Update: @RipzLipz user error on spooling the first time. It spooled up fine now. 
 

Im not sure if the braking system on this Winch iteration is the same as the previous generation. I love everything about the previous generation.
 

This iteration is once again more comfortable and I really like the knobs as opposed to the previous gen. I’m going to wait before I give you an answer on my thoughts on this reel’s braking. Right off the bat, I had problems when I put it on settings that I would use for the previous gen. However, my big spinnerbait is anything but aerodynamic. I found settings that will work, but my brake dial is sitting way way higher than I’m used to. 

@LrgmouthShad Let me go check mine. I think the Revo4’s had the Infini brakes where you took the side plate off & slid switches on & off. The Revo5’s braking is not like that - no internal adjustments, just external dial. It’s like the MGX but with 6 arms instead of 4.

@RipzLipz you can probably guess what I didn’t know about 🙈. Do you have the old winch already? I don’t meet too many people on here who own a winch but I’m a fanatic for those reels. They are cranking and spinnerbaiting machines.

5 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

A very Merry Christmas to all

@NorthernBasser

 

You got me! Nice haul, my man. What rod is that? iRod Genesis? (edit-just saw it is an iRod)

 

I have a few of the previous Tat 100's. Definitely gonna check one of these out. 

@LrgmouthShad I have the Gen 4 Winch. Looks like this:

 

The Gen 4 Winch has a different braking system (Infini) where you can take off the side plate & adjust the sliders to turn on & off individual brakes. The Gen 5, which is what you have, does not have the Infini but rather IVCB-6 (Infinitely Variable Centrifugal Braking) with 6 non-adjustable brake legs. If you unlock the side plate & carefully remove it (turn reel so handle is down) you will see 6 white legs - those are the brakes that fly out during the cast. From my experiences with the MGX reels, you can throw very light baits when you adjust both tension & braking correctly - lighter rods help as well.

 

ETA: I only use this reel for deep divers & A-rigs. Most other moving baits I use my 6.4:1 MGXs & love them.

What I didn’t know was that you could adjust internal brakes on the Gen 4, embarrassing for me to say.

 

I have two Gen 4s

 

It’s interesting that you only use the winches for heavier moving baits. I just made a comment to @thediscochef recently that I felt that the gen 4 winch does not do well for light baits. Perhaps with the different braking system of the gen 5, it may handle lighter stuff better.

@LrgmouthShad There is a switch on the lower rear portion of the Gen4 reel. That locks the side plate on. Slide it down & you can remove the side plate, which should pull away from the reel but remain attached to a shaft. Rotate the side plate out of the way & you will see those red/orange sliders. Moving the sliders outward from spool shaft will turn them on. Moving inwards will disengage them. Abu recommends 4 on, 2 off as a starting point. I would turn off opposite brakes (180° apart) if any at all.

 

The Gen5 brakes may require a higher brake number setting than you had on the Gen4. I seem to recall Abu recommending getting brakes & tension set as follows with chosen lure tied on & reeled to point where you’re ready to cast:

 

• Turn brake setting to 0 (lowest setting/least amount of brake).
• Turn tension knob so it’s tightest (max tension - knob should not be completely torqued tight).
• Engage thumb bar so spool is free; lure should not fall unless way too heavy.
• Slowly loosen tension knob until bait begins to slowly fall without spool overrunning (no loops).
• Reel up & make a cast. If distance is less than desired, loosen tension 2-3 clicks & repeat cast.
• If you get overrun/backlash at end of cast, apply 2-3 clicks on the brake side until it goes away & repeat as necessary until cast feels comfortable to you.
• If spool wiggles right & left, tension is too loose & reel may make odd screams at some point during cast.

The above is just for help if you need it - not trying come off like a know it all. I typically have to play around with both a bit to get it dialed in just right, mostly when changing lure weights or wind present.

 

 Feel free to PM me if needed.

Senator, I cannot confirm nor deny the purchase of that reel without clarification of your context of the term, “ purchase.”

@Columbia Craw "Since you’re having difficulty answering directly, allow me to rephrase the question for you then, Mr. Craw. Did you steal that reel?"

 

I decline to respond under the advice of my attorney.

 

That guy looks like globogym's founder (ben stiller) before he lost weight.

 

@KP Duty It’s Marty Huggins (Zach Galafianakis) from the movie The Campaign with Will Farrell.

