08-14-2020, 12:01 PM
I am embarrassed to admit it, but yesterday I was using a rig that I completely forgot I had bought. It's a 7" ultralight Ugly Stick combo with a Shakespeare reel. Got it at Sportsman's for $49.95 (The sticker is still on the handle!) I spooled it with some of that new Berkeley Ultra 9 line - which was a disappointment. But otherwise the rig is fine. The reel is permanently anti-reverse, but that's it's only drawback. Whether you can still find one under the Covid gear drought is another matter.
The line? It's very very slick, allowing loooong casts. But it's also a bit "springy" and unless there was constant tension on the line, it would leave loops or wrap around the back of the spool. Trying to work a topwater with a jerk and pause retrieve was totally frustrating. It might be better on a larger reel diameter. Maybe. But I'll go back to Nanofil.
The line? It's very very slick, allowing loooong casts. But it's also a bit "springy" and unless there was constant tension on the line, it would leave loops or wrap around the back of the spool. Trying to work a topwater with a jerk and pause retrieve was totally frustrating. It might be better on a larger reel diameter. Maybe. But I'll go back to Nanofil.