'06 gear reviews anyone?

[ChiefLinesider]

Troublemaker small danny. GREAT
Glacier gloves. GREAT
Yo Zuri Hybrid for main line 20lb. SUCKS. Berkley Big Game still the Favorite.
Yo Zuri Hybrid 50lb for leaders. GREAT
Spro Power Swivels- 230lb for leaders- GREAT
Quantum Cabo PTS60. GOOD BOAT REEL. Sold after 1 month. Drag clicker broke. Spool would not flip over.

One of my best investments has to be my headlamp. Coast triplex LED headlamp. Lasts a long time without battery replacement. Gives you just enough bright light without being blinding. Very Lightweight. Comfortable. Durable but not waterproof.


Look forward to using new VS200 in 2007.

[fishpoopoo]

fresh menhaden chunk.

[BassNuts]

ABU 6500CS Mag-Elite with 6.3:1 gears, ABEC 5 bearings, ball bearing level wind and carbon drag washers...maybe the single best piece of equipment I bought in 2006. So good in fact that I'll order another one real soon.

[Steve K]

Fell in love with the breakaway ldfs 96-2M rod that I purchased in 2005. Never had a chance to really use it before this season. I needed something with some backbone but could still cast 3/4 oz plugs.

[EricM]

SMB1083M 9' 1pc Lamiglas S- glass: great addition to the arsenal- built for blooping a 1 1/4 white atom striper swiper around the rocks, but can launch a roberts whister and tins just right. Love that S-glass.

[zimmy]

Arra 1205- custom spinner. Love the way it fights fish. Can throw it far all night without much effort. Got balz.

706z- jury is still out. I love lots of things about it that I can't get in other reels in my price range but can I live with some of the other things for the rest of my life (kinda like gettin married just kidding if you are looking hun ...) Pros: dunkability, bail-less, wicked drag. cons: no instant anti-reverse, line pops of the guide too often, archaic spool design imho

Eben hogs and eels- work great lots of different ways. Bluefish love em

Point jude wobbles- work great with the above and other plastics

Breakaway fastlinks- just started w/ them last season. Never going back.

Salties plugs-

Aquaskinz medium bag- Light years ahead of the canvas potato sack I was torturing myself with.

[labrax]

*Tried a old Lamiglas 1165 (I think) that was 10' - used it as a conventional as the old mildrum style guides were kind of small. Could really launch heavier tins with it and 3 oz jigs.

*Penn 710Z loaded with 20lb fireline - liked this reel - pretty good for a 8 or 9 foot rod. Love the fireline line and have purchased some 30lb for this year.

*Got used to the manual pickup on a 6500SS - had the reel for a while, but first time I used it with the manual pickup and after 1/2 a trip it was not bad using it.

*8' Tica Dolphin Rod 3/4 - 3oz. Like this rod - probably would go with the 9' length if doing it again, but this will be used quite a bit in the spring.

*Tica Camry 3500 reel - got it for $13, so figured what the heck. The reel is not going to last without vigilant cleaning. Cheap reel, but if lubed up enough and cleaned when you get home - pretty good for a small rod - had it on the Dolphin. A 4000 size would really be a better match.

*Hogy 10" eels - only used a few times, but never had confidence in them and always seemed to switch back to sluggos. Did not see any surfhogs, but will look to try them this upcoming season.

*Loaded redfins - loaded a few cheap redfins up with #8 birdshot - liked the casting distance and action was still there.

*Cotton Cordell Pencil - cheap and they move pretty well - loaded these up with birdshot too and they cast better.

*Tattoo surface swimmer 2.5oz - swims nice - did not catch anything on it yet.

*Super Strike/Gibbs/Salty's needles - haven't done much with needles, need to fish more and figure it out.

*Gibbs Casting Swimmer - red head/yellow body - probably would not buy again.

*Pt. Jude Butterfish - 2oz I think - have caught a few smaller fish on it, but I catch mostly smaller fish. Casts like a bullet - had to stop it a few times thinking I was getting too close to some boaters a respectful distance away.

[nightprowler]

Originally Posted by zimmy

Breakaway fastlinks- just started w/ them last season. Never going back.

careful with these....I lost a nice fish during the mv derby when I had one deform and open on me.
I used them at the end of my braid and connected the leader to them so i didn't have to cut the braid as often...when hunting large, i will NEVER use them again.
it was a nice fish

[ChiefLinesider]

Originally Posted by EricM

SMB1083M 9' 1pc Lamiglas S- glass: great addition to the arsenal- built for blooping a 1 1/4 white atom striper swiper around the rocks, but can launch a roberts whister and tins just right. Love that S-glass.

nice im having one built now, cant wait to start using it.