This is my Alphas CT 6.3 outfitted with an AMO spool and Roro bearings.  Paired with my Major Craft Troutino 4'10", it makes for my favorite creek combo.  Most of what I fish are 1/16 Pins Minnows, Rapala CD1s, Eurotackle Z-Vibers, and Rapala Ultralight Minnows.  It pitches very well with the fixed inductor.  Most of my casts are within 10 yards and this thing is a laser.

 

Since we're talking about reel trim, some functional reel trim on spinning reel.

I have Vanquish C2000S matched with salt-finesse Yamaga Blanks TZ Nano rod - long, fast, seeming weightless, and XUL - powerful butt for turning fish. 

This is for winter glass minnows, where big fish don't exert much energy sipping tiny bait, simply because they don't gain many calories - it's opportunity feeding in structure and conditions that concentrate tiny bait. 

Fishing for strikes is the lightest feel.  Lowest-inertia Vanquish is the choice reel.  Cranking has instant start with no resistance, and when you stop, the reel drive does not push the handle and your hand.  Double and counter-balanced handles take it the next step, preventing gravity from turning the rotor on bail and handle weight.  This is Livre Union handle, and there's a good argument you feel more through the titanium knob than you would through rubber. 

Livre calls their reel stand a "balancer", and includes internal springs and weights that adjust to offset the handle weight.  Another handy add-on piece is a hook keeper, made by Livre, but only sold by SquidMania. 

Another good point about SquidMania, they offer every Livre handle with every Livre knob option, slightly discounted, and more cost-effective than buying handle and separate knob to swap.  Otherwise, Asian Portal has the best prices on Livre. 

2 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

Since we're talking about reel trim, some functional reel trim on spinning reel.

I have Vanquish C2000S matched with salt-finesse Yamaga Blanks TZ Nano rod - long, fast, seeming weightless, and XUL - powerful butt for turning fish. 

This is for winter glass minnows, where big fish don't exert much energy sipping tiny bait, simply because they don't gain many calories - it's opportunity feeding in structure and conditions that concentrate tiny bait. 

Fishing for strikes is the lightest feel.  Lowest-inertia Vanquish is the choice reel.  Cranking has instant start with no resistance, and when you stop, the reel drive does not push the handle and your hand.  Double and counter-balanced handles take it the next step, preventing gravity from turning the rotor on bail and handle weight.  This is Livre Union handle, and there's a good argument you feel more through the titanium knob than you would through rubber. 

Livre calls their reel stand a "balancer", and includes internal springs and weights that adjust to offset the handle weight.  Another handy add-on piece is a hook keeper, made by Livre, but only sold by SquidMania. 

Another good point about SquidMania, they offer every Livre handle with every Livre knob option, slightly discounted, and more cost-effective than buying handle and separate knob to swap.  Otherwise, Asian Portal has the best prices on Livre. 

That's really nice ? Good point about being able to feel more through livre titanium knobs.

@4g63power I remember a time I saw these pimped reels on ebay and wondered who would do that to their reel.  But after using them as I described, spinning reel pimp parts can be truly functional. 

This inexpensive reel stand, made by Tsubaki, has a rotating hook keeper. 

The stacks of o-rings can hold your line on a complex rig, and let you take it back to the first guide frame. 

23 hours ago, walleyecrazy said:

This may not be one of my highest end combos, but I think it just may be my best looking one. 

???

My Christmas rod arrived today. 

Been carrying my ZPI Alcance as a back-up reel for 6 months, and pondering the right rod for it.  The right rod stands down my heavy IM6 Crowder for MM niche, and really wanted to push out that MH end for big winter mullet imitations to 7/8 oz. 

Also wanted something lighter-in-hand than the IM6 Crowder for a long day in the saddle. 

I was considering a Waterloo custom, but already glad I made this choice for $150 less. 

I have the Valleyhill all-range BFS bass rod that I adore, and this year, they came out with a solid-tip boat "hard rockfish" that exactly meets my specs - lure weight 1/4 to 1 oz, and my favorite PE#1.2 braid.  It's 7'5" 2-pc, 140 g, but Ti-frame SiC microguides make the tip a feather - a removable balance weight on the butt is going to stay there - it works. 

The solid tip both adds light lure end and ought to give that moderate dog-walking action that matches my twitch. 

After casting 1/4-oz unweighted TSL Grasswalker to 140', took a few photos. 

