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Get one of those 5'x8' utility trailers. If you want to get real fancy....get the enclosed one. ;D

If you really want to use left handed baitcasters, and are used to right handed, then you have to stop using them. You have to "de-program" your mind from the thinking that right handed casting, then switching to right handed cranking is "normal". It's a mindset. Your brain sees a baitcaster, it thinks cast with right, switch hands, and reel with right. Something you may want to try is going a period of time, say 2 months, or 4 months, or a whole season without picking up a baitcaster. Only use right hand casting, left hand reel, spinning gear. When your ready for the baitcaster, go straight to a left hand reel. Years ago I used right baitcasters and left spinning. I stopped using the baitcaster for many years (for other reasons). When it came time to buy new ones to start using baitcasters again, using a right hand baitcaster felt ackward. I'm a right hand dominate person who uses my right hand to cast, work a lure, set the hook, and fight the fish. My left hand only turns the crank on the reel.

1) I wrote a reveiw on it not so long ago. In short, I really like the reel. I'm sure there are better reels, for more $$$, but in that price range, I think the reel is one of the best. 2) I wouldn't go over .014 line, you may find it lacking capacity for larger line. FWIW, Reeds had them on sale for $202, and I think shipping is included. I'm not sure though, I've never just bought one thing from them, but it's always been free shipping for my orders.

Maybe I should have used pull or something instead of jerk it. I guess I should try steady more, but I've alway's had good luck "working" the lure.

I liked the type-F too, but it doesn't have the fancy paint job. ;D The handle bearings are not much of an issue as I have set my sights on getting an offset/swept handle on the reels. I'm pretty much sold on a Pixy for my 721C, but I'm still in the "window shopping" phase of another reel. I will keep the Type-F on the short list too. Thanks.

If you are talking about the Daiwa TD Handle Set, it will fit reels that already have a clicking star drag, the Sol/Alphas not been one of them. Yup, the one at Japan tackle. Well, the search goes on, thanks.

I'll vote for the Pflueger President. A few on here claim the braking system on the BPS Johnny Morris reel is really good. It's on sale right now for a pretty good chunk of change off. You get the choice of 6.4:1 or 7.1:1 in left hand. The new Daiwa Tierra has the Z backlash system. That's an awesome system. That one get's my vote too.

Thanks, that was what I was hoping to hear.

How ever you want. A steady retreive will work, but it works best to play with them. Jerk, pause, jerk, jerk, pause, jerk, pause, or any combo of that. Sometimes a slight pull, like 6 inches, then a pause. Kind of like grandma standing on the porch ringing the dinner bell. Make some noise and they'll come running (swimming) for dinner.

Buying a hopped up Camero and puting the tires and wheels from your mom's sedan on it just isn't going to cut it. Save some money and wait for the right sale is my 2 cents. Pick up a second job through a temp service for a few days, work some overtime, find some legal way to save up a little more money. Being happy with a low cost graphite framed reel may or may not happen, but there is no doubt that if you worked a little extra to get the money for a nice light weight reel, you'll look back and say it was worth it. It's all up to you though, there are some graphite framed reels that are light in weight and carry a small price tag. Bionic plus is only 8 oz, but I don't think it would be a good fit for the rod. There is the BPS's ProLite at 7.9 oz. The pflueger Echelon at 7.8 oz, but I've heard a few sour reports on that reel though. Shimano Callisto at 7.9 oz. There are a few sub $100 reels out there that come in at 8 oz or less, but....

It's gotta suck having to drag your boat around all winter to fish. I'll be thinking of you southerners as I drive up to my fish house, turn on the tv, put up my feet, and watch the NFL, NBA, ESPN, my favorite fishing shows, ect...while I'm fishing. ;D

Too funny. The bait monkey slayer (the other half) ended up not being able to visit the grandchildren this weekend, so I missed out on my trip to Cabela's. :'(

The $80ish to $180ish reel segment is the most competitive segment. It really comes down to a brand preference or preference of feel. You will basically be getting about the same quality per dollar in that price range in most brands. Search the internet. Most of the time people will suggest a reel in that price range becouse they are happy with it, or they are loyal to that brand. Very rarely do you find a post about NOT buying a certain reel in that price range. As alway's there are a few exceptions, but not many. If you prefer to support your local mom and pop store, then I would suggest going to them and spending some time playing with the reels, then pick one out and buy it. If you prefer to bargain shop, then I would suggest that you do the above, but stop short of buying it. Then go online and find the best deal and buy it.

Spincast: (2) Zebco Platinum 11's (1) Zebco Platinum 33 Spinning: (3) Pflueger Supreme 8030's Baitcasting: (1) BPS's Bionic plus (1) Daiwa Sol (1) Soon to aquire Daiwa JDM Pixy (1) Possible, soon to aquire Diawa JDM Alpha's 103. If not, then another Sol.

While I'm drooling over the Pixy, I'm going to try and get before next season, I keep getting drawn to the Alphas 103L. My justification logic is, I already have a Sol, so I should get something a little different as my second baitcaster. Does anyone know how this reels compares to the Sol as far as size goes??? It looks like a lighter version of the Sol to me, but I would like to know more about it if possible. TIA.

