Alex Ball

Thanks. I never bring more than 5 setups. Those are just the ones I can catch on. Actually got it down to 3 yesterday. Jigs are definitely going to work. Cranks too. I live by the motto of Always be Prepared. I also sell fishing gear online so, there's always too much stuff. As for the driver, he only uses 4 rods and I sorta serve as his caddy on the water. Most of what I bring is backups for his stuff if SHTF. You'd have won that Rapala for sure. Good thing you didn't, I only have one lol. I use it as topwater.

Below is a list of my combos for co-angling with my buddy on the Bull Shoals Marina side of the Bull Shoals Lake. Clear to crystal clear water, limited grass. Heavy rock and timber beds. 20-80 ft. deep on average. Bluff walls are the primary coastal feature. I'd love any advice on line, lures and if it's redundant and can be trimmed. The boat is an '87 ranger 17' so it's not big. combos spinning pan/trout-denali pryme 7' mlm/4-12/1-64_1-4/denali dens50/5.2-1/22.4"/10lb drag light trebles-fenwick eagle 6' mlm/4-12/1-8_3-8/kastking lancelot 2k/5.0-1/21.3"/12lb light power rig-lew's xfininty xj combo 6' mlf/4-10/1-16_5-16/lew's xj10/6.2/30"/13lb pred special-shimano speedmaster fightin rod 2593 mhmf/6-20/1-4_1 1-4/shimano sahara c5kxg/6.2/41"/24lb casting trebles/tops-shimano crucial 6' mm/6-15/1-8_1-2/piscifun spark/6.6-1/25.2/16.5lb power-lews mach 2 7'4" hf pitchin' rod/15-65/3-16_1 1/2/kastking megajaws/9.1-1/37.7/17.6lb spinners/jerks/swims-denali kovert 6'10" mmf/bps pro qualifier 2/6.8-1/28/10lb heavy movers/toads-lew's david fritts 7' mhm/bps johnny morris xps/7.1-1/31/14lb

Keitech 3.75 on a belly blade tied to my Abu C3 MHMF and a Johnny Morris 711 XPS on 40# power pro. Nevermind a bait, this is my confidence setup.

Thanks Billy, ran it on some p-line copolymer today. Wonderful rod. Almost caught a striper on a casting spoon! Blew the hookset cuz I got enamored by him jumping out. So fun! Didn't know that, Thanks JJ. I'll get some today.

Ya i noticed that immediately. Actually like it i have big hands. Using a 661 25.2" retrieve reel. Thanks for the info Dumb question, the line rating is 15-30, can i go lighter on that rod without issues?

Just picked up a David Fritts 7' mhm crank rod, going to use it for deep crank and heavy spinnerbaits. I'd love any suggestions on reel speed (retrive rate not gr), line and other possible uses. Thanks. Oh yeah, here's the specs: line- 15-30 lure 1/2-1 1/4

Yes. The Vanish has vanished from my tackle. LOL. Really like the P-Line. Ordered some Top knot and a spool of seaguar. Most of the setups are for selling. Actually sold 6 in 2 days. Good week. I'm a 7 setup man myslef. 1 pan, 3 spinners, 3 specified casters. Spinners are filtered by lure wight except for drop shot. Casters are super specified for me. Nobody needs all the stuff I have. LOL. Good to have options though.

I know I have a bunch of KK stuff but mostly cuz it sells so fast. I'm Blown away by the Valiant Eagle Spinners and the Sparty2 caster. If budget were no issue it'd be Tica Cetus reels for ulight(shout out to Bulldog1935), A+ shimanos(Jfrancho) on spinners with denali rods and Both Revo Ike Combos and a RevoEXD on a Denali cranker. Don't like Abu except for those. They are scary good.

Shimano Curado E. Yup. Might buy one actually.

Thanks for the support. I spent more time this summer learning about applications than I did fishing LOL. Also, given the rural area, I sell a bunch of stuff, tackle, setups, reel repair/maintenance, etc., so I didn't get to fish much. I feel like I got it right finally. It's really nice to have experienced anglers helping me. Oh, got the Sahara today and OMG!!! that is a monster and a half. $50 bucks brand new cuz it's been in a pawn shop forever. Already my favorite spinner and I've only thrown it in the back yard. I have 4 Shimanos now (sienna500fg, ix1000r, fx2500hg, and the Sahara) and all four seem to be underpriced quite a bit. Don't even wanna think about what a stradic is like, considering the value of the others. The FX doesn't seem too durable, but at $20 a pop. I don't care. 35ipt shouldn't even be available at that number. I might be a Shimano boy on spinners now.......SMDH. LOL. That actually increased my confidence a lot. I've lost more fish on vanish fc than evreything else combined. Because it was the only fc I'd used, I assumed it was just the way fc worked. Got the P-Line fc and it's much more reliable. Any thoughts on YO-ZU-RI top knot? Awfully attractive at the price.

