Product reviews so far this season. - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

tlapinski · 09-30-2003, 12:09 PM

well, i added a few new, or new to me, things in the surf this year.

Aquaskinz - i started a thread just to cover how much i LOVE this jacket! AQUASKINZ

BM danny - sweet rolling swim. very castable, well made plug. oh, and the fish like it too!

#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& Toona Bomb - very good casting ability. you can work it slow enough to entice bass, but it has the durability to outlast anything a blue bastage can throw at it.

Van Staal surf bag - without a doubt the BEST surf bag i have ever used! i have tried just aout every bag on the market, and i even made a few of my own. this bag is far above anything else. lots of space for big plugs, very secure velcro closure, and it is light enough, even full of plugs, to not be too fatigueing.

Spiderwire Stealth - a very good replacement for whiplash. i have used 65# on both spinning and conventional tackle and i am very pleased. it casts great and is very durable. it is a bit thicker than comporable whiplash, but it resists wind knots better and stands up better to rocks.

Yo-Zuri Hybrid - i was quite suprised with this line! i spooled 30# on my 7000c3's, and 25# on my VS's and it has performed flawlessly. the 30# is some of the hardest mono to break that i have ever used. this stuff really stands up well to rocks, too. it has replaced berkley trilene as my mono of choice! my only problem is finding a shop that stocks it in the larger spools.

as i think of some other stuff i have tried, i will add it in. so, what have you liked or not liked that you tried this year?

RIJIMMY · 09-30-2003, 12:42 PM

Jeez, I am so lo-tech when it comes to surfcasting. My surf bag is a yellow six pack soft cooler! It was the perect size, waterproof, has a outside pocket for my pliers ( probably for the bottle opener!) and ony $6 at Kmart! I've had it for 2 years and it still holds up!!!

lennyr · 09-30-2003, 12:56 PM

hey RIJIMMY I used the same thing for years, bought a real surf bag last year. I now use both. the cooler bag for quick trips and the surf bag when fishing all day.

rwilhelm · 09-30-2003, 01:05 PM

I also starting using Spiderwire this year and love it. I am getting more distance on my casts since I switched from mono. I think I will try Fireline and compare the two.

fishweewee · 09-30-2003, 01:12 PM

New (to me) products I've tried and tested extensively. Big thumbs up to...

(not in any order...)

1) Saltheart's Custom Rods. Mike sure knows how to wrap a Rhody stick.

2) Bassmaster Danny Plugs. I'm looking forward to the sub- surface swimmers (Atom 40's types and surfsters) when Dave cranks 'em out.

3) Aquaskinz Evolution Drytop. Schweet.

4) Bomber A-Salt swimmers with holographic finish. The natural colors (metallic green) are DEADLY in white water. The finish thus far is holding up nicely too.

5) Gemini link clips. These aren't new but I just started using them recently (thanks Tobias!) and they rock.

6) Again, not necessarily new, but Tattoo Darters are pissah. They're wood so I cringe when they hit the rock piles! Same goes for Habs' needles.

7) I'm with Toby on the #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& Toona Bombs. I've caught bass and blues on these interesting plugs and they cast like diamond jigs but you can work them like poppers. I'm still waiting to try them on tuna (freakin' trip got blown out).

8) Got Stripers jerk bait in secret wee wee flavor.

-WW

Christian · 09-30-2003, 02:34 PM

ill second them bomber a-salts, it was the first year ive used them and i love em. holofinish is nice. my favorite color has been the black over gold holo and wundabread.

anybody use those large size pace charlies this season,(the soft plastic fish with a swimmin lip)? i had one at the begginging of the season but i didnt really fish it. the small one got me a few schoolies early this season, prob would have gotten alot more on it if i got it earlier than the massbass show.

tlapinski · 09-30-2003, 02:38 PM

it is funny, ask 6 fishermen to review the same product and you'll get 6 different views. i didn't like the A-salts when i tried them last year. i bought a few in the colors i throw for 6' long-A's, and i couldn't catch a damn thing on them. when i went back to the long-A's, i would hook up.

one other thing i tried out this year is a 6500 nautil. it is actually for my girlfriend, but i have used it a few times just to "make sure it works".

it is an ok little reel, but i wouldn't want to try some cows on it. save the VS's for that task!

fishweewee · 09-30-2003, 02:49 PM

Well, if I didn't have to keep sending back the Nautil 6500's I would have held onto mine. Mine worked great until the bail got repeatedly sticky from the sand getting into the bail grease.

My backup for my VS is a Penn 704z w/ manual bail conversion. 20 lb. Fireline. What's old is new, I suppose.

