LAO162

Chris's advice seems good to me as well. The folks at BR convinced me to pick up the Stradic 2500 and BPS Extreme 6'6" MF at the last sale. Definately a great deal if you can spring for it. Think of it as getting an awesome reel an a solid rod for about $20.00. Then, when the bait monkey strikes again, you can then focus just on a specific rod. By going MH, you'd have a serious Bass rod and a ML for finesse & fun. BTW, my combo casts a country mile with a 1/4oz Rat L Trap. Cabelas also has a couple interesting combos based upon their Tourney ZX (Daiwa Exceler) or the Pfluger President reels in your price range. Cheers

Update: My 6'6" MF 2-piece Browning Midas arrived yesterday. It's a Fathers Day gift so I can't use it yet :'( . But, I had to take it out of the packaging to make sure it was in good shape ;D I don't have experience with expensive rods, but this one is a beauty. It's seems to feel about the same weight & size as the St. Croix MLF Premier & Triumphs that I was handling earlier in the week, but is less whippy. It FEELS much lighter and less stout that my BPS Extreme MF. Giving it the "tap test" (tapping the tip on different objects), it is substantially more sensity that the Extreme, Premier or Triumph. In fact (once I stopped holding the handle by the paper work that was still under the plastic wrap ), it was as sesitive or more sensitive that the Avids & Loomis GL2's that also received the "tap test" earlier this week. I don't get fishing often as I would like, but by the end of the season I hope I can give it a fair review. However, assuming it is reasonably durable, the Mida appears to be a substantial upgrade from the Extreme for only $40 more. Leon

Thanks Chris

Is there any meaningful difference in power & action between a St. Croix MLF (1/8 oz -1/2 oz) and the BPS Extreme MF (1/8 oz 1/2 oz) spinning rods? I'd like to get my Father-in-law something that will work for bass, but is light and still fun for perch and pumpkinseeds. Since he throws small stuff like Mepps, I'm thinking the rod should be able to load with only a 1/8 oz lure. I have BPS Extreme MF that I think has enough backbone, but I don't have any experience with St. Croix (Triumph & Premier) other than holding them for a minute at the shop. Thanks Leon

Thanks Reel Mech, I had you in mind when I was thinking custom. Assuming I keep making progress with my casting, I've been considering sending my Curado 200B for service & maybe even upgraded bearings once the season is over.

Thanks Muddy, I fish from shore so I don't have a hard surface to work with. Maybe I'll drop it on the beach so I can sand down those friction points. Then, I'll drop again in the muck to lube the bearings etc ;D

I'm already thinking about next year's purchases... When it's time to get a new BC reel, is there an advantage to purchasing a factory "Super Tuned" reel versus a standard version that has been custom tuned. For instance, the DAIWA Advantage - currently $69.95, or $99.95 Super-Tuned at Cabelas. Thanks! Leon

Another Curado recommendation... I just started out with the old Curado 200B that I found on clearance. I was comfortable with it in less than an hour. After two hours I was almost as good as with my spinning gear. Knock on wood, I haven't had a bad backlash yet. You might want to start fishing from shore so that if you do get a small backlash you can let it out quickly just by taking a few steps back. Good Luck! Leon

Great inforation , I've being waiting to here more about the Tierra. Leon

I didn't have any experience with baitcasting reels, but I found a 200B on clearance for $50 (then got $10 more off). Within minutes I was comfortable casting with it. I've never had a serious backlash (knock on wood), and have been able to clear the ones I've had by just taking a few steps back. I figure it's got to be a pretty good reel if a newbie like me can use it successfully. Cheers!

I'm looking to spend $100 or less on a 2-Piece that will serve as an all purpose rod (1/8 to 1/2 oz). It will spend a lot of time being left in the car or tent. I'm thinking about grabbing the Browning Midas (Boron) while it is on sale for $99. Should I consider something like the St. Croix Premier instead? I currently have a BPS Extreme 1-Piece and plan to "upgrade" next year. Thanks

Thanks guys!

Thanks Shellback, other than the grip, are they fairly close in performance?

