GetFishorDieTryin

I see people making the mistake of thinking a new reel will dramatically increase casting distance on the same rod they have been using with an older reel. The reality is the reel is only half the equation for casting distance. If you have a pool cue for a rod that doesn't load, IDC what kind of reel you have its not going sling anything very far. Same is true with a rod that has a really slow action, your depending entirely on the potential energy released in the forward cast, so no matter how much arm you put into it you wont see a big difference distance wise. Every rod has an optimal casting weight(sweet spot) somewhere within the recommended weight range. Mod Fast- Fast action rods generally are the easiest to get distance with. Every reel is a little different. You could have 2 SLXs and one may cast better with a lower brake setting and one may need more brakes. I use just enough tension and friction from the brakes to keep the spool from going squirrely. With my Met MGL none of the brake shoes are engaged and the dial is set from 2-5 depending on what Im using. I keep the spool tension fairly loose to where there is noticeable play in it. The best tool you have to manage line is your thumb. Keep it close to the spool and if you feel the line fluffing just feather it to slow it down. Try using mono with the SLX until you figure out the best settings to run the reel on. If you blow up a spool of mono its no big deal, FC and braid is a different story.

None of the LT reels are truly sealed reels like VS and ZeeBass. They have features to minimize entry of water at key locations. Essentially they are splash proof, not water proof. Unless you drop your reels in the water or blast with high pressure water from a hose you arent going to have problems. The LT line of reels uses 2 kinds of material for the frames. The Exceler and Fuego use a carbon composite material for the frame. The higher end reels like the Procyon and above use a proprietary high strand carbon composite material called Zaion which is lighter and stronger then the material used for the Fuego and Exceler. The Fuego LT and Exceler LT are essentially the same reels, same frame, same main gear and so on. The biggest difference is the Fuego has the Mag Seal and the Exceler doesnt. Its good to have but if you dont plan to fish saltwater or fish in the rain you dont need it. The Legalis LT and the Regal LT are good options as well if you want to save a few $. The Fuego is probably the best reel at its price point and I dont think any other reel comes close. For a casting reel I would recommend the SLX, SLX XT, Fuego CT, Tatula CT and if you want to throw lighter baits the SLX MGL. As far as rods go 13 makes some really good rods for the $. The Omen Black @140$ is lighter and feels better then my 200$+ SC Avids. The 13 Fate Black is under 100$ and feels like 150$ + rod.

I use the Aaron Martens G finesse trebles for most of my JBs. They work great.

Both of the rigs originated from Japan. I dont know when the Tokyo rig became popular in Japan, but it seemed like VMC and Venom had a product just as the rig was becoming popular here. Both rigs are relatively easy to make. I think that's one of the reasons why you dont see every brand having their own version of both rigs.

The Jika rig has been out for a long time. It was and still is popular, but I dont remember it getting half the promo hype then the Tokyo rig got. I think the popularity and effectiveness of the Jika, along with the crazy amount marketing hype made the Tokyo rig popular overnight.

That depends on a bunch of different variables. FCs are all different as far as stretch, sensitivity and memory goes. The conditions play a big part as well. In cold water FC hardens and tends to coil when the line is slack, at that point you lose contact. FC that has been on a spool for a few months tends to coil as well. I run FC on the majority of my casting gear and braid to leader on the majority of my spinning gear and when the water gets frigid I go to mono because its much easier to manage then FC. One of my favorite things about fluro when compared to braid and mono is that it tends to sink. So when the wind is blowing FC doesnt bow nearly as much because most of it is under the water. Slack line sensitivity is important but the advantage braid has over fluro is that you can see it. So you dont need to feel anything, you will see the bite before you feel it. Everything has pros and cons, it all comes down to preference.

If your not planning to fish saltwater you can get away with not having the mag seal. I love to fish in the rain and its nice to be confident that water isn't getting into reel.

You don't want that one, its an old model. The LTs are the current models. Before this whole corona mess you could get them for 60$ and you could get the Fuego which is basically an Exceler with mag seal for 70$ both on eBay. Now the Exceler LT is going for about 80$ and the Fuego for about 100$ which is still a decent price. The mag seal keeps water from getting under the rotor and into the AR clutch. IMO its worth extra 20$ especially if you fish in rain or want a little protection from spray when your running with the rods on the deck.

Rapala makes a saltwater x rap called a twitchin mullet, its similar to a lipless in shape and it doesnt have a lip. I skip these at night for stripers in the ICW behind Avalon and Stone Harbor. It takes a while to get it down and your going to ruin a few of them, but its worth it in the end.

