LAO162

You forgot the Pflueger Supreme The 25 size would give you some good line capacity and still be very light. You didn't mention Daiwa, so I won't tell you about may favorite spinning reels When going ultralight, you really need to think about the baits you are using and the type of fish you're going after. Coming from the Northeast, I had a couple very nice Trout rods. Although they were great for feeling that little nibble around the creek bend and then softly setting the hook, I could seldom set the hook on a bass. If you are after bass, use sharp hooks and a rod with enough backbone to set the hook appropriately. Also, if you are only going for bass, you may want to think "finesse" rods rather than ultra light Panfish are a blast on ultra light gear

Last year I started fishing Fat Ika's the same way I fish Senkos - weightless, T-Rigged (through the skirt). Think of Fat Ika's as a Senko alternative rather than a Jig alternative. Lot's of great advice above

I frequently have trouble getting the site to load during the early morning...

Thanks all for the physics refresher and the inspiration to continue my "education" Leon

I have an ALL Star Titanium 6'6" MLF spinning rod. It's fantastic for topwaters. However, last year I lost my biggest of the season (still pretty small ) fishing from the end of a boat dock. It didn't have enough backbone to steer this guy away from a boat on the side... He ended up getting caught up and breaking the line after a couple minutes of teasing me (and I actually did go in the water to free him, but she got away on her own...)

Fast snaps like these worked pretty well for me when using cranks and various lures: http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_7816____SearchResults Occasionally, they would contribute to the hooks tangling on the line when they landed on the water, but otherwise didn't hurt the action too much. Made switching much easier. You might want to consider keeping one reel filled with a finesse line and the other with something larger. If both rods are not the same, I'd use the more sensitive, faster one for bottom baits, and the other for moving baits. If one reel has a faster retrieve, use that one for bottom baits and the slower one for cranks, etc. Fishing with 2 rods is very is still a luxury to me. Now, its just fun to have a bunch Until I was 40, I thought you needed just a trout rod and a bass rod Leon

Wow, Bassnleo that is a very generous offer We still have so much ice that it is too early for me to even consider your offer at this point. I might be tempted in a month or two since I need to purchase casting reels before more rods... I will say that your offer has shown the passion that Kistler fans have in the products and that is giving me more comfort. How about this, I'll spend some time going through the Kistler forums before hijacking another Kistler thread ;D Maybe this spring you'll get a PM or two from me ;D Thanks Leon

I think I'm still hung up on the loose reel seat myths and mystery blank discussions (fact or fiction???) of a few years ago Because I do like the features of Kistler rods, I do look out for "opportunities," but because of MY uncertainty, there needs to be a much bigger risk premium (discount). I actually made an offer on one yesterday, but it was declined In MY mind, I would be comfortable paying close to retail to get a Cumara for its split grip & handle styling. To buy a Kistler, I would be looking for a discount in the 50% range... However, If I had good experiences with Kistler, the discount for the 2nd rod may not need to be as great. I'm cheap, so there always needs to be a discount Personally, I'd like to see all manufacturers offer more information about their rods. I think it is especially important to provide information when a national presence has not been established or a product does not have a long enough track record. I think companies like Acadia Sports and B&R Outlaw do a great job at spinning their products towards budget consumers who don't have a lot of experience. They may? be a great value at their price points... However, neither offers enough information and facts to convince avid fishermen to abandon their established brands. Sometimes, I think the Kistler message is also like this informercial format. Although I can be impulsive at times, most of the time I have to weight the pros & cons. The process would be easier if more info was available. Maybe I need to go be spontaneous... ;D

The Exceler 2500 has been my most used spinning reel. My Tierra is smoother, but functionally the Exceler is about the same. Last year the Exceler just happened to be on a rod that I used frequently... The only drawback of the Exceler is that occasionally the bail will trip on a hard cast. This also happens with my other reels... I found casting distance and line management of the Exceler to be better than my Stradic 2500 FH (white version). I believe part of the advantage is due to the wider spool. Either the Exceler or Sahara would be fine reels, but I believe the Sahara comes with only 1 spool.

