MickD

I agree with the above statement. But will add that I always use premium ring materials for tiptops on rods I build to get the best chance of avoiding grooving. I've never had a guide groove, but old cheapie tiptops have grooved. I would not bother changing on an existing rod because it may never groove, and there is no problem waiting until it does. Grooving does not damage line, unlike a cracked ring.

The consumption of the memory in the unit is based on hours, right? So if you are fishing and just leaving it on, are you not consuming a lot of memory with little mapping? I'm learning too. thx By the way, Humminbird phone support has been very efficient and effective for me.

Great grammar, A Jay. That's one that most would not get correct.

Any Daiwa. Check eBay.

Yes, it looks like a great knot. Will try it.

Close together supports. With a home made wrapper you may have to cobble some supports, or add a movable one.

Except for tying drop shot hooks, I never use the Palomar. Here is a knot that is shown to be 94% as strong as a Palomar, uses less leader, easier to tie, works with mono and FC (not sure on braid since I don't tie directly to braid), AND, if used as a terminal knot with the FG or double uni as the line to leader knot, the break if snagged will always occur at the terminal. Which is why the terminal knot should not be as strong as the FG or double uni. But should be close.

Make a bag of the stuff you use 90% of the time. When fishing on another's boat, only take that. Keep your necessary tools, leader material, snaps, sinkers, etc in it. If the other fisherman is like I and my buddies are, a loan of something you missed that is working that day is offered. When fishing your own boat you can have "all your stuff" under cover and out of the way.

As mentioned, climbing onto the tongue is tricky, especially for us old farts, but it can be improved with a couple pretty easy adds to the trailer. 1. Apply anti-slip tape (like sandpaper, mine is yellow) to the top of the trailer rails anywhere that you might step. 2. Make some properly sized 3/4 treated plywood boards to provide wide steps on the side and the tongue of the trailer. They really make a difference both in getting to the winch and operating it. When designing the steps be sure they will not interfere with the folded front tongue support.

Mine too.

I think cutting a 6-8 Rainshadow Revelation may be your best option. Of course the cut should be from the butt. I don't think you'll find the exact blank you are looking for. Cutting from the butt is pretty low risk. Action will get a little slower, power a little lower.

If your boat has roller bunks don't do this, wait until you are over the water with the boat before unhooking the chain. I'm sure the author assumed bunks, not rollers. Sorry Tom, didn't notice your post before doing my somewhat redundant one. I have a rope that is the correct length to go from the boat loop on the bow to my trailer alignment rollers, the things that help align the boat as you drive onto the trailer. I let the boat float gently off the trailer, then very slowly move the car up the ramp, essentially towing the boat toward shore. If you do it right you can catch the boat before the bow touches the concrete, and pull it over to the dock. On loading I get the boat onto the trailer, then step over the bow onto the boards I have added to the trailer to give me more and stable foot room on the trailer. I finish cranking the boat onto the trailer, then usually I can step off into the shallow water on the ramp without going over my waterproof shoes, and get to the car to drive it out. On launching one can have a rope of proper length and hook it to the winch with enough slack to float the boat. Then retrieve it. As Tom says, a wench will help, but I don't have one. I have to use my winch. :-)

Don't get him a "kiddie" rod; get him a real rod. He can handle it and can use it a lifetime if he takes care of it. With my grandkids they went from the push button right to a decent spin reel and 6 1/2 foot St Croix Avid. No problems.

External sleeve with lower modulus. Like using a glass sleeve with a graphite rod. One can buy glass tubes on line, not that expensive. I don't know what their modulus is, but has to be much less than most graphites. I've used them successfully. They are cylindrical, no taper.

Do not use a nail or wooden dowel. What this will do is make stress risers at the end of the relatively rigid reinforcement and most likely the action will have a flat spot and the rod will fail there. The right way to do it is with an external sleeve made from a tubular fiberglass salvage rod piece. Graphite will work but glass is better in order to match the flex of the graphite (since the sleeve is a larger diameter it will be stiffer than graphite unless you drop the modulus by using glass instead of graphite). Instructions are here: https://www.rodbuilding.org/library/repair-oquinn.html I have used this process successfully many times and have never had a repeat failure. The rigid internal spigot is not a viable solution. Those non-retractable cleats are a trap for clothing and rods. Get some of the flexible polyurethane foam, about an inch thick, from some electronics packaging, cut a piece out that more than covers the cleat, then cut a slit in it to accept the cleat. This will prevent the cleat from allowing a rod to go under it. Easy on, easy off. Looks screwy, but works.

I have found the 3.8 Keitech very good, but most of my fish come on snapping it off the bottom, or twitching it as I retrieve it. In very clear water the KVD in pearl white is excellent , too. Same snapping retrieve works well for LMB at times, too. thanks again for all the comments.

Thanks, guys , for your comments. Keep them coming if you have new ideas. J Francho, how deep would it be when using a 3/4 to 1 oz tube jig? Tubes are still quite good around St Clair and Sag Bay, usually with 3/16 or 1/4 oz in 15 feet or less. The only thing mentioned that I've not tried some version of is the A rig. A Jay, that's what you were casting in your recent video before hitting the fish on Ned, right? Seems like a big price to pay (casting effort), but if it's the only thing going, worth it.

SMB usually can be taken if they are found, but now and then they can be VERY particular about what they will take. Do you have a lure that has your confidence enough that when you use it, and you don't get bit, you are confident they are not around? I'm interested mostly in big water, not rivers. SMB, not LMB.

Lack of integrity alert!

Rotator cuff pain is also caused by actual tears of the components of the rotator cuff, like the infra and supraspinatus. No antiinflammatory or pain reliever is going to fix them. Rather than get info from the internet (it's not always true) it's best to just go to a doctor.

I've contacted Humminbird, talking on the phone with a tech, twice since I bought my Helix 9 two years + ago, and in both cases the techs were easy to reach, expert, pleasant, efficient, and gave clear information. Much different than most support experiences.

Sounds like rotator cuff. I have two bad ones, but can still fish pretty well. I find that two handed casts and not trying for exceptional distance helps me. Everyone is different, the joint is very complex, so yours could be much different than mine. Try to keep in shape, don't do any heavy weight lifting, but exercise with light rubber exercise bands and light weights like a quart water bottle most likely will help. The best advice will come from a doctor. Good orthos can tell you which element of the joint is acting up just by having you do a few simple tests in the office. Then for the exact analysis of the damage, an MRI is necessary. They can change surprisingly fast. I was thinking of surgery earlier this year, then my pain reduced a lot and surgery is no longer contemplated.

I think more rod power, not Xfast action, but Fast action or mod + braid will help a lot. What many don't consider in this mad charge to Xfast actions is that for a medium power Xfast action, the tip has to be quite soft to keep it in the medium power range. Better to go to MH power and mod-fast action to get the stiffer tip. Braid won't stretch, so most of your hook set force will go right to the fish. Hook advice sounds good, too, but maybe not necessary if the other changes are made.

No, I am not. I have been making my own rods for quite a while now, so have not been buying any factory rods. I know many on here have commented positively on them, and I know there are many good options out there in factory rods. The main thing, I believe, is to get the right power and action. Length is a little more subjective with some liking shorter and some longer. Shorter is likely to balance better, longer in likely to cast longer and put the tip higher on tip-up presentations.

Siebert continues to amaze me.