PhishLI

OKie doke. You do you, Holmes.

Mach Werkbait 90 in Ghost Gill.

The spool bearings come loaded with grease on these. Put a drop of oil on each one between the outer race and the shield which will cut it, and most of it will express out after casting it a while and the reel will open up a bit.

Around here the trout googans are catching them minutes after they've squirted out of the tube. Four stockings a year with these knuckleheads running around.

Do it to it. The trout stocked spots around here all grow big bass, so don't shy away. I know where they pump them in on my lakes, and where they always congregate in the short term, so if I'm fishing around the time of the stocking, I'll just work the opposite end. My buddy got this juicy holdover the other day. MattLures got it right.

I'd try to fish it before they dump the trout in. It'll take them a while to digest a stocker or two in those temps, so the bite usually goes into the crapper for a while. Here it's almost impossible to catch a good sized fish for at least 3 weeks after a cold water stocking, especially if they plant a few thousand 7-9 inchers along with the 12-14s.

Yes, we can see that?

My spots get pounded by casuals, but they often fizzle out quickly and leave. These fish are lure resistant after seeing their billionth lizard and 2 billionth senko. More than that the poaching pressure coming out from NYC by our "friends" from the east is relentless and merciless, so that's the real story in 25-40 acre mill ponds. They've made it tough to catch numbers for those who have a head for bass fishing, and nearly impossible for anyone else lacking that level of commitment or creativity. My wading clique cuts the poacher's live lines tied to tree branches whenever we see them at night, but we can't be there 24/7. They're persistent, sneaky, and have zero regard for our county's C&R policy, or anyone or anything else. The restaurants in the city who buy the fish must pay them well. Last year some casting-net DB showed up and wiped out a shoreline of bedding gills and left huge piles of milfoil on the shoreline to rot, fester, and create a slip-down-the-slope hazard. The silver lining is that my favorite spots have a few deeper offshore holes that nobody can reach, so there's sanctuary. Also, most of the shoreline doesn't suit shore-casters, and most people aren't wise to wading, or unwilling to do it. So, I wade into otherwise inaccessible areas that are loaded with growth, then grind it out. Like anyplace else, figuring out when to be there is key. The gene pool here is solid for size, so if one has learned to read these places, is patient, and is willing work, they're there. I'll never have a "Katie Day" numbers-wise locally, but I'll hook a freight train every now and then, so that anticipation drives me. At the very least, I'm never bored playing the game here because these places force me to think moment by moment. I don't get frustrated easily, so I'm built for this.

I started watching beginning to end while I was doing PT last year. Now I'm hooked.

Wiggins caught a ton, but so many smalls mixed in. Tough 1st day in general for weight. Like a Sabine river tourney.

It's a Tat 300 built for the salt. Stainless steel pinion, crbbs, and a power handle.

I find back packs annoying, so I'm into sling packs for shore or wade fishing. If you haven't considered a sling pack for shore fishing, this one's inexpensive if you'd like to see if they're for you or not. Holds a ton of stuff. Comes with 2 boxes, but will fit 4 plus plenty more stuff. Has a glasses compartment too. Amazon.com : SpiderWire Sling Fishing Backpack, 15-Liter , Black : Sports & Outdoors The upside to a sling is that you can leave them on you and just wind them around to your chest to dig stuff out, then wind them back around to your back. Never need to take it off and drop it on the ground. No dirt, chiggers, or sprinters running off with your goodies. Yes, it happens.

Well, you planted roots on the north pole, so...

Must be nice! We'll have high 20s-low30s overnights until the 25th, but water temps have tilted up to 41. Things should start moving here soon regardless with the new moon on the way. It's crisp out right now. Stupid NE winds won't quit. Just sucks whatever heat we accumulate right out.

I'll quote @AlabamaSpothunter from earlier in your topic. JDM 21 Zillion SV TW 1000 Heavily biased but this is one of the greatest reels on the market at any price, and it's 50 below your budget, it's a no brainer imho. A Zillion HD is right at your budget, epic reel as well, and I do mean epic. Zillion, Zillion, and oh yeah get a Zillion ? edit... the Zillions are also the most user friendly, set and forget reels I've ever used. You have to try to backlash them, seriously. There's always more than one school of thought when this subject comes up. Some will almost always point you to a solid budget choice, but others will recommend that you buy once-cry once. Who's right? Doesn't really matter. People will usually do what they thought they'd do before they ever asked the question. Because the Zillion is $50 below your max stated budget, it's a no brainer rec. The people who use it know that it competes with reels at twice its price. Nary a difference really. So, you can go solid budget if you wish, or take advantage of a weird and advantageous currency exchange situation and get an heirloom quality reel at a stupid low price.

He set the budget at $300, so he's getting $300-ish recs.

I'll pay an up-charge every day for a metal handle-side side plate.

Fixed it.

Hmm. Even when they're dry there's usually at least a light film of grease on the gears. If it's rough feeling now, just send that beatch back. You're still in the freezer, so it's not so bad to wait for its replacement.

You could just take a look at the schematics.

I absolutely do think you should be. I've had these "you've gotta be chitting me" moments myself, and I hate them.

"Free Floating Spool" which is what you'll find in the Zillion on up in the US market. They have a true dual bearing supported shouldered pinion and a short shaft spool. There's an extension shaft working out of the tension cap which provides spool tension adjustment. The Tat 300 is actually a hybrid with a typical Tatula long shaft, but it has true dual pinion support with a shouldered pinion. The picture I included earlier is a Tautla spool and pinion. It lacks the extended turned diameter shouldered pinion which would extend into the side plate and rest in a discreet pinion support. The Coastal 80's marketing claims led me to think they probably employed the same scheme as the Tat 300, but they didn't.

I hate these "why me" moments. At least they're friction free when it comes to returns. My brother went down this road. So many destroyed rods came, but they'll keep sending them until it's made right. Lunacy.

What if your villainy backfires where the Steez spool makes the Zillion amazing, but the Zillion spool in the Steez is poop because of its weak magnets? You coulda simply bought a Zillion 1000 spool and avoided all the deviousness by selling it if it didn't work out. Oh, and by the way, wow.

An error or Bald face marketing (*)uckery. It ain’t double supported like a FFS spool model, but it’ll be very smooth regardless *if* it got the hypercut gearing of the TW80. For how long remains to be seen.