LAO162

Although it may be hard to continue a series of rods, there are some great values among the 2010 closeouts: All Star Platinum Fenwick Techna AV Kistler Argon Plus the (usually) semi-annual closeout of Cabela' XML and XMLTi rods. I recently picked up a Powell 764 on sale. While not as sensitive as the rods listed above, it is very light and feels awesome in my hands. Also, it is beautifully constructed. Also, if you are patient and check the Flea market you may find a used IMX in your price range.

You may have heard it backwards ;D Although the Takara feels pretty smooth, you might want to consider a Cabela's Tournament ZX while they are still on sale for $49. I've found my Tournament ZX to be almost as smooth as my Tierra and it feels more refined than my Exceler. Plus, the ZX has a spare spool and the Takara does not. Without a spare spool, you might as well consider a mid-level Sheemano ;D

Word. X3. X4 Because I fish a quarry with a lot of sharp edged rocks & boulders on the bottom, I usually avoid lead-based bottom techniques in favor of weightless plastics. The plastics seem to get wedged in the rocks less often. However, I haven't learned yet and I'll still throw T-Rigs and Jigs every so often. I average about 2 to 3 casts before I have to break off the line...

The Gamma CoPoly in Fluorescent Blue and Gold are on sale at Gammafishing.com. Plus, there's another 15% promotion for everything (including these). For less than $40 shipped, I got 1000 yds & a filler spool in BOTH 10lb and 12lb. (~2600 yards) I was tempted to get the service spools, but I figured they'd go bad before I used them up. (I already have a sevice spool of 6lb clear ) If you like Gamma, might be a chance to stock up. Leon

This weekend the action was slow for everything I tried. Results were the same with Fat Ike & Hydra However, I did conclude that the Hydra is softer and less durable than the Fat Ika. For now, I'll keep throwing both.

I thought it was pretty unusual There's a very shallow back pond off the quarry where I usually fish. It looks perfect for froggin', but all of the parts I can see are probably less than 2 feet deep. I've never been sure if bass could winter in it. Well, since I'm trying to learn frogs/toads, I figured I'd make a few casts. I'd heard the bull frogs croaking, so I knew they were there. I saw some activity (hoped it was a hawg) but the ripples weren't right. Something was sticking out of the water. So, I figured I'd cast over it and retrieve right by it to what kind of life was in the pond. Paddle foot Ribbit went directly towards the object that didn't move. Just before the collision, the bull frog jumped. It gave a surprisingly good fight, but was no match for a Powell 764 with 12 lb McMcoy Extra CoPoly. I'm assuming it intentionally went for the bait because it was hooked on the bottom lip. It helped keep the morning interesting while I constantly pulled milkweed fluff off my line & lures. Leon

I've just begun experimenting with the Hydra. They sink slower and the tentacles have far more action than the Fat Ika. They must weigh a bit less because I can't cast them as far. In my couple outings with them, I've only caught one. On the other hand, the Fat Ika is my confidence bait - it almost always works... I'm not sure if the difference is color, because I was using black/blue instead of dark green. The Hydra looks really cool as it slowly sinks. Then again, I'm not a fish. At this point I'm tempted to think it is NOT a replacement for the Fat Ika. However, I think it has potential.

I was excited to get some extra time at the pond this morning. The net was only 6 dinks, so it was pretty slow. Ok considering I was experimenting. However, I did have a couple interesting retrieves: -- Chug Bug -- two 10 inch bass -- Stanley Ribbit -- a live Bull Frog in the lip Do two 10" bass equal a season best of 20" ? Should I have measured the Frog to track my PB? Leon

If you can afford all of these, you can probably afford the rod for heavy swimbaits as well ;D I'm also interested in this thread because I would probably be pushing my rod by going over 1.5 oz.

Thanks for all the great ideas here. After thought and budget analysis I decided to spend a bit less on concentrate on Frogs/Toads and Smaller Swimbaits in light to moderate cover. Mother's day & unexpected expenses wiped out PayPal and discretionary savings... So, I couldn't pass up the sale on Powells With the help from Keith at Powell, I went with the 764 M (3/16 to 1 oz). The rod rating seems to be ideal for my actual needs. I'm not sure when I will ever be fishing heavy cover, so it seemed prudent to go with what applied to my normal conditions. Wow, the Powell is a beautiful rod! Gorgeous cork and just a hint of bling, but it still looks like a tool and not a fashion statement. I don't think it is my most sensitive rod, but the weight and balance are awesome. With the reel, it balanced just above the hook hanger. I barely notice anything but the weight of the reel. I think the action & power will be perfect for my needs. Using a 3/4 oz swimbait, for the first time I was able to cast further with BC gear than my spinning gear Thanks again for the insights. Who knows, I may still find a deal on a MBR844C that I can't pass

