Big Hands

Walked into my local tackle emporium expecting to walk out with a couple 110 Jr's. They had these swinging from the pegs. For a short time. The hooks are outbarbs, but not the Katsuage type.

For me, they are both quite serviceable, but one weighs 1.6 ounces more than the other, which is very noticeable and you'll probably prefer the way one balances with the rod it'll be used with more than the other.

The specs list line capacity at 100 yards of 12 lbs mono and a little less of 14 lbs mono, and then state it can easily cast 1/16 to 1/8 oz lures, and all the way up to 1 oz lures. I’m trying to imagine a 1/16 oz lure on 12 lbs mono. Why do I need 300 feet of 12 lbs mono to do whatever I would do with a 1/16 oz lure? Could I get the slack out of 12 lbs mono so that I could have any idea what is going on with a 1/16 oz lure? How many rods can cast 1/16 oz, yet still have the backbone to deal with 12 lbs mono? I could put lighter line on it, but why would I go to the expense of having a titanium spool that weighs 7g only to put a crapton of line on it? What am I missing here?

I think asking enthusiasts to consider a $299 KastKing Mg-Ti Elite is a bit of an ask, even if it is a high performer. In the AL-Ti Elite, they have a reel that should have the main performance characteristics of the higher priced unit, but at a price that may tempt people to give it a go. Some of the differences are more aesthetic like the carbon fiber handle and star drag design, while others like the drag material and minor bearing quality differences may affect performance, though I would think not to a great degree. Also, if you want an 8.2:1 gear ratio, only the more expensive MG-TI Elite offers that. . . . at this time. I have tried three different KastKing BFS reels that have ranged from $70 to $120, and I can say that each of them has been at least solid value for what they cost and two of the three punch far above their weight. I would heartily recommend the Kestrel BFS that can be had for right around $100 and performs similarly to my Aldebaran BFS that cost four and a half times as much. I've mentioned before that the intent of the MG-Ti Elite is a bit ambiguous to me. The AL-Ti is no different in that respect that I can see. All things being what they are to me, the Al-Ti (at $200 currently) is a lot more tempting if/when I feel like taking a chance. It's good to have choices, and competition tends to keeps the big dogs on a shorter leash.

Those are all my favorites, and I also like 10" curly tail Power Worms, especially at night. Actually, the only time I fish with giant worms is at night. Black, June Bug, and Black/Blue are my colors of choice.

2001? 99.99999% chance that it'll be a "NO". Depends on how much you'll need to run them. Bilge? hopefully on rare occasions. Aerator, on a heavy use day, it's hard to say it'll be enough. You really need to do the math with how many amps those items will draw. Multiple graphs starts to be a concern, especially if they are medium to large screens. Check out Redodo for some high capacity Group 31 size batteries (up to 165 ah). Two of those and you could run your Ultrex, and all of your other 12v accessories. You can wire the two 12v lifepo4 batteries in series for 24v for a 2v trolling motor, and at the same time, tap 12v off of one or both of those same batteries for ALL of your other accessory needs. Then have a lead acid cranking battery just for that purpose.

If you're going with an Ultrex, I highly recommend going with the Ultrex Quest if you can fit it in the budget. You can run the Ultrex Quest just fine on 24v. It is about a 1/2 mph difference on the top end with 24v vs 36v and pretty much the same everywhere else. As for the outboard with a Lifepo4 cranking battery? Conventional wisdom usually points to NO unless you have a certain newer outboard said to be compatible. If you're a risk taker, I would at least price the price the parts that are likely to need to be replaced so that kick to your tender parts won't be altogether shocking.

I've had the Phenix Classic BFS in 7'4" for close to two years. It's described as an extra fast action. I have caught hundreds of bass up to 4.5 lbs on it, and more using the Karashi than any other bait. I currently have an Aldebaran BFS on it and it's my go-to BFS combo for several different presentations. They offer it in 7'1" and 6'8". The Dobyns SUF (I have the 7'0" and the 6'9") rods perform similarly, but I feel like the finish on the Phenix is a bit nicer.

I have been trying to organize and make sense of my "quiver" with the intention of having myself covered in the areas I care about, and investing more heavily in the areas I care about most. Every winter I try to do some reorganize the pairings that make the most sense, and clarify the roles that each can play. This year I put some thought into making a spreadsheet that I can use as a dashboard to see the overall picture. I have repurposed or replaced some gear and have a couple of racks that I will be working from. I don't have a lot of rod storage capabilities on my boat so between myself and whomever will be with me, I strive to choose five or six rods that will suffice for my intended trip. I'm hoping that I will end up the season pretty close to where I am starting. In years past, by the time the season is ending, everything is kind of all over the place. We shall see.

It's been just under 100° here for the last three days. The bass have been chewing up just about everything thrown at them. I went yesterday after work for a couple of hours. My only regret was losing a Vision 110.

