OnthePotomac

Our grandson had a Carbonlite about 10 years ago on which a line guide came off and returned it to BPS with no receipt. He was given a new rod with no problem at all and they even apologized to him for having the problem.

I am a tinkerer, so I only use oil in my spool bearings and all others get dipped in TSI 301, which has TSI321 in it.

I used an automatic Schumacher for several years switching between the starting and trolling motor batteries, but for five years I have used a battery tender just left plugged in all winter for them and the tender also has a desulfinator to keep the plates clean and boy does it extend the life of a battery.

Just watched Kevin Van Dam changing his line and said he uses a know to tie on his current line, which is never more than 75 yards and the knot shows him where to cut and tie on a new 75yds of line. I guess my red line marking does that for me and it really show up well.

I do not soak spool bearing. I place them in a tiny food strainer, step out doors and blast them for a few seconds with CRC Electronic Cleaner with the red tube in the nozzle, then give them a short bath in lighter fluid, then blow dry. It cleans out oil and grease really fast, dries really fast and leaves no residue. Brake Klean also works well. No foul odors and you will never accidently blow your self up. Long ago I cleaned the oil/grease from my pinion and crank shaft bearings and now dip them in TSI 301 (a solvent with TSI 321 lubricant. There are anglers (mostly salt water) who dip their spool bearings in TSI 301, for the benefit of the TSI 321 lubricant, which can also be purchased in a separate container.

God Bless you sir and you hang in there. I grew up with a dad who had the same problem, but by the time he corrected it he developed leukemia and died at the age of 42 while I was a high school junior. You will make it and do not give up....ever. And God bless your wife who has remained at your side.

Any one on here who works for Cabelas or BPS know why they do not sell the SLX XT and only the SLX and the SLX DC?

I do not use knots for my backing line (10lb mono) to the reel, just a tiny piece of white duct tape, then another tiny piece of duct tape for the main line onto the backing. Before I spool on the mono or flouro main line I color the line with a red marker for about 5 ft, then I know when I am getting down to the end of the line. Has worked so far for 19 years. I even tape on the braid on the frog reel..

What an incredibly informative thread. I am inspired to dig mine out and give them a try again.

What a great idea for an angler who has the bait demands you certainly have in competition.

When it comes to fishing line everyone has their favorite. Not really favorites, but for mono use I have used BPS Excel 8lb on my spinning reels for 19 years, and the same amount of time for baitcasters with BPS Excel 14lb and XL 17lb mono used for spinner baits and chatter baits. I also used BPS Excel 20lb mono for frog fishing years ago, but now braid.

Wow, I was just thinking 8lb braid on a bait caster has to be like throwing heavy sewing thread.

I keep saying read the MSDS sheets on all of this stuff and you will amazed at what is in them...or not.

They should be here:https://fishingcompleteinc.com/

A company called Case Plastics has them.

Strike King Hack Attack jigs work for me on the Potomac and not pricey at all

I believe LaCroix is US made in their own facility.

I just fish all plastics on a 7' MH fast tip BPS Carbonlite for the Potomac grass beds.

Only use braid for frogging. 50lb Sufix 832.

I know they are available elsewhere, but I have BPS gift cards.

Tried to find one their sites and NADA. SLX & SLX DC only. Seems a little strange. Gift cards awaiting one.

I have one similar to that which weighs grams, or ounces and use the daylights out it for weighing various lures, plastics, rods and reels. I keep it on gram setting and them multiply the reading by .035 for really light items if I want to convert it.

I also stopped using the screw in bullets because there always seemed to be a room problem with the top of the worm and the hook eye so close. I just went to a slip sinker as others have said and it gave me to option also of pegging it, or not. At least on the Potomac a slip sinker does not always have to be pegged.

Dr Meiers is an interesting fellow and runs a Merc 250 V8 on E10 on his 21 ft Ranger intercoastal and will not use fuel stabilizers. He is entering year 2 on the big V8, an has shut it down until next March (24 above here last evening) and just fills his tank to the brim for storage. His last engine was a 250 Merc for 8 years and did the same thing. I guess it is the science oriented PHD engineer in him always pushing to see what is or not needed. He insists he never has a problem and his close fellow anglers confirm he is correct. Go figure.

So who is in the market for a nice pallet?