New Fishing Pole

[Reporter]

The flourocarbon and mono lines don't give fast enough action/power to the piercing on bigger fish. I keep loosing them as they shake and pull their heads side-to-side.

I've used 15-20# braids with 6-8# leaders for anything from crappies to eyes, and green and white basses. For cats and carps, I hardly use leaders.

[VillainousHero]

Sometimes the fish bite down on the lure so tight or just lucky where the hook point doesn't penetrate into any flesh.  I've caught walleyes where I pulled the fish in and as soon as the fish opens it's mouth the lure comes out.  There was one where I remember in ice fishing that the hook bend was just on it's large fang.  At anytime if it open it's mouth and did a head shake, it would've unbutton very easy.

Gars are the most notorious for not getting hooked because of all their teeth.  The hook is often just caught in their teeth and not in the flesh.

[Reporter]

Even treble hooks can't pierce some times.

[VillainousHero]

Gotta get those super sharp hooks like Hayabusa or Owner brands.  I've replaced some lures with the Owner Cutting points hooks.  The first few times I used them, they cut big gashes into fish.  So I learned afterwards that I don't need such a huge hook set.  Just a wrist flick is enough 99% of the time.  Or just let the fish hook themselves and just keep reeling.

[Reporter]

Ok. Thanks. I like that.

But some fish are so smart, even if you let them swallow for a while first, they still spit the bait out. I can't believe that.  I don't know how they can tell the difference between a hook and something else when the hook is hold that yummy bait already. I've seen thistle heads and even just weeds in the guts of some fish--that means they eat things that aren't even meaty foods.

[VillainousHero]

Ooops, did it again.

Shimano Poison Adrena 7'2" M casting rod. 

Don't need it, but since Joe's 50% off, I had too.  Wonder if I should go back and look again...but from what I saw, people were just hoarding like 5-6 rods in their hands. 

and they were also holding like 2-4 reels in their hands too...

[Reporter]

I've tried very hard to resist buying any more. But they are so tempting. I go to Cabela's and can't help it but go around those St. Croix pole stands and take them out to feel  how they bend...If I don't get myself out quickly, I know I will buy one and another and another each time I'm there.

[VillainousHero]

I think that some of these people just buy stuff to re-sell it.  There's about no way someone will just walk in and pick out like several expensive items.  Well there is, but when I see how people re-sell stuff and say never used or used just once and they be asking for like $20-50 below retail price.  I'm like nope, it should be more like 1/2 off the retail price.  Cuz if I was gonna sell my used stuff that's how it should be, sold as used for 1/2 off or more.

Myself I'm more like if the item is still there after a month or several months gone by, then perhaps it was still waiting for me.    Sometimes I really want something but then it's sold off when I come look again after several weeks.  I know I wanted a St. Croix ML casting rod 6'10" for a long time, but they no longer make it.  That's when I started to branch off and look more into different brands.  Really at the heart of it, I'm still an Ugly Stik guy. 

The brand new Ugly Stik Inshore rod retails for $100 and I'm so tempted to order one.  Then I ask myself what am I going to use it for? I've already gotten all my catfish rods covered.  My trout and crappie rods covered.  My white bass fishing covered.  All my ice fishing rods are covered.

Now it's just about trying newer things and that's the only purpose they fulfill.

[VillainousHero]

So I did dare to go back there to Joe's.   As I proposed that sometimes they will go dig up the old rods that they have hiding in storage.  They brought them out and tagged them for current retail price of current products. 

I found the St. Croix 6'10" MLXF casting rods.  It's been off the shelf and out of production for like 5 or so years or more.  Last time I saw this rod was at Cabela's cuz I used to work closer to that location and went there after work.  That was six years ago.  When they were in production the price would've been around $220 retail with price increasing towards $280 on the last year of production.  So yeah, I had decided back then I wouldn't pay full price for it and waited for a discounted sale price.  They must've just stuffed it into storage.  Like usual the lazy people at Joe's had been quite unhelpful because I've asked and talked about this rod for years.  They've always said, not in stock.  Well it's always been in stock this whole time.  In stock in the off site storage location.  Well it's a vintage rod - sort of now.  Score!

[Reporter]

I don't have any nostalgia for any pole or reel. All I  want left is a trout fishing pole. But I don't care about a fly-fishing set. I have that and I don't like it. But I'm also not sure of what to do with it. I just keep it with me to look at. It's too light and long that I find it myself hard to like it. So, the customized one from Rochester will be good. Just haven't had the time to make it down there. Now that hunting is starting on September 1st, it likely will be next spring or January before I get to Minske in Rochester.

I thought Joe's has some incredible Hmong employees. There's a guy who spooled my reel with braid that I've liked a lot. Not sure if you ever ran into him, "cuz" he would go the extra yards to find anything in stock for you.

