Toogood Pond

[MuskieBait]

Don't worry about the # of ball bearings. A smooth drag is more important than a silky smooth reel. I don't care how smooth the cranking is...if the drag cannot allows fine, minute control and let out just enough line when needed, it's worthless in my mind.

It's funny...I'll go to the reel counter at Bass Pro Shops and see the sales staff hand over a reel to the customer and say "See how smooth this reel is."

When I pick up the reel, the first thing I check is the drag. If it is not smooth as silk, forget it. Next I check is the bail. It must have a good durable bail. Then I'll go and check the anti-reverse...and at the very, very end, I'll turn the handle to see how smooth the reel is together. I don't even bother to check how many bearing the reel has. It's not how many there are sometimes...but where the bearings are placed and what kind of bearings they are.

But the Trion rod and reel combo is very nice for the money. It is so nice that if my rod ever snapped or if my reel ever gave up, I'll get one again.

These fish were caught with the Trion combo over the years...6'6" medium rod and the 2500 size reel...8lb test. My Trion combo is close to 13 years old...but I do service the reel on my own at least once a year.















Every time my rod and reel landed something bigger, I'll push it even more and harder next time.