Great collection there MTBF! I gotta get some of those Big M 4.0's!!! I'm kinda in the same boat you are.. Transitioning to throwing bigger baits more regularly and not so much finesse. I just moved from Iowa to St Paul, MN, so fishing northern MN lakes as well as a trip to Ontario once in a while :...

DS has been one of my go to techniques when nothing else will work.. or the guarantee for the wife to get bites :) Wifes rig: OG black Cumara 6'8" with a 1000 CI4 (circle hook is key) My open water: NRX822DSR with a Stella 1000FG. Nose hooking a plastic. My brushy setup (trees in 20'): Custom LTB dr...

The TD-Z was a step up from the TD-X. http://jdmfishing.com/daiwa/td-z/ There is one gear set available for the LH TDZ 103ML/100ML, and it is a 7.1:1 ratio available from The Tackle Trap. If you like the size/shape of the TD-Z/TD-X/TD-S, then have a look at the original Daiwa Zillion. Same shape/siz...

Nice lineup!!

NICE!!! Is that on a Diablo??

Who made the spacers? I keep looking for a set of 36 to 34mm spacers, but cannot find any. I have one set of 36 to 32mm in a "Big Bass Special"

Awesome write up / notes and pics Cristo! I'm in a very similar boat starting down the swim bait path and making a concerted effort / dedication to just throwing big baits this year. Moving from Iowa to Minnesota, I've sold all my Hudds and replaced with hard baits and stocked up on paddle tails, pr...

I used to work for an outdoor retailer and I saw similar to above everyday, usually without the pro influence. Trying to convince someone a Gen 1 13 Fishing Omen on clearance is a better rod at the same price than an Ugly Stix for jigging walleye is tougher than you think. He was convinced I was ge...

I use a NRX822DSR with a Stella FE1000. Mostly drop shot finesse, but I have thrown some micro jigs and small jerk baits with success.

You said someone tried a Pixy spool in the new Steez. Was he a machinist who was willing to mutilate a spool? Or did he make spacers I think I said he tried the Pixy spool in the Alphas CT, but I meant that he tried the 30mm Alphas CT spool in a Pixy, and the spool flopped back and forth, because i...

For those of you that have the Morethan PE 1000 TW in the 8.6 version... How do you think it handle double duty with Frogs and Paddle Tails (1/2 - 3/4 oz + 5" body). I'm kicking around purchasing a new toy.. No concerns at all! Maybe put 40-50 pound braid on the spool with a fluro leader (when you ...

For those of you that have the Morethan PE 1000 TW in the 8.6 version... How do you think it handle double duty with Frogs and Paddle Tails (1/2 - 3/4 oz + 5" body).

I'm kicking around purchasing a new toy..

I use a Stella 1000 FE on a NRX 822DSR. Super light and balances great!

One other thing to check is the spool bearing pin. I didn't get one exactly perfect centered and it made a tick tick sound when retrieved.

My wife gets a Cumara black 6'8" spinning rod with a Stradic 1000 CI4. I've taught her how to properly handle the rod while fighting and landing a fish. She used to walk the rod down until she was holding it just a few eyelets from the tip while trying to grab a fish.. I was surprised it didn't brea...

I used to go to the Berkley outlet store and pick up the round Abu's.. C3's and C4's mostly. Eventually I figured out what I liked and didn't like...and the round Abu's were out for me.. Something about the size and edges I didn't like while fishing. I was always on the lookout for a 1601 IAR, they ...