I added a pair of Tekota 501HG's to the line up. They'll be handling my muskie live bait duties going forward. Gonna spool 'em with Fins 100# XS Big Game. 

 I have a pair of 7'6" XH Big Cat Fever rods on the way to pair them with. They sport aluminum reel seats, and double foot, one piece stainless guides, assembled on a XH S-Glass blank. Pretty bullet proof construction.

 I watched a BUNCH of YT vids before settling on this rod. It should give good shock absorption while still providing the needed backbone for driving those big trebles home.

On 11/1/2024 at 12:45 PM, Bass Rutten said:

Couldn't resist, $148 on sale, Kistler KLX incoming...

I hope you had better luck than me. 

10 hours ago, lunkerboss923 said:

I hope you had better luck than me. 

What happened? I wound up returning it for a helium.

On 12/6/2024 at 4:37 PM, Smirak said:

As promised, here’s the new rod and reel.

 

Orochi XX F6-70XX, Tour Versatile

Daiwa Tatula SV TW 103 (7.1:1)

 

Ummmm, I really, really wish I hadn’t bought a MB. I do believe I haven’t seen anything so beautiful and elegant since my granddaughter was a few hours old!!

 

 

What’s the tour versatile weigh? 

4 hours ago, Bandersnatch said:

What’s the tour versatile weigh? 

I’ll have to get back to you on that. Just ordered another Tatula and another Orochi XX; Diablo Spec-R this time. Along with a crapload other stuff from TW.

Weight of tour versatile ~155g

New rod/reel with Diawa JBraid Grande x8, 50lb.  Line feels real good and supple. Some braided lines are more “stiff”. This braid is very supple and not stiff. Excited to try it out!

5 minutes ago, Smirak said:

New rod/reel with Diawa JBraid Grande x8, 50lb.  Line feels real good and supple. Some braided lines are more “stiff”. This braid is very supple and not stiff. Excited to try it out!

 

I have the same braid  in 8 pound on a spinning reel I used for ned rigs and absolutely love this stuff. 

9 minutes ago, Eric 26 said:

I have the same braid  in 8 pound on a spinning reel I used for ned rigs and absolutely love this stuff. 

Yeah, TW still has it on sale for their 12 days of sales. Ends on the 7th. I’ve been running either Seaguar Tactx (pretty dang stiff, but good cost and easy to find locally) or Suffix 832 (pretty much a strictly braid guy). This stuff is going to start replacing those. I can get it “locally” (about a 45 min drive) at Lake Guntersville, but may stock up on different sizes from TW before the 7th. One thing of note is 50lb is the same dia as 12lb big game mono (I use it as a backing). 

Daiwa tatula ct 7.3. My first "big" reel purchase with 40lb. Power pro.

Hello Darkness, my old friend. 

 

Steez Real Control 6'11'' MH Fast and a 24 Steez SV TW HL. The Bait Monkey is done for the year.

 

 

41 minutes ago, FishTank said:

The Bait Monkey is done for the year.

 

 

 

 

Who wants to tell him it's only January 17th? 

1 hour ago, FishTank said:

Hello Darkness, my old friend. 

 

Steez Real Control 6'11'' MH Fast and a 24 Steez SV TW HL. The Bait Monkey is done for the year.

 

 

Damnnnnn. Niiiice

1 hour ago, NorthernBasser said:

 

Who wants to tell him it's only January 17th? 

Heh, he probably purchased it on Dec 31, just didn't post right away.

New addition to my team of modest bait casting rods/reels.  Added to the jerkbait lineup.

Initial feel of Shimano Expride B 6'10" Medium is pretty amazing.   I can see why it's highly suggested.  Paired with Shimano Curado DC.  Long time before able to use, but pretty pumped.  Expect the rod to be a performer.  Hopefully the reel will be too.

 

Kudos to Tackle Warehouse for super quick delivery.  Ordered rod Tuesday and got Thursday.  

Wanted to try out Ark rods, so i got one of the new Wes Logan Leatherman do everything regular Action rods. Then the baitmonkey wanted another SS Air for the 7'6 Cashion BFS 

 

My off season haul.. 2020 metanium hg.. 2024 vanford 3000..nrx plus 852s..shimano expride b 7'2 mhg and 6'10m...

Haven't used them, but they do feel much better than i thought Legit Design rods would. Not tip heavy either.

On 1/17/2025 at 3:27 PM, FishTank said:

Hello Darkness, my old friend. 

 

Steez Real Control 6'11'' MH Fast and a 24 Steez SV TW HL. The Bait Monkey is done for the year.

 

 

Have you fished it yet? It's a little too stiff/powerful than i would have liked it to be. Still trying to figure out what I'm going to use it for.

7 hours ago, 4g63power said:

Have you fished it yet? It's a little too stiff/powerful than i would have liked it to be. Still trying to figure out what I'm going to use it for.

Not yet. The lakes are still frozen here. 

 

I did toss a 3/8oz jig around my front yard. I was able to pitch it pretty easily for about 40 feet or so. If I had a 1/2oz jig on, I could gotten further.  It balances well and loads easily.  I too noticed how stiff it was when it first arrived but once I got a lure on it, it felt softer at the tip. 

 

That's all I got on it until the ice melts.

3 hours ago, FishTank said:

Not yet. The lakes are still frozen here. 

 

I did toss a 3/8oz jig around my front yard. I was able to pitch it pretty easily for about 40 feet or so. If I had a 1/2oz jig on, I could gotten further.  It balances well and loads easily.  I too noticed how stiff it was when it first arrived but once I got a lure on it, it felt softer at the tip. 

 

That's all I got on it until the ice melts.

Definitely feels more like a classic jig and worm stick, even frogging. This is not one of those typical JDM versatile JDM MH rods. I should have known this because RC 610M was stiff/powerful too for M power rod to be used for jerkbait and treble hook baits. 

53 minutes ago, 4g63power said:

Definitely feels more like a classic jig and worm stick, even frogging. This is not one of those typical JDM versatile JDM MH rods. I should have known this because RC 610M was stiff/powerful too for M power rod to be used for jerkbait and treble hook baits. 

That's what I was thinking.  I was surprised at the feel of it. Extremely light but powerful.  Like a frog rod or a jig rod. Its sort of unique. 

 

I also considered the 7'1'' MH X-fast and the 7'4'' H. I can't imagine a faster rod or a more powerful one for that matter in this series. I am excited to see how it fishes.

24 minutes ago, FishTank said:

That's what I was thinking.  I was surprised at the feel of it. Extremely light but powerful.  Like a frog rod or a jig rod. Its sort of unique. 

 

I also considered the 7'1'' MH X-fast and the 7'4'' H. I can't imagine a faster rod or more powerful one for that matter in this series. I am excited to see how it fishes.

73H has faster taper and short stiff solid tip which actually loads up and casts very nicely, i really like that rod. still haven't caught anything with 611mh so can't say if the power band is the same but they sure feel like it. I also have the 71mh-st but still haven't gotten a chance to fish it. From just playing around with it, feels and bends near identical to steez fury c70h-st, solid tip is shorter but may be tad bit stiffer than the one on fury. Fury is rated H power but it definitely fishes like MH to me.

St Croix had this in their Factory Store in their 'Retired Rods' section - for $125 I couldn't pass it up.

 

7 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

St Croix had this in their Factory Store in their 'Retired Rods' section - for $125 I couldn't pass it up.

 

Great snag!