PhishLI

I was just speaking with a pal this morning as he was loading up his Yak. It's 36 degrees out with 9 mph SW winds. Real feel is 30. Brrrr. I'm waiting until it hits 43 later this afternoon. It was 18 yesterday morning and topped out at 30, so I don't expect them to be on the move right now. Plus my wife dreamed up a list of things to do this morning and I'm stuck here. Anyway... We were discussing how different this winter is compared to last. The veg hasn't died back nearly as much. I'm still snagging perfectly healthy weeds in shallow water, they're just far more sporadic compared to the warmer months. We've had a few wicked cold snaps, but not the type of sustained low temps that would normally decimate them. The temps have been yo-yo-ing. All of this got me thinking about the current date. I mentioned to him that about 2 weeks from now last year I started creaming them with the 1/2-3/4 oz Dark Sleeper. He replied that he hadn't done well with them at all, but admitted to not really giving them much of a chance either. The majority of the waters we fish are small in acreage and quite shallow. I'm talking 3'-6' in general with random deeper holes and stretches. Weeds take over in late June and the Dark Sleeper gets put to bed until next ice out plus several weeks. It's just an exercise in frustration to fish it while snagging algae covered grass on every cast, but during that window before the weeds take over just lookout! Absolute fire for me! I went on to explain to him how I fish the Sleeper, and it surprised him. I throw it on a 7' MHF rod fitted with a Fuego CT 8:1:1 reel spooled with straight 30lb braid. It's a fast reel and I fish it fast. He was totally surprised by this. I told him that I'd tried every other typical retrieve and cadence for this bait under the sun in the beginning, and line type, but had no luck. I'd bomb it out. I'd let it soak. I'd hop it slow. I'd hop it fast. I dragged it. Nothing. Only when frustrated and while burning it back in would I get bit. So I resolved to just work it that way and it was a hit. He reminded me that during this same window last year he was killing it with the Red Eye Shad liplless. That lure needs to be fished quite fast here also while just clipping the bottom in these shallow lakes. It's not an identical presentation, but there're similarities regarding retrieve speed and location in the water in relationship to the bottom. Now that he has this new info he's going to give it a whirl. I'd bet that he's going to do OK. I have my own theories as to why this method works well at this time here in this cold water, but who cares? Try fishing the Sleeper fast if it hasn't produced for you yet. As a side note: This particular friend I mentioned above is an absolute hammer. A machine. A stick. A wizard. If you're active in my area, including the local FB bass fishing pages and beyond, you probably know his name. You also know how tough the fishing can be around here, so the numbers and quality this guy catches are almost beyond belief. The point is that anyone, including an actual bass fishing wizard, can learn something new even if it flies in the face of generally accepted dogma.

Nice. I was able to get some time on mine Friday. It was windy and freezing. I had no problem throwing a less than aerodynamic 12 gram total boot tail swimmer for very good distance. I didn't expect that. The WP75 just kept going! I'll put some good time on it tomorrow with a range of baits, but it's already a winner as far as I can tell.

The newest addition to the fam. Just need to wait til the pads come up again. My TatSV would sit pretty on this stick, but the monkey is whispering "Get the new Tatula Elite Flip Pitch. You know you want it". Bad bad monkey.

Cool! Report back and share your impressions.

This is an imperfect analogy: Think of DC as almost an automatic transmission vs non DC as a manual transmission. With either you still need to drive the car, just a bit less with the DC reel. If you step up the line in Shimano you can find features like the core solid metal bodies of the Bantam and Metanium, and more advanced DC braking systems. Less flex under load and generally tighter tolerances of machined parts is what you get. The Daiwa I linked has a mostly metal frame. Just the non handle side plate is composite, but the set plate inside it that carries the magnets and spool bearing is metal. It's the same idea here. Rigid materials keep moving the parts in check. By feel alone I can say that this thing has tight tolerances. I can detect no gear lash. There's no lateral movement of the main shaft either. That's what more $ buys you ultimately. You typically get a more robust package. I wanted this reel for it's benign braking profile. I already have a SV reel, so I wanted a less restrictive experience. Your thumb needs to be on point when the brakes are run near the redline on this one, but the Magforce Z does it's thing well midcast. I watched it fluff slightly while overhand bombing a 12 gram lure and it sorted itself out quickly, a few times. I'm very happy with this purchase at this stupid low price, so I shared the link. In the end the higher end reels are simply luxury items. Reels in the $100-$200 price range are perfectly fine and can do nearly anything the higher end reels can during an actual day of bass fishing. If you appreciate a greater degree of tactile refinement, and are willing to fork over your bucks, the manufacturers present options. It's nothing more than that in actuality.

