GetFishorDieTryin

That's a tough one. I really like both. As great as the Elites are they're essentially built on the same blank as the Cork Tatula, they just have more technique specific powers and tepers and have an upgraded guide train. Personally I really like the blanks M1 uses and for all the people who say Phenixs are under powered< i dont understand that. The MH is spot on MH and can do anything a 7'2 MH should be able to. The Phenix is considerably lighter, has a guide train SIC inserts, although they're Essex guides, ive not heard of any problems with them. IMO its a wash. If you like the minimal reels seats and a sub 4oz rod then go with M1. If Daiwa makes an Elite to fill a role that you need, then go with the Elite.

I love chatterbaits and do very well on them. I can catch fish on them all year, but from mid winter to late spring is when I have multiple bladed jigs rigged and ready. Ive tried MH ModF and dislike them. I can't find one with enough power in the mid section for the way I set the hook. I always end up going back to a 7'2-7'4 MH F, which are versatile rods. I never have issues landing fish with graphite blanks, but I dont set the hook like a maniac either. A buddy of mine wants me to start fishing tourneys with him. There are deeper lakes in the schedule and I don't have a very good deep cranking game, so is time to get my weight up.

Nice...I almost bought an 80, but I went with an SV 100 instead, and I like it. I probably would have been happy with both.

I used to love SC, but theyre doing some things now that I'm just not too thrilled about. The Avid Inshore has been one of the most consistently loved family of rods in the NE. I can't tell you how many people are running a 7'6 M F with a VR 50 or 7'6 MH F with a VR 75. When SC went with the new SC iii+ blanks, some of the models have super soft tips, which isn't bad, but for whatever reason the sensitivity took a big hit. My ML Victory is like that, feels great in hand, but the tip is all glass. SC changed their FW power ratings to be more inline of the rest of the industry. ML were 1/8-1/2, now for freshwater rods, Legend Tournament and down, MLs are 1/16-3/8 with a much lighter tip. Inshore and Legend Elites/Extreme have the older power ratings which is a good thing. The M power AI (Avid Inshore) are great do it all blanks. They are slightly heavier than what I would normally run for a dedicated fluke outfit, but for someone just getting into it, theyre a great choice. The F actions have a wide sweet spot and can fish plugs or soft plastics very well. For you I would recommend the 7'3 M F or the 7' M XF. The more versatile rod IMO is the 7'3. It can literally do a little bit of everything, 3/4oz plugs and under, soft plastics, jigging for tog, even bloodworms under a float. The 7' M XF is going to be the more specialized blank. It will be more sensitive in general, specifically with lighter jigheads. It will fish twitching plugs, like catch 2000s, subwalks, x raps, smaller pencils and poppers better than the 7'3. The best thing to do would be to get both of them in your hand and go from there. Do you know what reel you're going with?

Its ML 30T toray, it doesn't take a giant fish to get the blank to load deep into the mid-section. I have the 7'1 M F OG2, and while it takes a little more to really bend that rod, it's like the majority of the common 30T M power F rods, in that the blank will bend deep through the mid-section, close to the stripper guide.

The bladed jig set the bar for bladed jigs. High quality hooks, locks, silicon and keepers make it special. Now the Evo, will do ALMOST everything a Hammer can do. The JH may hit slightly harder or have a faster blade speed. IMO the Tungsten EVO is worth the money. IMO the 3/8 tungsten EVO hits harder than 3/8 Hammer or regular EVO. There are other bladed jig too. Picasso has some outstanding HD bladed jig.

OG PP and 832 are good choices. Max Cuatro is nice, but the thin dia can dig a little more than other PEs. Never had it in anything over #15, but X5 would work well. It knots well, doesnt soak up water like 832. X5 has texture to it, but it feels smoother than OG PP and 832, yet it cuts through grass and algae very well. IMO it casts better than PP or 832. Vicious is a good one too. Its got a good amount of texture, but the weaves are tight. Theres no coating or extended break in period. The textured exterior coupled with its thin dia allows you cut through just about anything...within reason that is.

