$300 UL Rig

[PancakeFace22]

The TSRs are excellent rods. I use mine all the time and love it. You really can't go wrong with one.

My next ultralight purchase is going to be a Phenix Elixir 7ft 1 piece. I held one at the Bassmasters Classic last year and loved the way it felt. It had a really nice fast action with a soft tip and more backbone than I would have expected. I'd say they're worth a look.

[ultralight]

My family uses the Pflueger Partriarch 9525. Excellent size 100 reel for the $ About $170 or less on ebay. Very rigid. I like the Shimano mentioned too but they are more flexible.

UL

[sqhertz]

I just went with the 6'9 UL river runner to go with the 1000 ci4. Maybe next year I'll splurge on the Tsr. Hopefully by then, I can find one locally.

Thanks to every one for their input!

[gillchaser]

I just went with the 6'9 UL river runner to go with the 1000 ci4. Maybe next year I'll splurge on the Tsr. Hopefully by then, I can find one locally.

Thanks to every one for their input!

I think you did good ! Don't forget to give us a full report on how it fishes once you're able to get out with it ! Gillchaser

[sqhertz]

Got the stradic in spooled and broken in. I'm still waiting in the rod but I threw it on the procyon in place of the President I had on there and wow. Smooth, amazingly light, excellent drag, tons of power for being so tiny and it looks awesome too.
I tried to get the peacocks to play but they didn't want to come out with these back to back fronts we've been getting. However.... The largies are all different stages of spawn. Saw tons of fry in the 3 spots I went today with some slim and some very round adults. Including this one who I think didn't even know she was hooked until we made eye contact then it was on. She insisted on digging deep into the grass against the canal wall but I turned her around and got her out.
Not sure of the weight but measured about 22 inches against the rod. I was using 15lb power pro, 4lb trilene xl leader and a 1/8 Spro phat fly.

[uljersey]

Well done That's a nice chunk on any rig, had to be a blast on UL.

[sqhertz]

Thanks! It absolutely was!
It was a rush getting her away from the wall. Luckily the water was low enough that some rocks were above the surface for me to climb down and stand on. I was certain the leader was going to break either from being roughed up by its mouth or the rocks. To my surprise, not even a knick!
First good fish of the year too. Good times.

[gillchaser]

Nice catch !

[sqhertz]

BTW, the one thing that would make the reel better would be a cork handle. Otherwise I'm extremely happy with it.

[Teal101]

Do it right and do it sexy lol

Shimano Cardiff Ci4 C2000 they are nicer than Stradic Ci4 and can usually be found for near the same price with yen where it's at.



I own 3 now one for every Loomis TSR rod I have love them to death.



When I was younger, with less money, Pflueger President XT were my go to spinning reels. When the Patriarch came out I thought it would be a great light weight match for a NRX DSR. Worst spinning reel I've ever owned. Maybe they are better now but every one I handled in store was as clunky and cheap feeling as the one I bought. The reel really showed it's flaws under pressure it was not a smooth experience under load. It's soured me on Pfluegers

I love that reel.

[smalliesteve]

The 1000FJ does have an aluminum frame. Are you thinking of the Ci4+?

Just an FYI, Shimano has a long history of not clearly identifying the fact that their 1000 size reels have graphite frames even in series where the reels are advertised as using metal frames.

Found this out the hard way when I bought a prev. gen 1000 Saros. The stem was so soft you could easily see it flex with a little pressure. Read the papers and oh yeah, it's graphite unlike all the rest of the lineup.

Last time I checked this out, every 1000 spinner cheaper than the Sustain had a graphite frame, and at that time they weren't mentioning that variation on their site or even on the reel box.

Whole thing soured me on the big S. I might still buy a Stella, Vanquish or that Cardiff, but those are all I'm interested in from their spinner lineup.

-Just checked their website, the only spinners that they even mention body material are the Stradic CI4+ and the Saros (new graphite)

[sqhertz]

I also had a saros 1000f and the frame was definitely graphite though I believe the large models were metal. They did not advertise that but bass pro did/does. Odd. I went in knowing that so I wasn't surprised but I agree about their lack of details on their own site.

[PancakeFace22]

Huh never knew that the 1000FJ didn't have an aluminum frame. I owned one for a short time and only used it for a few trips, but it really felt like it was too solid to be graphite. I was fishing with a 1500 size Certate and my 1000 Ci4 on those trips as well, so I figured that I would have noticed. Thanks for pointing that out guys.

And wow congrats on catching such a nice fish on the Ci4+ already! Those Florida largemouth are beautiful.

[sqhertz]

Thanks. I've hauled in similar fish on the Graphite saros and never had an issue. Shimano must know when and where to use that material. They just need to do a better job at making it clear on what models.

[SteveSchmelzle]

You sure the Shimano Stradic FH 1000F isn't an aluminum frame?