Paul Roberts

I started with a 5'6" Skyline pistol grip. Still have it. A Berkley Rep then gave me a 6' MH Bionix (pistol grip). I found my wrist couldn't support hook-sets on larger bass, so I cut the handle off a short downrigger rod and replaced that blank-thru pistol grip. The first long handle casting rod I'd seen. I loved it. And I still love it. It gets regular use.

'94! That new fangled stuff? Mine are a decade older yet. Bottom line, easier to be accurate with shorter rods. Hey, ever seen the super accurate Japanese guy using Ambassador reels and super short super soft rods? That's accuracy, but I wouldn't want to actually fish with one of those rigs, esp for bass.

I want to stay short. My current skipping rod is a 6ft. This is a narrow road I'm not sure I want to take. :)) I just know I don't want no wimpy tip rods.

I see it. I was looking in spinning. So... what if I cut 6" off of it? 6 off the butt? 4 off the butt, 2 off the tip? Or, the Med power and cut the tip? See... get's risky.

The only Med Mod in Avid they list is an UL. The rest are F.

Rainshadow has an RX7 6'6" Mod "Med" power (8-14lb) at 1.4oz. But I'd like something in the MH range say, 10-20. The RX7, and other, MH's go to a Mod-F action, apparently to gain that power. What I'm wanting to do is experiment with full Mod actions, even Mod to Slow, but with power -at the tip. Moderate to Slow action with power all the way out. Thus I am thinking of cutting off some tip. Or, going longer yet and cutting off some butt. Dunno. Another option could be to go to a LM material, cut off some of that wimpy tip, and let it be over-powered. Here's what I'm after: I have some older, ok old, thick-walled pencil-thin graphites (Skyline and a Sigma Boron) that feel somewhat pool cue like, but when loaded take on a Mod to nearly S action. They are my most accurate casters and are great at fighting fish. I'd like that kind of action in modern lightweight materials to add some serious sensitivity to the bucket list. Kistler is making use of this with their immensely popular H-MOD flipping stick, which people are saying they are finding lots of uses for. For starters, I want to replace my dime-accurate skipping rod with something more sensitive. Moderate to Slow action with power all the way out.

Wow, sounds like the producers can't understand why someone would want to watch fishing. Cut to the "excitement". Sounds like some heads need to roll over there.

What's good out there in the Mod action blanks? I'm looking for the finished rods coming in around 6'6". Second question: Mod action blanks tend to be of lower modulus materials. Seems all the HM blanks are F or XF. Would it be feasible to start with a longer HM F blank and cut it back? The idea is to get as light weight a blank as possible. Seems many LM blanks are fairly light too. Would there even be much of a difference? Thanks.

I have two Helium's: an original LTA 7' Med F spin I use as a soft plastics and DS rod, and an He3 7'10" H Mod cast for flipping. The MF weighs under 4oz(!) and is the most sensitive rod I own. The HMod weighs just over 5oz. Can't compare with the Dobyns. I'm guessing that most high end rods are comparable. As to being injected with He, I always chuckled at that -true or not. But, the rods were known to float (sans reel) and I believe mine did when I tested it -if I'm remembering right. As I also seem to remember, @J Francho and I had a conversation about that and I think he said he had another high end rod that will float. Will be interesting if he pipes in and let's me know how good or bad my memory is. Regardless, weight is critical to sensitivity so weight/power is what we pay for. The He blanks are NFC/Gary Loomis.

Wow! Pretty, pretty! Neat that people are out there catching em in the winter. Wasn't always like that. "You can't catch bass in winter!"

I know that one well.

Hi, Ed. Sounds wonderful. It really is neat seeing the fish fighting down through clear water. If you ever decide to film them, you'll want a hat-cam, so the camera can be as directly above them as possible, and a polarizer. Don't use the elastic headband type, or you'll end up with a headache! Get one that's integral with a cap. Mine is made by Smatree.

Very nice finish, Brian. Beautiful fish. Decent body condition. Guess they have to go into winter that way. I've yet to find bass actually relating to ice edges, although I seem to remember you may have a while back, in a lake with dying shad(?). Winter bass do appreciate cover, but by the time there's much ice, my fish appear to then be bottom oriented. Yes, they are gorgeous this time of year. The clearer the water the more colored and patterned they seem to be. I just ooh and ah over them. Funny how it always hits me like new. Cold here too. I think I'm done until we get a thaw.

