Phil77

7'2 lews custom M with pro ti, will handle any topwater besides frog/rats. Wish I had all day topwater bite but the ole shakey head and jerk bait are whats working all day for me.

Fished the A's and one C for a couple seasons. Love the attached side plate and easy brake adjustment. Keep the brake ring oiled and they will cast a mile. Only reason I switched to lews was an externally adjustable centrifugal brake. Great reels for the money, never gave me any trouble.

Don't have a 300 but have the one like Bulldog but no where near as nice looking. I prefer the ACB system that's in the bb1 but the mag brakes on my SD are great. I can throw light 1/8 finesse jigs with ease. Don't think either is a bad choice. I've thought about a 300 for striper and swim/glides but prefer round reels for those applications.

Mono or copoly. I'm only using FC on shakey heads and t rigs these days. Braid for Ned's, mono, and copoly for everything else.

I have a Met20 on the yak for senko's/flukes. I can absolutely lob both using a wrist flick or just my elbows. If you go happy Gilmore style and put your back or shoulders into it you will blow it up. I keep mine with two blocks on and the dial around 3 or 4. My steez sv tw is the same, if you try to lob it it will blow up but if you just use your wrists it will lob any lure a good distance. Set all four brakes on the spool to the on position and start with the dial at max and cast just using your elbows, once you get the hang of it work your way down on the dial and the spool blocks. The SVS has a steep learning curve compared to the older VBS but it can be learned/tamed.

I use a lews custom crankbait rod on my yak for square bills and walkers/poppers. It has a soft tip to help sling baits quite a ways and still has backbone to keep them pinned. Mine is a 7'3M. I've thrown all types of topwater baits but nothing deeper than a 6ft square bill and it's done both very well. I'm sure it would work with deep cranks but I just dont use those anymore. Any 6'6 and up medium rod should pull double duty just fine, just be prepared for heartache when you have a crankbait tied on and a school starts busting shad on top.

I've used those and they work ok. You can find the real thin pool noodles and make your own then secure with zip ties.

Get a round reel. A tuned Abu, Cardiff or a calcutta will work better than a low profile reel. You won't have to worry about line capacity either with a round reel. Or you could go all out and get a tranx or whatever the daiwa version is.

Arbor knot then a small strip of electrical tape.

MetB would be my choice but if you want the DC go for it. I wouldn't waste the money on a steez sv unless your fishing mainly light lures and even then I'd go with Met instead.

I have the non MGL and it's a tank of a reel, not much it can't do. Only problem I've had is it doesn't cast 1/4 oz very well but the mgl model should. If it has the same frame design as mine it would be great for cranks because it feels like a round reel when palming it.

Mine don't buzz and neither has any other shimano reel I've bought over the last twenty years. Must be good luck I guess.

I have a JDM and USDM Met20 and neither has any buzz. Are you calling posts by random internet users facts? The Met20 and the Bantam with core solid design are some of the best reels Shimano has ever produced.

I don't think Shimano's quality has gone down.

Don't know how you guys are tearing these reels up so quick. I still fish some of the E series shimanos on a daily basis and they are all stock original parts. My yak reels are two K's and an Aldebaran that have been absolutely tortured over the last three years and they are still smooth but won't win any beauty contests. All I do is an annual cleaning with an ultrasonic cleaner and lightly lubricate where needed.

If you fish salt water then the tranx is the way to go, I doubt the lews reels you mentioned are any good in salt. Are you flushing and re lubricating your bearings? I have the older MB reels that don't have P2 support and they are still smooth as when I bought them. I don't have the new bb1 but it looks like a pretty good all around reel with more line capacity than the lfs and tourney pro, it's cheaper than the pro and has the ACB system so I would go with that given the reels you listed.

I think you are talking about the G Crawler, I had a local guy pouring custom baits like that but he went under during covid. I might try finding some of the ones you mentioned in the meantime.

When will those Slinko's hit shelves?

I'll wait for someone else to try the Para mag, I've got to have one of the new Pro TI's and a hyperspeed. I've had zero problems with my lews/doyo reels, so I'll continue to buy them.

I use a 7ML casting rod with 3/16 to 1/4oz jigs and trick worms with no problems.

Not much you can't do with a MH. If that's all you have you can make it work. Just go a little easier when landing fish on treble hooks.

Me personally I would throw it on a medium rod. The MHMF should work I just prefer a medium to help keep them pinned.

Good, I've had no problems with any of my Lew's since switching over to them. I think I'll pay the mark up to avoid that handle though.

I want the Hyperspeed even though I have no need for a reel that fast and the new Pro TI looks slick. That elite doesn't look to shabby either. They have pics up oin their website now. https://www.lews.com/en/learn/2023-new-products

I personally prefer to fish treble hook baits with the exception of large hard swimbaits and glide baits on a medium rod. I had a tournament partner a few years ago who did everything with a broomstick and like someone else posted he was rough on the fish. Your rod should be fine as long as you don't try to bring the fish in hard and fast. I know mojo bass comes in a 7'1M because my daughter uses one for square bills and topwater.