Banned User

Stopped on my way to pick up groceries yesterday, basically just to cast my new Tatula Elite. Didn't expect to catch anything. Much to my surprise I pulled in a bass on my home made spinnerbait... I banged up the swivel and it got wonky. Switched to a chatterbait then bagged a pickerel... then a big pickerel... then a big bass. I think there was a bug hatch or something, lots of activity. To leave, I swung my rod like a baseball bat to get the farthest cast I could. And in did, bombed my chatterbait the farthest cast of the night. It did nest a bit and snap off midcast, but I accomplished my goal as a buffoon. Lost my only red craw Picasso Shock Blade.

Appreciate all the input y'all, a little conflicting for me, but I already pulled the trigger on the Elite. It might fluff more, but seems like it is getting more distance. I'm gonna have to try to put the same line and lure on the same rod with each of them, but it does seem like the Elite rides a little freer. @A kid from Canada where/when did you get Elites for $155? @LonnieP jdm zillion at going rate (about $ 229or Elite on sale for $175?

Basically that, can anybody compare the Tatula Elite with the Zillion sv tw? Casting distance? Best technique the reel shines for?

@Munkin thank you for starting this thread, @evrybodywhocontributedsofar thank you for sharing, supremely helpful for a guy teaching himself how to fish and now venturing into some very makeshift bait making. Please elaborate How flat can I go? Total wire length orbjust the top arm? Like have a total of 4.5 inches like 2 inches from head vs 5.5 inches with 2ninches from head, or 5.5 inches 3.5 inches from head? Any particular color? Thank you! Why? I'm twisting my own spinnerbait bodies with bullet weights and steel wire, I think I'll twist some extra wire down the hook shank and see what happens, thanks! My 2 cents from my short experience in all this, I like to have a beefier skirt. 3-4 tabs make a chunkier profile and add a little drag to the body, helping it to not tilt so steep with bigger blades.

Sounds like a great day bro! You know the water temp? Looks like you fish south shore, am I close? Congrats @Mike, that's awesome

They have had some great sales, and I haven't had much need since joining. What else have you found them lacking?

@MediumMouthBass Thanks for the heads up bro, Omnia doesn't carry Yo-Zuri and I didn't know that before signing up for premium. Just ordered a filler spool of 6,8,10,and 12 - I needed this.

@Sputterbug killer fish bro, water depth? North shore or south shore?

I've been living vicariously through y'all, I'm excited to get my first trip in soon, probably still won't be for a couple weeks, but y'all got me pumped up already. I respect the commitment to get out and start your season early, and that for some of you the season never ends haha

Looks fishable to me. How'd it do? @dv616 I'm new too, I'd say cut that feather in half. Use the top thinner part to palmer with. Then I'd just stack the thicker part and use as big ol wings or tail or general body like a straight up marabou jig. You can make them look a little better by hitting it with a tooth brush or some velcro. Lay it on a table and brush it out

Hahaha I can dig it man, business is business @MickD I hear you and all, but I would bet money that a accelerometer would be able to measure a difference in the rod before and after a 10 inch wrap after the reel seat. If a titanium tip top can make an impact on TNF, then whatever TNF is measuring would be affected if it was measure at the decorative wrap before and after. I'm not knockin the hustle, but if a dude is gonna drop over a hundred bucks just on a set of guides because it will improve performance by saving 3-5g of weight but then add a 10 inch decorative wrap that, depending on which pattern, easily adds at least that amount of weight back and possibly more I'm thinking "I got a pack of magic beans for sale"

What's the difference in the water? How is the action affected by these two different techniques?

I know some people think it's cool to do a 6-10 inch decorative wrap after the reel seat, but it's not. Just seems silly to me, unless it's on a rod rated to 100# pound line and it doesn't make a difference.

I used to fish this lake a bunch until a lot of people there couldn't answer how they were doing when I asked about the fishing, but instead showed me a cooler full of fish of all species and sizes - often illegal. The lake was dead for Mad long Have you had luck the past couple years?

