casts_by_fly

The CI4 Chronarch and MGl are one generation apart with the MGL being newer (and the current model). The MGL has brass gears and micromodule gearing. Of course it has the MGL spool. I'm not sure if the Ci4 was brass or aluminum gearing. Otherwise they are basically the same reel. Given a choice, the MGL spool is a big benefit. In your chart they are the same price so MGL all the way. $120 used is a good price for one. I don't have the Scoprion/Curado so you'll have to search here. However, the 200 size isn't what you want for lighter lures. I'd take it off the list. The specs for the scorpion MGL are basically 150 size so I assume its a direct analog for the curado 150 MGL. Below are pictures of the JDM met and the USDM Chronarch MGL. I don't have one with the Bantam in it. The Met is smaller in the hand than the 150 Chronarch. I don't know the official size designation, but the model name is just "Metanium" on digitaka. I believe its the 20 Met. I'd guess it to be a 100 size nominally from the line capacity. The Bantam I have is the same size as the Met and looks almost identical aside from the 'nose' being a little wider, though the underneath levelwind is the same width. I think its just cosmetic honestly. The bantam is a little heavier than the met. Both are solid as a brick 'outhouse'. Between the three at basically the same price point (per your file) I would pick the met or bantam over the chronarch. The frame is more solid and I think it could take more abuse which is a consideration when buying used. That said, both of my chronarchs were bought used and are fine. My dad's chronarchs are going on 6? 7? years now and are like new, though he babies them. Between the met and bantam? Flip a coin. The bantam is a little heavier but on a 7'2" MH rod you're not going to notice a difference. I think that 'heavier' buys a little more durability but I can't say for sure. My 7'2" MH has a chronarch on it, my 7'3" H has the bantam but I could and have swapped them around. My other chronarch is on my 6'11" heavy frog/swimbait rod and the met is on my 6'10" MH do everything rod. There is no wrong answer in those three for me and I'd happily add any of them to the lineup.

I’m on season 4 of the same 832 30 lb. In the spring I use it for lipless. Then swimjigs and light Texas rigs. I’ve moved it between reels and swapped ends once. It’s not the cheapest braid and it’s not the most expensive. But it’s a great braid nonetheless.

My sienna is from ~1997 or so and going just fine. Loose tolerances and plenty of grease. Keeps the world spinning.

Are you sure about that: More seriously, if you caught 30-40 already it seems like just use what you've been using.

An owner beast weighted hook is my own personal solution. But I have a lot of grass to get through.

I'll fish as heavy a rain as it can come if there's no wind or lightning. Lightning sends me to shore pretty quickly and if its close I'm loading up. It does make for a miserable start but at least you aren't scrambling in the boat to put raingear on because a storm is coming up the lake.

grass = weeds = aquatic vegetation Unless you want to specifically talk about a specific type, aka targetting pads or hydrilla, just assume all three above are the same.

Aside from the launching and loading, if you're new to boating in general- take a boaters safety class. get some hands on instruction either with a local instructor or with a friend who knows what they are doing. I'm sure there are a few on this forum who would show you the ropes.

yeah, I'd say you're even a touch under. I take mine right up to where the spool shoulder angle changes.

For bass, I don't use an improved clinch. I used it for years along with a palomar. It holds up, especially if you're using thick mono relative to the hook wire. However as you noted, the trilene knot with the extra pass through the eye is a significant improvement if you want to tie that style of knot. I don't have handy images, but when you only have a single pass through the eye of the hook, you put a lot of strain on the line where it loses contact with the metal nearest the knot. You can model it and you can see it when you pull tight under a camera. It stretches and breaks right in that spot. Its even worse when you have thin line and a thicker hook wire (relatively speaking). When you go through the eye twice, the force is spread further and the knot breaks at a much higher force. I do still use the improved clinch when I am trout fishing or panfishing. Its quick and easy for tying on a single, light bait hook with light line. And I also don't care much if my line breaks. Frankly, if I am breaking off a hook catching trout and panfish then its probably due to a snag.