https://tackletrap.com/index.php?main_page=specials The Tackle Trap has a special deal on the Daiwa Catalina TW JDM reel in two gear ratios. 4:9 and 7:3 lefties. It's basically a scaled back Zillion HD, but with Magforce Z and a drag clicker. I have the 7:3. Awesome reel. Unbelievably tight and smooth. Just a touch wider than a Fuego CT. It's a monster long caster too. $175 and free shipping.

DSG stocks them around here.

The gear is important. I'll let others remark on that. Make sure that you have the terrain for it. My local spots are so fouled with veg that I can't throw a Ned even now that much of it has died back. Each cast results in bringing up a slimy mess. I can only throw it in certain lakes a good ride from my house.

This didn't happen while fishing, but it's fishing related. I'm full swing to the 10th power into bass fishing again, but I took a looong break from it. Many years. The first time I met my soon to be son in law at a family BBQ he brought up that he loves bass fishing. I was instantly stoked. He couldn't shut me up. I was serious as a kid and still had all of my old gear safely stashed away because I always knew the day would come again. When I say old I mean Daiwa spinners from the late 70s. He offered to take me out on his boat to his honey hole the following weekend, but I had to decline. In that moment I made up my mind that I was going to fish with the exact setup I caught my last fish on before I stopped. I was on a mission. This meant a tear down and lube on my old Daiwa 1000C reel and a new guide on the 5'10" M Ugly Stik. That took a few weeks to get to. When the gear was ready I was was pumped. I ran up to a local spot with it for some practice. Everything was just as I remembered it. Muscle memory kicked in instantly and it was like I'd never stopped. Old timers might remember that the Daiwa 1000C had a clicking anti reverse when it was engaged. Every crank of the handle and the reel was clicking away like a baseball card in bicycle spokes. Perfectly normal back in the day and just perfectly fine as far as I knew at that moment. I scheduled an outing with my son in law for the following weekend, but I decided that I needed another setup at the 11th hour. I ran up to a shop and grabbed another rod and a ABU Card10 spinner and more line. When i got home I ran in, mounted the reel on the rod and proceeded to spool it up. Weeeeee! But there was a problem. It didn't click when I wound it! It's busted! They sold me junk! I have to drive back there! I'm gonna be late! Doh! I pulled up to the place and I'm unhappy but I'm composed. I just want to get a replacement that isn't broken and be on my way. So I wait on line. When it's my turn I hand over the reel and explain that it's defective. The two guys behind the counter examine the reel then tell me that it's perfectly fine. My blood pressure rises instantly! Then I say, in my angry guy not trying to seem angry voice " Then why isn't it clicking when I crank it?" The two guys behind the counter briefly looked at each other, then turned and stared at me in amazement. One of them turned out to be the owner. He was nice about it. He asked me how long it was since I'd last fished, so I told him. He went on to explain that things had changed since then and reels now have something called "silent anti reverse". I felt that odd cold feeling come over me. I turned around to steal a glance at the people in line behind me. Each pair of eyes met mine in unison. One guy looked down and slightly shook his head. So there I was. I was "That Guy". I apologized and bolted outta there with my perfectly fine new reel. Once I got in my truck I laughed hysterically at what a fool I am. Oh brother...

I have that rod and know it well. Expect to croak it too throwing baits that heavy.

