Jeff H

How will it hurt him? If he's well known for his building skill, they will still come for that alone. He won't be the only one without Loomis blanks. When they are gone they are gone for everyone. If the guy is really good, he'll be good with whatever blank his client chooses and they will come to him because of his skill....right? It'd be a different deal if selective ethics were employed and "some" could no longer get the blanks, but when everybody gets shut out then nobody loses more than any other.

Yup, definitely Daiwa. Your instincts are good there.

Slim body with lots of tail. Some days thats the ticket. I scored heavily last summer with the Purple Passion on deep weedlines.

I love 'em!! One of the most productive baits I own. I have at least 30 of them and best color (for me) is Tennessee Shad.

Same here.

I only need enough, nothing more and every reel I've ever owned has had more than enough. I've never measured my drag settings with a scale.

Here is my worthless .02.... You want Daiwa quality? You'll get it for $100 in the Cabela's Prodigy baitcaster (made by Daiwa). It is the same thing as a TD-A Tierra and will work great for you. There is no need to spend $150 or more when just starting out. Heck, I've been fishing bass over 40 yrs and this reel is all I really need. It is very close in performance to my Revo SX and a equal to my TD-A HST153.

GMAN's Widegap jig is an excellent all around design. There are better choices if you think you need to fish in really heavy weeds but it will work great everywhere else.

If it were my choice, I'd go with the MH power in either the Avid or the Crucial, especially if you want decent backbone. I'm not sure either one of these is better than the other for any reason. I have both Avids and Crucials and sensitivity etc is about the same to me. I guess I'd go Crucial because they are a little cheaper.

Nobody? Not even any of you southern smallie freaks fish the Ninny Fly?

Fishng a jig isn't rocket science. It has more to do with where you put it than how you move it or what color it is. Sure, those things are important too, but the whole idea behind fishing a jig is precision. So, the "ol school" methods of subtle movements and dead-sticking are simply those of experienced jig fishermen who understand what the jig is meant for....and they know where to put it, when to put it there and why they are putting it there. That off my chest, while I have tried "swimming" a jig, that method will never (overall) account for more fish than fishing a jig on the bottom. If they are willing to chase and hit a swimming bait they are pretty active and will hit most anything.

Are there any fans of Zorro here? I've got an interest in some of their stuff and wondering if anyone here has experience with the products?

10, 14, and 17 lb Trilene XT Clear.

5 3/4" Lunker City Fin S fish in Smelt or Rainbow Trout color.

I've never owned a Quantum but am considering giving that Catalyst a look.

Mono for me....Berkley Trilene XT clear.

Oy! That Catalyst sounds like a good deal. I'm not a quantum fan but thats a big price cut!!

They sure are! I've been using Canyon Plastics 3 3/4" original Gitzit tubes too. Best tubes I ever had (and I really hate that they disappeared) were Luck E Strikes G4's. If anybody knows of a exact copy of these let me know please!!!

Thats all very true indeed. I just like the faster reels to take up the line quicker between casts. 'bout the only time that matters to me with a spinning reel is when I'm sightin' cruisers.

One thing to consider....the Daiwa Exceler (and Cabela's Prodigy) has a 4.7:1 gear ratio where the Sahara is 6.2:1 so there is quite a difference in gear ratio for you to consider there. Don't overlook that for personal preference. It is the one thing I sometimes miss with my Prodigy.

Go to Cabela's website, click on Bargain Cave, click on fishing, check out the Prodigy for $79.99 on sale right now. I bought one last year and love it. Very smooth and tight reel. Made by Daiwa, better than the Exceler since it has the sealed drag system.

clear silver flake/clear gold flake white chart or chart/white

I have the CRCX66MH and it gives up nothing to any Avid where performance is concerned. Plus, it's cheaper. Fishes 3/8 and 1/2 oz jigs like a dream. Very sensitive stick! Balances very nice with a reel just under 9 oz.

17lb Trilene XT. If there is a line available with better abrasion resistance that costs less (or the same) let me know and I'll try it out. I used to fish braid a lot when it first came out and I have not destroyed any guides. I've seen pictures of some that were destroyed though, so it does happen.

I've never broken one while fishing. Lost one in a car door about 5-6 yrs ago.