Fishing Equipment Reviews

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Shimano Twinpower 1000FD and 5000FD

Well it's been a few years since I bought these spinning reels.  Like I mentioned a little bit about the 5000 size for catfishing and it has been great.  The winching power on this reel is very robust for it's size.  I think I may have to dig up the old Stradic 6000 reel that is a class up and bigger and heavier to make a winching power comparison.  No hurry in that.  That Stradic 6000 is very heavy and is designated on my surf rod.  I may need to get a weight check on that.

Anyways I need to talk about the 1000FD size spinning reel.  Really I don't really have a need or want for a spinning reel and this was just at a moment rash purchase.  After using it for a while, it's been very good if not phenomenal.  For an ultralight/light spinning reel, it's performs like a tank of a reel.  The smoothness and precision, the winching power on command actually made me more worried about my fishing rod breaking rather than having any thoughts that the reel is struggling.  Big carp do present it's own challenge or fish fighting methods.  But for white bass, I'm telling the fish, that they are coming in and the reel is telling them that they are coming in.  They have no choice but to listen.  In a sense it seems to have the winching power in similarity to that of bait casting reels.

For the purpose of ice fishing...it's defeats ice fishing purpose.  Way overpowered for panfishing.  I always thought my Stradics did very well, but this Twin Power does an even better job.  I think that single piece handle has a lot to do with it too.  Sure I miss the handle breakdown, but when the fish bites and it's a bigger than expected fish, it really shows the purpose of reeling in a fish.  With this reel I think I forgotten my fishing style of lifting the fish with the rod and reeling up the give.  I just turn the handle slowly with the proper load on the rod and whenever the drag isn't clicking.

The new 2024 Twin Power reels that replaces this one is supposed to be even better...It's gonna be a long time before I have a need to retire these ones.  Maybe another 20 yrs if I am still kicking a fish bucket for fun.

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Major Craft Jigpara Blade bait

comes in 4 weights
length     weight
1-3/4”   3/16oz
1-3/4"   1/4oz
2-1/5"   1/2oz
3"          5/8oz

Seems like I just bought it and it's put on clearance.  I thought this was a very good lure and the action initial start up was very responsive.  I mostly used it for ice fishing so far and the two lighter weights.  They are the same body length at 1 3/4" long.  The 1/4 oz. weight was way more pronounce for straight vertical ice fishing jigging.  I caught fish the very first time I used these lures for ice fishing.  Both crappies and walleyes bite was strong.  I also didn't get any line tangles while dropping the lure and while jigging.  That's probably the bigging factor for using blade baits for straight vertical jigging.

It is also rare to find lighter weight blade baits as most are in the 1/2 oz. or heavier weights.  So these were a blessing.  Years ago I did try some small Cicada blade baits but I didn't have any luck with catching fish on them.  These Major Craft Jigpara blade baits was totally different outcome.  It could've just been coincidental but the results are what they are.  They also proven to still catch fish afterwards on subsequent uses.  These lures have definitely moved up to my A list and will always be a priority for first lure use, just behind a simple jig and plastic like a Mimic Minnow Jig.  If anything these lures somehow have the "it" or "wow" factor in a lure.  Just something that makes fish bite it over other lures.

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St. Croix Premier 7" Heavy Fast Spinning rod

The basic staple of St. Croix rods is the Premier line up.  They do everything basic and a very good job of it.  With many things about the rod components to the assembly and even the placement of those things.   This rod is rated for 1/2 oz to 1 1/2 oz. lure weight.  If anything St. Croix usually does a very good job of line guide spacing and choosing just the right size.  There are 7 line guides plus the tip.  The line guides are double feet line guides, expect for heavy duty.  The physical weight of the rod alone is 5.82 oz.  So it stands as somewhat a heavy rod.  For what my intended use is bait fishing for catfish.  My typical sinker weights are usually 3/4 oz. or 1 oz. sinkers.

As for actual field use, yes it does it's job very well.  I have the Stradic 5000FL reel paired with it and 50# Berkley X9 line.  I have a top shot leader of 30# Excalibur Silverthread mono about like 15 feet length.  The reel has a very good winching power and precision being all new compared to the retired Stradic 4000FG.  Since I did do most of my fishing at night, well not much to see because it's dark.

Since it pretty much just a sit around rod, I've switched the reel to my the Ultegra 4000 reel which used to be on the Ugly Stick Catfish rod.  On it is 50# Berkley Whiplash.  The Ultegra reel is not as robust as the Stradic, but it's just a sit around rod combo.

Shimano Teramar SE 7' Heavy moderate fast spinning rod.

Since I was fishing this sort of side by side with the 7' H St. Croix rod.  Originally I had the Stradic 5000FL on this rod.  Since I've acquired the Twin Power 5000FD reel, it's been paired with.  The Teramar has 8 line guides and double feet guides too.  The line guides on this rod is much larger about twice the size of the compared 7' H St. Croix rod.  It does make the rod appear to have very tight line guide spacing but it's not.  Rod is also rated for 1/2 oz to 2 oz. lure weights.  The physical weight of the rod comes in at a heavy 8.58 oz.  The reason why I got the St. Croix 7' H rod is that sometimes it was difficult to detect softer fish bites on the Teramar rod.  It is afterall one level stronger and heavier than the St. Croix rod.  That also translate to a little more power in the fish fight.  Also the round rubber butt seats in realy well in the hip pocket for leveraging against larger fish.  With the Twin Power 5000FD reel, winching fish in is even more robust and easier over that of the St. Croix Stradic 5000FL combo.  While the St. Croix 7' H will take on a standard spinning rod sock, the Termar SE 7'H needs a larger sized diameter rod sock.

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Don't know if it was ever discussed or talked about but our favorite inline spinners.

Worden's Rooster Tails

Cheap, effective, and catches our favorite white bass.  The lure is made of rather cheap components and the body is just a lead mold with paint.  The feather is what's made of rooster hackle or tail feathers hence it's name. It really is a great lure, but also one of the worst choices in terms of performance.  First you never know if you get a good working lure or not.  It seems that half the time, it's a wreck.  It don't spin.  The blades don't spin unless you rip the lure to get it starting.  That's if it works the on the first rip.  Sometimes you might have to do it two or three times.  That's assuming that the treble hook didn't get caught on your line during the cast.  Color selection for Rooster Tails are awesome.  So many to choose from and so many patterns too.

Mepps Aglia spinner

Cheap, effective, and catches all sorts of fishes.  One thing about Mepps Aglia spinners that excels over Rooster tails is that the blade spins very easily.  The blade is also much thinner and that's what makes it so effective.  The lure is assembled with brass components.  The lure comes typical in plain all metal or a dressed treble hook of buck tail.  Mepps are old school, typical silver, gold, or copper blades.  White, black, or natural brown dressed trebles with a little red accent attractor yarn.  The biggest shortcoming of Mepps Aglia is that they don't seem to cast as far.  That blade catching air and deflecting the lure, often tumbles in the air.  Which at times does make the treble catch onto the line.

Blue Fox Vibrax spinner

Cheap and different alternative.  It's also found at your favorite wally world.  The hollow bullet head immitates a minnow head by design.  The components are cheap, the blade is sort of thick and heavy.  The hooks rusts easy if you don't dry out the bucktail.  The body head is hollow and there's a brass die inside that supoose to creat noise as it hits against the hollow head body.

Panther Martin

Cheap and offset blade design.  If one thing about this inline spiinner is that the offset blade is a guarantee to spin everytime.  Body is a lead drop.  Cheap components overall.  One call slow roll this inline spinner and have it run much deeper.

There is also a lot of other choices of inline spinners.  Even Rooster Tails comes in variations like one made similar to a Panther Martin named Vibric.  One made similar to Mepps named Sonic.  Mepps inline spinners have many other variations like the Lightning version with a willow leaf blade.  The Comet with an Indiana style blade.  The Thunderbug with a spade like blade immitating insect wings pattern.  The Marabou inline spininers with a wide tear drop blade and of course marabou feathers.    Blue Fox also has a varition of inlines spinners called Flash spinners.  The other one a Minnow spinner is basically a Rapala Floating minnow body threaded onto the inline spinner. 

When fishing in a crowded area, sometimes having the same lure works in your favor.  Sometimes having the different inline spinner works better.  Sometimes having the one that casts further is the ticket.  Sometimes the one that spins best, is the hot lure.