the year I had ever used one.

I don’t fish big blades but, pretty much all if my chatter bait fish are caught between 45-60 degree water. I don’t see why the a bigger blade wouldn’t work.

We live in rural Michigan and it has been great!!! Always between 1-3pm. Same lady since we have lived in the house since 2014. Most of the subs are pretty good when the normal lady takes the day offs. i don’t have any issues with our UPS, fed ex, or Amazon drivers either

I was talking about after the paid loan was paid off after 10-20 years

Went to the Grand Rapids fishing show last year. I was floored at the price of the aluminum Lund style boats. Most were in the $30,000-$50,000 range. There was only one glass bass boat there which, was used at $75,000. the kicker is all the boats had financing available for 10-20 years. All of the Monthly payments were based on the 20 years. Yeah the boats only $300 a month but, that interest is going to be killer on 10-20 years. my long term plan is when I hit 70-75 years of age I’m buying a fully loaded rig at longest possible monthly payment. When I kick off I’ll tell the wife or kids just to give it back to the bank. Joking aside a boat is different than a car and after ten years if you take care of it. The boat should still be in good to decent shape after the 10-20 year loan is paid off. I do feel there will be a glut of boats soon on the market. You are starting to see it already and used boat prices are coming down. Between gas prices and the economy.

I’m going to try float and fly. I have a 9 ft m/l action steel head spinning rod laying around so I’m going to use it on this. I’ve just bought some 1/8 oz spro phat flies. I just need to get a bubble float and I should be in business. I really need to get into the drop shot game. I say this every year but, never do. small ball jigs with worms I feel my power game is good I just need to refine my finnesse game lipless cranks early in the year. I spent a lot of money on lipless cranks last spring than barely used them all of last year

Almost the entire Huron river system in SE Michigan is under a do not eat fish PFAS warning. I think the only section that isn’t is the extreme upper reaches. I’m not exactly sure what the cause of the issue was. However, the entire region is devoted to the auto industry

I think the slx is the best sub $100 reel on the market. I’ve had mine since 2019 and zero issues. I also have a slx dc that I really enjoy.

Yeah I’m building a new spinning rod for wacky rigs. I may need to look into this reel for it. I like my bait-casting tatula’s. Only time I’ve ever reeled back wards is trout fishing trying to get a rapala under dead falls. what is it going to retail for? About the same as the bait casters ?

This is the first tackle I’ve bought since probably July or august. Gasp, I’m going through withdrawals. First picture of stuff is all from the same vendor on eBay. Which, you can get good deals on but, usually the lots are the same color/type of bait. 6 x 2 pack of owner tournament trailers in white blue flash. I only paid 20 bucks for that lot. I have some x-raps I need to replace the back hook on. 6 x 3 packs of strike king squadron swim bait jig heads in 1/8 which, I paid $20 3 ever green stealth blade jack hammers in 1/2 oz in bhite delight. $30 for all 3 kinda good deal depending on where you buy your jack hammers from. Generally I’ve seen jack hammers run from $12 to $17 depending on vender. Bhite has been a very good color in 3/8 oz. I’m hoping with it being heavier and the blade being smaller than most chatter baits that it will help keep the lure deeper. last pic is a 2 pack of spro phat flies in blue gill. I really want to get into float and fly fishing in the early spring. I’d like to have some success that start making my own flies. time to get ready. It’s been a mild winter up here in the mitten state. I have a feeling we could be fishing by mid March.

Like the Berkley maxx scent general 5 inch for wacky rigs. Usually green pumkin or baby bass. I’ll use the maxx scent more in clear water. I like yum dingers for Texas ringing and I’ll use the 4 inch version on a mojo/split shot rig. Favorite mojo color is either black and blue flake or pearl and watermelon laminate. there is a small lake that I kill it on using a 6 inch black and blue flake ocho’s. The lake is ringed by a dense ring if pads. I just throw it into opening around the edges. senkos work too.

I always run a snap fishing cranks. If the bait comes with a split ring I put a snap on the split ring. If it doesn’t come with a split ring I don’t put a split ring on

I think they discontinued the havoc line of baits pre-Covid. The pit boss is one lure I never had success on. The havoc craw fatty I did like. Berkley brought that into the regular power bait line after they discontinued the havoc line.

I’d feel good about it at $50. I don’t know if I’d go higher than that though. If they don’t bite at $50 I’d walk and not think twice about it again. With the exception of the Erie derie and the bagleys it looks like a small stream/river box

I think I’m going to order the C473 MHXS that Delaware valley tackle suggested. It seems close the lure weight of dobyns. I’m going to get the teal/light blue version and wrap it with grey thread. I’m going to get the cbr LZR guides through mud hole. Haven’t decided on what cork, maybe a cork handle kit, or if I want full cork or split grip. Don’t know what seat yet. I’ll let the blank speak to me when it gets here. At the very least i believe, it will be a good wacky rig rod. If it’s not good at jerk baits and shad raps I’ll build a different one. Won’t know until it gets built