.ghoti.

Sweet. looking forward to your reports.

there's a size 17 basic Fuji spinning seat under all that cork. The EVA ring to the far right and the cork behind it rotate. That EVA ring is there to slide over the cork ring to the left of it. The other EVA ring is to cushion when the seat is tightened don on the reel foot.Now that I've osted pics, I can see that I have a bit more shaping and sanding to do. The size 17 seat is probably a mistake, but it was what I had laying around to experiment with. If this thing works out, the next one will be built on a 16. yep, more shaping and sanding needed.

A Magic Eraser is the easiest way to clean cork. The rest of the rod gets cleaned when needed with soap and water. I've never waxed a rod, but I will wax the guides before a winter trout fishing trip. The wax will not keep the guides from icing up, but a sharp rap on the rod will knock the ice right out of the waxed guides.

A fine eulogy farmer. We should all have something that fine said about us when we depart.

Never try to argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level, and beat you with experience.

I'd get avocados.

If I lived where I could fish for those, bass would be the junk fish.

The other guys are being too nice stkbassn. Stand up and take your punishment like a man. Bailiff, whack his peepee.

frosty, that's why they make beer. and duct tape.

One more pic like that iabass8, and I will ban you for the rest of your natural life. I was trying to eat breakfast man. ROFLMAO!!!

The only time I've ever sunk a hook into myself has been when trying get a crank loose from a dink.i use a grip to hold the fish, and needle nose pliers on the crank. And I don't really care if the fish survives the encounter. I'm not making a fourth trip to the ER because of a dink.

I used to watch every one I could get. Now I wil watch Lunkerville if I happen to catch it. I have better things to do that watch somebody else try to catch fish. For me, it's a lot like watching golf or bowling. And I don't watch those either.

A new absolute, which has only become so since I became a moderator, and have to read every thread: never, ever, ever reply to a thread who's title contains the words "what's the best....."

You don't have enough line on that reel. I fill mine to within 1/16" when using 10lb line. I go closer to the lip as line size decreases.

$200 is an outstanding price for that reel. I think I paid $275 for the one I have, and I consider that money well spent.

I tried using the lathe at my normal setting for cork turning. Somewhere around 2000rpm. That fine line I alluded to was way to easy to cross at that speed. I wouldn't mind talking with somebody at Winn. I can tell you the substrate foam did not fail. The skin came loose from the foam core. The grip in the wrinkled area still feels sound. I tried using the lathe at my normal setting for cork turning. Somewhere around 2000rpm. That fine line I alluded to was way to easy to cross at that speed. I wouldn't mind talking with somebody at Winn. I can tell you the substrate foam did not fail. The skin came loose from the foam core. The grip in the wrinkled area still feels sound. One of my email addresses is in my profile if you want pass this on to them. I'd guess they have a better way to do the job, and I'm not smart enough to figure it out.

Hey Mick, here's the best pic I could get of the screwed up Winn grip.My best reaming results were done using my wood lathe. I chucked up the correct dream reamer, and put the belt on the slowest speed pulleys. I think it runs right around 600rpm when using that set. when reaming you have to use the lightest pressure possible. I hold both ends of the grip by the foam, not on the skin. Takes quite a while to get the job done, but by using just finger pressure applied only to the foam ends, you will not wrinkle the skin. If you find a better way to do this, I'm all ears.

what do you have against bluegill? they are better eating fish then bass or catfish.

Okuma also sent me one of their spinning reels to try; an Inspira model, a budget reel that does not feel like a budget reel. MSRP is $80. It feels better than that. I've only use it once, for a short evening outing so far, but I have three days of trout fishing coming up in a couple of weeks. When I get back from that trip, I'll be tearing it down, for a complete clean and lube, and see just what it's made of. Then I'll write a review.

there are likely some cypress knees in the water. Good place throw a bait.

Just about anything.

The skin can be easily stretched, and becomes wrinkled. I'll put up a pic, if I can get a good closeup shot showing this. I have a set of Batson Dream Reamers. They work nicely. Except with Winn Grips.They are tougher to ream than burl cork .I've reamed by hand and stretched the skin. I've chucked the reamer in a drill and stretched the skin. I even put my Rikon lathe on it's slowest belt/pulley setting and tried using it. there seems to be a very fine line between applying enough force to get some reaming done, and applying enough to damage the skin.

Kudos to you for going the extra mile, SoInBassman. This what custom rods are all about. Education. Getting with the client, discuss what he wants, then showing him, out of all that's available, what he really needs. My goal is to put a rod in the hands of a fellow fisherman that will be cherished. Not because it has the latest and greatest, not because it the lightest, certainly not because it's the most expensive. But, because it does precisely what it is intended to do. The sad and sorry truth of the matter is; for every piece of good information stored in the Web, there a multiple pieces of stupidity. This is a problem with no solution. Other than retroactive birth control. LOL

A few thoughts for your consideration. Carbon skin grips over a foam core might be the lightest. But that would depend on the density of the foam used. There are different densities available. Also the finishing over the carbon fiber will have some impact. How much, or how little is used will affect the final weight. Winn grips are slightly lighter than natural cork. Burl cork is two to three times the weight of natural cork. I don't care for EVA, so I don't use it, unless it is requested. There are different grades of this stuff, with differing densities. I've never measured it. Having said all that, what real affect does any of this have on the final product? The handle is where the thing is held. Any "extra" weight will be in your hand, and will have no affect how the rod feels or performs. The difference between carbon skin, Winn and natural cork will be minimal when built as a split grip assembly, and will likely be undetectable when in hand. You'll see a little difference on the scale, but will not notice it while fishing. The whole tip heavy thing makes me a little nuts. You can't balance a rod against the back force of a crankbait or spinnerbait, so there's no reason to try. Tip up techniques are what most people are referring to when whining about a rod being tip heavy. Think about this: if you're holding the rod with the tip straight up, how does being tip heavy have any affect? It doesn't. There will be no torque on your wrist. Holding the rod parallel to the ground, or water, will apply some torque to your wrist. How often do you hold the rod in that position when fishing bottom contact techniques? If you are capable, apply some mathematics to the problem. You will discover that what is being discussed, and whined about, is measured in inch ounces rather than foot/pounds of torque when the rod is held nearly perpendicular to the water. The closer to perpendicular the rod is held, the lower the torque on the wrist. If and when i ever get to the point that a few inch/ounces of torque on my poor old wrist becomes too much for me to handle, I'll take up a more gentle sport. Like needlepoint maybe.