PhishLI

I didn't say or infer anything like "gentle casting". I said a refined casting stroke. It's hard power casting, but loading and unloading, and the release point, is different than with centrifugals. It's a feel thing. Took me a while to figure it out. Gravity kicks in at a different point with a higher arc, but the bait coming out hot up to the the apex keeps the spool from over-running the line. It's a tight rope act in the beginning, but I don't even think about it now.

I don't have much love for Magtrax type brakes found in your President. Yes, it's usable, it's ok, but. Long cast Daiwas or Magforce Z Daiwas with the brakes set low enough to get a really long cast require a refined casting stroke or they'll blow up immediately. That's a fact. If you're whip casting your spinning reels for distance then get ac BC reel with centrifugal brakes. However, some of those can be touchy too. You'll just get in to trouble at a different point in the cast. Think of those reels as seasoned user reels. The Curado 70 is an example. I'd put the Lew's Tournament Pro LFS in that category also. They're quite capable, but not really forgiving near their braking red line. A Lew's MB or MP might be what you're looking for. Not super distance casters, but pretty good and they're somewhat forgiving. Regardless of which reel you choose, like DVT said, you'll need practice. You'll blow up any reel until you learn to feel what you're doing. Feel and timing are everything with a baitcaster. From the rod's butt to the lure at the end of the line, sound and vibration, you need to learn to feel it all. There are no training wheels if distance is your priority. That said, my favorite bombcaster is a Quantum Tour S3. It's the least touchy in my arsenal. You can easily blow it up, but it has a wide adjustment range. It usually doesn't fall off a cliff one click down on the braking. You'll get a warning first like a fluff and recover. For night fishing I set the brakes between 6-7 and forget about them. I can cast a wide range of baits way, way out there trouble free. Super distance.

The night bite has been crapola for quite some time. Absolutely cruel. It's been either dinks or skunks, but mostly skunks. Lots of soft bites then spits, like they're keyed in on very small bait that they expect to vacuum in. Any resistance and they spit, so barely a chance to set a hook. They just wouldn't hold onto anything. Open hooks are impossible here still, and they wouldn't touch topwater for nuthin. But all of a sudden, just like that with the temp drop, the topwater bite is on and they're hitting baits like they mean it. No bigs on this weekend's jon boat and wade trip, but a few decent fish helped to wipe away the shame.

Our waters are all spring fed and are shockingly low. Shallow flats are now just streams feeding into the main lakes. It's crazy. Everything's different. It's been rough for all the dudes I talk with from one end of the island to the other. Even the very low pressure private lakes have been a grind for months, but it seems like things are looking up the past few days.

Last night should've sucked. Zero wind. High pressure. Crystal clear skies. A giant moon, like daylight. The bite was crazy for a spell, and its usually the pits under these conditions out here. Aggressive bite windows open up regardless. You've gotta be out there though...unless your wife/girlfriend sez it's red panty nite, or day.?

Try both. Bass will tell you. Last night they wouldn't touch silents, only rattling.

One of my buds showed up at the lake with one the other night. He was thrilled with it. His spook jr. was flying waaay out there. I would've fished with it for a few, but the bite was hot, so I didn't stop to. Next time.

My buddy did the same thing with the same reel. Took it out of the box to show me, juggled it somehow, then splat. Right on the pavement. Nothing bent, and it's been fine otherwise.

When bait's popping and the usual stuff isn't working try crawling a small wake like a 70mm Yozuri 3DB very slowly through the action. It's an easy target and gets bites. A floating or slow floating jerkbait worked the same way will do the trick too.

I'm 6 and even I know that's a derty werd, silly.?

