Well I finally found a action in a rod that I have been looking for over a month. I have been looking to experiment with a medium heavy extra fast action rod, finding one locally has been the hard part.

 

 I was looking at the tatula xt because from what I have heard they are really good for there price point. I couldn’t find one locally. Looked at the slx rod wasn’t super impressed with how it felt, looked at the intenza rod not too bad but for the money you could do better.

 

 I was also looking at loomis, but at this time I didn’t want to spend that much money, in my humble opinion loomis starts at glx and up from there. I really love the action of the extra fast loomis rods though. The weight range on there extra fast rods throws me off a bit on lures.

 

 I found a 7 foot 1 inch daiwa tatula medium heavy extra fast at sportsman’s warehouse yesterday and decided to buy it. I think that it will be good. I didn’t really have the extra money for it but, I learned a very hard lesson 2 years ago I think. Dobyns just came out with there bfs casting rods seen a few in a store around the same time I got my curado bfs reel. I did not have the money at that time either, didn’t buy it. I have not seen one of them sense.

 

 I collect quite a bit of stuff, I am very finicky on colors and rod actions. I like to be hands on and colors have to be just right. The joys of being a collector, I am putting my tatula elite reel in 8.1 ratio on my new rod.

Hello, I'm Volzfan59. I haven't purchased any new fishing equipment in four or five months (I think). Yesterday, I fell off the wagon. While bouncing on the concrete floor, I ended up purchasing two new BPS Crankin' Sticks, four Rapala BX Brats, and two rod covers. I'm going to do better.......... until after Christmas.

6 minutes ago, volzfan59 said:

Hello, I'm Volzfan59. I haven't purchased any new fishing equipment in four or five months (I think). Yesterday, I fell off the wagon. While bouncing on the concrete floor, I ended up purchasing two new BPS Crankin' Sticks, four Rapala BX Brats, and two rod covers. I'm going to do better.......... until after Christmas.

Once an addict, always an addict.   Stay strong brother, you'll beat the tackle monkey demons  ?

3 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Once an addict, always an addict.   Stay strong brother, you'll beat the tackle monkey demons  ?

It's really my fault, I've been bragging about how little I've been buying. Did it to myself!

Went in to compare the Rebellion VS. Zodius VS. Levante in a 7' Medium Fast do all spinning rod......I just can't get over buying a $200+ rod "made in China".   I know it's stupid, especially when you look at how beautiful each of these three rods are made.   The Levante was made in Vietnam IIrc fwiw.   Some great member the other day said they had compared the three and he walked away with the Rebellion.    Based on feel, weight, and ratings......that member was correct.    I was shocked to see it not have a hook keeper though.    The MegaBass Levante was easily the most beautiful rod of the lot, just heavier than the Rebellion. 

 

But as you guys know......the monkey was throwing a hysterical fit when I told him we weren't buying anything, embarrassing the both of us in a packed store.   What else could I do?

 

I went in for the Armor Shad to be fair, but every single color except this one was sold out.   These things are magic as trailers on flashback minis and minimaxs.    

Needed a better carry system for the kayak rods and I couldn't pass up the deal on an explorer.

3 minutes ago, NorcalBassin said:

Needed a better carry system for the kayak rods and I couldn't pass up the deal on an explorer.

Dude that's fantastic.....I've been meaning to start a thread asking for options for carrying your rods to and from the boat.   

 

Beening using a Spro that is 30yrs old.   Works good but I like that design better.  I'm going to try that out.    

Sweet big swimbait as well.   

Been catching 90% of my fall bass on underspins so ordered a dozen more ?

17 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Dude that's fantastic.....I've been meaning to start a thread asking for options for carrying your rods to and from the boat. Beening using a Spro that is 30yrs old.   Works good but I like that design better.  I'm going to try that out. 

It works even better than I thought it would. I can comfortably get 8-9 rods in one (including individual sleeves), but since I'll probably end up bringing 10-11 combos some days I figured I might as well buy a second one to give the spinning and baitcasting setups their own space.

16 hours ago, NorcalBassin said:

Needed a better carry system for the kayak rods and I couldn't pass up the deal on an explorer.

 

We got my son in law one of these Rod Runners for Christmas last year. It only holds 5 but he seems to like it. They make it in a 3-rod holder too for those short trips.

Good things arrive on your porch in little brown boxes, courtesy of Mr. Jones (aka The Bait Monkey ?) 

On 11/5/2022 at 12:17 PM, volzfan59 said:

I ended up purchasing two new BPS Crankin' Sticks

I don't know if there's a better Crankin rod out there for the money. The 7'3" H is a pretty good chatterbait rod too.

