newapti5

By "dark color," I mean darker than watermelon or blue. I consider GP and brown as dark colors, but I understand some brands' GP are very close to watermelon, even greenish chartreuse sometimes. GP with purple flakes are quite effective IMO. In fact, this "GP Goby" color is one of my favorite colors.

For soft plastics, Yes! I thought I was the only one who thought so. In the last couple of years, I found that dark color soft plastics with purple flakes, or brown jig skirts with a few purple strands, are quite effective for smallies, not just for June or summer months, but spring and fall as well. My guess is they might have seen too many GP or plain brown jigs. For hard baits, like jerkbaits or topwaters, purple color isn't that effective though. My most productive jerkbait colors are still metallic, white, or transparent, depending on water clarity and seasons.

Very informative post. Thanks guys!

The website seems to be down, and I've never heard of it. You can try some other reputable jdm websites, like www.digitaka.com/, www.plat.co.jp, or japanlureshop.com

What's the website? I'll need more details.

Nowadays I tend to believe lines abrasion resistance is mostly related to diameters, instead of the claimed pound test, who makes them, or how premium they are. For example, since the diameter of 12lb fluoro is often similar to 40~50lb braid, I'd say their abrasion resistances are about the same. Some JDM lines, fluoro or braids, claim to have really small diameters yet very strong tensile strength, but in my experience, their abrasion resistance is mostly related to their true diameters.

Amazon has Seaguar Smackdown braid, 20 pound test, 300 yard, stealth grey color, for $19.49. This is about the lowest I have seen. https://a.co/d/aILTUqt

Another vote for the SV 103, not the pecker. I don't know why, but for me the TD Zillion frame just feels right, more than any other reels: the weight, the size, the smoothness... I am still searching for a mint condition lefty J-Dream.

I am sure you'll find some good use for a new reel. I know I always do.

I remember this seller. Not big but reliable. I bought a couple of Quantum reels from them. They used to, and still have really good prices for reels on sale, so I'd grab one if "needed" BTW, it's even cheaper on their website: $105 for either left or right handed.

For those who tie your own jigs, Amazon is selling this great Dobyns finesse 3/8 oz football jighead for about 45 cents a piece. These jigheads use strong Gamakatsu hooks with very effective lure keepers, as well as recess line tie. They are perfect for finesse jigs. The only minor improvement that I would suggest is a drop of superglue on the weedguard. It's already pretty strong, but now it'll last many many feisty smallies. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MH69D2L

I don't know, they may still ask you to pay tariff when you passing through airport customs, if you bought too much. Even with tariff, I think JDM prices often still triumph over UDM prices, unless they offer some killer deals in coming holiday season.

Not that it matters much, but I was surprised by how well the color scheme of my Abu reel matches the Abu Regista 6'10 ML rod. With some fresh mono, this is a great combo for light topwater/jerkbait smallie fishing.

Yeah, mono actually sinks as well, just a little slower, which is good enough for topwater presentation. I guess that's why some people use the burning test instead. Give it a try, and you'll see the difference is quite clear.

Floating test should be enough. If not in some cases, you can also use burning test: fluoro thread will burn quickly without leaving much residue or ash.

Mind if I ask how long had you waited for them? I know @Motoboss had waited for 5 months, and I am currently on month #4.

7.5~15% is actually not that bad. Buyee is charging 20% now. My buddy just scored a mint-conditioned Steez CT SV for $250, but Buyee charged him extra $50 + shipping. Still, now bad for a MSRP $600+ reel.

Interesting. Never used a jig like that before. Is it good for smallies?

Tried the new Varivas 8 braided line today, and I'm impressed. I got a spool of #1.5, 31lb Max, Ocean Blue color. The line is not too soft, not too stiff either. With the initial coating, it's VERY smooth, and the casting distance is superb, compared to other #20 test braided lines. Although it's only #1.5 diameter and I fished it with 1/4oz football jigs in a rocky creek all day, I didn't have one break-off. The only complain I have is the color fading. After several casts, my thumb had already turned blue. Let's wait and see how the color fading will be in long term.

Gee, I ordered *** months ago, so I am looking at another 3 months wait? I was hoping to use it in this fall😮‍💨

Maybe this question is more directed to @bulldog1935: What is the difference between Varivas Max Power PE and Avani Casting PE Max Power X8? It seems like the main difference is the latter has more abrasion resistance, which is what I need for local rocky situations.

For experienced baitcaster users, DC reels won't increase your casting distance much. It's mostly for casting easiness and fun, and heavy DC spools may have trouble casting light lures, except maybe the new Aldebaran DC.

Besides all the above, I just want to add that longer rods also give you a more powerful hookset, which is crucial for stretchy lines. When I use mono or fluoro for single hook applications, I usually go with rods longer than 7'.

For a budget rod that is similar to mbr actions, I'd recommend Dobyns Sierra 683. Both the power and action are very close to mbr 783, it has a full grip, it's perfectly balanced and quite sensitive for the price, and you can often find it on sale for around $100.

I normally don't use them in summer creek clear water situations, as I found them not that effective, but yesterday when the creek water was a bit muddy, holy cow they were biting hard. I had to deal with several cases of deep throat bites. What is your experience with the situations when MaxScent is most effective?