I really like the SLX BFS for bass fishing. Casts all those ned rigs, small hard baits and all that common with finesse bass fishing. The reel struggles with really lightweight stuff but, it wasn't made to cast UL lures. It's basically the Curado BFS and Scorpion BFS for less money. Some small diffe...

That Phenix Classic BFS is nice. It can lack power if you are reefing in hogs around docks and such but, great open water rod. Super fun with dink bass too

Those are some tanks!!!

I have used mono for years on spools that say "no mono". I usually use 4lb and do not put more than 50m on. I do not use a lot of pressure spooling the line on either.

I would go with the Aldebaran, it’s the best casting BFS reel out there, just my 2 cents…. ...but not the best skipping reel. Centrifugal brakes are never as easy to skip with as a mag brake reel. Why? Not sure, tbh, just my experience. Look at Shimano's true bfs reels. They are alll magnetic braki...

Daiwa SS AIR TW. I have been skipping weightless plastics a TON lately. Definitely catching fish I wouldn't have otherwise.

I been skipping a 1/10oz Trokar Ned jig with a 3" Zman TRD. The beefier hook help yank fish out of cover. Dobyns Sierra Series 701c with that lure combo is deadly.

I know the Rayz Spectra series is quite versatile. I fished one a bit when my buddy had one. Handled moving baits and jigs quite well.

Tip is soft and tapers nicely into the butt section. The butt gives in a progressive way.

Zander has been publishing video coverage of a whole mess of items. There is coverage on the TackleTour main page with all the links.

Their frogs are up there as one of my favorites.

St Croix have their own reels now. Other than that, nothing popping out yet this year.

For really any leader, I run it so the leader knot is between the reel and the first guide. Usually does well for me casting and also for pitching, as the leader "should" be out of the guides if you are pitching at that leader length.

I like the 23 better all around. More gear ratios, smooth, casting is improved, reel feel slightly more comfortable...price is less than the 17 as well (mostly due to the exchange rate).

I haven't quite figured out sizes either. Is 70 and 700 the same, then 100 and 1000 the same? What size is the Aldebaran? I considered the Metanium also. But I wanted the lightest possible to prevent fatigue. I caught 4 bass this evening on the Alde using a small jig with trailer. It's such a stran...

so way back in 1997 my first high end rod was a Fenwick CoFi 57 rod, which was a made in the USA rod along with their Techna AV rods. It was $192 Canadian which at the time was a lot for a rod. Fenwick released these two rods as sort of their 'come back' models I believe that were made in the USA a...

Aquaftm45 wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 19, 2023 3:50 am

Maybe there is a good reason, but I don't understand why they don't just sell the JDM models in the US.

Tiemco basically uses the Fenwick name to make rods for the Japanese market...at least I heard.

That would make for some distributor issues.