I appreciate your candor, and I don't take criticism personally that's meant to be constructive. I'm genuinely looking to work through whatever my casting shortcomings are with honest, objective takes. The model I have is the TASV103XS. It's good to know I am not the only one feeling like they are more than a little off the mark. It's the last Daiwa baitcaster I bought. To be fair, I also have a couple Shimano baitcasters that I don't love (SLX DC and Curado 150 DC). It's easy enough to avoid that generation of DC reels on the Shimano side, but it's not been as easy to avoid the SV platforms. But old wounds heal and my Daiwa-curiousity has resurfaced. I have one slot on my team open and the position I feel like I would like to address is the partner for my 7'3" Kage MH/F all purpose rod. I most often use it for casting Carolina rigs (with 15 lbs main line), and sometimes bomb casting is what is on the menu. Sometimes it's not that big of a deal. Sometimes it would really be nice to dial long distance to reach the party to whom I wish to speak. Sometimes that means casting into some wind. I'm usually using 1/2 to 3/4 ounce egg sinkers, plus soft plastics (a 4" EZ Shiner or Swing Impact are often the bait of choice). I have two Curado 150M reels that are pretty decent, but I just thought I would try to see if there was anything out there that could be a little better at that particular task. I have other duties the Curado 150M's will handle. So, to be fully transparent, that's what I am up to here.

In a general sense I am about as smooth as the bucket on a backhoe, but I think I can read between the lines here. To be honest, this may be the source of at least some of my results. My high school basketball team presented me with a croquet mallet at our banquet to honor my apparently heavy handed tendencies.

I know you're someone that is particular enough about reel performance that you take the time to carefully bench tune a number of your reels. I also notice you take interest and display knowledge of several SV reels. I know there are a number of different versions of SV and SV Boost, and it seems like they each may have a niche where they excel? So, would you consider a Magforce Z reel over an SV? Do you find it possible to get casting distance from a stock SV reel compared to anything else from Daiwa or SHimano? I'm guessing you could bench tune a Penn Surfmaster to be amazing, but I'm looking for more of an off the shelf standout.

Primarily distance. Anywhere from 6 to 12 lbs mono and fluoro and up to 40 lbs braid. Duly noted. It has been added to 'the list'.

It’s understandable, since I didn’t provide the context of my own lived experience, which is that the SV TW reel (17 Tatula SV TW 103) has been one of the most disappointing reels I have ever owned due to casting performance. If I were to get subpar casting performance from it, that would be a noticeable upgrade from anything I have experienced in the five years I have owned it. Contrast that with what I read from others that I would estimate to be at least or similarly experienced as myself, and I feel the first thing I should do is to make sure it isn’t a “me thing”. I read many subtle disclaimers about ultimate casting distance that may not quite be present with SV reels, but people that I wouldn’t tolerate the level of subpar performance that I have seem to sing their praises and keep spending good money on them. I’ll happily sacrifice my ego to learn the secrets of making an SV TW reel lovable in my hands. Being that it is Magforrce Z instead of SV (Boost), that would be my choice based on my experience at this point in time. Good to know, but I’m not currently prioritizing that metric. The TW HD was not on my bingo card, but it looks interesting. Why do you feel it’s superior to a Steez?

Mostly wanting to compare the new models. But I imagine some generalities exist between the new models and some of the older models. I’m also aware that one of them is not SV, it has the mag force Z. So without poisoning the well I would like to see if people with real world experience can tell me if there are times when one might be better than the other or if One just rules them all and eventually I’m probably going to compare them to some of the Shimano big casters.

Comparing three Daiwa flagship and very popular models, general use reels for throwing baits in the 1/2 oz to 3/4 oz, maybe up to 1 oz. Jigs, worms, C-rigs, that kind of stuff. The reels I'd like to compare, purely on performance rather than price, are: Steez SV TW Steez A 100 Zillion SV TW The truth is that I am still perplexed by some of Daiwa's most popular models. At the end of the day I have concluded that it's a me problem. There has to be something I am not grasping. Probably not understanding the finer points of application, and fine tuning adjustments. Help me to understand. Please.

I live about two miles as the crow flies from the Castaic Lake dam. There is a 180 acre lagoon below the dam that's about 1.5 miles to the entrance . Takes about 6 minutes top drive to the lagoon plus or minus depending on a couple traffic signals.

It's not important until it is. And, for me, these days on some reels it's very important for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I appreciate quality line in some cases and that stuff can be costly, and secondly, I don't care to fiddle around with backing if I don't have to. I also don't want to have too much or too little line for the job. Extra line adds weight and sometimes that alters the performance. I also don't want to see bare spool when my bait hits the water. I found Daiwa to be all over the map with spool capacities. It's almost like their marketing department just puts blindfolds on monkeys and has them throw darts at random numbers on a wall and they just go with that. I have an idea: Have a standardized method that you publish. Publish a table that states diameter of what they consider to be the diameter of a given line size or just use diameter and let people apply the size of the line of choice based on it's diameter. Measure it with lasers if you must, or some other consistent method. Make the sizes relevant to the intended usage of the reel.

