newmanme

Maybe not all high priced gear is a waste? Heavy Salt gear makes sense to me if you are professionally fishing it would also make sense. I just do not understand a $1000 rod and reel combo to fish for panfish? Sorry, but when my parents were tired of me fidgeting around being bored, they would put on a bobber and a worm on my little zebco 33 and I'd catch them all day long. $30 vs $1000 for fish you catch for fun..... But, I am a bit more practical. An example of how I think is this; I can buy three Vanford Reels for the price of one Stella. I have had a Stella in my hands a few times, the only thing they have on the Vanford is more bearings making it slightly smother to reel in and a bit heavier. Three to one, fish with two and have a new spare for the same price can't beat that.

Cool, this is a great topic and a possible chance for me to meet some other spinning reel masters! I have a thread called "Freshwater Gear Nightmare" in the tackle section. I am returning to freshwater fishing after more than 20 years away and I am having all kinds of gear issues. I am also tired of having people tell me that real fisherman use baitcasters. I bought a Curado DC and put it on an Avid X 7' MF rod. I HATE IT! I would spend my money on Zebco's before I would ever waste my money again on a baitcasters. Why? I do not believe in spending the day prior setting up gear, and then constantly tweaking the real to prevent backlashes. I love to fish to relax, not work. And there is nothing you can do with a baitcaster that I cannot do with a decent spinning reel! Yes I am a little ticked I the $500 away. But my intent here is to get some help finding a decent Heavy rod for a spinning reel. I spend more time bottom fishing than anything else. All the lightweight carbon, graphite freeking rods just feel like toys. I bought two Shimano Clarus CSS7' MHE rods and guys, these things just do not feel right in my hands. I have a 7' MF Shimano Talus Blue water rod that would be perfect if the handle was the typical salt style (too long). I cannot find a Spinning Rod (lots of heavy casting rods) with heavy Fast power of some quality anywhere? Can any of you help me with finding a good rod with somebackbone that doesn't weight 5 lbs ?

Hi everyone, Let me start by saying I am returning to the freshwater scene after nearly 30+ years. As a kid in the 70's and 80's I fished almost daily in the Monongahela River, south of Pittsburgh. My friends and I were boat poor, so bank fishing was our only option. We mainly bottom fished for large catfish, Bullheads, Channels, Flatheads, Carp, Walleye, and whatever was biting. Being just below the Maxwell locks and Dam gave us a wide variety to fish for like pike, musky, walleye, Large mouth Bass, Smallmouth bass, crappie, and panfish. Like I said above we were bottom fisherman. And that is where I am seemingly running into gear issues. Let me say this respectfully, but loudly, "I am not a lure fisherman". Go ahead and bash me, but again my friends and I couldn't afford them. We were limited to live and cut bait. So as an adult I have not learned to lure fish and I do not like standing around casting and reeling all day long. I like to enjoy the relaxing and social aspect of fishing as much as I enjoy catching. If its work, it isn't fishing and that is just my personal take. For the past 30 years I have been saltwater fishing offshore, inshore and surf. My favorite gear is Shimano Tyrnos II, Baitrunners and Thunnus CI4 reels. They are not tiny reels, and weigh a lot more than most freshwater gear, especially my 12000 series. In fact my 4000 baitrunner is heavier, has half the bearings, and holds less line than my new 5000 series freshwater reel. One of the dilemma's I am facing here is trying to balance quality with weight and how it feels in my hands. Todays freshwater gear feels 'toyish' in my hands still. My Vanfords are awesome, but they still feel "toyish" I finally settled on Shimano Vanford's C3000XG's and C5000XG's (two each). Why? Lets do this real quick, lightweight, CI4, 7+1 bearings, 20 to 24 lb drag, the C5000XG holds 250 yd. of 30# Maxcuatro braid, stealthy looks, and did I mention that both the 3000 (37) and the 5000 (40) have faster TPI than my giant saltwater reels. Now that I have found the perfect reels, I can't seem to find the right rods. What is it with all the finesse crap with spinning reels? I have found one thing so far that I cannot do with a spinning rod that all the baitcasters spend large amounts of money to do. And the only reason I can't do it is because I do not have a boat, which is skipping under docks. So can someone please explain to me how as a kid I could catch bluegill, sunfish, small bass and sometimes crappie with my little $30 Zebco's, while I am seeing $600 to $900 reels to be able to cast super light gear for panfish??? That's without a $500 to a $1000 rod paired to it. Anyway, I purchased a pair of Shimano Clarus CSS70MHE's and CSS66M2E's, no I am not loyal to any rod maker at this point. The guys at the store thought it weird I wanted medium heavy fast rods in the CSS70MHE's, thinking they were too heavy actioned for freshwater? Well, here is one better, I am so weird that these rods are to whimsy for me. Put on a 1-ounce sinker and a piece of cutbait and that rod feels like I am trying to sling a 12 ounce sinker? I can put a 3-Ounce sinker and two large pieces of cutbait on my Talus TLS70MA, which is a medium fast inshore rod and sling it 100 yards with no problems. Why does the Talus TLS70MA have more backbone as a medium fast than the Clarus CSS70MHE as a medium-heavy fast? Both rods are made by Shimano, same length 7', one is inshore and one is freshwater. (Fiberglass vs Carbon maybe?) What I am trying to find in a rod is something in between these two as far as backbone. If the Clarus is a 1 and the Talus is a 10, I think I am looking for something around 6 or 7 for freshwater. If that makes any sense. Here is a guy that almost wishes he'd stuck with saltwater fishing at this point. Is there any other Bottom Fisherman out there that might be able to help me find a good rod that I am comfortable with. The most I have ever paid for a rod is $240 for an St Croix Avid X that was a total waster of my money. Lets just say I am not paying over $200 for another rod that feels like it was meant for a 10 year old with daddies credit card. - With that said, I have a Shimano Curado DC on a St Croix Avid-X 7' MF, spooled with 150 yard of SS2 blue 20# braid, that has been used about 5 times in fresh water only for sale, just make an offer I know that what is happening here is being caused by my lack of knowledge on the subject. Anyone out there, please feel free to school me on todays rods in a way I can understand and maybe help me find a good, Catfish rod? I am so lost with finding the right rod...

Howdy Howdy, Have to love those tiny little, super expensive bait casters that hold such a small amount of line Power-Pro Maxcuatro is 25% smaller that regular braid. It cost s few dollars more, but well worth it for the smaller reels. The only drawback is that there is yellow and moss green, no other colors at the moment that I can find.