Thread: The wait for new rods begins

Walked across the yard to the pond this morning. Caught a couple sunfish and the above on the Carabus with a theta mgx spooled with varivas lemoni line. Played it a little to get it in, it really wasn't much more fun than a good sized sunfish.

I was playing around with homemade jig with gold trout magnet body. Jig is just a .5 gram sinker crimped to a size 8 vmc jig hook.

I've been making homemade jig using owner hooks, but size 6 is the smallest I could find. Order a couple different brands of size 8 to try out

You are right on owner jig hooks not going beyond size 6. I was also looking for smaller sizes last year. Ended up getting Umpqua XT500 in size 10, 12, and 14. Very sharp hook but shank is not as long, and their sizing is a bit weird (they tend to be a little larger). For domestic jig heads the i_fish bluegill jigs are awesome.


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Originally Posted by zekepa

Got Back from my National Guard training today. Had 3 packages waiting for me the Carabus, the Presso 1000, and 2 spare spools for the Presso a 1000 and a 2000. I spooled the 2000 with Varavis Lemoni and the 1000 with Varavis 4lb Twitch Master. Walked across the yard to the pond to play around and relax some.

The Carabus with a Theta MGX 1000 Spooled with Varavis Lemoni, caught a dozen or so sunfish, mostly dinks from 3 to about 6 inches maybe, fished for about a half hour from 4:30 to 5.
Attachment 461930

After supper I went back with the Diawa Air AGS paired with the new presso, started with the twitch master line. Caught more sunfish alittle bigger than in the afternoon mostly around 5 inches and this Crappie probably 9 to 9.5 inches

Attachment 461929

Switched the spool over to the 2000 with Lemoni caught more sunfish and 2 more crappier just over 9 inches.

Man those are some good looking combos and fish! How do you like the Varavis line? Is it hard to get used to for a person who normally uses fluorocarbon or mono line? Been thinking about trying it.


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I've never fished flourocarbon line so I can't compare to that. Varavis is very good line. The lemoni is a polyester line, it is very sensitive, the downside to it can be some line manageablitly issues especially if you keep reeling when a fish is pulling drag, and you need to have the drag set light when using it. It is not available in heavier test line, 2.3 lb is the heaviest rate line, it will break right around 2 lb, it is not overrated like american lines. Whatever rating Varivas has on the line that is what it will break at. I've checked the 4 lb mono lines from them and they break at 4 lb.

I've used the lemoni, a couple of braids, and 2 differnt mono type lines from them. They are all good. With the braided lines they are so small you better check the eyes on your jig. I lost a couple jigs cause the eye wasn't completely closed.

The lemoni is every bit as sensitive as braid without the wind knot problems.

See this thread about some Varivas line.
About the line (crappie.com)

Gonna have to try the lemoni. I’m a nut for braid for the sensitivity but it has its faults too. I have several Varivas lines and I can’t find anything bad about them, but some of them aren’t for the way I fish. But that’s a rare thing.

Originally Posted by Pistol_Creek

Man those are some good looking combos and fish! How do you like the Varavis line? Is it hard to get used to for a person who normally uses fluorocarbon or mono line? Been thinking about trying it.


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Varivas ES2 line manageability is better than the Area Master Ester line. Lemoni obviously better for line watching. Also, you can easily feel slack line bites. The only issue I’ve had with the line is that it is delicate and has snapped on my several times this year which casting. Maybe I put too much force into the cast? Maybe there was a weak point introduced on the line when it may have rubbed into structure.

Been using 0.2 PE these days. No line breakage since then, but I to be honest I prefer the fun factor on ester (even though it has cost me several jig heads).


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Danny, I’m stuck on the braid pretty bad too. I bought some .15 rated at 4lb and use it on my shortest rod, a five foot custom build. What a pleasure! It will cast the smallest spinner into the woods before you notice it’s out of control, and you can feel a fish sneeze on it. I’m very happy with it. The .2 will cast a 1/64 but not far and this .15 does a much better job of it. Tough stuff too. Fought a big Tilapia on it and had to palm the spool or let the fish run into lily pads. I thought it pulled free but it had straightened the hook. I was impressed.

Originally Posted by skeetbum

Danny, I’m stuck on the braid pretty bad too. I bought some .15 rated at 4lb and use it on my shortest rod, a five foot custom build. What a pleasure! It will cast the smallest spinner into the woods before you notice it’s out of control, and you can feel a fish sneeze on it. I’m very happy with it. The .2 will cast a 1/64 but not far and this .15 does a much better job of it. Tough stuff too. Fought a big Tilapia on it and had to palm the spool or let the fish run into lily pads. I thought it pulled free but it had straightened the hook. I was impressed.

What brand of four pound test braid are you using.
I tried some 6# Dawai braid and didn’t care for it .