The 32 AH from amped is a NMC chemistry at 14+V. It's more energy dense so that's why its smaller. The technology development is in LiFePo batteries since they are going into electric cars. They are the ones getting cheaper and why the 30 is slightly larger (though only 2 dimensions really matter. Any reason you can't put it in the under seat hatch and run a cable? That's where my 30 wide is. It fits between the ribs exactly. The 30 wide fits exactly through the hatch hole, but you could put a couple of them down there in parallel.

If you're in 12-15' of water and the grass is 6-10' from the surface then you have 6-12' of water column to fish. That's a lot of open water, especially if the grass is relatively even in height. Depending on how wide of an area you want to cover, a set of 6-14' crankbaits that just clip the top of the grass, any bladed moving baits in the 3/8-3/4 range depending on design and how fast you want to fish them, a paddle tail swimbait (something bigger and heavier for me) that is just clipping over the grass and dripping down into it, a jerkbait that goes 6-8', etc. The main thing is ensuring you're getting down to the grass. You'd be surprised how shallow some baits run when you're not paying attention. Watching on FFS has taught me that one. On the flip side, if you're in 15' of water and the grass is only 2' off the bottom then a texas rig or jig will bounce through that. A carolina rig with a longer leader and floating bait also.

Tw is 15% off everything right now.

a hatch lid might work but why not just get another 32 from amped? Or even the 25/30?

I have 3 of the first 4 on your list in various forms. A couple things to consider: The model names above leave some details off when it comes to specifics, the spool type being the biggie. An MGL spool, a deep spool, and a BFS spool are all options. Usually if it doesn't specify then its a deep spool, but you need to check the specs of the reel. The Bantam '22 is MGL by default. All will have the SVS braking system I believe so nothing to talk about there. Outside of that, the different models basically feature different build quality, frame materials, and gear materials to generate the differences. The scorpion is effectively the JDM equivalent of the curado so look for Curados on the US used market. The Aldebaran is a small reel and not what you're looking for. The antares is also a smaller than 150 size reel and might be okay still for you. The exsense is JDM only and the top of the line, doubt you'll find one used for $200. You mentioned buying used so I assume you're looking at the US market generically. I'll talk JDM in a sec. The chronarch is my dad's favorite reel. I bought him a Bantam 100A in 2005 or so and he progressed through the 200E and into the current models. I have the first two here with me now (sitting idle), and I have 2 of the current 150s on rods, both are HGs and MGLs. The Chronarch is lightweight with a graphic composite frame and (I think) aluminum gearing. Great reel. A touch longer in profile than my Bantam and Met, but I think its the same as the USDM 150 met. My Bantam and Met are JDM direct from japan. The Bantam is a '22 (current model) which I think is the same as the USDM Bantam in size and profile. MGL spool. I'm not sure if mine is aluminum or brass gears, but I think aluminum. My Met is the standard JDM met (just called the Met). It's a little smaller profile and size/capacity than the USDM Met 150. Metal frame and sideplate. Same capacity as the Antares I believe. In terms of comparing, all three are great reels. All are smooth. My chronarchs were bought lightly used, the other two new JDM. I've fished them all a bunch now. The Met is a great all around size. I fish 16 lb sunline mono and there is plenty of capacity. Its on my 1/4-3/4 type rod so I think you'd be fine with it. My Bantam is on my bigger rod and loaded up with 20 lb big game. Its a heavier reel and balances the big rod a little better. I think the metal framed two feel a little more solid, but the difference between the metal and the composite is much smaller than the difference between the chronarch composite and an Abu garcia composite (i have a half dozen of those I fish). Finally- don't buy a used one here. It is cheaper to buy a new JDM reel than a used USDM reel. Keep your eyes peeled, but Bantams were around $225 last I checked. That's a stonking deal.

That is all true, however a couple points. 1- you can put a meter on one if its a critical application and you need to know. And a lot of batteries are now coming with a built in meter. 2- yes you have to plan for the usable capacity. 90% of the stated capacity is usually safe. If the battery is understated for capacity (like some manufacturers do) then you get the full stated capacity as usable capacity. Either way, you're getting a LOT more than lead acid of the same capacity. Have you tried the trick of removing the hatch and also the hatch rim? Unscrew the rim and you have an extra inch of hole to work with. Battery in, rim back on, close the hatch. I think I've mentioned that before but just checking.

