Fishing Rods

Took off from work today and went to the swamp pond. Right after I got in the water, I saw one of the dreaded otters. The area I saw it in has been a good Bass catchin' area but the last few months, no Bass---guess I know why. Sunny with clouds, clear, high water, and a lot of wind--off and on.

I treated myself to a new rig for Christmas: new Kistler Helium 7' Medium Caster rod, new , red, Custom Daiwa TDZ, new Sunline 14# test Super Shooter f/c line, and a new Rapala D10 lure. I was in our local tackle shop yesterday, hoping to replace the two FFS's I had recently given up to the stumps in the pond but they didn't have any. I remembered some guys recommending the D Series Rapala cr/baits so I bought two of them instead.

Once I got to the 9-10' water area, I started throwing the new rig A short time later, I felt the slightest of 'ticks' coming from the bait thru the Helium. I just barely swept the rod back with very little force and I got a hook-up. Got her to the boat after a minute or two and I could see she was barely hooked. Once I landed her, I saw that two points of the rear treble hook were in the side of her 'face'(I know, you've heard all this before but it's true again.), one point just in front of her right eye and the other in the skin on her face. Again, my Helium made a 'snagged' Bass landable.

No more bites or Bass.

4 lbs, 11 ounces

Same Bass

Dan

Good looking fish, Dan. I wanted to play hooky from work at lunch today so bad, lol couldn't swing it. I really like the DT series but have yet to try any of the 10's. Looks like the work pretty good in the swamp pond. Sweet looking rig to, gotta love the Helium and a Custom TD sure doesn't hurt.

LOL, man...I don't know I am slowly losing the battle with the TackleSythe. They just look great and if it is better than the Alphas...well that is just hard to imagine.

EZ: I've not used an Alpha but I can't hardly believe how good this reel is. My Type R+ is great too but it's a close-second to this Custom now. Matched with that rod................................Nirvana---uh, wait a minute, I ain't no buddhist or heavy-metal band fan either .

Dan

Nice One, Dan! I'm gonna have to get me some of those DT 10's

"You are Dialed in"

So the TD-Z Custom is as good as the Type R? I don't know, I really like the look of the Type R+.

Hey Dan, how did you chose which Helium model to match your Type R with vs. which model to match your TD-Z? Anyone else have any advice? I'm trying to decide what reel to use for a Heavy or XH 7' pitching rod.

zmazefsky wrote:So the TD-Z Custom is as good as the Type R? I don't know, I really like the look of the Type R+.

they are the same reel, just the colours change!

and for sure they are better than an Alphas, they are lighter, with a better spool (gigas spool on the type and the custom tdz), with about 4 or 5 ball bearings more and with a better "friction" (i hope you call it in this way in USA)!
anyway, i just use Alphas reels, cause they are just good as i need
(and cause it would be too much expensive for me change them with the TDZ serie!)

zmazefsky wrote:So the TD-Z Custom is as good as the Type R? I don't know, I really like the look of the Type R+.

Hey Dan, how did you chose which Helium model to match your Type R with vs. which model to match your TD-Z? Anyone else have any advice? I'm trying to decide what reel to use for a Heavy or XH 7' pitching rod.

I like both and would recommend either. Both of those reels are on Kistler Helium 7', Medium Caster. I currently use a Shimano Antares AR reel on my Heavy and Extra Heavy Kistlers.

Dan