-WW

Mike P · 09-30-2003, 02:56 PM

All Spiderwire Stealth has done for me is force me to give Power Pro another chance. I hate the stuff. It's even thicker than Spectron.

fishweewee · 09-30-2003, 03:01 PM

Spiderwire Stealth is okay on conventionals. I've been using it on my Abu 7000 CL. To me it's just a thicker version of Whiplash.

rwilhelm · 09-30-2003, 03:14 PM

What do you guys think about Fireline?

Christian · 09-30-2003, 03:22 PM

fishweewee, where do i find the conversion thingy for the 704?

tlapinski · 09-30-2003, 03:27 PM

here christian. http://shop.thesurfcaster.com/cgi-bin/surfcast the surfcaster has them for $5.

tlapinski · 09-30-2003, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rwilhelm
What do you guys think about Fireline?

as i said earlier, ask 6 fishermen to review a product and....

i HATE fireline! i tried it for a season and i will never use it again. i did not like how it handled on the reels i use, i did not like it for durability, and i did not like the feel of it. but, some guys swear by it and won't use anything else. from what i have heard, it works fairly well on reels that are not generally "braid friendly". i think that the type of fishing line that one uses can be very user specific. certain lines handle better in some situations than do others. where/how i fish favors the line i use, or vice-versa.

my advice is to buy a spool and have at it. if you don't like it, try another one. i am doing a little testing right now of the new Stren super braid. i always hated stren line, but this stuff has potential. we shall see.

RIROCKHOUND · 09-30-2003, 03:50 PM

Tried Power Pro this year.. Loved it, quite a few fish into the 25lb class on live eels, no problems.. Also tried 50lb dacron (teflon coated, no idea brand) and love that is well, on my breachway jigging set up..

My homeade needlefish

Also.. Gave rebels another chance, and have loved them, made the switch from CC Red Fins to 7" rebels, and occ. the 5" still like bomber long A's too...

'hound

Justfishin' · 09-30-2003, 04:39 PM

I'm still out on the Fireline too, I don't have enough hours on it yet. The guys around the rocks and jettys seem to love it though. I'm using it on a conv. but I see it on spinning reels too although I havent seen anyone really casting,just drifting plugs and bait.I'll stick to mono for spin casting in the surf, I've got several lbs. of it to use up. I like the A's ,got good results with them and I got off my dead ass and started making plugs recently.(recently is sort of strange as I'm a woodworker - it's hard to turn on those damn machines after work though.) The Surfcaster surf bag I got for Xmas is really fantastic-much better than my Canyon or J.T but I think they used too much velcro. The Salt-X spray they sell works very well also. Been trying some Storm baits but can't say that anythings' even looked at those- whats the secret- they sure looked good to me when I bought 'em.I got a Grundens shirt this year- nice and waterproof with tight (but comfortable) neoprene cuffs and cut big enough for a sweatshirt under-but a little stuffy to hike in as it doesn't breathe too well. Now to try my homemade plugs- I think I'm in love with a Needlefish...............

Bill L · 09-30-2003, 07:11 PM

Picked up a Penn Slammer 560 a couple of weeks ago for my 9' Loomis, and loaded it with 30# Fireline (first time off the mono). Haven't used them enough to rate yet, but so far I like both the reel and the fireline. Wish I had gone with the 20#/8 dia though , the 30# doesn't seem to cast as well as I thought it would with 12# equivalent diameter. I thought the extra poundage would help around the breachways.

Tatoo 1oz swimmers have been a sweet little Pond secret weapon

5" bunker storm shads get two thumbs up

fishweewee · 09-30-2003, 07:15 PM

Hmmmmm.

Of all the braids, I like Fireline the best for SPINNING REELS.

It behaves more like mono than braid. It really isn't a true "braided" line.

30 lb goes on the big guns and 20 for medium and 14 on the lighter stuff. Stuff breaks way beyond test rating.

-WW

Goose · 09-30-2003, 07:25 PM

I started useing 50# power pro this year and it just keeps gettin better. About half way into the season I tried the stealth...strong but not as user freindly I thought. 1088 w/6500nautil has been pissa.

Mike P · 09-30-2003, 07:53 PM

Fireline has a little more stretch and memory too it than the spun braids. Behaves better on older reels like the Penn Z's. I hate the stuff for conventionals, tho.

As far as wear goes---it does get "fuzzy" as it breaks in and softens, but I've had the same spool for 3 years on one reel (it's almost pure white now) and it's still strong enough that a 40# mono leader breaks before the 30# Fireline does.

It's way stronger than its rating---someone posted "somewhere else" that 14# Fireline has over 30# break strength

mikecc · 09-30-2003, 08:19 PM

they have a new version that is 1 1/2 times thicker. They say it's more in line with conventional sized lines.

