Lot of guy's dream about having that much drag, I couldn't care less! Fish I catch simply are not that big. The max line capacity is just that, max line capacity. Put on heavier line and have less capacity! I set my drag to about 1/4 or a bit more than my line test, I read that somewhere! If I was using your reel with 30# drag I'd need 120# line. Probably get better than 10' on the spool then! Just because it's rated for 30# drag does not mean you have to set it at that. In fact I suspect your reel will do a lot better with it set much lower. With 20# line I'd go somewhere around 5# drag. If I needed more I can always turn it up a bit!

Bait cast or spinning doesn't make a lot of difference other than you can cast quite a bit lighter baits with light spinning. I have both. Like my bait casting the best but for crappie I like ultra light spinning and very light line. For bigger fish I much prefer bait casting, round reels! I know there are guy's that can winch in larger fish than I do with their spinning rod and reel but I have a ton of confidence and love my round bait caster. Maybe you should try both. There's a learning period to cast bait caster's but most people usually get it. Taught my son to bait cast years ago but he prefers spinning. He has a few nice level wind reel's he never use's! It's what you like and are comfortable with.

Cell phone's are a pain in the butt. Throw it in the ocean and get a camera!

I got a couple of those berkley Cherrywood rods and really like them.

I've read about guy's that buy new hooks and sharpen them before using them! Why bother with new hooks?

It does not matter how much you pay for a rod. Close the trunk on a $300 rod and it becomes a broke rod! I though about trying a Kastking rod but unless a rod has a full handle, preferably cork, I simply won't get it.

Never sharpened a hook in my life and never had a fish complain about a dull hook! Actually I think I'm to old to learn new things!

You have to choose your champion! Ask about things like this ten different people and you'll get ten different answer's. I've been using monofiliment about 70 yrs and for whatever reason it still works. of course I do have my favorite but can't give you a well though out scientific reason for it. Tried braid and simply don't like it. Why? Don't know just don't like it. Maybe it's the cost of the stuff. just want to fish, not support some guy bringing a new un-needed product on the market!

I did! A huge fan of ABU's but I'd buy another Kastking in a hot second if ABU get's to out of line with price!

I just started serios cat fishing a little over a year ago. LaPage Park out past Biggs Jct on I82 is where lot's of people fish for them. It's the mouth of the John Day River. I fissh for them in the John Day about 15 mi from home at Clarno. River is high right now and running pretty fast and nothing hitting anything. My son get them on night crawler's but I find that a bit tacky. I use chicken breast soaked in garlic and strawberry kool aide, actually works very well. here's a local kid holding one at Clarno I let him reel in. 6 1/2#, my biggest so far.

https://i.imgur.com/ek4uvBbl.jpg

Got about 20 last fall, all on chicken breast and the smallest was 14". Over 70 river miles from the Columbia but that has to be where they come from. I've heard another good place to go is the Columbia out around Umatilla. There's a boat ramp at Irrigon. And up river from Umatilla looks good to me from the highway. Gonna pull my boat over and put in in Irrigon one of these days just to find out.
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I went down to Portage up there fishing for salmon and all I got were Dolly Varden, pretty big Dolly Vardin! Saw lot's of Salmon in there though. Went up the river with a canoe and couple times had to get out and push the canoe. Other place where I did catch a lot of salmon was the Little Susitna up near Wasilla. Oh, town of Portage is gone. Lost on an earthquake up there years ago, Portage river is still there! On the first trip to Portage we went up river several miles and I was out on a small sand bar fishing. Saw the biggest foot print I ever saw in my life, it had claws! Trips after that included a rifle!

I've got a Rover 40 and some little ultra light spinning reel. Got the Rover 40 just to find out myself if it was as bad as the guy trashing it said. Cost me $45 on Amazon. Take what I say with a grain of salt, I have a sample of two! Love them both.

They are kids. Long before an up grade is needed they are going to break the rod and or reel. For a kid, cheapest rod/reel combo you can find!

Been fishing with mono over 70 yrs now and can't say I got one reason to change.

That looks like it might be a lot more stable than my canoe. Have a very old Colman I had to fix a lot of cracks in and the thing weight's a ton. Had an aluminum Grumman that was really nice many years ago, but just not all that stable. Been thinking quite a bit about those Kayaks but all the one's I've seen, I'd sit down to low in. I don't get up and down that well anymore. Well up anyway. I know how to fall down! Love that seat! Did you find that at a Marina or get it from the factory