PhishLI

Perhaps this particular experience with your buddy is coloring how you're reading responses in this thread. Not one I've read so far seems as blockheaded.

Brother, the OP simply compared a $55 rod priced as a loss leader by a huge corporation to a $129 rod by a small business. Not really controversial. BTW, the reason this thread hasn't been Irene'd yet is because it has remained civil.

I was pleased with how things were going here up until August. Nabbed several nice chunks near the 6 lb mark and a decent haul of 4-5 lbers. Life got in the way of fishing as much as I would've have liked, but that really didn't matter much. By August our local spots experienced explosive weed growth. So many places were choked out shore to shore and up to the surface. A good portion of those weeds were laced with filamentous algae, so fishing was miserable. Forget getting through it with a trolling motor. Actually, right now it's at its worst. Went the other day and thought things might've gotten better with the colder nights we've had, but the growth is still crispy fresh and at its zenith. Just nuts. I managed to escape with a droplet of dignity courtesy of one sad dink, but that's been par for the course lately. I have high hopes for the next few months though. Once the greenery dies back a bit with the colder weather I'll be on them again. You've gotta believe!

It's hard to argue with that, in theory anyway, but in the real world Wheeler wins big, and often mops the floor using gear that many who post on fishing forums would consider Harbor Freight grade. I can guarantee that if a newbie came on here and asked about buying one of his specific setups, many here would do handstands trying to convince him not to do it. So there's that. Confusing, eh?

I just got to spend some time fishing my buddy's new Custom Pro SLP Gen 2/IMX Pro 843C MBR/12 lb Tatsu combo. The reel is tiny and light. Specs say it holds 110yds of 12 lb test. Like most reels that's probably an inflated number, but nobody's casting a bass bait anywhere near 300' anyway. Just like the Tournament Pro LFS, the Custom Pro is capable with a wide range of baits due to it's super light spool. No problems tossing true 1/4 oz baits for really good distance, and as good or better than MGL reels. It's not Met B smooth on the retrieve, but it's smooth. My TP LFS has remained smooth after lots of use in heavily choke waters and some quality 5lb+ fish. The real upside is there're no brake block adjustments required when switching lures. Just like your Daiwa, adjustments are via an external dial only. Personally, I find it ponderous having to stop to pop sideplates off in order to change brake blocks, then the fine tuning required after living with better Daiwa, Lew's, etc where the changes are made quickly. If you're running and gunning with one rod that matters, IMO. If you're on a boat with multiple dedicated setups then it doesn't. Like Shimano MGL models, the better Lew's reels with ACB braking and very light spools are a different experience than you're used to with your Tat SV. Whether you choose one or the other your thumb will be tested. There will be a learning curve and you'll need to stay sharp. That's just how it is, but it's worth it. Start off with a stiffer mono instead of fluoro until you figure things out.

During their LD sale last week I ordered just enough stuff to make the free ground shipping of $50. I needed absolutely none of it, so I didn't care much that it took them a week to ship even though the items were all in stock. Had I ordered an in-stock rod I would've ponied up for fast shipping.

6 pin, afaik, but totally externally adjustable. No popping pins on or off. It's not about aluminum vs magnesium. The Gen 2 has the P2 pinion support, but the Hypermag doesn't. Lew's upgraded many models with this feature over the past few years, but the Hypermag hasn't gotten that treatment yet.

https://www.lews.com/en/shop/casting/cpbc Get the 2nd Gen and call it a day.

TW sale stuff.

You might be better off sticking with their standard Medium rods, IMO, They run a bit stiff for their ratings, but should be fine otherwise, and far more versatile with a range of baits. While there really isn't an ideal offering for what you want in these combos, glass is limiting and will kinda suck for precise casting. On top of that, BCs are new to you. Trying to learn on a Medium glass noodle isn't what I'd recommend to anyone, especially with that reel. Shimano MGLs are seasoned user reels. You'll probably end up slingshotting lures with that rod, and that's an extra element you don't need to be dealing with while you're trying to learn. The SLX MGL is fast with it's light spool, so you'll be able to launch light baits like 1/4 oz cranks and jerk baits by adjusting your lure drop and release point, even with a MXF. Ultimately you'll have something with acceptable sensitivity for plastics and light jigs. Soft mono like Trilene XL will compensate for the faster rod and help keep them pinned when using small treble baits.