Just bought The Lew's Mach 1 100 reel. $40 and I love that model. Almost got the Viper X, but for 10 more I think the Mach1 is a little better. Carbon X will be the next buy 2000 for sure. I have the 500 and..... I can't believe that's only $30! Might just get another soon. Love em.

Ya the vainsh is meh. Thanks. Been looking at Seaguar. Willing to spend on the line. Very important. TBG is my mono of choice. Good to know it's quality. Thanks Eric. Just got a Shimano Sahara 5000 for 50 bucks new! That's going on the Speedmaster. I'll look at the CX now. Love the Spark. Want to try a spinning reel of theirs.

Hi guys, My name is Al and I need some help. I am pretty eccentric so this will be a bit odd. I'm on disability and recently discovered fishing. It has changed me and my life for the better. I love building setups and selling them. It helps me be more social. I love testing them even more. I live in a very rural area (the nearest tackle shop is 52.4 miles away) so Walmart and the Internet are my options. I always get good feedback on BR, so here we go. I have a 15 rod rack and I wanna fill it up for with specified applications for bass and panfish. I prefer spinning setups but understand the need for baitcasters and am comfortable with using them. I've already built a few but need help on rods more than reels. I'm madly in love with KastKing for both spinning and casting reels, Lew's is exclusively spinning for me as is Shimano (the budget stuff). I would like to try to keep each setup under $100 and $75 is ideal. I'm dead set on Zebco and Abu for spincasting. I know the budget is very tight, but it allows me more setups. Here's where I'm at so far. ? are where i need help- Panfish SUL casting-Zebco Micro 33 Custom Z casting/5'/ULM/2-6 line/1_64-1_8 lure/Abu Max STX10SC/23IPT/8 drag/#2 SOS mono SUL spinning-? Maybe a Quantum micro 00 or a Denali Pryme?/Shimano Sienna 500fg/27ipt/4.4drag/#8 Berkley Solutions Braid AP-Lew's Hyper Speed/5'6"/ULF/2-6/1_32-1_8/KK Zephyr SFS 1000/24.3ipt/10 drag/#10 Power Pro braid Crankin-Shakespeare Micro/7'/LM/4-10/1_16-1_4/KK Centron 500/19.7ipt/11 drag/#4 Vanish FC Bait-Jenko Hypersense6/6'/LF/4-10/1_16-1_4/Shimano FX2500hg/35ipt/9 drag/#4 Mr. Crappie hi-vis mono Spinners-KK Crixus/5'6"/ LMF/4-8/1_16-3_8/KK Valiant Eagle 1000/31.4ipt/17.6 drag/#10 Solutions braid Bass Tube/Grub/Ned-Berkley Shock/6'/MLMF/4-10/1_16-3_8/? KK zephyr? Poppers/Wacky-Lew's XJ/6'/MLF/4-10/1_16-5_16/Lew's XJ10/30ipt/10 drag/#15 power pro braid Slow Roll/Crank-Shakespeare Excursion/7'/MMF/1_8-5_8/KK Lancelot 2000/21.3ipt/12 drag/#10 P-Line FC All purpose-Shimano Speedmaster Fightin Rod/5'9/MHMF/?KK RL2 or Lew's LZR Pro maybe? Drop Shot-Berkley Cherrywood/7'/MLF/6-15/1_8-5_8/Abu Max STX10SC/#6 grand slam flourocoated cp Jerkbait-? casting rod?/Piscifun Spark/31.1ipt/16.5 drag/#20 Spiderwire HV braid Jig/Worm/Flip/Pitch-BPS Extreme Woo Daves Worm/6'6"/10-20/3_8-1/KK Sparty2/28ipt/17.6 drag/#17 p-line cp Blades/LCB/Spoon-Fenwick Eagle GT/6'6"/MHF/10-25/1_4-1 1_4/Pfun Spark/25.2ipt/16.5 drag/#10 P-line cp Frog/Buzz/Walk-Fenwick Eagle GT/6'6"/MHF/? RLGT, Phantom? I know it's mostly complete, but any suggestions on upgrades would be awesome. I love the labor of putting in the toime and effort to get it as right as I can given my budget. Thanks in Advance. Also, Amazon is my jam, so anything there I might be missing LMK.

That's a bit misleading. All of TA's reviews on KK are ancient. Nobody does KK reviews anymore cuz they've improved drastically and the "my reel collapsed live!" videos are now reserved for Sougayilang and Fishdrops. KK and PFun are both competitive now. I doubt you will ever see KK leave Amazon due to the success they've had there, but they don't need it anymore. TW, Academy, and Dick's all carry them now. They grew up fast. I think TA would give a positive overall review to the newer models of KK. Bear in mind almost all of the lines on amazon are the "new" KK. Not the chinesium junk they started with. Still some issues, but from gen1 to gen 3 it's a light year leap. Don't know about Pfun, but I predict KK will be a brand name in 3 years. Abu gave up on the speed rivalry and that says a lot. Under $100, they may end up cornering the non walmart market. Above that, It's really just easier to find a good named reel.