[VillainousHero]

Yeah, back when Roger used to work there, he would definitely take the extra time to look, but he retired.  I'm not familiar with any other people at Joe's even though I'm there often.  Plus one has to be a tackle junkie to really know there stuff.  I've had people look at their inventory system and they didn't find what I was looking for.  Meaning they did not know what I was looking for.  Alas, I've finally found it.

The line guides are micro guides in the upper tip section.  I couldn't get my Spro #10 swivel to pass through.  I need to find a smaller swivel maybe #14 size to try out later.

So some backyard practicing with the 6'10" MLXF LTB rod and comparing it to the Shimano Curado 6'10" MLF rod.  The St. Croix is designated as a dropshot rod.  So checking the rod tip load and it's a drop shot rod.  It has the extended tip section as similar drop shot rods will load up as.  Kind of like an Ugly Stik extended tip load.  In comparison the St. Croix has a softer tip.  The full load is a soft progressive load typical to normal ML rods.  It's is almost identical to the Shimano Expride 6'10" MLF spinning rod at this load.  So back to the casting motion the St. Croix rod has a softer load to it as well or rather a lighter load.  I can feel that familiar feel of a tip section snap when I put a little more jerky motion into it.  When I slow down just a bit, it's very smooth.  In part it has that same familiar feel of the 6'10" MXF LE rod that I benched.  In mostly because of the reel seat is wider and this LTB rod has that similar wider reel seat.  That's what most throws me off because I must be putting the fulcrum of my cast right there and the wider reel seat hinders my feel at that point.  If I use a more traditional pistol trigger grip hold for my casting, that wider reel seat is perfect for that feel.  Which is fine if I revert back to that method, but that means switching hands after the cast.  Which is also the typical holding position for power overhead casting.  It's better for the trigger finger to hook onto the trigger.

The current handle reel seat designs of the Victory/LTB rods are much much better.  They just don't produce this particular ML rod in casting anymore.

[Reporter]

Pole makers always test new ideas. So, new ones are always being made and old  ones are discontinued.

I have sampled enough kinds out there to see which ones are top. But the few I've come across, I like what I have so far. It's also just a matter of getting used to the poles. Once I'm there, I can swing them in any way and feel good about them. It's usually how they perform when a fish is caught that concerns me more. Can a pole handle the fight of a big fish? Can I get to enjoy the vibrations if the fish is too small, like a crappie or white bass? Etc.

[VillainousHero]

For sure, I've been very satisfied with my Ugly Stiks for a long time.  Since most of what I used to do is bobber fishing or bottom rigged fishing.  So a lot of just waiting for a fish to bite.  A lot of useful experience with the individual too.  There's always that one person so seems to catch more fish than the rest.

I'm not as experience as those, so I need all the help I can get.  I will rely on better tools that helps me.  I'm just happy to get that experience.  That's why the first St. Croix 6' Light spinning rod I bought really means a lot to me with lots of sentimental value.  All other rods I purchased afterwards really do get compared to that one.

[VillainousHero]

So after a few days practicing with the St. Croix 6'10" MLXF casting rod and getting used to it.  I'm beginning to see why this rod is very good, well at least the rod blank action and power.  The direct comparison is the Shimano Curado 6'10" MLF casting rod.  I also still have the Phenix M1 6'9" MLF casting rod too.

Overall component assembly has to go with the Phenix M1.  It has Alconite ring inserts and the reel seat is very functional in design for both traditional trigger grip and palm grip. 

The Curado rod does a better job at casting lures over that of the Phenix M1.  Partially due to the design copy filtering down from the Zodias rods.  It has the feel of it can take a lot of use and still provide good performance. 

The St. Croix being a $300 retail rod, does edge out just a little better as far as performance.  The tip section of the rod is just a tad bit more sensitive and has a much better load progression.  At first I thought it was kind of like an Ugly Stik tip load but actually not.  I went and double check with the older 6'8" MXF and when I line up the tip sections according to tip, they were identical is the extra fast tip load.  Before that I had the rod reel seats aligned and misjudged the tip load while in comparison.  It gave the false visual impression of the longer rod having a longer tip load forward.  Still the heavy and bulky design of the reel seat and grips is what kills this rod.  It was designed for people with Xtra Large hands.  Especially the foregrip on the design is really bulky. 

[Reporter]

I like a cork handle for any size pole at all. There's just a better grip with the cork than with rubber or other synthetic materials. Not that cork is more real. But it just holds better.

I've come to one decision on poles: no long than 6' but not shorter than 5'5". With this length, I can point the pole anywhere and swing with accuracy. Great for distance as well as narrow corners and spots that the bait just has to sneak into. The feel is just as great, too.

So, still waiting to go to Rochester for that trout pole that would be customized.