I have the reels you've listed. If you wish to go with Shimano then grab the SLX MGL. It's just quite a bit better than the standard SLX for lighter baits, and way better than the Curado K 200 in that regard. If you think you'll be using braid-to-leader and wish to go with Daiwa then get a Fuego CT. If you don't use leaders the Tat CT is fine. Personally I'd go for the Fuego or the Tat. Far less hassle when throwing light cranks and flatsides into the wind.

It's simply a reducer that's no different in use than part # 29 which is instead a cup that its bearing sits in.

Yes, a shouldered sleeve that goes into the 2nd bearing's inner race.

It already has two.

I was about 20 miles west of Manhattan standing at the tailgate of my truck oiling my pin nailer while listening to Stern. His producer chimed in that a Cessna hit one of the Towers. When I got back into the house I told the guys what had happened, so everyone was instantly glued to the radio. My business partner at the time had a daughter who lived just a few blocks away because her husband worked at Goldman Sachs. He called her quickly, but their connection was terrible. We quickly turned on a TV and watched as the 2nd jet hit. Everyone's cell phones had no service at that point, so we shut down and left the job. The smoke plume was already visible by the time I got to the Long Island Expressway. I got off at my exit and pulled into a gas station to fill up, but the credit card terminals were down. Had green, so I was good to go. What stuck out was the silence as everyone was pumping gas. Nobody said a word or looked up. Just locked into their own imaginations. Dumbstruck and worried on an otherwise picture perfect beautiful day. My partner's daughter was one of the people you probably saw on TV running down the street covered in dust, but she was OK otherwise. Her husband was stuck for a bit at Goldmans, but made it out eventually.

Worked out great for me. Thanks!

I have the best luck getting a buzzbait on plane using an 8 spd reel. I throw them using a Fuego CT XSL which is a 34 IPT reel. Anything slower and I need to crank like crazy to get it on top quickly.

40lb 8 strand minimum. Hard hooksets with heavy weights and appropriate hooks can shock the knot of 30lb braid. Throw in a mop of weeds and you might break off easily.

Palomar for snaps and Improved Clinch for baits.

It looked like fishing was off the table this weekend with the hurricane set to sweep over Long Island, but the forecast changed, and Saturday was good to go on the east end. My SIL called, and I was ready to roll. It was actually quite calm by the time we got in, but our tried and true spots were devoid of baitfish for some reason. We hit the pad lines and were able to toss the skunk overboard using finesse jigs, but the bass were only 1 1/2 pounders. Couldn't get them to touch ribbon tail worms, and those are money in this joint. Even though they seemed to be mostly locked down and unwilling to chase, I managed to get a few bites and caught one ripping a Project Z weed-less chatterbait in open water over weed beds. Finally, we hit a cove where my SIL hasn't caught a single bass in 35 years of trying, and found some weight. Without warning, an Instant-On heavy rain dropped on us out of nowhere, but then it stopped just as quickly. Pitching SK Bitsy Bugs with Christie Craw trailers got it done with the best fish clocking in at 6.1 lbs. Black skies rolled in again quickly, so we knew what was coming, and it did. It was mostly a grind, but it's a beautiful place to be. We scooted out of there soaked and happy.

Megabass Hazedong Shad 4". Rigged on the pictured hook it weighs in about the same as a 5" GY senko, so you can really chuck it on a bait caster. Super weed-less. Comes through just about any greenery cleanly. Buoyant, salt-free plastic allows you to swim it nearly anywhere in the column depending upon retrieve speed, rod angle, and line choice. Tight, natural tail movement, even super slow rolled on the bottom. Dinks, pigs, and everything in between will eat this bait. Bass in my waters seem to prefer the Green/Pumpkin/Blue overall, but sometimes the Shiner color is the deal. My best cold water fish this year came on that color.

And here I thought I was the only knucklehead who does this, for exactly the same reason BTW. I use the same VMC clip, 20lb Red Label Top Knot leader, and haven't noticed fraying. Whatever caused this for you, I doubt it was that particular clip. Due to its design nothing sharp sticks out of it.

Stopped off at a local shallow puddle for a quick one and nabbed a few carbon copy midgets on a Fat IKA, but a kid fishing nearby got to dance with the belle of the ball. 26" donk!