My wife saw the box and asked what kind of wrapping paper I liked.  So this is my Christmas Bait Monkey purchase. I will have to wait until the ice melts before I can use any of it. 

 

 

 

I received an invite to the Toxic Baits Chicken and Biscuits Holiday Toy Drive event over this past weekend. I picked up a Wad3 Hogg wake bait with a pretty cool color scheme.  I later found out I won a couple of raffle prizes?.

10 hours ago, J._Bricker said:

I received an invite to the Toxic Baits Chicken and Biscuits Holiday Toy Drive event over this past weekend. I picked up a Wad3 Hogg wake bait with a pretty cool color scheme.  I later found out I won a couple of raffle prizes?.

That’s awesome 

I decided to dip my toes into the high end rod pool. So, I bought a g. loomis gcx 843 crankbait rod. I’ve read mixed reviews about the rod, but am satisfied.

I also purchased a Spro fat papa square bill. When the rod is delivered and I use it, I’ll post a picture and review. 

On 11/8/2022 at 10:30 PM, FishTank said:

My wife saw the box and asked what kind of wrapping paper I liked.  So this is my Christmas Bait Monkey purchase. I will have to wait until the ice melts before I can use any of it. 

 

 

 

I've been playing with that Evoke 4.0 this fall. They are pretty cool, got to have the right gear to throw it, crazy vibration.

4 minutes ago, PotatoLake said:

I've been playing with that Evoke 4.0 this fall. They are pretty cool, got to have the right gear to throw it, crazy vibration.

 

Ya, it's a heavy big bait. I have a Megabass Valkyrie that can go upto 2oz. I have thrown the Big M, which is 2oz., with no issues.  I was planning on trying it out yesterday since my wife let me snag a few goodies from my shipment before it went into her Christmas vault but never got around to it. The fish were biting on BFS stuff.

Decided the bait monkey couldn't wait for Black Friday deals, so I ended up buying a few things this week.

 

Stopped at BPS and picked up a couple of RES 2-taps, and a pack of Berkley Gilly 90mm (which I'll need a smaller hook for, 3/0 EWG is too big)

 

Then today my SLX MGL showed up, new SLX A 6'10" M to pair it with should be here tomorrow. And picked up a crosseyez chatterbait to see just how much better (if at all) the startup is versus my tuned chatterbaits.

Still loving Digitaka's shipping time - less than 72 hours from placing the order, shipped from Kobe, JP to my door.

 

This is going on a Victory 7'2" MH/M as my new prime crank rig.

 

The Fuego CT on the Fury 705CB is being relegated to spinners/chatters.

4 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Still loving Digitaka's shipping time - less than 72 hours from placing the order, shipped from Kobe, JP to my door.

 

This is going on a Victory 7'2" MH/M as my new prime crank rig.

 

The Fuego CT on the Fury 705CB is being relegated to spinners/chatters.

I was just looking at those on Digitaka. The Christmas JDM bait monkey might have to slide one under the tree.

On 11/11/2022 at 2:10 PM, Aaron_H said:

And picked up a crosseyez chatterbait to see just how much better (if at all) the startup is versus my tuned chatterbaits.

 

Update: It's exactly the same startup as the base models I tuned. In the future I'll save a few bucks and tune them myself. I do really like the O'Shaughnessy bend hook, though. Wish the OG model had that.

I know this isn’t a recent purchase, but I wanted to give a shout out to Daiwa USA and their Warranty Department. My last fishing trip I broke one of my favorite rods on a little pound and a half punch fish. 
I was extremely pleased with the rod that arrived a little over a week later ?. Thanks again Daiwa USA

Dang my local fun store is running "Daiwa Days".....on the reels obviously it just makes it clear again how amazing the deals are from JDM. 

 

However they have the Tatula Elite rods for 179......Rebellion rods for 169, and Steez AGS rods for 450.....that's 100 off what they normally cost.   Plus you get a free hoodie.

 

I was stunned to read "made in China" on the Steez rods.   My older Steez rod is JDM.    

 

Monkey still got me for almost 60 bones.    @ol'crickety how did I do on the Whopper Plopper?    Do I just straight retreive this thing like a buzzbait?   If I catch a 7lb+ fish on it, I'll send you a few for free

 

This makes my fourth color in the 3" Armor Shad......every single color works as well as the last.   Got the MegaBass Secret Jigheads after watching a Tactical Bassin video last night lol.   And finally I bought another BD Shad because they are dynamite.   

 

Nachos baby!