Thanks for all the info T-Billy. I'm a fan of the Power Pro Braid. Definitely going with the 30#. Love that stuff, on a budget it's just the best IMO. Going to run an Orra Winch for slow roll and a Revo 2 SX HS for burning. Spoons are going to be featured now that I know the things you told me. Love em. Thanks a bunch, sir, made my week. Going out Saturday, can't wait.

Didn't even consider rigging it. Thanks. Would a C rig work on it you think? My favorite rigging application.

Thanks T-Billy, I was very impressed by the backbone of it despite the moderate action. Definitely running braid on it for sure. It LAUNCHES my test plugs to the next county. Can't wait to use it for real. Was wondering if it would frog. By toads do you mean Hollow body, soft plastic(Stanleys Ribbit) or both? It'll send my Scummos a mile. Feels like a high end rod to me. Better than anything else I have.

Got an Abu Veritas Winch rod 7'6" MHM rod in a trade on Facebook. I know it'll run heavier cranks, but am curious about other possible uses. Thanks. This is my nicest rod right now. Also, I have a Quantum TEC605CB 6' MM rod as well, new to cranking, wondering what you guys think are the best applications for each rod, and any info on the Quantum. I can't find much on it at all.

They do have a rainbowesque reel......LMFAO

Man The Samira round looks great. The Libra and Cetus S models both are just...... dangerously attractive at the PP. The XUL stuff is my next logical step. Micro/nano is my jam.

Yup. Same thoughts here. I just got a CA-80 and man, it gets down! Beats the brakes off the Lew's LFS IMO. Actually shelved the LFS in favor of the CA-80. Banger. I have 3 $200+ Setups as well, my competitive stuff. Or when I'm after a certain fish. Looking into Tica myself for the same reason. Bulldog1935 has a big ol' brain. They look tantalizing. Next big get for me will be the Revo Ike. Madly in love with it. Friends have let me fish them and wow. Finally, I'm really enjoying my RL's, Lancelots, my Centron UL reel and My Sparks (pro and reggie). Great value IMO. Met a girl cuz of my Zephyr w/ a Zebco 33 custom UL. BFS got me a girlfriend. It's hers now and she loves it. Kastking will definitely be a fav for that reason alone. Thanks for the support and guidance Eric. I'm newer to this and have a lot to learn. Absolutely loving it. I feel 18 all over again.

Yessir. My "serious" 3 combo setup for banks 1. Abu Veritas 7'6" MHM Winch rod w/Abu Orra Winch 17lb P-Line CP (Spoon Rig/Mag Crank) 2. Lew's Mach 2 Custom Combo w/ Tube/Grub Rod 7' MF w/ MH2-300a Reel 30lb Power Pro W/10lb Grand Slam FC leader (Plastics) 3.Fenwick Eagle GT 6'6" MHF w/Abu Revo 2 SX 50lb Power Pro BL (Topwater/Flipping) If I need to be competitive, This is my Holy Grail for now. Otherwise, My Kastkings and Pfuns are wonderful for going out and hanging with my friends. Thanks for the guidance, much appreciated. Got a lot of learning ahead. Can't wait. I feel young again.

Good point. As I admitted, given the lousy customer service and the way the other reel failed, I won't defend them now. Why amazon allows that kind of racket, I don't know. I might have just gotten very lucky with my first purchase from them. I won't be testing that luck with them. I do like Kastking quite a bit so far, and they do have an american headquarters you can go to. I think they will be a name brand in a few years. Piscifun is 50/50 for me. Good so far, but no home base and odd website stuff. Hindsight is always 20/20

Yup. Amazing what a difference a month and a half makes. Know a lot more about the ins and outs now. Not a fanboy, but for crappie, all I use is shimano reels now. Sienna FG and FD and the R1000. Got 2 Daiwa casters, CA80 and CC80 and they are awesome, J. Francho! You were right on about that. There's a difference for sure. I'm trending in that direction, and I certainly don't know any better. Both companies seem a cut above from my amateur vantage point.

Ya. I certainly won' be buying another reel from them. The MDC is Fine,maybe even my favorite budget reel, but I also bought a spinning reel and it died fast. No contact, no attempt to make it right. Amazon covered the loss, but only cuz I had the 2 year PP. They couldn't contact them either....... Definitely suspect. I must note that I was brand new when I bought those and I certainly know better now. I will stand behind Kastking and Piscifun. Both companies go out of the way to make a problem right. As good as my Abu's? No, but for 40-75 bucks they do the job and they'll gladly replace em if they fail. Above that number($75), there are so many name brand options of quality to choose from. Don't know that I ever recommended it. Just defended against it being garbage cuz of the name on it. For the price, Kastking and Piscifun are better options, as is the Daiwa CC80 which blows away all the other reels in the range. After a lousy experience with Sougayilang's "service Team", I wouldn't recommend them to anybody. I was still getting my bearings on all the info I had taken in back then. Jumped the gun a little. The MDC I own is great. No issues. Fish the crap outta it. I know it will fail sooner than average, but at this point' I'd consider it a good buy even when it fails. Definitely got my $20 worth.