I have broken the tip off a graphite rod in with a clouser in the wind. I think a deceiver just looks better(in and out of the water) and I usually tie mine weighted. I have also caught some nice fish on a half and half which is a bigger clouser tied with feathers. I had always wanted a wedding cake reel and bought this one a few years ago. I also like billy pate reels direct drive and anti reverse.
David that sounds like a great trip. I would like to go to Belize and I always checkout the pictures from Turnefette Island. I caught one tarpon in my life on a fly rod. I was by myself and it was nothing huge for a tarpon 40-50 pounds, but that was too much fun. It was in St. John in the Virgin Islands on my second cast
Allen, yes let's plan a trip this summer! I have never fished up that way and I know we would have a great time.
To get back to shotguns...the lifter in the picture has become one of my favorites. It has more drop at heel than my other guns at 3 1/8" which took me awhile to get used to. Now I don't even think about it when I shoot it. It's funny though, I have shot that gun more in the past 2-3 months than I have in the past 3 years. I actually have a few Parkers like that, ones I almost thought about selling for one reason or another that I shoot all the time now.