I want to fish braid on my spinning gear and mostly FC on casting gear. As good as FC is theres a ton of marketing involved. When it came out, the claim was "stronger" "thinner" "less stretch" "improved knot strength" "invisible", but they never said what they were comparing it to and for good reason. When comparing mono to FC main lines, mono beats FC in the majority of categories. Mono deal with abrasion better, knots better, handles better and its a fraction of the cost. I love InvizX #12, I use it 8 months of the year, but I have to drag a hammer out of a log jam, I would take #8 BG over #12 InvizX every time. I'm not even sure FC is really invisible, but I've seen bass and weakfish shy away and trout spook when the FC coils up on the surface. I'm not so sure they see the line, but I think they see the light refract off of it. I like FC mainline for its sensitivity and dia. It also stays down, which is big in current or wind. The result is a better connection to my bait. I've found that light FC, particularly thinner FCs, give baits action that they just dont have when using other lines. I fished spybaits for year with decent results, but after fishing it on #6 Inviz, I dont want to use anything else. With braid and stiffer #8, the spinbait hardly shimmied on the drop. Using #6 made a world of difference. FC actually helps me bottom trace when I'm strolling keitechs or armor shads. When I use braid that bait wants to come right up far too early. I like the sensitivity and strength I get with braid, but IMO its Achillies heel is the noise. I can hear it rubbing on grass or wood, so it must sound like a freight train to a fish.

I heard that has problems too. A bunch of Sunline products are having real issues, but its spotty. The lighter Shooter and Sniper like #8 and #10 has been solid, but the heavier stuff is boo boo. I just bought a crap load of sunline PE before hearing it. Ive got Almight on my BFS outfit and its done well so far. My buddy uses Sniper FC and hasnt had issues, but I think his line is rather old.

