Your Favorite(s) JDM tackle 1 year or more later

[Johnny A]

I would have to say TackleTour is probably the most "must-read" fishing website on the 'Net. There is something for anyone along the fishing spectrum and there are a few flamewars but I haven't seen any of the personal insults that pass for commentary on some other sites.
That being said, there isn't much turnover in membership but there are new members added all the time. There are other long-term members ready to try the "Enthusiast" experience. Perhaps it's time for some of us longer term enthusiasts to share our own recommendations or positive experiences with some of the tackle we've used individually and why it's maintained such an important part of our personal fishing arsenal.
Is it the ito 103m or perhaps an Antares DC or Palms, Evergreen or Daiwa Battler Rod perhaps its a lure or line brand? The only condition, must have 1 year or more tenure in your tackle selection and a paragraph or two.
Thanks!
J

[raul]

Love my Pixies ! I think they are fantastic little reels.
Like my Alphas ( Type F and Itö ), great reels !
Megabass Bait X Concept, the banana shape gives away the good vibes.

[tonym]

My vote goes to the Shimano Scorpion. Shimano Japan hit a game winning home run with that reel.
That little reel has time and time again proved to be one of the best little finesse baitcasters of all time JMHO.

[Snidley]

I'm doing well right now with Chinnook salmon using Lucky Craft Stayssee 90's in Aurora Black and Laser Black Ghost. Someone recomended the lure in Aurora Black last year and i bought similar colours that didn't work but now i have the real AB it works like crazy. When the sun is high the Laser Black Ghost is the ticket. I'm giong to run some of the other Ghost colours as well and see how they do. Pointers and slender Pointers continue to work but I'm disturbed about Pointers in that I've lost several by throwing them off the line and my buddy has lost 3 in two outings, again, throwing them off the line. It's expensive and I wonder why I throw this lure off so much. By the way up here in Canada the Pointer has been knocked off by a Chinese lure maker and is marketed as a Silver Creek lure. It is an exact copy with somewhat less quality paintjobs but they do work very well. The ghost Perch is an outright killer for green fish like Bass, Pike and Walleye.

I just ordered an FLT Garrison Gracy swimbait that I'm going to try on Salmon. Has anyone ever used these lures and are they tough enough to hold a big 25-30lb Chinnook? I'm not worried about the finish, I know it gets pooched but it looks in pics to be fairly stoutly made. I'm hoping it can take the abuse. It's about the size of a Rapala J-13 and they work well, at times, for Chinnook. This lure looks more sophisticated and realistic so I hope it is an offspeed pitch that will trick some of the spooked leviathons that are now coming inshore. I've managed to land over 50 Chinnooks since I started on them 3 weeks ago. Nothing pulls like a pee'd of Chinnook trying to throw a hook. Casting for them with beefed up Bass gear is the best freshwater fishing experience there is.
Snidley

[DanD]

I primarily fish jigs in deep weedlines. Over the last couple years I've bought, tried and sold most of the high end reels including Pixy, Steez, Antares DC, Alphas, Light I'ze and still find the TD ito 103 to be my favorite. Dan

[iangler]

I've been using my Antares 5 for over 5 years now as my go to reel for cranking. I've gone through TD-Zs, Antares DC, Antares AR, Metanium Mg (old and new), Calcutta Conquest, etc as alternatives to the Antares 5 but I always end up going back to the Antares 5 for crankbaits.

The antares 5 + ZPI spool is by far the best cranking reel IMHO. The only thing that it lacks is a good strong drag, but fortunately it's plenty for cranking.

The biggest reason why I stuck with this reel for this application is because of a few important factors.

1. It's ultra smooth, something that you NEED when cranking slow in colder months and when fish aren't as active.

2. It casts really well. Always important to get that crankbait a few feet farther.

3. Looks sweet even after 5 years (especially with the red ZPI spool)

4. Slow gear, ideal for crankbaits.

5. Very tough reel. Haven't had one problem with the reel, and I think it'll stay that way as long as I keep doing maintenance to it regularly.

[Derek777]

JDM things that ive gotten that are brilliantly awesome and stand out from the rest of the JDM stuff i have (most of the rest is good stuff, but some arent all theyre cracked up to be):
certate 2500r custom spinning reel: the ultimate spinning reel bar none.

ito vision 95 and 110 jerkbaits: awesome to work, they catch fish, and the 95 is my favorite goto jerkbait, even over xraps.

sunline shooter defier mono: best. mono. ever.

imakatsu javallons: awesome anyway i fish them. catch more fish!

B@ps cLiLs: awesomely fun effective topwater prop baits.

[Lightninrod]

My first JDM item was a Megabass PopX in their Bass color and I bought them about 9 years ago.....from Cabela's of all places. They brought many a Bass to the boat. I gave several away to friends too.

I tried various other lures after that and I can't remember them but recently, Jackall's Aragon cr/bait and their TN70 lipless lure have been on fire for me.

Kistler's LTA Heliums were my go-to rods for a couple of years and then I read a couple of Cal's reviews on the MB rods and....I now have 7 of them and would like to get one or two more but I'm retired. They are true works of art IMO and their performance is superb. Still use a couple of Heliums though.

JDM Daiwa reels are about all I use now though I still pull out an Antares AR once in a while. D.R.'s tuned Pixy and Sol are my current favorites. Still hard to believe such a small package has the 'guts' they do.


Dan

[brokeneye]

don't know if this applies or not but, the calais/antares has been the mainstay of my reel arsenal for 4 years now.

before that, i just thought the chronarch/metanium was bulletproof.

[mhood]

I have Pixilla #3 with a ZPI CPO 301 Mg Spool strung with 6# Yozuri Soft on my Evergreen Steed and it's getting so that I don't go fishing without this combo. It is a wonderful all-purpose light rig that can handle everything from 1/8 oz. Traps to weightless Senkos to 1/2 oz. cranks to 3/8 oz. spinnerb8s. I've caught a bunch of fish on it this season.

[reelblues]

I would have to say TackleTour is probably the most "must-read" fishing website on the 'Net. There is something for anyone along the fishing spectrum and there are a few flamewars but I haven't seen any of the personal insults that pass for commentary on some other sites.
That being said, there isn't much turnover in membership but there are new members added all the time. There are other long-term members ready to try the "Enthusiast" experience. Perhaps it's time for some of us longer term enthusiasts to share our own recommendations or positive experiences with some of the tackle we've used individually and why it's maintained such an important part of our personal fishing arsenal.
Is it the ito 103m or perhaps an Antares DC or Palms, Evergreen or Daiwa Battler Rod perhaps its a lure or line brand? The only condition, must have 1 year or more tenure in your tackle selection and a paragraph or two.
Thanks!
J

Thanks!!!

[DarkShadow]

My Conquest 100 by far.

I treat her like Cameron Fry's dad treats his Ferrari.

[AndZ]

Quoting iangler I've got two Antares 5 reels and been used them for the last 7 years! They work as good as possible after all that time - with regular maintenance of course. They're the best cold water slow cranking reels I've seen so far. They also got some tuning - ZPI carbon handles

Then it's my TD-Z Type-R+ 103ML I'm using for jigs and soft plastics. I've got this one since 2004 and now it received some extra-tuning: TG's ABEC7 ceramic rocket bearings and TD-Z 105 shallow spool modified with a Type-R+ inductor + Carbontex drag washers

One more: Abu Garcia Morrum SX1601C Forrel super-tuned with ZPI Mg spool, SIC bearings, carbon handle and Daiwa cork knobs. This reel can do it all...

Also owning two Antares DC - that I found excellent for long distance casting and Steez reels. Have had the Antares DC for almost a year... fished them hard for harbaits, fast moving baits, medium swimbaits etc. The DC system is second to none in the industry but when it comes to jigs & soft plastics I always grab my TD-Z Type-R+ and my Steez 100/103HL.

Now I'm looking for a TD-Ito 103HL new in box!!! I have to match my newly arrived EG TMJC-68H The Gunning Shaft Dengeki with a nice reel

[GamblerHydra]

I have to match my newly arrived EG TMJC-68H The Gunning Shaft Dengeki with a nice reel

congrats

[Cal]

Quoting iangler I've got two Antares 5 reels and been used them for the last 7 years! They work as good as possible after all that time - with regular maintenance of course. They're the best cold water slow cranking reels I've seen so far. They also got some tuning - ZPI carbon handles

Then it's my TD-Z Type-R+ 103ML I'm using for jigs and soft plastics. I've got this one since 2004 and now it received some extra-tuning: TG's ABEC7 ceramic rocket bearings and TD-Z 105 shallow spool modified with a Type-R+ inductor + Carbontex drag washers

One more: Abu Garcia Morrum SX1601C Forrel super-tuned with ZPI Mg spool, SIC bearings, carbon handle and Daiwa cork knobs. This reel can do it all...

Also owning two Antares DC - that I found excellent for long distance casting and Steez reels. Have had the Antares DC for almost a year... fished them hard for harbaits, fast moving baits, medium swimbaits etc. The DC system is second to none in the industry but when it comes to jigs & soft plastics I always grab my TD-Z Type-R+ and my Steez 100/103HL.

Now I'm looking for a TD-Ito 103HL new in box!!! I have to match my newly arrived EG TMJC-68H The Gunning Shaft Dengeki with a nice reel

AndZ - double congrats on the Dengeki

and you know, you could have saved yourself some typing above if you just stated "All the good stuff!" ...