Tim Kelly

Well, yes and no. If you want to throw a 1/2 oz then an x fast rod will have a stiffer butt relative to the tip than a mod fast, but they will have a different power rating because of that. The power and the action are different. An XF heavy and a mod fast medium might have the same casting weights, but the XF will have much more power in the butt, hence the power rating.

The fast, x fast and mod fast actions make the casting weights different. A MH XF road has a lighter tip than the MH F, but the same power further down the blank, so it will cast lighter baits. The MH MF blank will cast a heavier bait as the tip is relatively stiffer. There isn't a direct equivalent to your rod that's longer in the legend elite or extreme series. The only one that's a bit longer is the 7'3" legend tournament "carolina rig". Personally, I'd stick with what you've got already.

I found, when I first started using daiwas after having Shimanos, that you need to slightly modify your casting strike with mag brakes vs centrifugals to get the best of them.

How can you say that. LOL

Buy white braid. It doesn't fade, though mutes slightly as it gets grubby, and is visible in most conditions.

I'm pretty sure that the merc/tohatsu has the throttle that is forward in one direction and reverse when you twist it the other way, as opposed to a gear lever the other brands have. I personally didn't want that.

I would go for a Yamaha or Suzuki personally. The Suzuki is fuel injected (I just bought a 20hp, which is the same block as the 15) which is an advantage in starting and smooth running, but the Yamaha was a very close second choice for me. I didn't look at the Honda, but the Merc and Tohatsu are the same motors and I thought looked the least attractive balance of technology and displacement.

Could you use half a fibre guard rather than the full bunch?

There are two reel brands. The *** is neither of them. Stick with the two reel brands in future.

That would work, but I wondered if anyone had tried putting some shrink tube ober the eye before power coating, or some less fiddly idea like that/ Even holding the jig by the eye with a pair of flat nosed pliers would mask the eye, but the pliers would get covered in paint.

My eyes just turned 50 and I can do it fine. I'm sure you'll manage. Look on you tube for the versions where the braid comes from the rod tip and you hold the end of the braid in your mouth, then wrap the leader round the braid. I find this by far the easiest method. The half hitches are the bit that takes the time, the weave is a doddle.

Seriously, learn the FG knot and you won't have to worry about your connection again, it really is that good. I only re-tie when the leader has got too short, there's absolutely no need to worry about the leader knot. Every other knot I've ever used to join leader to braid has been a weak point, especially when you are winding it through the guides. The FG removes that worry and weakness completely. It's a pain to learn, but once you've got it down it doesn't take too long to tie.

Thank you. I looked at the trokar version, but I think the one BB has suggested will be perfect. I can always get busy with the dremmel if it needs a tweak. I don't often powder coat jigs, as I don't really think it matters, but I do coat my ned rig heads as they have so little lead round the hook that they are a bit fragile, so coating them helps reinforce them a bit. I always clear the eyes before baking, but sometimes the paint re-fills the eye in the baking process and they are a pain to clear. Do you have any good ideas how to mask the hook eye while applying the power paint?

Yeah, pretty much where I'm going. Those Mr Twister spikes would be ideal though.

BB, I don't know whether you've tried using elastech plastics on this type of jig head, but any suggestions what to replace the screw keeper with to get the elastech to work on this style jig? I was thinking just a piece of wire bent back on itself to form a barb.

Thanks. I will be using them for perch and zander primarily, often with spinning gear, so I expect the standard fine wire would be perfect.

Brilliant. Thank you. I didn't realise an EWG would work in that mould.

No, or at least it doesn't need to be. What I really want is a football head, an EWG hook, 3/0 and 4/0 in 1/8 and 1/4 with a screw lock.

Thanks. I scoured their site but couldn't see a head like this.

Does anyone know a source for this type of shaky head jig? I can get them on ebay, but the seller won't combine shipping and they end up just too expensive by the time I get them home. Can't see a similar head on the Do-It website, so wonder if it's a generally available design?

Just tried twisting the stopper rod and it worked, at least temporarily. Great suggestion, thank you. Don't know why it hadn't occurred to me to do it before! I think a deep clean is on the cards though as I need to poke a wire up the spout or twist the rod pretty regularly.

You could get lucky, or not. No way of knowing. New motors are more complicated but much more efficient and have a warranty. Old motors are simpler, if you like getting busy with the spanners, and if you can get parts will be easier to maintain, but you will probably have to.

Twisting the rod sounds like a good idea. I have a piece of wire I poke up the spout when it clogs, but twisting the rod might well unseat the bit of rubbish that's causing the drip. Thank you.

Yeah, I have a similar regime. I expect there's just a bit of rubbish caught on the orifice where the rod seats, so I think draining and scrubbing must be in my future. I'm a bit tempted to remove the rod and plug the bottom and just use the pot to melt and a ladle to pour.

Thanks. I suspected that would be the answer. Any tips for keeping it cleaner in the future? It worked well for the first few months, but I suppose the impurities in the lead accumulate over time. I use 100 year old lead water pipe most of the time and that can have quite a lot of limescale and paint on it, which I skim off regularly.