New Drop Shot setup...

[russ010]

Well, I splurged today.. I went to The Dugout to get a few things for this weekend and to get Bassboy1 a little gift for taking me fishing all the time.. well, I had to walk by the rods and pick up one for drop shotting. I ended up getting a Powell Max 681LEF - 6'8" light extra-fast action paired with a Daiwa Exceler spinning reel.

I'm taking a chance and going WAY below my normal line size, but I think I'll be ok. 8lb Seguar Red Line Fluoro should hopefully do the trick... we'll find out Friday when bassboy1 and I go out and tear them up during a local tournament!

I'll take pics of the setup later, but man... that is one light setup - it weighs about the same as my Vieno sitting on my Kistler... I just hope I don't treat this rod like I do other spinning reels - I put them in the boat and never pick them up. BUT, I'm going to start out using it, and if it works, use it all day long and give my baitcasters a rest.

 

[Captain Ahab]

That is a sweet outfit - you do not use braided line for this?

 

[russ010]

nah, I don't use braid for anything anymore. I used to use braid when I first started fishing expensive setups, but it started to make grooves in the eyelets and I quit. That's when I switched to fluorocarbon and I haven't looked back since.

I read some article on Gary Yamamoto's Inside Line where the "king" of the drop shot technique used PLine CXX-Extra Strong in 6lb test, and was pulling in monster bass... so I figure I can get by with 8lb fluoro.

 

[jkbirocz]

I find it hard to believe that you wore grooves in your rod guides with braid, especially on expensive rods. What pound braid did you use. I rarely use anything less than 20lb, and nothing over 30lb. I have 10lb on my smallie setup, but have yet to see any wear on my daiwa light n tough rod. I pretty much only use braid and have never experience any grooves, even on cheap rods. I use my gear really hard, and never had any problems with braid. I cannot stand using mono anymore. With that being said, I always feel it is better to use what you are most comfortable with, so to each his own.

I have looked at powell rods in person and they look and feel very nice, I will definately be buying one in the near future. I think you will be very happy with your exceler. I bought one over a year ago and it is starting to get wobbly, but is still holding up very well. For the price they are hard to beat. They cast very well and the drag is great. Like I said I use braid, and I mainly fished jerkbaits and sammy's with my exceler, so that will take a toll on any reel. I don't think you can go wrong with a daiwa or a shimano regardless of price. My fuego is amazing. It's the smoothest spinning reel I have ever owned.

Good luck :beer:

 

[russ010]

the rod that the braid wore grooves on was a Kistler LTA... I sent it back to them and they said it was probably a defect in the batch of eyelets they had and they replaced it... but I just never tried it with anything else after that. I've got pics of it somewhere, but I don't think they are on this computer... more than likely they are on my other laptop that I need to work on but keepputting off.

This is my second Powell Max rod... I've also got a baitcasting one, but I don't use it much because of the split handle... I just don't like it for some reason. Not to mention that's the rod my wife thinks belongs to her and she sometimes dares me to take it out with me

 

[Mattman]

I used to use braid when I first started fishing expensive setups, but it started to make grooves in the eyelets and I quit.

Braid doesn't groove guides. Grit carried by line grooves guides. Anglers that fish a lot of moving water or really dirty water or from shore where their line touches dirt/sand a lot will see this happen more often.

Superlines are made from spun polyethylene. Milk jug plastic. Its naturally waxy and provides its own lubrication.

Low end guides are susceptible to grooving. Even with mono, fluoro and fly lines. Yes...I've seen low end wire guides become grooved. So, it isn't really the line being used, its the grit carried by the line.

Below are some hardness values of various guide materials.

Stainless Steel (SS): 400
Chrome: 800-1000
Carbaloy: 1000
Aluminum Oxide: 1200-1400
Alconite : 1300-1500
NanoLite : 1800
Zirconia: 1000-1400
Zirconia PVD: 1600
SiC: 2200-2400

 

[Captain Ahab]

Thanks Matt!

I have SIC guides so i got no groove

 

[russ010]

Anglers that fish a lot of moving water or really dirty water or from shore where their line touches dirt/sand a lot will see this happen more often.

that is the answer then... the place in South Carolina where I was fishing is ALL SAND... never thought about that being the issue... but even when I sent the rod back to Kistler they said it was defective guides, then again, they never asked what terrain I was fishing.

 

[Popeye]

...i got no groove...

I've heard that about you. :lol: