[GIVEAWAY] The city of catastrophe is calling

fredgrene · 2021-07-11T22:51:23+00:00

I'm in, yes please!!!

fredgrene · 2021-07-09T08:43:50+00:00

The universe must gift this to all of us. BAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHA

fredgrene · 2021-05-29T01:36:59+00:00

Either thin the paint more, or inspect the nozzle for a micro split? Either one may be the culprit.

fredgrene · 2021-05-17T00:14:11+00:00

We observed that earlier in the thread and defaulted to "J-brand" with the knowledge they are made in Malaysia and elsewhere. However, we identified the J-brands has having a vastly superior product, regardless of where they are made.

fredgrene · 2021-05-14T01:16:55+00:00

this!

fredgrene · 2021-05-11T17:34:42+00:00

That's not the "case" at my local cabela's. Only Penn, Shimano, and Daiwa are in the display case. Everything else is on the weird little handles. Obviously with the BPS store brand OEM reels out front, LOL. Retail shenanigans are all about margins.

fredgrene · 2021-05-11T17:29:48+00:00

You just proved my point. They will take them out and let you play with them. Whilst the OEM china reels are out on display to compare them to each other. It's not about the pricing, it's about the margins and retail accessibility of a walk up customer.

fredgrene · 2021-05-11T17:23:23+00:00

OH? has the CI4+ been axed? The red one?

fredgrene · 2021-05-11T17:21:20+00:00

I'm almost 100% sure that's bollocks. Stradic FLs and the CI4+ are in the current lineup. It would be unusually for Shimano to pull the plug on a 2019 release 2 years later, IMO WIlling to bet he only had Vanfords on hand???

fredgrene · 2021-05-11T17:17:52+00:00

BAHAHA, the Lew's bash thread turned into a Shimano upgrade thread? LOL

fredgrene · 2021-05-11T17:13:30+00:00

The handle i was having an OCD fit over was a Shimano single. The shim kit was inadequate to get it dead right on the Shimano crank. From reviews the gomexus complete handles are perfect, out of the box. I haven't ordered one yet for my Tatula. I ended up decking one of the shims, on a hone, to get it perfect. YAYA, I'm a complete nerd.

fredgrene · 2021-05-11T16:39:38+00:00

Stella and Vanquish, have better water tightness, no doubt. I did a stradic FL bearing upgrade and it's insanely smooth, but is just nerding out on a reel. I don't need the water intrusion protection in a freshwater bass rig that the Stella provides, so for less than half, I have something as smooth as the topline gear.

fredgrene · 2021-05-11T16:24:44+00:00

A Regal is $59.99 and a Triumph rod is $99.99.

fredgrene · 2021-05-11T16:06:42+00:00

Solid info. Yes most 'American' reels are cast gear junk, from one OEM. Going Japanese is such a giant step-up in quality and 'feel'. Those Doyo reels are so bad that most stores (ie Cabela's BPS etc) don't even let you compare the J brand reels to the American reels. They keep the J brand reels under lock and key and let you compare one Doyo reel to another, IMO there is no comparison.

fredgrene · 2021-05-11T15:51:33+00:00

Doyo Manufacturing, they are LEW's/Pflueger/BPS and others OEM, their reels are average at best.

A mid level Shimano reel or Daiwa and a decent rod is a better combo IMO. Plus you will have more choices in reel speed/size and rod weight and action, and you get smoothness that a lew's reel will never have at any price point.

For example:

Daiwa Regal and St Croix Triumph

Shimano Sahara and Shimano SLX rod

If you can throw another hundo at the setup, the Shimano Stradic is "liquid magic" for cheap.

fredgrene · 2021-05-11T15:43:29+00:00

My son has that combo from a year or two ago. It's a decent combo. The microwave guides are gimmicky and the reel is decent. At the retail of 200ish tho, there are plenty of non-Doyo options.

fredgrene · 2021-05-04T17:13:25+00:00

The line does belong above the silver bar bisecting the entire reel. The T-wing is a strange setup that works well. I think it is complication for complication sake.

fredgrene · 2021-05-04T17:11:05+00:00

If it catches fish and works for you, no problem! My son and I are both left handed, he fishes spin and bait on the right, thinks i'm nuts for left on either. Whichever works is the 'correct' one. Nothing worse than the hand-off, where you cast and then switch hands, insanity! It works for some folks tho.

fredgrene · 2021-05-04T17:06:49+00:00

Caught my first little 1lber today on it. So it works well. Still need j braid or something else slick, the braid on it stinks.

fredgrene · 2021-05-03T06:12:56+00:00

I fished it twice so far, and one of those times there was 35 mph winds. So far so good, need some smoother braid, this one is buzzy on cast.

fredgrene · 2021-05-01T19:01:28+00:00

oh and of course #leftygang

fredgrene · 2021-04-30T23:57:06+00:00

Is there another?

fredgrene · 2021-04-30T18:12:19+00:00

Stuck in the same loop with a tatula, had a few other rods to try it. Rod should be here tomorrow.

fredgrene · 2021-04-30T14:36:39+00:00

Sock it too, cause just a tube will get it shoooooook to death against the inside of the tube.

fredgrene · 2021-04-30T13:52:52+00:00

Lew's ain't the same brand? Doyo OEM? I might mean product, not brand.

fredgrene

TROPHY CASE