that's easy.a reel set totaly wrong and an uneducated thumb will do it.if you are shore fishing a backlash from snagging a tree without knowing it or just not realizing you are backlashing and not doing anything about it.beginners can make some terrible backlashes that you and i just shake our heads at. I hope I'm getting a bit beyond that point, but... I tend to make the most mistakes when I get over confident. BTW, The reason I'm questioning the spool weight is because I am most consistent with my Chronarch Mg vs. my other reels with centrifugal brakes

I see your point, but after what I thought were great casts without tangles on the top (while bait is still out), I can still find overruns deep in the spool. I had been thinking that if once some tension is eased of the line, the spool could spin faster than the mass of line that is still wrapped around the spool. Maybe I still need to work on finishing my casts :-[ Even though I like to analyze things now, I couldn't stand my science & math classes... I'm working on my thumb, but my life situation allows me only about 2-3 hours per week, about 20 weeks a year at the water (or any where that I could practice casting). So, I'm trying to get a better understanding so that I can educate my thumb in the most efficient manner I can make time for Bassresource, because I usually sure the web in between sets during my morning workout. If I spent less time on BR and more effort on my sets, I'd probably be both lean & buff, instead of being.....

I'm assuming the backlash that occur at the beginning of the cast are the ones that I discover deep in the spool. Those are the ones that give me the most trouble... Thanks

All other factors being equal, should a lighter spool help manage backlash? My hypothesis is that the lighter spool has less mass and therefore less momentum than a heavy spool. Thus, as the bait slows down towards the end of the cast, the lighter spool will have less momentum to cause the spool to feed out extra line.

BPS & Cabelas Spring sales will probably have some great deals on "house" packages. Or, after spending some time on Bassresource, you could get adventuresome and try the flea market here or that auction site. Pushing your budget, but at *** there are a couple All Star Platinum Rods for $69 shipped. They are quite a bargin. There are occassionally 10% coupon codes available for TW. I was out of fishing for quite a while and I'm now amazed at the quality of the gear :)

Roger & Dan, I hope you understanding that I'm not claiming that there is anything wrong with the Kistler rods, but instead pointing to a lack of patterns that make it easy for me to gain comfort with my expectations. In no way do I expect my HMG to compare to a Kistler. However, after research the HMG met my expectations for its price. In my field, we have to make a lot of decisions based on unknown factors. Where we have uncertainties, our group calls them "red flags." Some are big show stoppers. Others are insignificant when isolated. However, a pattern of red flags leads to doubt... I was merely pointing out what appear to be red flags TO ME In the case of G Loomis, there is such a sample of users (and information) that I feel pretty confident in my expectations. Overwhelmingly IMX rods get great reviews from people who are either very pleased or who need to justify their huge expenditure ;D ;D My real point is that change and a lack of information can make excessively analytical people uncomfortable.

I was hoping that maybe Bantam1 would provide some Shimano perspective

In my field, due diligence is about making sure that the product acts (and continues to act) in accordance with expectations for the product. When there are continually significant changes in the product's design and implementation, it becomes difficult to validate that the current product should meet original expectations, or to determine what future expectations may be for the product -- The merits and durability of a product released 5 years ago becomes meaningless in assessing the merits of the current product if there have been many substantial changes. Instead, current construction and anecdotal information become the only factors in determining expectations of the new product (or a firm's ability to produce a consistent, reliable product). And yes, when due diligence leads to reduced confidence in a product, the appropriate conclusion may be to change products. Due diligence may also lead to better replacement products as well (such as new blanks...) With a history of changing reel seats, blanks, guides routinely, plus adding and discontinuing model lines, it is hard (for me) to set expectations for Kistler rods. It is even harder get comfortable with a product when key facts and specifics are difficult to obtain (Many rod/reel manufacturers are guilty of this one). In this case, more information would help me to identify the risks of disappointment in the product. Usually, when less information is available, risk is perceived to be higher. On the other hand, expectations for a G. Loomis IMX or Fenwick HMG are pretty well established, so perceived risk of disappointment (relative to expectations) is lower. Personally, I do like the features and innovation of Kistler rods :) However, without a consistent track record for the products, it is difficult for me (personally) to set my expectations for Kistler rods. It is possible that if the opportunity is right I will abandon my analytical side and take the leap of faith to purchase a Kistler based upon anecdotal information. NOTE: If I only believed in purchasing products with strong reputations I would only load my Toyota with Shimano & G. Loomis gear. As it is, I use many brands (including BPS & Cabelas) and I may not be able to put my gear in the Toyota if it is in the shop due to a recall ;D ;D ;D Maybe some insight into the many, many questions that I ask...