Decided to finish up the fall on the same pond I've fished through the entire fall transition, a shallow dishpan carpeted wall to wall with coontail. 42F core water, and super high clarity. The winter clear-water period is on. I could have seen straight to the bottom, if not for all that coontail. I've rarely fished such weedy waters during winter, opting for those with more open water. But, I decided to give it a shot, just to see what I could find. With the clear water I went Ned, with a 1/16oz Slider head, and found a couple. What this fishing lacked in numbers was made up in sheer beauty of those winter clear water fish. They are simply stunning; A metallic bronze-gold, yellow flanks, and prominant markings. The GoPro just doesn't do them justice.

Wow! She's done well for herself!

Sounds like the ice sheet was incidental.

That is cool. How deep was the water beneath that ice sheet? Why is it one of the better spots on the pond? Also, I see those fish are heavily marked, but pale. I see that too. Sometimes they are yellow, sometimes pale like that, even in the same water body. Clarity? Depth? Curious.

Depends on the season. I use UL through H.

I've done them one at a time. Still at it. No rush.

It's definitely a Chara. The yellow-orange reproductive structures can be seen in your pics, as well as the wheel spoke whorls.

Now one is... "normal". :)) For me, the drive/passion is the same. But, since I know so much more now, there is now SO much more to see out there. But the obsession part -which I believe we come by honestly, that functions by carrying us through the tough times- has been replaced by a more direct approach. The tough times, when I've found myself wondering just what the hell I'm doing out there -like, I should be home mowing the lawn, or something else... productive- are pretty much non-existent now. So, obsession isn't required. I'm more focused. The result is, it only gets more and more intriguing as the years go by and the more I know. That's the fishing part of it. The "stuff" part of it, is a bit different. When I can't go fishing, I'm more apt to buy stuff. As if those enticing ideas in my head are the closest thing I can get to being on the water. Even though I end up with more plans for that new tackle than I actually have time to apply to it all. So... I own more stuff than I can give justice to. But, like the boxes and bins of collected up tools and hardware in the shop, it's nice to have the right tool or doo-hicky for the job, esp if I am able to follow through on an idea, make the right mods, and break through a challenging scenario.

I had a rod sent to me through Amazon without packing too. Interestingly, there was another rod of lower quality I didn't order in with it. That one had a knife slit down the length of the handle, but the plastic sheath was still intact.

I use X-Raps and Husky's, mostly. X's run a bit shallower, and can "slash"/glide more -great in warmer water. Husky's run a bit deeper, and can be twitch better, for cold water. X's are also surprisingly weedless, due to their lip design than is smooth, rounded, and contiguous with the body. I use two X-Rap sizes here, the 8 and 10. The little 8 is great in very cold and very clear water. I like the Shadow Rap too. It's not quite as good a direction changer as others, but it's flat sides, and finishes, has me using them. I too like the Cutter.

Can you get them directly behind the seat? A minor challenge to reach... maybe 5 there sans the middle one? You do have more beam than my yak does. Just a thought.

Fun thread. Agree this feels cabin feverish. Guess I'm in that mode now too, though, since I'm iced up here. WHAAAAAAATTT?????!!!!!!!! Blasphemy!!! My dad just sent me the Sigma 2200-035 I bought for him back in the 80s. It's still spanking new. Simple. Adequate quality (seeing my 030 is still cooking along). Love it. Yes! And true weight at that! I bought a small electronic scale a while back, and you might be surprised. Anal? You bet. Also, buoyancy (along with diving depth) on diving hardbaits would be helpful: Positive, neutral, neg: -3, -2, -1, 0, +1, +2, +3. More full-sized lightweight (1/4oz or less) lipless cranks. With true weights; You'd be surprised. "Sebile" (now Pure Fishing) dropped the FlattShad 1/2oz! Are they crazy???!! Some powerful fully Moderate action rods. I think they could take over the industry. Most hook manuf have gone this way, esp Japanese companies, but micro-barbs are fish savers. Cheap hooks with mega-barbs, like all we had in the old days- are just... barbarous. Yes! Mine hold four rods: Two at 45deg off back of holder, 2 vertical. ABS glued so rod tips point inward, keeping them out of the way of all casting angles except perfectly vertical. Works well for me. Never know they are there. (Except when a lure comes rocketing back at me.?) My yak has recessed rod holders just behind the seat, so it's an easy mod.