I have decided to switch my primary rods from Lami and Loomis to Century Stealths. These rods are so superior to the now decades old Lami and Loomis technology I am using now that the decision to switch rod blanks is in fact almost impossible to ignore. However , with the change in the rods the possibility that now is the time for other changes in how I do it will make for some very difficult decisions.
The 10 foot Stealth will be an all around rod like my Loomis 1266 is now and the 11 foot stealth will replace my XRA 1205 as my primary canal rod. I'll keep the Century Tip Tornado Light around for the days I need a 5 OZ orbetter but for the most part the 11 foot Stealth will become the work horse for my 95% of the time use of 2 to 4 OZ jigs.
Big decision to make will be whether to do the Canal rod a a conventional or move to one of the very specific spinner reels guys use at the canal , like an emblem Pro for example. I have been exclusively conventional for over a decade now and see no reason to change on the overall rod which can use any of the 6500 Abu reels or my Calcutta 400. The Canal thing though is easier to do casting wise with a good spinner and now that several models have stood the test of time I am weighing the benefits of the far easier casting with the bigger spinners. There is also the downside though in that the spinners are a lot heavier .
Now one unusual thing is that the 11 foot high performance rods are (IMO) best built using the new Kw guides. With the right choice of gathering guide and location , like a 25 ring at 45 inches or so (reel dependent) , The heights and locations you end up with doing a "modified Concept" (NGC/Fuji/Saltheart Hybrid) build, you can actually end up with a fairly good candidate for a switch hitter , casting or spinning set up. In the past this would mean a rod good at neither but now I think there are ways to make a rod that can be great using either reel. Guys have done this trying to use the Low Rider guides but I think the KW's are perfect for that type of Casting/Spinning set up. You do have to give up the trigger on the real seat if you are considering going both ways but that is something fairly easy to deal with.
I do hate to give up the easier jig working with the casting reels. Hands down it is a lot easier to let the jig out into the current with a revolving spool reel. The better fish landing ability of the casting reel was also a big plus but I thing these newer generations of spinning reels make that claim a little less secure compared to say a conventional vs an older Penn SS 15 years ago.
First time in a long time I have been considering any big changes in gear. One big development has been in the braided lines the last 5 years or so. I may want to see how the BG7000's perform using one or two of the newer lines as they have gone up in quality and selection lately while the Cortland spectron had the big dip in performance when they changed it about 5 years ago (maybe more now...time flies). I love those BG black reels and its very hard to leave gear that has been so reliable for so long.
So anyway , the all around rod with the 10 foot stealth (instead of the Loomis 1266) and a BG6500 , or 6500 mag elite or the calcutta 400 is an easy transition but going to the new 11 foot Stealth for the Ditch presents some difficult reel choices I haven't even had to consider for well over 10 years. In addition to the Emblem Pro , Big Dave showed me some other interesting Heavy Duty Spinners at the MSBA show. Being a rod builder , I am aware of so many interactions between the reel features like spool taper and up slope relative to the rod design and build that it really does become a huge decision matrix to unravel. Sometimes life is easier for the dumb Shytes who live happily, oblivious of the options , and just get a set up just like the one their friend has.
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