Wanting to hear what you’re all using for your top finesse set ups?

Pflueger President-25 on a Dobyns Fury 702SF - 8# Suffix Elite.

Most recently I've dipped my toe into the Diawa Pool . . . 

Drop Shot & Neko Rig AGS Spinners

I like it.

A-Jay

   St. Croix Avid-X 7' ML/F with Shimano Stradic CI4+ 2500 FA, with 6 lb. Stren or 6 lb. Magnethin.  Best wacky-style rig I ever saw. I said I was gonna give up soft plastics for this year, but after thinking about this rig, I may prove myself a liar.   ?    jj 

Powell 712 with Stradic ci4.  Bait monkey is telling me to get a tatula elite tho.

Shimano Zodias 6'8 ML with a Stradic ci4 2500 spooled up with 15lb Sufix 832 and if I use a leader it's 8lb Sniper

Ci4 looking pretty popular

5 minutes ago, Teal said:

Powell 712 with Stradic ci4.  Bait monkey is telling me to get a tatula elite tho.

Do It ~ 
here it is in action . . .

 

A-Jay

5 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Do It ~ 
here it is in action . . .

 

A-Jay

Thanks Andy, I love the video man!   I've bought two of the reg tatulas in casting models  in the past month...and I'm so impressed. I'm def drinking the daiwa tatula kool-aid.  I really want to spend a few extra bucks and go up a class for the elites.  Planning on giving my son my powell.  I just wish I would have spent the extra money and got the elite on the jig rod I got.  

 

One question though, I know you seem to be pretty organized and are pretty careful with your tools and equipment, but have you noticed any problems with the AGS guides.   Alot of the reviews on the them are negative and they are being made out as brittle.  

6' 10" ML/XF LTB with a Tatula LT 2500.

Steez SV TW on a 6'10" ML Omen with 8lb Invisx. Need to get a better rod, but I've yet to find one I like more. Spinning is a Certate LT 2500s on a 7'6" ML Tatula Elite AGS with 15lb stealth grey Smackdown.

852s/dawia kage lt 2500

Currently Shimano Stractic reels and MajorCraft spinning rods.

Tom

3 hours ago, Teal said:

One question though, I know you seem to be pretty organized and are pretty careful with your tools and equipment, but have you noticed any problems with the AGS guides.   Alot of the reviews on the them are negative and they are being made out as brittle.  

I've only used the ags Elite for a couple months, but I've yet to have any issues with straight braid or with leader knots messing with the inserts. They do make a different sound than typical guides. I think the best vote of confidence is St Croix putting them on their flagship model. It's easy for Daiwa to toot their own horn, but another highly respected manufacturer putting them on the top dog shouldn't go unnoticed. 

Just got a BFS rod and reel combo: MajorCraft Benkei 6'5 UL paired with a Daiwa Alphas Finesse Custom with a borrowed Ray's DIY SV spool and I'm really liking it so much that I've been going for dinks/bluegills at my neighborhood pond over taking the boat out for LMB and snakeheads. I have 8lb Power Pro on it, and it can cast a true 1/24oz minospin with distance and accuracy, the rod is rated for 1/32oz but I don't have anything that light to throw, but I will try that when I get one.

7 hours ago, Teal said:

Thanks Andy, I love the video man!   I've bought two of the reg tatulas in casting models  in the past month...and I'm so impressed. I'm def drinking the daiwa tatula kool-aid.  I really want to spend a few extra bucks and go up a class for the elites.  Planning on giving my son my powell.  I just wish I would have spent the extra money and got the elite on the jig rod I got.  

 

One question though, I know you seem to be pretty organized and are pretty careful with your tools and equipment, but have you noticed any problems with the AGS guides.   Alot of the reviews on the them are negative and they are being made out as brittle.  

Thanks ~

 No problems with the guides for me.

As you mentioned, I think I handle my gear in what I'd consider a reasonable manner.

You have to know the tackle gets 'fished', just doesn't get beat on.

How the gear is stored and transported can also determine the user experience.

Mishandling might be an important but often omitted aspect of those 'reviews'.

btw - I love those guides. 

A-Jay

Currently my top 2 are a St. Croix LTB 6'10" ML/XF paired with a Daiwa RG and a 6'8" M/XF LTB paired with the same reel. I've been thinking about upgrading one of the reels to a Ballistic LT which would make either one pretty much a dream setup!

Steez SVF 7’ ML fast with an Exist 2506 spooled with 7# Sunline shooter finesse.

 

Also the Steez 76MML AGS with an Exist 2510 is another combo I use often.

 

For now anyway. ?

Edited May 22, 20206 yr by Scrapiron

Fenwick HMG 6ft med/fast action. Shimano Sahara 2500 reel. Older Lews Speed Stick, graphite Tennessee handle, 2500 Shimano Sedona reel. 6 or 8lb mono line on both.

G.Loomis PR844S/ Stella 2500/ Tatsu #5

 

4 hours ago, A-Jay said:

You have to know the tackle gets 'fished', just doesn't get beat on.

How the gear is stored and transported can also determine the user experience.

Mishandling might be an important but often omitted aspect of those 'reviews'.

Love it more than once if I could.

 

My current and favorite finesse set ups in order are my:

 

Lew’s Carbon Fire Speed Spin 200 paired with a 6’9” Medium Light Carbon Fire Speed Stick. 

 

Lew’s Mach 2 Speed Spin 100 paired with a 6’7” Medium Light Mach 2 Speed Stick 
 

Lew’s Mach Smash spinning reel size 200 Paired with a 6’10” Medium Light Lew’s Laser SG1 Speed Stick

4-8lb mono on them at any given time. 1 set up has 10lb braid

Shimano curado 6’10 M with Stradic ci4 for all around Finesse Ned, Neko rig.

Shimano Crucial 6’10ML with Tatula LT 2000, for Ultra Finesse and Crappie setup.

G. Loomis WPJR 821s GLX rod (Mag-Light/XF)

Shimano Stradic CI4+ 3000 with 10# Seaguar Smackdown

A couple months ago I picked up a St Croix Mojo Bass MF 7' and paired it with a Daiwa BG 2500. This was my first non-low-end rod, and wow - the sensitivity is incredible! The rod inspired my to add STC LF, MHF, and HF rods as well (please don't tell my wife). I do have trouble setting weedless wacky hooks with the M rod, so plan to start using the MH for those. 

 

The reel is great too - very smooth, and I can see it lasting a long, long time.

 

Fenwick HMG ML/F.

DIAWA BG 1500

10lbs Sufix 832 Coastal Camo.