I'm seeing if I can put an offset/swept handle on my Sol, so..... I found a handle that fit's the TD-Z, TD-X, Fuego, Steez, ect... that comes with the drag adjuster that is for the clicking style drag. My question(s) is/are, will the drag adjuster fit the Sol??? If not, I have a way to "adjust" the drag adjuster on the Sol to make an offset/swept handle work, that means I can buy any offset/swept handle that fits the Steez??? TIA.

While I have no problem with the thought that color doesn't matter, I prefer to stick with white and yellow/gold becouse it is a natural color for the bottom of a lot of fish. My theory is, if a fish sees a white or yellow stripe active on the waters surface, it will think it's a fish topwater feeding and it will be easy pray as it has few choices for escape routes. Just a theory I have, becouse I don't really know what a Bass is actually thinking, I can't read it's mind.

Yellow and frog, I have caught more fish on the 3/8 vs. the 5/8, but mostly becouse I have fished the 3/8 a lot more than the 5/8. Moving up to the 5/8 was new to me in the spring of '06, but I have been using the 3/8 for many, many years.

All my topwater lures are white or yellow bottomed. I use different colored tops depending on visibility (for me). I prefer to use the darkest top I can see well, given the light conditions. As an example, I'll throw a dark top one when the sun is bright. I'll switch to or go with a light green type color on cloudy day's or lower sun, and brighter top as it gets darker out. The spook color's I like the best are Bone, Bullfrog, Natural frog, and Baby bass. I have not tried a clear one, but wouldn't mind giving it a try. The only Spooks I have are the original size one's though. If I had to choose just one, I think I would go with the bullfrog.

I usually change the front hook(s) to smaller ones then what came on the lure adding a split ring if needed, then I always add a split ring with either the original hook, or an upgraded same size hook in the rear. I have little to no hook tangling issues this way. Longer lures may not require the size change, but the shorter lures like Hula poppers, Bass oreno's, Jitterbugs, and the likes, do.

There are 3 way's you can do this. 1) You can go buy the bracket to mount it to your boat, and hard mount it. 2) You can get the mounting bracket and the add on suction cup, and keep it portable. 3) You can make a bracket yourself and mount it. 4) There is a possible fourth option. Not knowing much about the set up you have, I can only guess that you might be able to buy a second transducer, that you could leave permantly mounted to the boat. This was an option with the depthfinder/graph I have. I currently use option #2. Been doing it since the mid 80's, with an Eagle Z6000 (which I still use).

When I decided to go the Daiwa route with the new baitcaster, I was in the exact same position you are in now. It wasn't until I went to the store and actually mounted the reels on the exact rod I was going to use it on, did I finally decide. I went with the Sol for a few reasons. 1) I loved the compact size. A nice small reel that was still rated for the type of fishing I was going to use it for. It's considered a ML reel, but, IMO, it's close enough to a M that it works for a lot of bass fishing. 2) Balance. The balance of the Sol is superior to the Fuego, IMO. When mounted to a rod, there isn't a lot of pull to the handle side, making it seem out of balance. 3) The weight. Yeah, .2 doesn't sem like a lot, but when you get a better, IMO, frame, the .2 oz makes a difference. The Sol has the aluminum frame, and IS rated for saltwater. The drags are the same between the Sol and Fuego, the anti-backlash/cast control systems are different. The Sol has the "V" system and the "V" spool. The Fuego has the "Z" system, and the "U" spool. That is basically why the Fuego can hold more line. As said above, the gear ratio is different too. The Sol is 5.8:1 or 23 inches and the Fuego is 6.3:1 or 28 inches. This had no bearing on my decision as the main purpose of the reel was for crankbaits. It may factor into what you choose though. I'm no expert, but I'll throw out my 2 cents incase it does help.

You lost me here. How can a reel be too slow for senkos and too fast for cranks?? For that matter, how can ANY reel be too slow for senkos?? I fished the Tierra all this season on a custom rod for senkos. LOVED IT. Search around, you will not find a negative review on this reel anywhere. Well, I didn't say too slow for one and too fast for the other. I said too slow for Senko's, IMO. IMO, you need pretty decent speed in respects to line pick up, so you can better manage slack line. With cranks, for the most part, your not dealing with much slack line, so line pick up speed is not that much of an issue. I did search around a little and seen it has gotten good reviews, like I said in my first post. I did look up the line pick up on the 2500 and it's better than the 2000 for picking up slack line, so I guess the 2500 would be a good in between reel. 2000=23inches, 2500=27inches

I must be "unconventional" then, becouse I alway's try to fight the fish with the rod to my left, with the rod at or just above parallel to the water.

IMO, the reel will be too slow for Senko's but will work for cranks. Also, IMO, the reel is too big for the rod, look at the 2000. ...and lastly, IMO, the rod is too light for throwing most Rapala's and 'traps. I would look at the 843. For throwing 'trap's and Rapala's (depending on their size), you'll want to spool up 10-12lb line, IMO. I use 6-8lb for small lures and 10-12lb for 1/2oz and up. Remember, this is just my OPINION on the matter, ultimately it is up to you to buy what you feel is right for you. If it was me, I would buy a Pflueger Supreme 8030 and the SJR 843 rod. Nothing wrong with the Daiwa as far as I know though, it has good reviews on the Cabela's website. Going by what you have been looking at, I would go with the 2000 Daiwa and the SJR 843.