Brian11719

LOL Pretty sure @Smirak just started with a similar gig... I'm still not in love with DSG after they shipped me a rod in a flimsy cardboard box and it showed up broken but they did take it back at the store and ended up with some killer deals from them this last month...two poison adrenas for $139 ea and an ultegra for $75...at this point I've got the app on the phone and bookmarked their sale page to check periodically. Plus if you get their card you get double points so I ended up with a $20 credit to use there...I'm hoping Academy starts another clearance soon...last year they had a 75% off stuff already on clearance and ended up some stuff was insanely low. Still have a couple of thunder crickets from that one that I got for under $5 each...

congrats fwiw based on a recent thread I'm relatively sure their go-to swim minnow is basically the reaction innovations skinny dipper...which is already one of my favorite lures and already discounted a bit when you buy the bass pro / cabela's version...for that kind of discount I could see things getting out of hand relatively quickly...

Roland Martin is actually one of my favorites...hoping to get a chance to hire him as a guide and go punch gnarly mats on Okeechobee at some point...

I ended up going by my local store today and they had a few of these. The blank actually reminds me more of the tp1 black I have more than the custom lite (in a good way) and even though the custom lite and custom pros are both hm85s this one seemed a bit softer and had a good overall feel to it. They had that medium mod fast, the medium heavy fast and a heavy fast in stock...I honestly liked the heavy fast the best and felt like it would make an awesome flipping / frog rod, but the medium heavy fast one was nice too. I don't really know what I'd to with that medium moderate fast one...I currently have 5 casting setups that I use for the following: 610 m mf - hard jerkbaits / mini max / poppers 73 mh mf - standard size bladed jigs / lipless cranks and spooks 73 mh f - literally everything else 74 f - frogs / flipping / big spinnerbaits 76 xh f - swimbaits / punching so I guess I'm just not sure where that one would fit in for me (I'd get a 6'10 kaden or expride for this setup) but if you think it would work well for one or more lures that you throw regularly I'd say go for it...also looks like these were pretty popular back in their heyday just looking at the sheer number of comments about them from various sites which is a pretty good indication that they aren't all bad. Long story short I got my tp1 black for a bit under $100 a year ago and I still consider that a good deal. The heavy fast version of this series seemed even better and I almost considered getting that one after seeing it but I like my tp1 black rod enough that I decided not to replace it right now...plus I was there for shimano spinning reels anyway...sadly the vanfords were long gone but I did manage to grab the last 3000 size ultegra they had for $75 ...also used to own the st croix bass x model mentioned above and will say I'd go for any of these rods over that one...not a knock on st croix (they're actually one of my favorite rod brands and i use a legend xtreme for my drop shot rod) but that particular version of that specific series was not my favorite.

I like watching fishing stuff on youtube and actually found my way here from Glenn's channel. I've also plenty of videos on other channels like the rod bending videos that Omnia does to be informative and while I don't always agree with everything Tactical Bassin says or promotes as the best rod for <fill in the blank> they have posted a good amount of stuff on their channel that I've found useful. Even some channels that seem silly have tought me something at some point or have at least been entertaining. I've checked out a few of THEREELTEST's video and agree the whole channel does kind of seem like one big Shimano commercial. I also personally don't click the videos to get a bible quote thrown at me right away, but I have found a couple of them useful since they do go over specs and such. That said if I am looking for that sort of thing (Shimano specs) I'd probably start with JP DeRose's channel. He clearly points out he's sponsored by Shimano (and the other brands he works with) on his site and IMHO his channel is a little more professional in terms of going over the features / benefits of those products without trying to make it seem like he's just some impartial fisherman and just promoting one of them because it's the best (or saying negative things about competitors). Also, in terms of using youtube videos to make gear decisions I'd take anything on there with a grain of salt (or several if the creator clearly has some sort of relationship with the manufacturer). Truth be told there are a ton of people getting paid to 'shill' and youtube is just one of many ways they can do that. I'm also not personally against doing that as long as you aren't trying to hide the fact that you are getting paid to promote a certain product / brand. If I'm considering something new I generally look for as much content as I can find about online whether it be here, youtube, or review articles. Then if I do decide to try it out I've found it's best to just try out one rather than going all in and ending up with a bunch of stuff that you thought would be awesome but ended up not turning out to be that great.