It's hard operating a small, low production business. You've got to keep the lights on. This is reflected in the asking prices. Hobbies tend to get insane. Try shaving shaving tenths of a second off at the dragstrip, especially once you're faster than 10 seconds in the 1/4 mile. Very expensive and you're actually risking your life every time you make a run. Bass fishing with relatively pricey baits is far less expensive, risky, and insane. No, they don't tend to catch more fish, but that's not what it's about. It's cool and interesting catching bass on cool baits. That's what it's about in the purest sense. It's also about this: Bass really try to kill the bigger baits for the most part. You can feel it. I often get the same feeling with chatterbaits. They tend to strike them violently. The big baits also tend to be either on, near, or close to the surface, so there's a show. You get to see it. It adds to the thrill, just like going down the track a 10th of a second faster than the previous run.

Is this your first Daiwa reel? If it is then I suggest you get the feel for it and use it in the specific circumstances you've outlined in this thread before you buy another one. The braking is different than the reels you've listed in your first post. I have plenty of Daiwa reels and a new one on the way right now. I prefer them over my Shimanos, or other friction brake reels, in certain circumstances and vice versa. Specifically, when I can swing freely where there aren't obstructions like tight casting lanes through trees off the bank, or when I'm wading barely outside of tree lines but branches are still an issue. Another situation is when I'm on my yak and need to consider my other rods standing up behind or in front of me. This is probably akin to your casting around power poles scenario. I certainly have and can use my Daiwas in these situations, but I'd rather use centrifugally brakes reels here. The SV and Magforce Z reels are awesome. Just make sure they're a good fit for you where you need to use them. You'll find out what you need to know with the Steez.

Shellcracker G2 gettin it done.

I've had the 2020 Tournament Pro LFS for almost 2 months. I like everything about it. Zero complaints. It's fantastic with light baits. The brakes aren't quirky and I can chuck a true 1/4oz jerkbait remarkably far.

Take a look at the new Lew's Tournament Pro LFS. I have plenty of Shimanos and I'm happy with them, but this particular Lew's is a superstar if you throw small jerkbaits. I've been throwing a list of true 1/4oz jerks lately and this reel has been flawless here. The distance I get is uncanny, and the braking is something special. Plus it palms great with it's very small frame. It's worth a look. The street price is 139$

I use braid as a backer filling my spools a touch above a 3rd on most reels with flouro or mono/coploly as a mainline. On reels with flouro as a mainline maybe a bit more than a 3rd. This reduces the tighter coils closer to the arbor that like to jump off.

JDM Daiwa Catalina TW. It''s basically a Zillion HD-lite. Stoked! It even has a drag clicker.

My local spots are tough too. Most were streams or creeks, now dammed, that flowed out to the ocean. Some still have eels and at least one has a newly installed fish ladder to let the alewife migrate back in. They're all shallow and weed ckoked. Throw in massive pad fields, water chesnut, and other wicked shrubbery and it's a challenge. Treble baits are almost impossible to throw after late June. I'll be able to throw Dark Sleepers until June and then it's over for it and any open hook bait. The baits in the pic I uploaded do the best here. Most come through the worst of it very well even after the grass has been draped with algae. The swing head ewg jigs are more likely to get caught up in the thicker algae. I drag in huge, slimy, green wigs with them occasionaly, but for the most part I can rip them through the majority of the weeds. I can't explain why the Beast Coast Miyagi with it's shape comes through everything so cleanly, but it does. All the baits shown below are fish catchers around here. The Hazedong Shad is killa everywhere.

This afternoon was perfect. Overcast. Mild wind. Slight ripple. ZilchO. Tonight: Darkness. The Mattlures 6" Hardgill. Boom.

Good sense of humor, man! Glad your reel isn't defective.

February night time bass on a Matt Lures 6" Hard Gill.

Unfortunately, not scientific at all. IPT will tell you nothing for a number of reasons. Put a marker down where the lure landed and measure the difference between reels if you don't want to hassle with measuring the actual distance.

Yes. 2020 model.

It's a new model. It looks to be the replacement for the Tournament MB and sports the dual supported P2 pinion. A good thing.

The IMAs don't suspend like a typical SP jerk. It's more of a slow sink depending on water temp.. This gives you options as to how you can fish it, especially over weeds and shrubbery, because it doesn't sink like a rock. Great bait. My 3rd best producer last winter and early spring. I bought a pile for this year.