ironbjorn

But topic reading gets a fat F so nothing is solved. I would literally put money on all those guys to place.

Yeah I'm not a fan and think he's a giant cry baby and complainer, but these comments made me wonder. I mean there is merit to the fact that even if I was good enough personally, and I'm not, that I could never afford to even try.

Pro Randy Blaukat (sp?) says that these days it's a rich man's game and not necessarily a skilled man's game. Back when he joined people could afford the gear, travel, and entry. Now he says it's about being independently wealthy and family money. Makes me wonder. I personally could never believe the best in the world are only the guys being paid to do it.

I'm not literally asking for an estimated number, but rather seeking a discussion about guys out there that have all the talent in the world and then some, who could destroy pro tournaments. Do you know any? Heard of any? Are you one? Disclaimer: the only thing I could do in the pros is offer advice on food

I've caught bass like this in highly polluted water.

The regular Sierra simply because I highly dislike micro guides. As far as I know the Sierra series in the Dobyns lineup is the only series with a micro guide option. Gary Dobyns himself doesn't like micro guides either but he wanted to give a micro guide option to the guys who do like them.

That's a tiny spool. The 4 power (H/F) Dobyns will usually be throwing 3/8-3/4 but I'd like a reel that could successfully throw smaller too. Still MGL in your opinion?

I got a promotion recently and so my fiance surprised me with the Champion XP I've been wanting to beat the banks with on shore (684c). Now it needs a reel. The SLX matches up nice. Anyone that has a 150 XT, how is it and does it handle as little as 3/16-1/4oz well (needs to be versatile as a bank rod)?

Most of my setups have BG and YZH. I respool a few times per month during the season. It's cheap enough to do so and makes me feel better.

God created the internet on the 8th day and Tackle Warehouse on the 9th.

I mean if it's just a grease issue it's not a reel issue and doesn't warrant an exchange. That's like returning a car to the dealership because it didn't have gas.

Handles are for armpits ?

My effeminate Burger King hands would literally fall off in agony if I didn't palm my casting reels. I don't know how you do it.

4 power all the way. Anything 3/8oz + trailer feels and fishes very bad on a 3 power. 4 power is perfect.

Dobyns Sierra 704c or 684c if you prefer shorter. The rod is rated as H/F but Dobyns H is others MH and MH is others M and so on. The Sierra in particular is on the slower side or F, behaving more like a MF. It is THE "budget" Dobyns rod of choice for chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, swimjigs, lipless crankbaits etc. And it still makes for a pretty darn good rod for many other techniques like Texas rigs, 3/8oz jigs + trailer, some top waters, etc. $160 To me this is the most versatile rod in the world. If I could only have one rod it would be the 4 power Sierra, even if you gave me a $800 budget.

Only the human would dump waste and pollutants into the water it drinks and eats from, with no regard for its habitat. Good God.

1/4-1/2 ounce lipless crankbaits, particularly the Original Rat-L-Trap in Blue Shiner. As long as the water is soft, I always get bit, no matter how tough it is out there. This bait has outperformed and stopped me from getting skunked more times than even the Ned Rig. How it came to be? Well things were tough and nothing was working. My Hail Mary was this bait, and I learned that randomly casting it anywhere and everywhere with countless different retrieves will pick up fish. Of course these days there's usually more of a pattern and reasoning behind it rather than randomly bombing it.

Favorite has to be worse. When even the Googan Squad has a problem with them, that's bad.

I was primarily a Fenwick guy before I made the switch to being primarily a Dobyns guy. The HMG is a good rod for $100. I don't find rods "heavy" in the sense that a lot of people talk about, but it is a heavier rod compared to others. The sensitivity is on par for the $80-$100 range. The rod is stiff though and fishes more like a MH+. I have no experience with Phenix.

Duckett Broomstick Tree Branch Tire Iron Clothes Hanger Screwdriver Literally Anything Googan Favorite In that order ^ And if you want an outstanding, durable rod with a fantastic warranty and that isn't a gimmick, Dobyns is great. Many different lines to choose from according to your budget.

You should return it. You should expect a flawless product when you purchase something new.

Doesn't at all help with Texas Rigs or jigs or really anything at all other than a wacky rig or dropshot. It doesn't help you get better at setting the hook by avoiding setting the hook and most techniques.

A spinning reel buzzing, line squealing on a casting rod, and a lipless rattling in the water on a quiet morning are some of my favorite sounds.

A Texas Rig can be many things these days. But if you ask me to visualize my idea of a Texas Rig, it's a 7" plastic worm on a 4/0 hook with a 1/4oz bullet weight, with a medium heavy, fast action rod and 15lb line. There are always variations and innovations to anything.

I always match unless I run out of my ability to do so while on the water and then I mix. It doesn't seem to matter.