I haven't used this one but it looks like it has a hm 85 blank which is what the newer custom lite rods have. I have used a couple of those and generally speaking I felt like the spinning models were a little too stiff for my taste. That might have been what the Tackle Warehouse reviewers were alluding to when they did their review on the custom lite rods a while back as well. That said these look like they might be casting models...I do have a Lew's TP1 black casting rod that is actually a lower mod blank that I like for frogging and flipping. Overall my experience is their casting rods seem pretty good and in this case I think that is a pretty good deal. Another thing to note w/ Lew's is the warranty on that is 5 years but it's a 'replace at their discretion' warranty so I'd double check their warranty policy on their site and make sure you are ok with it. I've also never had to warranty a Lew's rod so there is that... Aside from that if these were these lengths and actions that you were looking for anyway? I'd also probably try just one out first if it were me. Holding it in the store is one thing but getting out and fishing with it is another...even if it's just for an hour or two that would probably give me a lot more insight in terms of whether or not I wanted to head back to the store and pick the other one up...and if you are worried about them selling out just get them both but leave the tags on one and just try the other and keep the receipt...then if you decide you don't like it as much as you thought you would you can still return the other one.

Wacky rig rings. I'm relatively sure they do little to nothing in terms of me spending less on senkos...but I do like the way the hook rests on the worm w/ them as it makes it a little more weedless rather than just going through the middle of it and since I throw them around grass a lot I continue to use them...also I think the tool was like $2 and the rings are not much either so I suspect there are worse gimmicks to have fallen for...

I actually really like a 1/0 EWG for the 6" straight tail and the alive shad (Owner J hook specifically) but a 1/0 or 2/0 cover shot also works.

Thanks apparently I hadn't really taken a close enough look at OSP...that first one is especially nice (in terms of what I normally look for) and I don't mind paying more a lure if the quality is there. Already invest a good amount into equipment and my time on the water is limited since I work full time (and have a kid) so I almost see it as an investment if there's an increase in quality and I can usually get a good year or two out of a good crankbait so $10 / $20 is usually not that much of a difference to me all things considered...for some reason that matte metal hasu color just jumps out at me...probably why it's sold out at the moment lol...

Also own an old town. Keep the net in the built in rod holder on the right side...put 2 rods in the built in holders on the left and the rest of my rods on rod holders attached to a crate strapped down in the back...have found this setup works great for me and specifically like it because you can get to the net really quickly which to me is more important than being able to change over to a different rod to use...also makes it easier when you are getting in / out.

Specifically @PBBrandon I've found that micromodule makes the ultegra / stradic / vanford noticeably smoother than the miravel and others under it...and the SARB and X-Protect will make it last longer. Add that up and I'd argue it's worth $150 vs $120...completely get that others like the miravel / nasci but from my perspective the ultegra is the better decision.

Ultegra. ^ unless you disagree that all those green check marks aren't worth another few bucks...I'd argue that you would be wrong but to each their own...

I feel like I might have more ideas for this later...and can't really 'summon' them as the best ones would come to me when I'm thinking about something completely unrelated...for now one thing I'd mention is crankbaits. I've found that most people don't own a ton of crankbait rods they usually have 1-3. 5/8-3/4oz is arguably the sweet spot in this case as most people don't want to go buy a completely different setup just so they can throw an 8xd or 10xd and maybe catch a fish or two on it...I'm still surprised to see that most companies don't offer many options in this weight...especially since it seems to be the easiest to cast for me...typically what you see is stuff that is lighter or heaver and not much of it is consistent. I do like what Berkley did with their Dredger series in that they made them a little easier to cast and run back to you, the sizes and weights are somewhat consistent, and from what I can tell they actually work and catch fish. I wish more companies had consistent options like that...as an example I love Lucky Craft lipless crankbaits and jerkbaits but I've found their crankbait selection...especially in the medium to deep category (and pretty much everything but the shallow / squarebill category tbh) is a bit lacking...so even though I'd be fine with paying a premium because I actually like their lures better I end up settling for something else. End result is I just throw more jerkbaits and lipless crankbaits...so I suppose it's not all that bad for me but they could probably sell a few more lures if they had a better / more consistent selection. On a completely unrelated note I think most soft plastic companies focus too much on big lakes and people with bass boats and shad looking stuff and there aren't enough lures out there (especially small swimbait / fluke style baits) that actually look anything like a bluegill (or something else you would find in a pond). Seems like the one or two companies that have figured that out decided to make their lures smell like fritos and sell them for insane prices and yet they sell of the shelves anyway which might be a bit of an indication that the demand for that type of thing is currently a little higher than the supply...

Noticed that one on TW today. The Ultegra has always been one of my favorites. A lot of people like the Miravel, but I'd argue the SARB bearings and X-Protect are well worth the few extra dollars in terms of bang for the buck and pretty much any spinning reel I buy these days is going to be something between the Ultegra and Vanford series (depending on what rod I'm putting it on, which one is on sale, etc.). These new ones look nice...