Wrong thread, but I might as well throw it out here... Kistler has many products that intrigue me. I may own some in the future. However, I have to question the intergity of a product and manufacturer where there are very significant changes to the model features several years in a row. It kind of leads me to believe they didn't get it right in the first place, or that not a lot of thought is put into the upgrades. In the field of due diligence, rapid change and turnover is often a red flag regarding stability and quality of a product... G Loomis IMX, Fenwick HMG... these rods have been around a long time and are still competitive in their price range. Modifications yes, but not complete makeovers...

I'm no lawyer (and I don't play one on TV ), but in many states isn't the receipt enough to establish the warranty period?

So forgetting the action & power, the rod's characteristics may become less favorable if the tip is shortenned?? Sound's like quite a gamble to buy a rod with a shortenned tip, unless sure it can be replaced under expedited warranty service

I think my Extreme was a great value, but I lost interest in it once the baitmonkey coerced me into a higher budget range. I still like my Browning Midas rod quite a bit. Not a BPS house brand, but I like my Cabelas XMLTi as much as my Techna AVs and All Star Platinum. At full price, house brands seem to have quite a bit of competition in their price range. However, house brands usually can be advertised at significantly greater discounts than national brands. The house brands seem to get a lot more interesting when they approach discounts of 30% or more

Thanks for the info. More to ponder...

I agree that the rod would be stiffer, but I'm working on the assumption that the bend gets closer to the new tip. For instance, take a 6 foot rod with a moderate action. If it's bend begins 1/3rd down from the tip, that leaves 4 feet of rod below the bend (and 2 feet above). If 8 inches was broken off from the tip, there would still be 4 feet below the bend. However, now there would only be 1 1/3 feet above the bend. That 1 1/3 feet would be only 1/4 of the total rod length (5 1/3 feet). Thus, the bending portion of the rod has decreased from 33% to only 25% (taking it to a faster action). Now, with less length and leverage from the tip to the fulcrum, will the shorter rod actually have an increased power rating? Leon

Every so often I see "deals" on Rods with broken tips. I understand that with 2 or 3 inches missing, the action will become faster. Is there a case where it makes sense to buy a used high end rod at 80% off and then glue a $10 tip on to it. Thanks

Warranty details from Kistler website I hope you never have to deal with a damaged rod but we know things happen and that is why, for Carbon Steel, Magnesium and Helium rods, we offer the Kistler "SMART" Warranty Guarantee just in case you ever experience this unfortunate event. The Z bone rods carry a seperate limited warranty. In an attempt to eliminate the worry of a warranty claim, every Kistler Rod is "Quality Certified" by our process of thoroughly testing and hand inspecting from our expert team in Magnolia, Texas USA. To process a warranty claim efficiently, just contact our office by phone and speak with a helpful warranty department associate. You will receive the required "return authorization" number before we take further action regarding your "SMART" warranty. With your help, we will have you back on the water in a matter of days! Take advantage of our remarkable "FLASH" shipping service option that will save you both time and money! I can appreciate good service just like my fellow anglers, therefore; it is my goal to treat you as fair as I would want to be treated. Therefore, registered rods aged less than 12 months from date of purchase will receive the maximum warranty which includes a newly upgraded year model at no charge or at a fraction of the original price, determined on a case by case basis. Other rods not registered and/or aged over 12 months from date of purchase will receive our limited warranty service which includes the pro-rated deductible toward newly upgraded year models at a significantly reduced price, to be determined on a case by case basis. The Kistler "SMART" Warranty Guarantee on the Carbon Steel, Magnesium and Helium rods, combined with our "FLASH" shipping service option is a WIN-WIN deal! No hassles or delays just good old fashion, quality customer service you would expect from Kistler Rods. The Z bone rods carry a seperate limited warranty. There may be more information elsewhere, but in the FAQ I'd actually expect to see the COSTs and other SPECIFICs (like the difference between SMART & Limited Warranties...). As an analyst, I expect to see information presented in a transparent manner. As a consumer, the need to search for information about the warranty, may lead me to search on the websites of other manufacturers (who don't use the infomercial format)...