Monkey bit me one last time for 2023. Took advantage of the rod sale at TW, and purchased a gift card for 10% off to pay. Brought the out the door total down to $230.40

Few new rods. Daiwa Tatula Elite (2023 model, non AGS). 7'4 MH/Mod. Wanted another crankbait rod (and maybe bladed jig in open water). I plan on mostly throwing lighter cranks/flatsides on this. These new Tat Elites just feel so nice. I bought the 7' ML/Mod. casting rod earlier this year and just love it. It's a fun little rod for throwing squarebills and lighter lipless. They have really improved these from the previous version. Lighter, better-looking (IMO) and the new reel seat is extremely comfortable. The rod weighs only 4.32 oz, which is great for a rod that size. I'll likely pair it with Tatula SV TW that I already have.

 

The Dobyns is the 744 "Jig Rod Special". I didn't need another jig rod, but figured I'd give this a shot. Definitely feels more like an open water/rocks jig fishing rod than flipping/grass. Not sure what reel I'll stick on here yet. Right now I slapped the Tatula Coastal on it just because it looks so purdy. But I make pair it with a Curado 150 MGL.

 

 

 

 

 

 

@NorthernBasser Dobyns’ Xtasy DRX-753 & 754 are my favorite jig rods by far - so light & sensitive. Really like their rods after years of using Falcons. Champion XPs are fine rods as well. I feel their CB Champion XPs are awesome for most moving baits & topwaters. I wish they made some XPs in lower power rating for smallmouth applications. Granted, I’m typically not hunting DDs so a 4 power doesn’t seem too underpowered to me. 5 power would be slight overkill for most of my fishing locally but I still have a few for those "just in case" trips/situations. Great people at that company IMO.

I was looking at the Xtasy's and Extreme's. Before this the only Dobyns rods I have is a Sierra 734 and Kaden 715. Oh, and a Fury 795 SB rod. How are the weights on those Xtasy's? I know Dobyns rods run heavy (but they balance very well) but I'm assuming at that price point they have to be quite light?

 

I've heard good things about the XP CB rods as well. I was actually looking at them before I decided on this Tatula. 

@NorthernBasser I can tell a difference in weight with the Xtasy being very light IMO. I also have a Champion Extreme HP but the tip is quite a bit softer IMO compared to the Xtasy. I didn’t like the Extreme HP as much - just too soft of a tip & made me feel like I had to really set the hook harder to get a decent hookset. The Xtasy is a shade stiffer.

 

With that being said, I’m often sitting (due to boat used) when I fish so I usually am not able to get a powerful hookset compared to someone who fishes standing up. Both are very nice rods, I just liked the stiffer feel the Xtasy seemed to have. It’s also worth noting in both cases I use the split grip versions & they balance just as well as the full grips IMO. Very nice looking rods, too.

Anyone familiar with Bagley lures?  I won this in a raffle.  Its a Bagley Rumble B 09.  The container says its runs 8-10 feet deep.  I like the perch color.

I've never fished their jerkbaits before but I have a half a dozen of the Bagley Balsa crankbaits. Many times you can pick them up on some good discounts just because they aren't as popular as other brands out there. They are based out of Minnesota part of Northland Fishing Tackle.

Guess I didn't even realize is was a jerkbait.  I thought it was a crankbait based on the shape and size of the front lip.

 

Either way, it will definitely at least get tried next spring.

It is a crankbait, didn't pay too much attention to the lip, probably would be a good trolling bait for pike & walleye.

Picked up my new rod lineup, Powell had a BOGO deal on the Naked rod series on Cyber Monday. Also found a $60.00 off/per rod on the (2) Max series rods. 

 

 

 

That's a '23 Tat Elite?  TW photos look darker...

 

Yeah. The lighting on the TW pic is just darker (and lighting in the room where I took my pic was bright), that's all. Here's the new model on the left vs the old on the right. And a pic off Daiwa's website.

 

 

I love the Xtasy 755.  Everything about it feels like a MH, especially the weight, but it has serious backbone.  I also love that a full handle is so balanced, that I can be comfortable with any weight reel on it, 6-8oz.  I don't pitch/flip much but this is the rod I like best w/ smaller profile baits.  Great big worm, heavy swinghead, and heavy swim jig rod as well.  I find it just as sensitive as other higher end production rods, ie conquest, steez, p5, it's just the feel is slightly less sharp.  I never feel like I'm missing anything that a rod would compensate for.  I haven't ever fished an extreme.

 

scott