 

 

 

I didn't get light to show the pretty dark emerald band in the blank,

but threw in some milk-jug light to get the reel seat. 

 

ok, here I got the light to show the emerald green band on the rod

4 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

My Christmas rod arrived today. 

Been carrying my ZPI Alcance as a back-up reel for 6 months, and pondering the right rod for it.  The right rod stands down my heavy IM6 Crowder for MM niche, and really wanted to push out that MH end for big winter mullet imitations to 7/8 oz. 

Also wanted something lighter-in-hand than the IM6 Crowder for a long day in the saddle. 

I was considering a Waterloo custom, but already glad I made this choice for $150 less. 

I have the Valleyhill all-range BFS bass rod that I adore, and this year, they came out with a solid-tip boat "hard rockfish" that exactly meets my specs - lure weight 1/4 to 1 oz, and my favorite PE#1.2 braid.  It's 7'5" 2-pc, 140 g, but Ti-frame SiC microguides make the tip a feather - a removable balance weight on the butt is going to stay there - it works. 

The solid tip both adds light lure end and ought to give that moderate dog-walking action that matches my twitch. 

After casting 1/4-oz unweighted TSL grasswalker to 140', took a few photos. 

 

 

 

I didn't get light to show the pretty dark emerald band in the blank,

but threw in some milk-jug light to get the reel seat. 

That is a beautiful match. Looking forward  to seeing  what you catch on the combo.

Been sick most of the week...don't know if its covid because monday is the first available testing date.  I've worn out the internet because I don't feel like doing much else.  I decided to contribute some reel pics.

 

Zillion 10's

 

Zillion 9's w/slp parts

 

Slp Zillion 8"s

 

Slp Zillion 7.3's

 

Tatula slp Crazy Crankets w/zpi parts

 

Tatula 8's w/zpi parts

 

Steez/zpi

35 minutes ago, KP Duty said:

Been sick most of the week...don't know if its covid because monday is the first available testing date.  I've worn out the internet because I don't feel like doing much else.  I decided to contribute some reel pics.

 

Zillion 10's

 

Zillion 9's w/slp parts

 

Slp Zillion 8"s

 

Slp Zillion 7.3's

 

Tatula slp Crazy Crankets w/zpi parts

 

Tatula 8's w/zpi parts

 

Steez/zpi

That's amazing. Thanks for sharing and hope you feel better soon.

4 hours ago, KP Duty said:

Been sick most of the week...don't know if its covid because monday is the first available testing date.  I've worn out the internet because I don't feel like doing much else.  I decided to contribute some reel pics.

 

Zillion 10's

 

Zillion 9's w/slp parts

 

Slp Zillion 8"s

 

Slp Zillion 7.3's

 

Tatula slp Crazy Crankets w/zpi parts

 

Tatula 8's w/zpi parts

 

Steez/zpi

? Those are some seriously beautiful reels. On a more serious note hoping you start feeling better and your COVID test comes up negative.

5 hours ago, KP Duty said:

Been sick most of the week...don't know if its covid because monday is the first available testing date.  I've worn out the internet because I don't feel like doing much else.  I decided to contribute some reel pics.

 

Zillion 10's

 

Zillion 9's w/slp parts

 

Slp Zillion 8"s

 

Slp Zillion 7.3's

 

Tatula slp Crazy Crankets w/zpi parts

 

Tatula 8's w/zpi parts

 

Steez/zpi

Wow!

I appreciate the comments.  I also have some 13 fishing reels I picked up last year for tournaments, incliment weather, or any time I just don't want to worry about reel rash.  The concept reels are small/palm well and the brakes are reminiscent of my old mg50's.  If they get rough in a year or two, I'll probably drop the new brass concept A gears in

 

Im running 3 different spool sizes in the concepts.  12lb/100yds (top), 12lb/75yd (bottom right), and 12lb/125yds (bottom left)

 

16 hours ago, KP Duty said:

Been sick most of the week...don't know if its covid because monday is the first available testing date.  I've worn out the internet because I don't feel like doing much else.  I decided to contribute some reel pics.

 

Zillion 10's

 

Zillion 9's w/slp parts

 

Slp Zillion 8"s

 

Slp Zillion 7.3's

 

Tatula slp Crazy Crankets w/zpi parts

 

Tatula 8's w/zpi parts

 

Steez/zpi

that was a great score of so many limited-run reels. 