I'm looking to give a spinning rod as a gift. It will go with a Daiwa Exceler 2500. The politically correct price range would be about $65 or less. My objective is to replace my father-in-law's heavy power rod with something lighter for lures in the 1/8 to 1/2 oz. range. Currently, the BPS Extreme and Fenwick HMX are available for $65. However, the Shimano Clarus or possibly the St. Croix Premier seem to be in the same ball park as well. I'd probably go 6'6" in a 2-Piece model. Casting, sensitivity are light weight are of equal importance. I like my BPS Extreme, but I like the Fenwick name for a gift. Thanks for your suggestions. Leon

How would a Fenwick HMX for $65 fit into the mix? Cheers!

I've been considering making the plunge. I've wanted one since I was a teen back in the 80's

Thanks for the input. I've been pretty impressed with the Lightning rods that I've handled. They seem like a great value. I'll have to see if I can get my hands on one of the Penn rods. Thanks fletchero. Muddy, no surprise your recommend the Pflueger's . I'll have to check them out again. In my area, the Premier is the overwhelming favorite for bass fishing. I should play with a L or ML to how they would work with the smaller species. Thanks!

Any Suggestions on decent 2-Piece All Purpose Spinning Rod? I'm looking for a 2-Piece rod that I can use when camping. In the Northeast, most campgrounds stock their ponds with trout, but not always. Thus, I'm looking for something that will work with trout, panfish and finesse bass fishing. I will probably be throwing lures in the 1/8" to 1/2" range. I'm thinking 6" to 6'6" in length. My budget is about $100 for the rod, or $160 for a combo. This setup will only be used a few times a year, so I cannot justify spending more. As a teen, the Browning Boron was the rod that we dreamed about, so I'm considering a Browning Midas while they are at sale at BPS. Eventually, I'd mate it with a Daiwa Exceler. I've also considered the Cabela's Tournament ZX / XML Combo in ML. Thanks Leon

It has been pointed out to me that reels are more complex mechanical devices, whereas rod are relatively simple in design i.e. simple machine (lever).

After being away from Bass fishing for almost 20 years, I starting researching current techniques a few months ago. I was shocked that people would use 50# test. The strongest line I had ever used was 8#. I'd moved down to 6# because I thought it was more sporting. Watching a video of fishingman hauling a big luker out of the weeds without any finesse seemed unfair and not even fun... However, I'm coming around. You use need to use the right tool to get the job done. Now, I can't imaging working a construction project without power tools... Dodgeguy's point about putting less stress on the fish seems to be another benefit. Since I fish mostly in open water, it is easier for me to enhance a "finesse" style of fishing. That said, I think I would consider braid if I was going to fish in heavy cover. One of the best trends I have seen is that fishermen are usually releasing their catch. 20 years ago most fisherman I new took it home. Our small ponds were quickly fished out... Perhaps more importantly than how we catch the fish, I think the manner in which we treat them indicates a sporting mentality. Not only has catch & release become the standard, it seems as though fishingmen are now making a special effort to safely release their catch. This behavior reflects a respect for our game. Cheers Leon

Lot's of great info here. Thanks

Great discussion I've been questionning my own technique. When setting the hook do you use only your wrist, or do you use some arm as well? How hard is too hard? Does the hook set differ for "Finesse" fishing? Thanks

Rear drag has a knob on the bottom that is used to set the drag. Supposedly you change change the drag while fighting the fish. Front drag uses the same knob on top of the spool that is used to screw the spool on & off. Front drags have a better rep. Leon

Great Link! Just added it to my favorites. I grew up using the cinch knot, which we called the fisherman's knot. This site makes it easy to understand how to tie other knots. Thanks!! Leon

I have 4 early Shimano reels with the quick fire feature. They were great when fishing for smaller fish when a lot of pressure is not needed to set the hook. However, in hindsight I believe a lost a lot of larger fish by not getting a good hookset. Depending upon where the handle is when you get the strike, the handle could travel backwards as much as a full crank before the anti reverse sets in - With the (old) QuickFire the anti reverse allowed the reel to snap back so that the trigger was in the casting position. Coming back to fishing after a 12 year absence I'm going to miss the QuickFire, but since I'm getting more serious about bass fishing, I opted for a Shimano without the QuickFire so that I will feel confident in my ability to set the hook. Cheers, Leon