Thats not what I meant but the way you put it is spot on. The Material that the neck gaiter is made of breathes a little bit, so doing 70 mph its not going to help you all that much especially on a long ride. Its not thick enough to make you sweat in the mid or low 40s but is warm enough to wear in the mid to upper 20s if the wind isnt howling. When I run a few miles out to hunt sea ducks in the bitter cold I wear a legit Balaclava. There aren't many companies that make a good mass produced Balaclava, this is the only one I know of that's still in stock https://banded.com/product/extreme-weather-ufs-fleece-hood/.

I got one of the fish monkeys last year. Its not the yeti but still has the same perforations. There really is nothing you can do other then using anti fogging products on your glasses. Balaclavas are probably the best piece of headwear to keep you warm. The fish monkey yeti really isnt a real Balaclava in the sense that you can modify it. A legit Balaclava can be worn a several ways. You can use the hood and facemask, just the face mask with the hood pulled behind your head, just the hood with the face mask tucked under your chin, or just as a neck gaiter. Hoods and face masks do the same thing but with a hooded jacket you cant turn head without the hook obstructing your vision, not a big deal fishing but makes a huge difference when your duck hunting.

Some of the local lakes around here are hit so hard power fishing doesn't pay off unless the conditions are right. I had to rely on finesse to catch fish the majority of the time and that's how I learned to fish. That made me bias towards the finesse and power finesse side of things even for power fishing. I typically start with power fishing and if I cant get bit after an hour I scale down until I get into some fish. We all know the people who say, " sissy sticks suck, I only have casting gear in my boat." I've fished with quite a few of them. I've found that a good number of those people either don't have the confidence or patience to finesse fish or they just straight up don't have the skill to do anything but chuck and wind. Its also common to see guys who spend 4 or 500$ on a casting combo, but wont spend more then 100$ on a spinning combo. Then they complain about it being junk and a waste of money, you get what you pay for.

The 6'10 is more versatile then the 6'6. If they both have the same amount of guides and action the 6'10 might have slightly more tip then 6'6.

Its the same idea as putting bigger grips on casting reels. The bigger surface area makes it a little easier to put pressure on it.

There are different size micro guides, ranging from really small to what they call semi micro guides. Try to find out what size they are if you can and post it, someone on here will know if they are too small for knots. There are a few things you can do to minimize the odds of the knot catching the guide. The first is obviously using a really small knot, I like Crazy Alberto as much or more then the FG. Its strong, compact and relatively easy to tie quickly. Secondly, you should trim the mono or FC tag till its almost flush with the bottom of the knot with a pair of clippers. Some people think if the knots tightens on a fish or snag the tag will slip under the braid and the knot will fail. As long as the knot is seated correctly when it was tied you wont run into that problem. The third is to apply a knot glue to get rid of any edges that may catch on the guides. I personally don't do it, but it does work.

Casting heavy pencil poppers and big tins on spinning gear doesn't suck at all. Heavier mono wont cut into you. Braid can cut into you, but the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Some people wear gloves to protect their finger while casting and grabbing the leader when landing a fish in the wash. I prefer taping up my index finger just above the knuckle. To me the worst part about throwing big baits especially with real heavy rods and reels can wear your arm out in just a couple hours.

If your going to be walking in I would recommend you get breathable waders. Neoprene is heavy and doesnt breath. If you plan to be fishing in the colder parts of the year get insulated breathables with a tear away liner. Boot foot waders are better for mud so long as the boot is a good fit for your foot. Stocking foots are generally more comfortable. The wading boots are lighter then boot foot boots which makes walking much more comfortable. You can also tie wading boots for a better fit when compared to boot foots. You can wear old sneakers or boots on stocking foots, but the problem is that they soak up water and become really really heavy. Good wading boots don't soak any water in. Korkers makes an excellent wading boot. Depending on the terrain or bottom you can swap out the sole of the boot to get the best traction. If you have the felt soles in and want to go fish off a jetty you can just pop the felt sole out and put the sole with aluminum or titanium cleats to bite into the wet rock. Good waders and wading boots aren't cheap but cheap waders may only last a season or 2 until they start to leak and you have to buy another pair. Your better of buying quality waders that have a lifetime warranty so if they leak you can send them back and get a new pair.