Fluke fishing and the gear you use is relative to depth. In South Jersey I can use 1/4-3/8 lead heads and gulp jerk shad or sand eel and get down to 10' in fair current. There are some spots I fish where I need to go to 3/4 oz heads a couple hours before the tide begins to slow down. An ideal inshore fluke rod is very similar to a SH rod. You want a light, balanced and sensitive blank, with a crisp tip. You cast into the current, let the jighead hit the bottom and snap the jighead off the bottom and let it pendulum back down on semi slack line and repeat. A lot of the bites will come on slack or semi slack line, so sensitivity is huge. 7'1-7'6 length is what most guys like. A longer blank gives you more control and allows you to move more line without using the reel. A longer blank, with enough power, can also help you control fish close in, which is where the majority of big fluke are lost. Drifting in a yak or on a boat, you don't need a 7'6, but covering water from the bank, that longer length can help. A lot of brands are putting out 7'3 length M powers, which are a good do it all length. Shorter blanks, 6'6-7'1 are good for vertical fishing and help limit the distance you move the jig when you twitch or snap it. The shorter blank is also lighter and just offer a better balance. Theres a big misunderstanding in fluke fishing where many guys want the jig or bait to be on the bottom. Fluke have a wider range of vision above them then they do in front or from side to side. You really want that jig to be just above the bottom. Early in the year fluke are like bass. They sit in the softer dark mud to stay warm and feed. Once the water warms, they begin to target larger prey and are willing to stalk or even come up 10 or 20' if they really want it. Ideally you want that bait to be just a couple of feet above their head, making bottom contact every now and then to ensure you're in the strike zone. Line and leader choice is critical. Most anglers and myself favor braid. It gives you a big advantage in sensitivity and strength in a very small dia. The drawback to braid is that it floats. Since it floats you have to mend line constantly if you are drifting a parallel with the bank to ensure good contact with the bait. You can learn to read the floating line like a strike indicator in situations when you have no contact with the jig. You want to stay around a #1 Japanese braid or #10 US braid. The thinner line will have less water resistance, allowing for lighter weights, smaller bows in current and a better connection to your lure. The leader material is even more critical. FC is a must with floating PE. I like to use at least 6' of Blue or Gold Label, and up to 14' if I can get away with it. For targeting fluke in shallow water, Im using #10 or 12 leader the vast majority of the time. I'll use #15 if in and around rocks, barnacles or cover, but that thinner line lets the bait much more naturally and sinks very well, which makes a big difference. When you get into deeper water, where you have to use a few oz to stay close to the bottom, then heavier leader and line, especially when fishing in and around wrecks or reefs is needed. At that point, low pro or round reels are the way to go IMO. In fact if Im drifting for fluke on my boat, I generally use casting gear, unless its really shallow or I'm using really light or small baits. The 7' L ODM would be the way to go if you HAD to pick the ODM. It would be a great all around inshore rod, but IMO you can get a rod that is little better suited for fluke for less money. You want a rod that has a crisp tip, but when hooked up, you want a fairly parabolic action while hooked up so you don't lose too many fish. A lot of FW bass rods work well for fluke as that same action and power is versatile for bass fishing. Generally the ideal rod will be some kind of M power, whether its a stout ML or Mag M. The longer rods are nice for ditance and controlling fish close in, but you it can be hard to find a 7'6 M with a tip that isnt too soft or too long. Sensitivity is key, especially slack line sensitivity and a long soft tip section on a 7'6 will really hurt sensitivity. I liked the 7'2 ML, but I felt like it was just a little underpowered for some situations and Im not a fan of locking nuts above the reel seat. The newer Zodias line has fixed that issue and they have a 7'3 M+, which will not only make for a great fluke rod, but be great for weakfish and schoolie bass as well. I really like some of 13s M power blanks. Their 7'1 and 7'3 3/16-5/8 Med power Fasts work really well for fluke and the powers and actions are really consistent throughout their rod lines. The action changes slightly as the blank quality increases, so keep that in mind. The quality of the blanks they use are of note as well. Normally for $100, youre getting a 24 or 30T blank. I think Jynx ($80) uses a 24T, but the ($100) Oath uses a 36T and Myth and Muse ($200) use a 40T I also really liked their MagM blanks. I have a 7'5 Omen Black MagM F and its an outstanding inshore rod. Great rod for 1/2-3/4 plugs and 1/4-3/4 oz jigheads/bucktails. They discontinued the MagM blanks a few years ago, but 13 recently put out MagMLs for strolling minnows. The 7'2 is rated 3/16 to 3/4, which is very close to what mine is rated. (1/4-3/4) I dont think the new Mag blanks are offered in as many rod lines, but they have them in Oath and Myth, which are $100 and $200 respectively. There are some great Tatulas too. The 7'2 MH Tatula Cork and 7'1 MH Tatula Elite would work really well. One of the best mass produced fluke rods is the 7'6 ML+ Steez. Its just perfect, but now its almost $800. They used to make a Tatula AGS that was very close to it, just slightly less power, but the tip is spot on. The 7'6 Tatula AGS Feider is the newer model and supposedly its still really good, but I havent been able to get one in my hands yet. Do not confuse that with the lighter 7'6 Tatula. The lighter 7'6 just doesn't have the power in the mid and lower section. You asked about fishing from a party boat. If youre in deep water or heavy current, most of these rods arent going to be of much use. You could use them to throw plugs or artidicials at busting fish, but bottom fishing would require a rod that can handle a few ounces of lead. Most of the rods mentioned will work great on yaks. Some guys like a longer rod in a yak so they can get the tip around the front of the boat with a fish on, to switch sides during the fight. Other guys like shorter rods, with shorter rear grips, so they dont get in the way, it's all just preference. Reel wise, you want the lightest reel you can get. I kind of favor 3000s because the handle is usually longer and you get a little more IPT, but with some reels the weight different between a 3k and 2500 is almost an ounce. At that point I would take the lighter 2500, especially if it a Daiwa. The whole "frame flex' narrative is so overblown. Your drag should be set at 3 or 4lbs, (no more than 6lbs, ever) so the drag will give long before the stem of the reel will flex. Its really hard to beat a Stradic FM, but I do really like the larger gears on the Daiwas, especially the MQs. The amount of power you get out of a Tatula or Ballistic 3k is very impressive. The Sol MQ is one of the most impressive reels I've ever put my hands on. Theyre stupid light and crazy smooth, yet they have good power when you need it. I don't think I would be using them for gorilla blues or albies, but for fluke, schoolie bass/blues and weakfish they're great. I wish I would have bought a few when they were $350. If you want to go with a Shimano, I would go with a Vanford for a light finesse reel or a Stradic FM for a AL frame do it all reel. The Shimanos have the best line management, which is a plus when taking up slack line. Both reels are proven and will work in SW for a long time so long as you maintain them, but that's any reel.