Curious which ones were delivered this way, vs. those you dressed-up with aftermarket parts. 

Very impressive lineup. Probably one of the better ones posted in a while.

15 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

that was a great score of so many limited-run reels. 

Curious which ones were delivered this way, vs. those you dressed-up with aftermarket parts. 

The red 7.3 zillions are the only ones that cane that way from slp (2019 model).  The purple slp zillion 8's ('16 model) came with standard zillion 1016 spool and a black star drag, so I just added purple star's and purple 1012 soools.  Its the way they should have come imo.  The pink 9's are a standard jdm zillion 9.1's that I added slp pink stars and knobs, Gunmetal zpi CC cap and g1 1016's from my steez.  Slp Tat's came with a purple sv spool/black star.

Upgrading and gettingmy cranking set ups done .  First photo is the abu pro rocket 5500 cs 5:3:1 I picked up last month brand new for 90 bucks shipped off of Facebook. First photo on the right is my brand new diawa tatula 150p 5.5 ratio I picked up for $110 shipped from American fishing legacy via eBay.  I’ll use the abu rocket on my soon to be built deep cranking rod and the tatula on my shallow to medium cranking rod 

 

2nd picture is my new tatula 150p next to the 1st tatula sv tw 7:3:1 I bought 2 summers ago for heavy pitching and punching 

 

my rod and reel taste keep getting more and more expensive from just 4 summers ago. When I bought my first black max combo and my lighting rod combo with a accurist on it 

On 12/29/2021 at 11:50 AM, bulldog1935 said:

@4g63power I remember a time I saw these pimped reels on ebay and wondered who would do that to their reel.  But after using them as I described, spinning reel pimp parts can be truly functional. 

This inexpensive reel stand, made by Tsubaki, has a rotating hook keeper. 

The stacks of o-rings can hold your line on a complex rig, and let you take it back to the first guide frame. 

I never knew a reel stand was a thing but, I could see how it could stop your mid or higher end spinning reel from getting scratched when being laid down.

@Mbirdsley

What I like best is the hook keeper function - keeps your rod staged in kayak

and your line is never twisted on the rod guides

 

Just got the new

2022 Zillion TW HD 1000XHL

 

First thing I had to do was swap out the huge EVA power knobs, other than that I like it alot more than the silver one I got.

41 minutes ago, evo2s197 said:

Just got the new

2022 Zillion TW HD 1000XHL

 

First thing I had to do was swap out the huge EVA power knobs, other than that I like it alot more than the silver one I got.

Is there much difference between the two?

15 minutes ago, FrankN209 said:

Is there much difference between the two?

Initial observation not really, both are JDM, the HD has a brass main gear the 1000G being JDM has an aluminum main gear unlike the USDM version that's brass, the HD has an aluminum drag star the 1000G is zaion other than that I just think the black looks better.

2500CDL

That's some old school coolness

15 hours ago, Big-Bass said:

2500CDL

  Very nice!!!

Got two new combos a few days back for shakey heads and 1/4 keitech football jigs , first one is a:

Steez Racing Design 6101ML+FB, paired with a Steez CT SV

 

Second is a NRX+ 852C paired with Aldebaran MGL 31 HG

 

Both are very similar in power.

I spooled both with 8lb Tatsu.

Both rods were fished with a 1/4 tungsten swagger tackle shakyhead jig and a 7 inch Strike King 3x worm.

 

The difference between the two is eye opening but I'm not surprised based off my experience with the other models of the RD series I have, the NRX+ is heavier, less balanced, not as sensitive doesn't cast as well and doesn't look as good compared to the Racing Design, similar results when I compare my NRX+ 843C MBR to my Racing Design Hustler Finesse Tune MH solid tip, I Do not have a NRX 844 to do a comparison vs my Heavy powered Racing Design.

 

The difference in reels is more of a preference, the Steez CT feels more solidly built and in my opinion is less finicky casting a myriad of lures, the Shimano is plasticy feeling but gets the job done in a pinch it needs an update badly.

 

This specific Daiwa series is cream of the crop for the ultimate bottom contact rods, they just don't come in longer lengths some people prefer, the models I have range from 6ft10 to 7ft, and no the new 2021 Steez rods are not just as good, because I have those also, these RD rods are just Special, it's a shame they aren't more readily available.

 

The comparison is equivalent to a GLX VS a NRX+ the Racing Design being the NRX+

 

Anyways here's some pics.