The HD has an aluminum gear-side sideplate, and ACS 3.0 brakes instead of ACS 4.0. Nothing at all wrong with 3.0. It's actually quieter and just as good in use. IMO. The bearing issue is moot as the HD has it's bearings in the right spots like the driveshaft and pinion gear. However, it won't be as versatile with the greater line cap and heavier spool. Deep spools that are full of line are not going to be better at throwing lighter frogs or other baits. What do you think you're missing in the Smoke S3? Regardless of which reel you're recommended or ultimately choose, you're asking alot of any 100-200 sized reel if you're jacking fish constantly with a locked down drag. The only thing between the drag stack and the fish is a tiny pinion gear's teeth along with the main gear's teeth. So start with a reel with a fully supported pinion, then hope for the best. There are several stress and wear points in the chain, so what loses it's build tolerance first is hard to predict, regardless of who builds it. Anyway, no bass reels are built with this expectation.

So take a chance on a Quantum ICON PT. They've been replaced by the Vapor PT and can be found at blowout prices between $45-50$ on amazon. They're very solid in feel and operation and are true bomb casters. Not just good, but excellent distance. My Tat or Fuego can't come close. The Fuego was my primary frogging reel for some time, so I have a grip on what it's capabilities are. I have a 7 spd ICON on my frog rod. I fish heavy pads and snaggy spots a lot and the gear train is still smooth as when new. I've been cranking my lighter wakebaits, up to 2 ozs, all summer on a 6 spd ICON with similar results. I'd have zero complaints at twice what I paid, or more.

Do you fish from shore. Are long casts a priority? Does the reel have to be a Daiwa or a Tatula?

My brother's SLX was his light bait rig until it went overboard Saturday night, most likely on one of his multiple pee breaks. Never even had a clue til we were almost back in. His new SLX MGL will be here in a few days. Tackle Direct was the only place he could find it in stock on Sunday. On paper it should be very good. We'll see.

I keep my reel covers in my pockets or waders, and when I switch rigs the covers go back on each reel immediately. Even with that I somehow manage to get some superficial marks occasionally, but nothing approaching boat rash. Still, I wanna punch myself in the face when it happens. It bothers me. A little spit on the finger as lapping compound and a good rub on the mark and I'm over it. My main wading pal usually totes around 9 rigs. All have rod sleeves, but no reel covers. He bundles them up and carries them through the woods like a stack of 2x4s over one shoulder. Aldebarans clanging against Zillions clanging againsts ProTIs, etc. It's something to see! Doesn't bother him in the least as long as his NRXs are sheathed.

Yes, and less grease on the gears, most likely.

If you don't plan on removing, cleaning, and oiling the spool bearings, try to get few drops of oil on the bearing in the sideplate and under the spool tension knob. Aim it between the inner race and the shield. It'll get in there. It's easier to remove and replace the spool tension cap with the handle removed, but it's doable with the handle in place. Just be careful when threading it back on if you go that route. Anyway, the oil will cut the grease that's in the spool bearings and the reel will behave better right off the bat.

I had the DTs yesterday due to a massive skunking, so I needed to lip something, anything, to comfort myself.

Amazon has 'em.

Cool. Good Choice. I prefer the action of the 7'3" over the 7"1".

Toxic Baits Trucha Masu. Stocker Rainbows are due soon.

Which length did you choose? If you kick it down to 12lb big game you'll be a bit more versatile regarding lighter baits. Otherwise, you'll be quite dangerous with the 3 setups you have. You'll also be able to play with some swimbaits up to 1 1/2 ozs with the frog rig.

Socal gave you the best advice. Start with a heavier, aerodynamic lure and develop your casting mechanics. Settings on the reel are not going to save you, regardless of the reel. Advice about smooth casting and no whip casts are simply abstractions until you learn to "feel" what you're doing. That advice will make sense eventually, but in the meantime you need to develop your feel. Baitcasters aren't automatic like spinning reels, not a Tat SV or a DC reel. You need to learn to feel your rod load and unload and develop thumb control and timing. It takes some time and effort. Everyone's learning curve is different. Stick with it and it'll make sense. Watch some vids of pros simply fishing. Just observe the details. Do everything yourself at a lower velocity. It'll all click eventually

I was watching them the other night as they were suspended about a foot beneath the surface. They dart and stop/suspend. Short darting. Quite different than a gill. This could be a right now thing, but I wished that I had a shallow suspending jerkbait with a flashy pattern with me at that moment.