Regarding Fan Casting, I'm already there LOL. Thanks for the insights, maybe the baitmonkey needs to bypass rods & reels for the Baits aisle instead I need some new baits Leon

I have two of the Browning Midas reels and just got the limited ed Pro Qualifier Tournament (7 oz). If find the training wheels (DBS) have given me a lot of confidence. My casting has improved greatly this year, to the point that I'm getting better distance and fewer backlashes than with my Chronarch MG. It's probably due to an improvement in technique, but the DBS seems to have increased my confidence it baitcasting gear. I think you will enjoy the PQ

Crestliner, Thanks For Western MA, do you have favorite colors and shapes. Where I fish I see a lot of bluegill/sunfish in the 3+ range. The only long, torpedo fish I usually see are baby bass. I'm assuming, I should go either for bluegill/sunfish imitators or baby bass colored paddlebaits & imitators rather than trout & shad replicas. Thanks

Fat Ikas & Senkos are the only baits that produce consistently for me. However, I understand where Wack is coming from... When the Senko bite slows, it would be good to understand why and when other techniques work. Also, since I fish the same areas every week, I'm afraid of over-exposure to Senkos & Fat Ikas. Yesterday, I did finally catch somethink on a Lizard

That's why I don't try to raise them in the basement anymore ;)

I usually fish for quantity over quality My time out is limited to Saturdays, dawn to 9:00 am - regardless of fishing conditions. However, I my objectives are changing Hence, a new rod for Frogs/Toads & Swimbaits I believe the MA state record Smallmouth (9 lb)actually came from an East Longmeadow (my home town) quarry about 25 years ago. Thanks for reminding me Before I jump in with Hudds & Mattlures, I'm hoping to build a little confidence with smaller (disposable) baits. It's one thing to lose a few $5 baits in a morning, but losing a couple Hudds in 20 minutes would be pretty discouraging As you can see though, I am openning my mind to new ideas Before this year i didn't ever consider Swimbaits. Most of the articles and discussions seem to relate to places like the California Delta. I'm hoping to find discussions that hit closer to home Thanks!!

I have no doubts you will enjoy it (them???)

For an average 3 hour stay at the pond (5-6 rods): 2-4 on the bank 2-4 in the car (not far from the bank) 3-4 left at home a couple in the I no longer need these pile I have more than I need, but it's fun

Most of my use has been with a Medium Light spinning rod, so I can't comment much about weight and balance. However, the sensitivity of my ML and others that I had briefly was fantastic. I sold them only because I moved towards spit handle/no fore grip designs. If you like the classic feel of the Platinums, you will be hard pressed to find another <$100 rod that delivers the same sensitivity.

These rods are at a price point with lots of competition and users who are fairly sophisticated. You must have a lot of confidence in them to ask for very public reviews. It would be great if Pinnacle could utilize its distribution strength to get more quality gear into the big box space.

If you have a hard, early morning downpour, at dawn go out looking for worms in driveways, side streets, sidewalks, parking lots...etc. I used to go to my school parking lot when I was a kid. My side street is a good enough source now. This works best in Spring. If you wait to late in the morning, the early BIRDS get the worms - quite literally. You can google hundreds of pages on how to raise worms.

Is there a difference between "Small" Swimbaits and Paddlebaits? There's ton's of information on bigger Swimbaits (6+ inches or 1+ ounces), but not as much on smaller swimbaits. I fish ponds in the Northeast where a 2 lb bass is enormous. There are lots of sunfish/bluegills in this area. My favorite pond is a quarry with a rocky bottom that eats expensive baits within 5 casts... I'm looking for information about smaller baits (hopefully disposable) that will be suitable for this area. Today I tried a 3" Storm Wildeye Sunfish. The action was very cool and at 3/4 oz my Powell 764 M could chuck it into unseen territory Is it reasonable to try baits like the Storm Wildeye and various paddlebaits?? Also, links and useful search phrases would be appreciated. Thanks! Leon

My understanding is that the TD-Pro is based on the Exceler. The biggest difference is probably the thicker "Air" bail. Although I also have a Tierra, my Exceler seems to get more use because it somehow is on the rod I want to use, or is spooled with the line I need for the application. The Exceler has great line management and offers fantastic casting distance. The bail is a bit finicky compared to the Tierra, but it doesn't affect me. It's a great value. At $68 the TD-Pro gives you the Air bail for about the price of the Exceler. I believe for about a week more you can still get the Cabela's Tournament ZX shipped for $49.95. I just used my ZX this morning and found it to be at least as smooth as the Tierra and found the bail to be more refined than my Exceler. Basically, the Tournament ZX is an Exceler with one more bearing and a white paint job (I think the TD-Pro looks much better Any of these reels will probably offer super performance for the price point. After this morning, I don't feel as though I took the "cheap" route by not spending the excess for another Tierra. Leon

#12 Gamma Copoly

Only one CORE?? ;D