Bigassbass

I love good fishing gear as much as anybody, but in all my years fishing I've never had a cork handle that crumbled or tore off. I've ruined a few sticking my hook in the handle. I never use a coating, U 40 is like a paint propalene you don't need that on your fishing rods. One its toxic, two it changes the color, and last it makes the handle slicker than it was intended to be. Fishing rods last a long time so, I think it's a waste of time, work and money to coat them with anything other than water.

Fenwick Eagle is a really nice inexpensive rod, it's not cheap because it's too nice to be called cheap.

Daiwa Luvias 1000, that is one of the smoothest spinning reels on the market, only other better would be the Shimano Stella.

I love top water bites so my favorite set up is my Shimano CI4 2500 spinning reel on a Lew's I-Pro rod. I have used Rapala floaters and Husky jerks for years, caught more fish on them than any other plug I've ever thrown. I have also caught many bass on soft plastics no weight line line, lizards work best in the spring.

I don't like braid but I made an exception with my Miravel spinning reel, it needs all the help it can get so the braid will cast far and of course not break. Still don't like it will take it off when the color wears off. And what's the point of using braid if you like the feel of mono on the end of the line, just tie on all mono and forget about it.

Ultra Light rod or ML. you can find those at Academy, Dicks, Bass Pro. Depending on how much money you have to spend you can buy a name brand nice one that should last for years or a cheaper one. I love ABU Garcia ML white rods and Lew's rods are cheaper but very usable. Reels, a Pflueger size 10 spinning reel makes a great crappie reel, any of Shimano entry level reels are good for panfish and you can get those at Walmart or Academy. Think light, light line, lures, rod and reel. I do not like the Shimano sensilite rods they are lame I gave one away to Good Will. They are too stiff and heavy in the middle and the end is like a buggy whip, not good for fishing, you'll be worn out reeling in a brim.

Buying cheap rods is like WHY? Usually they are no good, they break and it's like fishing with a broom stick or a cane pole. Buy you a Major Craft, Lew's, ALX, St Croix, the list goes on, then you'll have rods that will let you feel a fish poop.

I love Shimano spinning reels, I have to say the Miravel is a total disappointment but I knew for the price it couldn't be much. It's an entry level reel better than some but you need to spend some money and buy a nice reel, like a Vanquish for sure.

A long screw with a big flat washer pushed through the spool of braid, then screw it to the wall, line comes off counter clock wise. Hold line between thumb and index finger snug wynd on line. Or you can use a real big heavy book, put line through the center, books acts as a weight and a brake, easy peasey, wind on line.

Nice reel Cardiff, I should have bought one of those because let me tell you the Miravel is a entry level reel no matter what anyone says, I don't like it and if I had bought it in the USA I'd take it back, as it is I bought it from Digitaka, don't know how much it would be to ship it back to them but I think I'll check because I'm sorely dissapointed in this reel. Some of Shimano's cheaper reels are much nicer than Miravel.

I bought this reel because of you road warrior it's super nice! I am getting a Miravel for mothers day.

Early this week I was pond fishing and some idiot interloper drove down the drive to the pond got out of his truck and begin to run his mouth, making up more lies than some dog have fleas! He said he got the wrong address but I know that was a lie, he took out his cell phone and took a pic of the catfish I had just caught and asked if he could go fishing? I told him fishing wasn't allowed in the pond and neither was trespassing. Some people have big nerves and other body parts which I will not mention here.

Shimano Stradic 2500 or 3000 from Digitaka that's a super nice reel, it's not made of plastic.

Check out Lew's rods, and Fenwick, Bass Pro sells some rods made just for them and they are good rods with good prices. I like the Fish Eagle rod, it's fantastic for bass and they are not pricey.

Shimano Metanium, if you got the money

I've been retired 10 years, I stay busy and I do fish a lot because I love to fish. So, I really do fish more now then I did when I worked. Do what you love, cause life is really shorter than you think. I'm getting a new reel for Mother's Day!

They use to be in a lake not far from my house, I'd see guys catching them but I never caught one and I did target them sometimes. Lake management killed them out don't ask me how or they died out, they didn't want the white bass crossed.

Anybody have one of these reels, I'm looking at them online, even though they are made for saltwater seems they should make a nice bass reel, what is your thoughts?

I fished for years with cheap rods, and I caught a lot of fish, many different species. Then I bought some nice, good rods, I still catch fish but I'm not as young as when I used cheap rods so, I don't go fishing as much. To answer the question NO I don't have 50 rods and I don't want 50 rods. I love my solid tip Japan UL and I love my Lew's Winn Grip spinning rod, the rest are tools to catch fish sometimes and catch dust most the time. I love to fish, I do not love to collect fishing equipment.

I love Winn Grips. I have a Lew's spinning rod it is my favorite of all the rods I've owned and I've had many rods in all price range. EVA grips get dirty I think quicker than cork, you can clean all of them which you should. It's a preference really, I prefer cork over EVA but Winn Grips beat them both!

Bearings in knobs are great, an easy way to upgrade your reel. I put good bearings in all my reel knobs, I love to see and feel them spin.

Academy sells Shimano 1000 reels and Walmart has a great price for UL Shimano or ABU they will be under a 100 bucks at either place. The Pflugger President 25 size is a super fine UL reel, don't buy any other size because the larger reels have a lot of slack in the take up, you'll fight the line trying to reel in.

I've always believed snagging a fish especially in the spring when it's shallow and ready to spawn is unsportsmanlike like and I'm sticking to my story. This just proves he knows how to snatch a line. Duh

Ego soft sided bait cooler is fantastic looking, pricey but I would love to have one.

I have several MC panfish rods UL and L. they are super nice rods and I think they have accurate power listing, if I was going to buy a bass rod from MC I'd buy the Days line or the Ivono line, either of those are supposed to be a super sensitive and stout rods.