I feel this way about work, I'm 33 and I'm so over the fact that I have to work 40-48 hours a week until I'm 65 or die. Then add time preparing for work, showers/shaves/ships, house work, other miscellaneous responsibilities.... so little time left for family and even less left for self (which is also important for self care and mental well being). But its the time I lose with family that drives me nuts, and knowing it's practically endless and I have no choice. @The Maestro and others feeling this way about fishing, I absolutely get it. Sometimes for missing time with family, and sometimes thinking I could've just invested that time and energy into something that could build a skill or earn money. I'll add this, I'm learning it's not the quantity of time you spend with family, or your kids, or even fishing. It's the quality. Some days I look back at it in bed like why did I just waste so much time doing nothing with the kids? I'm tired or whatever so we just hang in the house doing very little or maybe watch a movie, and that all has its time and place, but if I put in a little energy to do something different or very intentionally fun for an hour and then fished for a few hours would've been better than all day just doing the basic stuff. Not always Almost nothing is always But it's also very easy as humans to look back and be critical of ourselves. Of course we could've done better, but if we did do better then we could look back and say " I coulda done better " see what I'm sayin? It's uncomfortable to think of good enough as being a good thing, but ironically that's what good enough means, it's a good thing. We're not prefect and can't be, but good enough can be a good thing if we let it be and keep pressing forward. Be the best dad you can be right now Be a better dad tomorrow Be a good enough dad every day and you'll be the best dad ever, because if you try to be the prefect dad you'll be so on despair you'll totally miss the whole point of that good desire. I've experienced days where I've literally forced myself to go fishing, and it did make me feel better when I got there. Maybe it's a different day than you think fishing should be, leave the boat and hit the bank. Just get up and get going, because we are so often our own worst enemy. I have such a terrible memory it's like I'm not even here anyway, it's actually tragic. Mt wife is like you remember when... she tells a story of us and the girls and I'm like nope... no idea! Literally makes me sad I can't remember my babies first steps or the time she or we etc etc. But all I can do is try to be in the now, and the tomorrow. TL:DR just go fishing after the kids go to sleep

Problem is digitaka always has the exchange less than the global exchange, not sure why but I'm sure it makes than an extra few bucks

All good advice above, I'll just add that I hope this isn't the black and orange KK Zephyr, because that one is for BFS fishing. If it's the new green one, I'd ask what you think of it haha

I mean I understand what you're getting at to a point, but Croix has a reputation for being softer in general. Some blanks have a rep for being stronger in power Maybe it's just how they decide to designate their actions and powers, but my curiosity was about how they run in general relative to each other. I agree Or with pretty decorative wraps above the reel seat Is this a linear progression or coincidental?

I think it was Rick Clunn that I recently heard talking about Shikari blanks from back in the day. Who used to operate Shikari? Morton was Allstar right? How would you compare the actions of the Croix/Rodgeeks to NFC? What about the different levels of NFC (SM,IM...) to Croix (SCIII, SCIV...)?

How would you describe the power and action in regular terms comparing to typical rods?

I only got a chance to try it out once last season,m for a few hours. I have only a paddle yak to compare it to. The instant reverse is an absolute game changer It's not the fastest, but propeller yaks vs flippers are always a little slower, that seems to be the price for instant reverse Turning radius was a little wide, but maybe all pedal yaks are I have no idea. Loading and unloading carton was a little norw cumbersome than my previous 10fter, but that makes sense. After that set up is pretty straight forward. Lifting up the propeller in shallow water was no problem I need to figure out my storage situation, I used to keep a good size tacklebox up front, thinkn I'll try something under the seat or just behind it, underneath has a decent amount of room. It's reasonably light given it's dimensions Standing was a little more iffy than my 10fter, but this one sits a little higher. Which gives a little better vantage point while sitting I did stand and cast, but the day was son bonkers windy and cold my buddy and I cut the trip short and grabbed lunch. I got it used, they had it a couple years stored in a garage. Rudder moves smoothly and pedals smoothly I've seen videos of people recommending upgrading to a larger rudder, I'm just happy it does what it does so I wouldn't know the difference I'm totally pumped for the spring when I can get out again and get on this thing

What technique do you wanna build for?

Omnia, bait-wrx, tackledirect, midwayusa, sportsmansoutfitters... AE I haven't ordered from tacklewarehouse.com in 1.5-2 years because they just don't have the prices/sales to draw me in. People will say "but their selection though!..." not impressed, everybody else has plenty, they don't offer anything I can't live without. They used to be the only place ordered from. That data breach and lack of communication and transparency along with their lack of sales and jacked up prices keep me looking elsewhere.

@spoonplugger1 I'm starting to wonder, seeing all these scattered puzzle pieces across multiple platforms, are you sponsored by NFC 😉 Always appreciate the history lessons brother @KCFinesse I like the way you think bro, I'm in that build to maximize performance camp too. You'll never see a ln unnecessary wrap in front of my reel seat. What are you doing instead of a foregrip? I'm pretty much just putting a layer of epoxy over the exposed arbor if there is one.

@Mr. Aquarium good stuff bro, I respect the commitment