PainInTheBass

I also have a Smokercraft (Millentia) and find that depending on the size and configuration of the guides on spinning rods, they will not fit into the rod locker tubes. My solution is to not put them in since my more valuable rods are all baitcasters. I haveheard of people removing the tubes and being able to fit more rods into those slots. I am not sure if that will work for allowing a spinning rod to fit since the hole would still be only slightly larger than the tube. If it does work, be careful putting your rods into the holder, and removing them. I fear the loss of some guides.

What was the lure weight you were trying to cast and what rod is the Curado paired with. You may be having issues with a rod that is too powerful to load properly with the lure you are casting? Just an idea.

I was under the impression that one of the reasons for not fishing for bass during the spanw (particularly on beds) is so that their eggs/fry do not get eaten while they are off of their beds. I think that is the only real time when I would not want anglers catching bass.

I have an Abu c3 4600 that I use for my deep cranking. It is my only non-Daiwa reel that I use, and I love the thing. It casts heavier lures incredibly well. The non-disengaging levelwind system is great for ensuring that the line lay is always even on the spool. The non-disengaging levelwind means that on a cast, the levelwind continues to move side to side as the spool spins. I do not think that most Daiwa round reels have this. While it helps with line lay, it also means that some of the energy that goes into a cast is used for driving the levelwind system. However, numerous aftermarket upgrades are avilable to minimize this energy loss. I have done this to my c3 which is why it casts so well. While I cannot say how it performs in comparison with the other reels mentioned, I do not think you can really go wrong with such a tried and true round reel.

Flukes (white, baby bass) White double bladed spinnerbait Lipless Cranks (silver black/silver blue)

Almost all of the reels in my current lineup have been bought off eBay or from various fishing message boards. I have also bought a computer processor from someone off of Kijiji. Thus far, I have lucked out, and had great experiences with people. I am going to be selling some stuff, and some of others' experiences will hopefully prep me for dealing with flaky buyers and casual inquiries.

Isn't this message from last year? It's dated 2012

As others have said, the E series is a very popular platform that has since been replaced with teh G series. The G series is based on the frame from the lower end Caenan frame. By many accounts, it is not as refined as the E series. The Chronarch E is a repainted Curado E series reel in case you want a Curado E series from teh current lineup. For reliability and performance, ou cannot really go wrong with a Curado E. The reason they skipped F is because in the Shimano lineup, F series reels denote front drag spinning reels. R series denote rear drag spinning reels.

Last year was the year of the soft plastics for me. I can proudly say that I caught most of my fish all year long on soft plastics. Prior to last year, I had rarely used anything outside of hard plastic lures. With that said, I am hoping to continue improving my soft plastic skills as well as learning to fish bass jigs better. I think I have caught all of 3 fish on bass jigs in my life. I also want to keep a better, more detailed fishing log.

I agree. If there is any real difference, it is likely within standard deviation.

I have never seen any increase in casting distance personally either. However, here is the reason: in order to determine whether casting distance does indeeed improve, you must rewrap the exact same blank with the guides and test cast. Even though 2 blanks could be the exact same model, from the same manufacturer and lineup, each blank is slightly different. To eliminate all other variables, you need to wrap the same blank with the same components and test cast each with the same reel. Casting distance or not; I prefer micros for the improved feel.

This is why I spiral wrap my micro guides. I get to use the same number of guides and eliminate line rub. I also get the benefit of eliminating torque on the blank and on the wrists when fighting fish. The following link is to a page from Angler's Resource - Fuji's exclusive rod component distributor in the US. http://anglersresource.net/TheoryoftheKRConcept.aspx This page describes Fuji's KR concept guides which are micro sized guides for spinning rods. It explains better than I could their theory on micro guides and the potential improvement on performance - including casting distance. There is a lot of talk in rod building that the reasons mass rod manufacturers have not as quickly adopted micro guides and spiral wraps and the such does not have as much to do with performance as it does producing a product for the masses.

I build rods with guides that are on the border of micro sized. For me, the big draw is the weight balance of a rod built with small guides. The smaller guides reduces the weight in the tip of the rod, which improves the feel of the rod IMO. The better balance can make the rod feel lighter and more sensitive. With respect to reducing line slap; that is one of the theories regarding guide placement on a spinning rod. The choker guide basically brings the guide train down to the size of guide that you will be using out to the tip. On a cast, the line oscillates around the spool as it comes off. The larger the guides, the wider the oscillation, and the more line slap you have, impacting casting distance. Smaller guides help to tame the line slap and improve casting. WHen picking guides, the rule of thumb I got with is pick the smallest guide I can while passing all knots/leaders through. Currently, I haave used as small as size 4 guides with 30 lb fluoro tied with an alberto knot to 50 lb braid.

Daiwa S O L baitcaster and a custom ultralight baitcasting rod for soft plastics. I caught my PB bass on that as well as a musky. Too much fun.

I am the same. Cept I have no cottage. Just owning a cottage would be an upgrade.