A lot of great jigs and jigheads use VMC hooks. Their steel is good quality, in terms of hardness and corrsoion resistance its one of the best. I dont think ive ever gotten a dull hook and the points stay sharp. I really need to set a hook into a rock really hard to dull or roll it. Never had one open. Ive had some cheaper hooks used on Hurricane heads open considerably as a kid, but the only quality hook ive ever opened up on a fish was 3/0 EWG Gammi, must have been a dud.

Well, "both" is a little vague, there are 8 reels that some people may try to compare, although only 4 offer fair comparisons. Unless your mistaken about 1 or both US release dates and or are comparing the JDM SLX 70 which is almost 7 yrs old to the nearly 6 YO K70, but the answer as to why the JDM 19 SLX MGLs performance is degrading vs Curado K, or any Curado save for BFS, is fairly obvious, and is why I prefer brass. Since comparing SLX A/XT to MGL 150/M doesn't make sense, you must be referring to the DCs. The micro module didn't make much difference to me with my Curado. Other than knob bearing (i think) the only difference is the color of paint. My Metaniums have MM, but it must not work, I have to service mine every now and then to keep them running like new. Ive heard Shimano reps say the Curado frame is more HD, yet the same AL is used for both and the difference in weight is about under 6 grams. Had Curado had an AL side plate, it would be more plausible, but both reels have the same composite side plate. I didn't really see the benefit when the difference was half of what it is today. Now that Curado is an additional $100, HALF of what SLX cost when it was released, I just cant justify the price difference, when there is no tangible advantage to Curado other than a marketing tech, which Daiwa insists the complete opposite, alleging larger gear teeth result in a superior gear, which I don't buy outright either. We all know the formula, most good reels get a new model every 4 years. In about 9 weeks Curado DC will be 8 years old and SLX DC will be 7. Neither reel has seen an update, but if they did put out a new DC braked reel in the US market, I would bet it would be SLX.

I know what you mean, but with some SLXs are so close in feel, form and function when compared to a Curado version, not only does the 30% price increase unjustifiable, the reels are difficult to tell apart in the dark. I guess micro module is the marketing term that validates the extra $100, but I don't really feel any difference. The other one that surprised me was SLX and Curado 70. I always liked the ergo and performance of Curado 70. Ive held a few SLX 70s and found they felt much better than I had anticipated. It wasn't until a few weeks ago that I actually got to fish an SLX 70. Liking the Curado, i was already biased, yet I found the SLX 70 to be a great reel for an entry level angler or avid enthusiast. Casting was great, very comparable to Curado and SLX operated smooth. Curado has a more refined feeling, although I don't know if its worth $100 more. As far as SLX XT and SLX A, the Curado 150 MGL/M are a significant upgrade.

I just got a Tat SV a few weeks ago. Theyre nice little reels. Ive had older model SVs, which were good, I definitley liked the older style paddle knobs over the smaller I knobs they use now. I liked everything except the frame shape. I always though shimano had better ergonomics. Im not so sure the newer Tatula frame is a whole lot smaller than the older 100, but it feels much better in hand. I would have gotten a 100, but Im going to be fishing a few smaller tourneys with a buddy of mine. I got the SV for smaller cranks that are too much for a BFS rod and for pitching jig and free rigs. I can skip fairly well, but the SV spool gives a little more insurance against blowing up an outfit at a bad time. My SV is braked fairly heavy, I don't really ever have the brakes higher than 6 and usually have in on 4. It doesnt match a Metanium for distance, but it casts pretty well, especially those 1/4 swimjigs and 5/16 spinnerbaits. It was 184 shipped. The 80 is a nice little reel, but the new one is coming out in July, il wait until then, or grab a Coastal 80 if I can.

How are the FMs holding up?