Patrick Oliver

I toot my 22 Bantam HG apart to adjust the brakes for pitching and I noticed that the spool tuned w/o the shaft turning. I have a second Bantam and checked it, and it's solid. Any idea what's happening? Its only 2 yrs old and hasn't seen much use. TIA<

If you want smooth, class, and style, go for one of the Calcuttas. I use them with great success on pike/muskie rods. I also recommend the Abu Revo Toro Winch or Beast, but not the new models. Abu dropped the price a few years ago and went cheap.

I use whatever I have on hand.. Shooter invisible, J-Floro, Tatsu, Invizx. I honestly think that buying a 1/4 spool of "leader line" is just marketing. BTW, I did drink the coolaid and bought a spool of J-Floro leader in 17# that I use for pitching and a JWR and I dont see any diff to the 17# invizx that I used prior. YMMV.

Look at the MB swamp survivor - it excels at frogs, swimbaits, and bottom contact (pitchin/flippin)

I looked it up, the only diff is that the spool width.

AGREED! As largemouth are more ambush predators I doubt a leader is really necessary. Could be more of a liability when in the thick stuff. Great recommendation - all of my local dealers are sold out of 40# and highter. Wonder why?

I've never had any issues with straight braid in the thick stuff. My JWR and Pitchin stick which i use for a peripheral approach both have leaders. I just dont like the way it comes off the reel. I know that it has a break in period but the Xbraid is signification smoother.

I love pitchin, I live near lake erie (long point bay) and lake st. claire where there is a ton of cane grass or whatever you call it. I have 20# yellow XBraid sinking on my JWR and yellow 30 Powerpro on my pitchin stick and they work great. On my flpr IMX loomis I run 50# PP and I dont really like it. I'm planning moving over to a 22 Bantam HG/MB Swamp survivor and wondering whether or not I should go to something like super slick?? I pitch almost exclusively, sometimes i'll flip when im deep into the grass but almost never. What do use and why.

I have a '22 Bantam HG that I could use... Is that the same as the MGL?

I've been using a Tatula. type r for my flippin stick and It seems to struggle with 50# PP. Maybe its the line, maybe knot...lol. I'm thinking of changing it to 40# Super Slick and/or getting the ELITE P/F. Also, I can find the 7.1:1 cheaper than the 8.1:1. Is there really any difference? I would think the lower gear ratio would give you more cranking power.

Thank you, im gonna give it a try this w/e.

I'm currenly using an older IMX FLPR rod thats around 7'8" long and I really dont like the length and the action. I'm 5'5" tall and its just too long and all the bend is in the top 2ft which makes it really difficult to set the hook if the bite comes when the rod is low. I also own a Swamp Survivor, and the length/action seem to be more towards what I'm looking for? Both my Dobyn's extreme Pitchin stik and JWR are 7'4" and I love them. The HMX is also very heavy Thoughts?

They both have the exact same specs, solid tip, great reviews but the Evoluzion in almost 2x the price. Buying from Japan, I can get the medusa and twinpower for just a few buck more than the price of the Hedgehog. Is this just part of the "law of diminishing returns" with the Evoluzion? TIA< P

Makes sense, my eyes are a bit of a problem as well. Just got a bulk spool of 0.6 Almigh tho :(

Yes the Hedgehog Syringe is the new Evoluzion model, same specs as the X10 Medusa. Both have a very solid bottom end and soft tip (solid tips). As these will both be spooled with PE 0.6 and a 6# leader i can simply try both on both and leave it at that. Thanks for the feedback, Twinpower 2500s is the winner

I have a Vanquish 3000MHG on a windbuster. Nice reel but I always feel that its going to break. So which reel on what rod then?

Right now I have a Certate FC LT2500S-DH on my Flyssa and i'm looking for a reel to compliment my new Hedgehog Syringe. I'm considering the following options: Put the Certate on the Hedgehog and buy a new reel for the Flyssa (2500 Certate or Twinpower) The shimano is a bit cheaper, heavier, and 1 less BB. Balance is important which is why i think the twin power would be great on the 7'6" Flyssa. Also,, I like to have a variety of reel models and I currently dont own a TP. PS, likely splitting hairs... thoughts?? P.

I do like their hooks, I'll have a look for these :) Thanks for the feedback everyone, the Owner Owner GP01 seem to be the one that the japanese tackle makers use. They have a patented tip that looks very easy to use. I'm going to order one the next time i place an order with Digitaka. For now tho, i'm going to see if I can find one of your recommendations locally. I'm upgrading/replacing some hooks this winter. Owner GP-01

Looking for a recommendation please! Prefer something quality, preferably made in Japan. I have a pair of Cuda 5" but looking for something better quality. I checked all the typical JDM sites and the best I could find were the Owner GP01. Thoughts? P

What's you budget and then I can make some solid recommendations. That said, size matters less than my preference is a low gear ratio. Size and weight are based on balancing the rod. Most DS rods are under 7' so something lighter is usually recommended. I use a 7'6" flyssa for deep drop-shotting, hair jigs, small paddle tail swimbaits, etc. I use a double handled Certate that I got from Japan. Its a compact 2500. For most of my DS, I use a XX whipsnake with a 2500shg twinpower.Some of the Diawas are even lighter. Some feature a finess or compact body and a super shallow spool expecting you to use PE and a leader.

That would look great! Not the only time i've picked a reel to match a rod I have them on Dobyn's Champ extreme Come to think about it, I have 2 Shimano Chronarch Ci4 (Circa 2014-2016) that I use for crank baits and bladed jigs. Absolutely no reason to replace them as I recently installed a hedgehog studios upgraded bearing kit and installed anodized clutch leavers because the rubber fell off the factory units. In other words, there's the option to spend less and customize.

Yes amazing reel and I can't believe they quite making the pivoting top.. BTW, they came in 6.3 and 8.1.

I keep 5/6/7/8/10# Jfloro on hand. Best i've ever used

I accidentally caught my PB Muskie (52") this fall on Lake St. Claire using a light moderate action casting rod (Megabass Rapid Viper) on 10# J-Floro. I just took my time.. the fish continued to overpower my gear but I have a good drag ('16 Metanium) and a good buddy with the landing net. I've tried them all from mono, to copoly, to floro, to 4 strand braid, 8 strand braid, sinking braid.. Go with what you like and gives you confidence. We all used Mono for years and it was fine. Braid needs a leader in gin clear water (usually) floro is expensive and isn't as limp as mono, even the pricey stuff. This forum is populated with tackle nerds who love to geek out on the best for this and the best for that. I'm the same when I comes to the way I fish but i'm also aware of going back to fundamentals that work time and time again. I'd say for your smallmouth, get a bulk spool of 6lb big game. Sure its stretchy but its tough, cheap, and just works. I've always found its better to have super sharp hooks than some uber expensive line... Have fun!

I always prefer the newest model because you get the latest tech. Diawa and Shimano religiously update their products on a regular basis and you can decide for yourself whether its worth it or not. Most of the time it is. One caveat - I purchased a Daiwa T3 SV around 2015 because it performs well and has a unique way to engage the clutch which I find really nice when pitching and Flipping. I ended up finding a couple more in new condition on eBay so there you have it!