CrankFate

It is heavy and clunky for its size and weight on thin light rods. But for heavier applications it feels more properly matched. Thats just my opinion. I also have relatively small fingers and relatively large palms.

Synchronized levelwind. The best feature no one includes in reels anymore.

I’ll put it this way.....I was in a meeting a year or two ago and we were were talking, during a break, and the lotto was like half a billion dollars that day and they were talking all like “if I won, I definitely wouldn’t be doing this anymore.” I didn’t say much of anything. Other than I bought a few tickets. Afterwards, I was talking to my boss about the meeting, he’s 85 and still going to work everyday, I said I didn’t want to tell them this, but I’m sure you’ll understand....if I won.....and he finished my sentence for me by saying....”you’d still be doing this.”

Don’t even get me started on that point. Yes, please, spread the word. If you set your drag to x pounds with a machine, it’s almost always going to be x plus something on a rod. This breaks rods and loses fish. Set it by hand. I personally believe a loop tied around a 5lb dumbbell best for light rods and a 10lb for heavy rods. Tie a hook on the line, hook the loop on the weight and lift. It’ll never work properly until you are completely able to tell if the rod is going to break if you lift the weight completely off the floor. Most bass rods should not lift a 5lb weight off the floor, most heavy rods will not lift 10. No, when the rod bends, the rod increases the drag pressure. The more a rod can bend without snapping, the more it will increase the drag pressure. But, it absorbs shock, which could cause the line to snap, because the rod gives instead of the line. That’s why the rod Ben prevents snapping, because the energy from the line is transferred to the rod, but then it transfers from the rod to increasing the drag. So it will take more pounds to take drag on the bent rod than it will from the reel alone.

I’d get the SLX the regular SLX, it’s lighter and lower. Upgrade the spool bearings if you’re not afraid of speed. If price is a factor, it’s a no brainer. I know many will disagree, but IMO, the SV label is way overpriced and overrated for what you get to have those two letters on the reel.

I think I’d probably like the SLX better. The tat is a bit heavy and clunky feeling. Great reel, but I’m leaning towards heavier applications with it.

It’s easier to avoid the baitmonkey when you have a ton of new stuff that’s still not fished because you have no time for fishing.

It goes waaaaaay deeper than amazon. In fact, seriously, this is one of the rare message boards that is not solely aimed at steering people towards specific products from specific makers. I hate asking about products that I only buy once every few years online—because most forums like this are just a scam to get you to buy particular products that the members are indirectly affiliated with. Beware. There is very little honest advice out there.

This will be terrible, if true. I live near a dicks and it’s the best fishing shop around. It will be a disaster if they eliminated the fishing section.

Other people that know how to fish and time.

I will at some point order another for a different, heavier application, but ask them to use the tapered piece below the reel as the Foregrip, with the taper towards the rod tip.

There’s no way to tell from marketing specs. You have to bend it. However you do it, by hand, on the floor, with a weight, you can only know by bending it.

The tobacco and potato chip companies must have Invented this. If I buy this, by the end of the week every reel I have would be stripped of its old line....

You know, I would appreciate it if these posts could be locked. Because I have a rod that balances said reel perfectly. Because it’s a custom Kistler magnesium, with a longer butt section and Foregrip. Those things eliminate tip heaviness and give more power to whip the rod on hard casts. They also remind me that now that Kistler brought back the custom rods, I probably will not be able to resist ordering another one.

It quickly became one of my favorite reels. It fishes much stronger than its weight and can handle a wide range of applications.

Good point! Or bad point depending on how you look at that statement.....

This is terrible. Kistler again has custom rods on their website. With some new carbon fiber grips. I have barely used one of their rods that I got last year, now I might not be able to resist ordering a new one.

I have an MGXTreme2 that I got this season. At that price it’s a no brainer. Add dry carbontex, especially under the main gear and all issues related to the drag being too light are gone. The negative reviews on this reel are overblown and passed down from only a few people. It’s a great reel. The biggest negative I have on it is the handle is grossly too short. Add a longer carbon handle and dry Carbontex and you got a great super light reel that can do a lot more than finesse.

You need a thin, light rod that can load up with the weight you’re throwing.

Time on the water to use the stuff I got last Christmas. Maybe, some time not so far in the future, the 19 Shimano Scorpion. Another trip to fish new water (hopefully in the next year or two) or if it has to be Disney World to see the new Star Wars park, a few casts while there.

Fishing gear is easy. What are you going to do when you need things like new TV’s, a new home theater, and speakers mounted on the walls? She’ll probably never see the rods, and reels are so little she’ll never see them. Forget about bank account numbers. Because, at some point, you’re going to buy things that she’s going to have to see every single day. I’m not saying go blow all your money on stuff you don’t have the money for. This is a bigger problem than fishing gear. Especially when you’re saying you will reimburse your account. You have some serious stuff to talk about.

The monkey does have its benefits.

I’d go with the reel that fits your hand best and balances the rod it’ll be on best. The other features are less important.

Anything ML or lighter, rated for the lowest weight possible and without fast action.

No way! Putting bearings on the worm is one of the best upgrades you can possibly do. You should do this. Everyone should do this. I also like to upgrade the sideplate bearing on the main gear shaft.