Some techniques don't work you that hard, but things like jerkbaits, A-rigs, big swimbaits, and deep diving crankbaits can. For me, at 67 and loving to throw jerkbaits in recent years, I threw down for the same combo. The Bait Monkey assured me that this was the ergonomically correct thing to do as it would hurt most on the day I bought it.

If the (perceived?) rate of performance increase of a rod or reel begins to diminish at $250, does that mean that one is foolish to spend $350? I think the answer could be both subjective and objective, and varies from individual to individual, sometimes a little and sometimes a lot. For me with regards to rod and reel purchases, where I am in my life TODAY, the law of diminishing or marginal returns generally sits lower than other factors on my list of priorities. It hasn't gone away, but it's less of a factor. As a business strategy, I think the law of diminishing or marginal returns generally and rightfully commands more respect than it does when it comes to consumer luxury goods. It hurts a bit to say it, but in the grand scheme, is fishing gear not a consumer luxury good for most of us?

Especially if I am by myself, and since nobody is paying me to catch fish, I am happy to fish in whatever way I feel like at any given time. I try to have four or five rods rigged when I head out, but I am prone not to even know for sure most days which way I'll turn as I head out from the ramp. Or, I might stick to the plan all day. More often than not, the plan is subject to and does change as the day goes on. I do enjoy probing areas that others don't care to probe with their big beautiful bedazzled glitter sleds. Dragging a frog across a cheese mat that looks more like a superfund site than a bass lair. I like to find patterns that others are missing or aren't willing to commit to. When others are saying the "micro-shad" are too plentiful and they can't match the hatch, I like to throw tinier baits than others are willing or able to throw. Things like that meet my threshold of interesting and fun. Power, finesse, BFS? These days I don't care much about how to label what I do or to have a consistent approach, just so it's fun, interesting, and if it's something others aren't messing with, that's my jam more often than not. At a lake of 2,200 acres, and the only real bass fishing option within an hour's drive of downtown Los Angeles, finding opportunities that others are ignoring or can't be bothered with might be more necessary than it might be for others in less pressured waters.

TL/DR version: Seeing bait balls is a bonus, but a lack of them is not a deterrent for me, much less a requirement regardless of the time of year. =========================== The semi-verbose version: The forage in my home lake IS absolutely primarily threadfin shad based more than anything, and I don't think anything else is even close. With that said: It's good to see bait balls in an area regardless of the time of year, but if I don't see them initially, I'm not likely to spend time looking for the for a couple of reasons: 1) it doesn't mean there aren't active fish there 2) it may spook them if I am zig-zagging around over the top of them If bait balls are there, great, but it doesn't mean fish are or aren't there or nearby, especially if I am graphing or seeing fish. If I haven't seen them, it only verifies that I haven't seen them. If bait balls and fish are there underneath and within them, that's generally even better. Generally. . . . If I graph fish, but no bait balls, I'll still fish there and vice versa. If I don't see fish or bait, I might still try an area, but if I get no action, I'll move on sooner than later. Fish are like people I reckon. There's some that probably don't care to eat shad, or all shad all the time. We have crayfish, prawns, silverside minnows, sculpin, carp, frogs, snakes, vermin, logperch, and all sorts of juvenile (and grown) gamefish (catfish, bluegill, crappie, sunfish, trout, and . . . . other bass) that at least some bass are happy to consume.

Where I fish, they will spawn on main make shorelines and all the way to the backs of coves, and anywhere in between. If I want to fish beds, and the water is clear enough, I can simply look for fish/beds doing what they do this time of year. If the water doesn't allow me to see them or possible beds, I could go to areas I have done well at in the past, or simply not bother with bed fish. If I can't see them, but I am getting quick short strikes at the right depth range, it lets me know that they might be spawning. Where I fish, often, beds are at the base of a big rock or bushes, on the deeper side, or right in the middle of them. If I want to catch bed fish, a 3" Roboworm Alive Shad in Hologram Shad color fished on a dropshot 4" to 5" above the weight yields as good of results as anything I have ever used. I can see it sometimes, but even if I can't. . . . . They can see it. It triggers strikes. It has a high hookup rate because it's so small that there's a good chance they will hook themselves when they strike it. If there are bed fish, there are usually others getting ready or recovering, and I am happy to fish for them. I may spend a relatively small amount of time each season just to see if I can, or to show someone else how to do it. After that, there's usually plenty of other techniques that are just as productive if not more so.