I told them if I wanted a thicker line than 50 Lb braid I would go with 65. not a 50 with 65 Dia

Just another movement in the downward spiral pure fishing has been going over the past few years.

Sorry my goof Fire Line is still made , There is an addition to Fire Line called XDS

fishweewee · 09-30-2003, 08:45 PM

Mike, you gotta be fakkin' kidding me!!!!

Those folks at Pure Fishing ought to get their heads out of their collective arses.

Mike P · 09-30-2003, 09:00 PM

I don't care what the label says---my reels tell me that 65# Stealth is almost as thick as 30# Big Game. I loaded up da wife's Stradic 8000 with 280 yards of 50# Power Pro, put the remaining 20 on as backing on a Nautil 7500 and still fit a full 300 yard spool of 50 PP on it. When I tried 65# Stealth on my Nautil, which holds over 300 yards of 65# Whiplash by the way, I barely got 200 yards on it.

And now they're gonna do the same with Fireline?

mikecc · 09-30-2003, 09:16 PM

sorry Ben

I 'll see what I can do for ya in the close outs from my Distributors.

fishweewee · 09-30-2003, 09:17 PM

Not your fault Mike (cc).

What are these guys smoking?

mikecc · 09-30-2003, 09:23 PM

Saw their product review for 2004 a few weeks ago. I was not impressed.only saw maybe 10-15 items I will be carring out of 3,000

Big Vern · 10-01-2003, 07:33 AM

I can't believe they're discontinuing fireline.

Fireline is the best for spinning reels. The 14 lb. test is plenty if you don't spend any time around rocks. I usually fish a 30 lb. flourocarbon leader, and if something breaks, it's always the leader. Can't say enough about it.

However, Fireline is not cool with conventionals. Jury's still out for me on the Spiderwire stealth, but I haven't taken it off in a couple months of fishing it on an abu 6500. So, I must like it somewhat.

Other product reviews:

Smackit Popper - This thing rocks. I hate poppers, but I like fishing this one. Only problem is that the bluefish absolutely hate the Smackit's rattle, and come from seemingly out of nowhere to bite it.

Orvis Mirage Flourocarbon - Got some on closeout, and haven't bought anything else. Good value for flourocarbon.

Batson 1088 - If I could have only one rod for the shore, this would be it.

JohnR · 10-01-2003, 08:52 AM

New - FOR ME - was using braid on my conventionals - I like it lots but just about everyone knows that now....

If I had to pick THREE things that have impressed the crap out of me this year (that I can talk about

).

Tattoos Sea Spook! Last year he had me with his Darter, this year it's the Sea Spook! Watch out for this plug guy as he's pulling out winners

AllStar 1088. I just started fishing this rod in September and I likes. Beefier than the 1088 Batson (but more dough too) and can cast eels to jigs, its more versatile than I thought it would be and it's a SCHWEET rod!

Aquaskinz - I got the Hurricanes and as said on other threads, they are simply sweet for fishing in the SNOT.

Honorable mentions:

ALL OF THE KICK ARSE PLUGS I've gotten from everyone this year. Being laid off and losing my fishing fund, I've still been able to plug on the great wood and plastics you all have donated to "The Cause"

Chum Churn - If you are fishing from a boat and chum & chunking a Tourney, this kicks ass!

My Seacraft

or SeaCrapper as MR CapeSams likes to point out. Sure it aint been splashed yet but its still cool sitting in it...

Christian · 10-01-2003, 04:27 PM

weewee, nuther question. can you make a 704 bail-less like a VS is?

Notaro · 10-02-2003, 07:31 AM

Products to Review:

Spiderwire Stealth-30-65 lbs test works great on my spinning gear, but Wal-Mart doesn't have a 300 yd spool. It doesn't break. Once I buy the conventional casting rod and a new reel that goes with it, I will put a 50 lbs testing on it.

Powerpro- It's good when used a mono leader as a shock leader. It can break sometimes...

Roberts Lures- Excellent for spring when catching bluefish and stripers on squid.

Chubs Creek popper- Great for bluefish feeding on peanut bunkers.

Atoms poppers- Mack color is good.

Seaguar fluro leader- Best fluro leader I had, great for using it for chunking or lure fishing.

Gakasmatu circle and octopus hooks- Very qualtiy hooks, super sharp.

Boga Grip- The best for C&R, landing, and weighing fish.

Dawia seanlex and shimano baitrunner- I have not caught a fish on that rod yet! I'm going to wait for it. I hope to hit Race Point with RM and RickRomba next week with it on eels and plugs. It casts great with eels