I think the term "Expert" is relative. They are very experienced anglers who have expertise in certain areas. There are Master Mechanics, Master Machinists, Master Chefs and so on, simply because the methods and procedures required have been proven by the scientific method. When it comes to fishing there are to many variables that are far less tangible to us. The aquatic world is alien to human beings. We know more about the surface of mars then we do about the depths of our oceans. We can only theorize how a fish perceives his environment. I strongly believe that is what makes fishing so great is you really never know what's going to happen. Without failures they would be no success. What's the fun in catching fish using the same baits every time. Every year I try to become proficient with new techniques or improve techniques that I have little confidence in. There have been quite a few times where I think I have a lake figured out and the fish don't stand a chance, only to be humbled time and time again. I don't think you need to share any knowledge to be considered an "Expert." There are pros that are considered "Experts" by many, but good luck getting them to tell you how he's getting his limit faster then competition when money is on the line. I have no idea how many times someone has asked me, "howjadoo?" and no matter how well I've done, I reply "rough day" without even thinking about it. I've gotten better over the past years as far as sharing goes. I don't care if people think I'm an expert or not, I'm fishing for fun not praise.

If you have 30 or 40 yards of braid left on a filler spool, you have more than enough for a lighter spinning gear. Just use cheap mono to fill most of the spool and spool the braid over top. The only problem with braid is it soaks in water, so it freezes in the winter. Ive used the Siege and it was good, it reminded me of the older Trilene Inshore as far abrasion resistance and color goes. I'll get a spool of the Advance and see how it does this winter.

The Tatula Elites (not the Elite AGS's) Kage and the standard Tatula used to use the same blank it was just a different color. The components and actions were different but as far as graphite quality they were the same so the sensitivity was pretty much the same. I haven't had the chance to fondle a whole lot of the standard Tats, but the few I have gotten my hands and have used felt good.

Ive never really liked Stren, I got a whole bunch of it for my Bday as a kid in the late 90s and I had issues with break offs that I didn't get with Trilene. I know this a Berkley product but Trilene Big Game is easy to find, inexpensive, really strong and an all around good line. I use it in the winter when fluro gets really hard and has memory issues because of the cold water. Consider using braid for one of your spinning reels. The low stretch can actually make a rod feel like it has more power compared to using it with mono. Sensitivity is great and the hi viz lines are a huge advantage techniques where you don't have contact with the bait, you can see the bite.

Its a nice looking reel but beware of the chinesium reels, they are not as they appear. Shimano has some decent sub 100$ reels but the Daiwas are lighter and just as smooth often at a better price. The Regal would be a good option and you may even be able to get a Exceler on ebay for another 20$ that will blow anything at that price point away. Ive only had a couple of them, but there are too many people who love Pfluegers entry price reels for them to be bad. That runic looking symbol on the Chinese reels spool looks awful familiar and I'm not talking about AC DC. Anyone else recognize it? The pinion gear being brass is good. The issue is the main is most likely a low quality cast zinc which may wear from the contact with the brass.

Its been on sale for quite a while, but beware the last spool i got from BPS was defective and could only with stand 75% of the listed breaking strength at best. It was in the newer packaging so It didn't sit around for too long. I dont shop at BPS very much but I've had to return more defective products to BPS then any other 2 businesses combined.

Ive found that sinking or suspending JBs do better when the water is cold or cooling down. JBs that rise do better when the water is over 50 or warming up. I think the shadow rap is the standout, because its a slow sinking bait which is somewhat unique for a stock JB without resorting to countdowns. The shad is a good bait for shallow water and the bigger profile gives off a good amount of flash. The 2 biggest drawbacks of the shadow raps IMO is the casting ability especially with the shad and the stock hooks.

Most the water I fish is shallow so the 1/4 is a staple, especially when the water gets cold. I have more control over the 1/4 then the 3/8. If I want to bottom trace with the 3/8 I cant have a semi slack line for too long or its going to bog down. I can take that 1/4 and with the right trailer I can tight line it like a swimbait or I can drop the rod tip and burn it for a few cranks, stop then repeat the process and it works really well. I also lose far less baits using the 1/4 then I do when I use heavier ones. The lighter bait also forces you to slow down, which can help keep your head in the game when things get tough and your on autopilot. You also can get away with using lighter gear. I use a 7'1 M F which kind of has the same effect as composite rod. The tip has give so when that fish hits he doesn't feel any resistance until its to late. I rarley miss a fish, the hook up ratio is 9/10 and once they're on they don't come off. I'm not saying the 1/4 is superior to the 3/8. I've just found to be more efficient in some of the places I fish. Bladed jigs arent cheap, so I understand why people want to standardize as much as they can and I tried to do the same thing. If your fishing shallow water, want to slow down or want a more compact profile get a couple and try em out.