That's why I said Digitaka. get it shipped from japan directly to you. The stradic is $145 USD with free shipping. The NASCI is $90, also free shipping.

If it is isolated strands of grass you can get a crankbait through it. Any more than that and you’ll be clearing grass off the hooks every cast. A chatterbait will get through more grass, but if it’s semi thick then you’re going to fight it with a chatter bait as well. I find a chatterbait and spinnerbait similar for the thickness of grass they can get through. A swim jig will get through a bit more grass. Then you get into plastics.

no, but that’s going to happen now. I’ve got a bunch that got tore up the last trip and need to be tuned.

I have a fierce 2 (maybe 3?) in the 6k size as my light surf reel. Its a pretty solid reel and I've had no problems with it for the trip or two a year I was doing with it. That said, it wouldn't be my first choice for a bass/freshwater reel. Its heavy and has fairly loose tolerances. if you can tollerate just a little more price, you can get a JDM Stradic for $145 shipped. That's getting you into the upper eschelon group of reels for not much money. You just missed the sale on them at digitaka that had them in your price range. If you can't go higher, then a Nasci for $90 shipped is probably your best for the price. Still a much nicer reel than the fierce.

yowza.

"Logical" just means tried and true things that typically work for the scenario you're in. If they aren't working, then you're not in the typical set of conditions for it. Maybe there's something you're not seeing happening. Maybe everyone and his brother is throwing the same green pumpkin senko at all of the same fish and they are wary of it so a black and blue has just enough difference to make a difference. That's why its called fishing, and not catching. For me, if its one of my core lakes that I know well and can be pretty sure the fish are there, then I'm going to change up the profile or weight first and foremost. That's something I've learned at my local over the past couple years now. If fish want a beaver, I've got 3 or 4 colors that they will eat pretty interchangably (green pumpkin variant, black and blue variant, red craw/falcon craw). I've gone down the bank catching fish and when one bait wears out just grab the next one regardless of color to keep catching them. They wouldn't eat a moving bait, but they didn't care about the color of a beaver. But try to throw a ribbontail worm at them and they wouldn't eat it. 5" Senko- wouldn't touch it. Then some days they want a spinnerbait, but won't hit a plastic on the bottom. They might eat a swim jig or chatterbait, but not something on the bottom. So for me, figuring out low/middle/high is first and foremost. Then speed and profile. Then color.

That all looks delicious. I'm a margarita purist also. 2 oz of plata, 1 oz of triple sec, 1 oz of lime, and enough sugar syrup to balance (usually 3/4 oz but depends on the syrup). On the rocks in a short glass. I don't salt the rim, but I do add a 1/8-1/4 turn from our salt grinder directly on top of the ice. If you see them around you, Stirring's makes a really good mix to keep around for when you don't have fresh limes in the fridge or if you're doing a big batch for a bunch of people. They have regular and lite. I mix them 50/50 and I think its 2 mix to 1 tequilla by volume. They are a 24 or 28 oz bottle, so 1 bottle of regular, 1 bottle of light, and 1 bottle of tequilla to make a decent pitcher. Add ice and a lime wedge garnish.

I've not fished it so that this for what its worth, but last I heard was that it had a lot of salt water intrusion the past 10-15 years and isn't the bass lake it used to be. Hopefully you're in a boat, because shore access is limited to the lower lake really which is a pretty soulless and featureless kinda place. The pictures and video I've seen of the lake would make me want to fish the southern arm as it has a bit more depth and a narrower width so deeper water nearer shallower water in more places. I understand it gets a bit of pretty too, so if I were to make the 90 minute drive (which I wouldn't) I'd be fishing the 2 hours before sunup for active fish, then pitching the heavy cover with texas rigs and some finesse type stuff once the sun came out. Off the water by about 8 AM for breakfast on the boardwalk and head home.

I mean I guess if I only had one grill then I'd consider it. A big rectangular one would allow for direct and indirect to be separated pretty well. At the same time, I don't see where its adding anything to what you already have.