Funny I just weighed them all and put them into a spreadsheet and apparently I throw 52 lures on a (somewhat) regular basis...tbh a drop shot would probably be about 50%...a texas rigged ribbon / speed worm and a fluke would probably get me to the 80% mark...maybe add a chatterbait and a jerkbait in there just to make sure we are over the mark but those would definitely be my top 5 and a drop shot w/ a roboworm or a sensei has pretty much been my confidence lure for a while now...

Wish I could answer that but I'm not familiar with Kistler. I will say my very first rod was a St Croix Triumph (also an SCII blank like the Premier). I eventually realized I was drop shotting a lot so I figured I'd try out one of their old mojo bass 610mlxf rods and that was the first rod I went fishing with that I completely fell in love with. The jump from the SCII blank to the SCIII made my jaw drop and I ended up taking that rod every time I went out (either on my kayak or bank fishing). Sadly I smashed a guide on that one but when I called them they sent me an upgrade to a Victory for like $40. That one was also nice and I used it for a while but then I saw a 610mlxf Legend Xtreme on sale (used) and while I normally wouldn't spend that much for a rod I sold the Victory and bought it. These days I pretty much like St Croix and the Shimano Poison Adrena for spinning rods. The Shimano rods are a bit different and while I like them for other stuff I'll probably never move away from a St Croix 610mlxf for a drop shot. If you are interested Polish Pete did a rod bend on the one I suggested when he was at Omnia and you can see the action on it here: https://youtu.be/MlAnzbMkf5E?t=277 If you are ok with a foregrip and like to hold a spinning rod above the reel the Mojos might also be worth taking a look at. I know some people were upset with the new design but I've held a few of them and I think they are fine I just personally don't like a foregrip on my spinning rods. But honestly the jump from the SCII blank to the SCIII was the most noticeable for me which is why I mentioned it. The jump past that to the Victory was a little nice and from that to the Legend Xtreme blank was also a little nice but not as much of an improvement as it was going from the SCII to the SCIII so if anything if you are going to pick up a spinning rod for finesse lures I'd say at least go with the SCIII. The Victory is the first one that also gets you the 15 year warranty and I personally think that's worth the jump from the Mojo to the Victory. Hope you end up liking whatever you decide on.

Can't speak to the Falcon gear but if you are going to go w/ St. Croix I'd suggest the taking another look at the Victory...specifically the VTS73MLXF (for ned rigs). Yes it's a bit more but the blank on that one is their SCIII+ which is a mix of their SCIII and SCVI and you get a 15 year warranty. Alternatively, the premier is their SCII blank and you get a 5 year warranty. Bit more expensive but well worth it IMHO and I've used the SCII blank, the SCIII blank, and the SCIII+ and I think the difference between the II and III is very noticable especially for finesse stuff. The III+ is a bit nicer than the III so the jump up from the II to the III+ is significant.

If you are after sensitivity in a casting rod around this price range I'd point you to something like the poison adrena. IMHO where the physyx / mojo lines shine would be tossing reaction baits all day where you want some sensitivity but also don't want to have a sore arm / hand. I personally think the Victory has been perfect for baits like a spinnerbait but having said that I get why @frenchy might be feeling a little bit bummed out...not all of my rods are St. Croix but some of my favorites are (including my most expensive one) and I'd be bummed too if I was forced to move to something else when I didn't necessarily want to.

Speaking of that series ^ for what it's worth the other one I'd actually be looking at is the PHXC70MHMF...so cheap option for me would be the Victory that I mentioned and the more expensive option would be that...and I'd agree with what's been said above me that I personally don't think sensitivity is as important with a lure like a spinnerbait...but if you really liked that one you might try that Physyx model. I personally didn't like those handles on the mojos or that line in the spinning versions because they are foregrips, but the casting models are nice and I don't know that I'd turn one of them away.

Doesn't look like they have many sweeper models left...bummer that you loved that one and it went away...if it were me I'd be looking at the Victory VTC72MHMF before that mojo that was mentioned...15 year warranty on the victory, line rating is the same and lure rating is just about the same but a little bigger w/ the victory model which might be due to the longer length...also shows spinnerbait on their chart for that rod here: https://stcroixrods.com/pages/st-croix-rod-victory-technique-chart I actually use the victory 73mhf (marshall) for spinnerbaits but I prefer a little bit faster action and I like the length since I'm usually tossing them in open water...best of luck.

what works perfectly for one person might be a completely different fit for someone else...but that said I use a KD735cb for chatterbaits, lipless crankbaits, and spooks...I've also heard you can throw regular crankbaits with it (so I suppose my vote would be no).

FYI the Hook Up Tackle still has their misfit sale going on (24% site wide) but in addition to that this morning I noticed they seem to be selling most lucky craft baits for $9.99 ea. Just picked up a few LV500s and a couple of other ones as well...

Technically the 3rd of the day / year but the first one worth taking a picture of...got all 4 of them today on a tequila sunrise roboworm.