MickD

Your sizing decision is fine. Better a little big than a little small. The problem with ordering a tiptop from the rodbuilding sources is that the shipping will cost more than the tiptop. But, if ordering a number of them, it might make sense. An option if you have a builder in your area is to let them replace it. They will give you the right one (brand is not as important as a few other parameters) for your rod, you'll know it's done right, and the cost is not that high. If you decide to order this one and a few more for other rods you need to know 1. what is the ring size I need for each rod and 2. what is the tube size I need for each rod. 3. what is the frame finish color I need to match the other guides (this is least important). This will ease the shipping cost issue. As suggested above, ask SC to see if they are reasonable. If going it alone, I suggest the FAT series from Fuji or their new KG series. The latter is a little pricey, but if you want the best in design and execution, it's a great tiptop. I've built a lot of rods with the FAT tiptops, and have had no problems. With the alconite ring and stainless finish, pretty inexpensive and still better than what most factory rods come with, fine for braid. With the SIC ring, still not out of reach for most people. If going this way I suggest getbitoutdoors.com, a good company, family owned and run, good service. Ask them what they suggest.

The one thing the ML will not do well, IMHO, compared to the M, is tube fishing. I like the power of an M (Rodgeeks-same as SC SC4 and SC SC5) is the power to set the hook and control the fish better. But there are things the ML will do better. When snapping 3/16 oz darter head jigs with swim baits off the bottom, the M is too powerful to give the snap the right "acceleration." It comes too sharply off the bottom and loses contact on the fall. The ML is also fine for casting light cranks. So, the logical conclusion is, get them both. One cannot have too many rods.

Never mind, got confused on brands, and can't figure out how to delete the post. Sorry.

I agree with most of the posts above, but will comment that there are times when smb are very choosy, (cold water, recently spooked, just plain choosy), and in those cases smaller (and slower) is better. (Think Ned or slowly dragging tubes). One time some friends were killing them and we were finding it slow. I finally noticed they were using smaller tubes, so I cut the tail about half off mine, and instantly was catching fish. (Early summer, post spawn, about 8-10 feet deep in the typical trough near a sea wall). This was a slow, even, dragging of the tubes, no hopping or twitching. If the fish are active, they will hit anything/any size, so I usually start bigger/faster and change as necessary.

Since both Nanofil and all braids I know of have almost zero stretch, how can one be more sensitive than the other? I think that while sensitivity cannot be measured, the amount of stretch a line has is a good proxy for sensitivity. Nanofil is smooth, small diameter, essentially no stretch, but I've found that it shreds easily near the "terminal." I have found better options with some of the premium braids. IMHO

Me too. A Lk St Clair guide told me they work best in calm water. A friend had success there counting them down in deep water. I had a follow once. ?

Make sure your "problem" reel is properly lubed. I'm not sure what your maintenance habits are, but I have a son who is a great fisherman, but seldom lubes his reels until I remind him. Sometimes the level wind worms look absolutely dry.

If you like it, it's a good rod.

I admit there are a lot of better baitcasters than I am, and if I were more skilled I probably would try FC again, especially where I needed a sinking line. Last year I thought I'd try spybaits, so I rigged up my 9 foot slow action (very expensive North Forks blank which I won at a gathering) steelhead/salmon rod that is perfect for long casts with light lures. I rigged it with 4 pound FC, (as the experts recommend for spybaits-has to be light so not to affect the action of the spybait) major brand, on a Stradic 4000. Could cast a mile with it, for about half an hour. Line was simply too fragile. So I put on a .006 in diameter braid with a leader (FG knot-rod has micros). Still casts a mile, I don't think the line is impairing the action of the spybait, and it has solved the FC problem. Theoretically it won't sink as fast, but it also won't be broken off so fast. AJ, any experience to relate that might help me fish spybaits?

Same for me. I've tried a lot of them, not Tatsu, not going to pay that much for a type of line (FC) that in every other brand has resulted in disappointment. It's as you say, fragile on taking out backlashes, a few of which are inevitable since it doesn't cast that well. If not braid just go mono. I have one casting rod still with FC, have avoided disaster so far, but will be changing to braid or mono when the FC gives up. Same for me. I've tried a lot of them, not Tatsu, not going to pay that much for a type of line (FC) that in every other brand has resulted in disappointment. It's as you say, fragile on taking out backlashes, a few of which are inevitable since it doesn't cast that well. If not braid just go mono. I have one casting rod still with FC, have avoided disaster so far, but will be changing to braid or mono when the FC gives up.

So you spool it on tight, then do a bunch of casts without catching fish. How tightly is it being spooled on? Tightly enough to prevent digging in? I think you'll find a lot of fishermen, myself included, who have had braid dig in. Not so much now as in the past, but it seems logical that there would be less of a problem with the heavier pound tests than the lighter pound tests. I'll keep it above 30 on my casting outfits. I see no advantage to going lower, and depending on the line, there can be disadvantages. I may have less trouble than most since I keep my drags lower than most probably do. I don't do a lot of fishing where horsing one out of cover is needed. It also seems logical that the best line for that would be a heavy pound test.

I have no experience with glass boats, but there has to be an easy refinish for the topcoats on them. Check with one of the big shops like West Marine. Or do internet searches. Here's one: https://www.auroramarine.com/main/ask-the-skipper/restoring-clear-coat-on-metalflake/ the guy sounds knowledgeable.

Regarding floating mono. Mono does not float since its specific gravity is essentially the same as fresh water. Will float in salt. But possibly the fact that it doesn't sink gives FC a "sensitivity" advantage while fishing sinking lures. Good comments. thx The reason for less of a problem now than earlier is that braids are generally round now, used to be flat, and edge would slide under. Trying cut a full spool of braid off. . . not fun. I don't use braid any lighter than 30#, usually 40. I think it handles better, casts more like 12 pound mono, very little chance (I've not had it happen) of digging in. Do you know what line you had dig in?

This might help. https://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/Selecting-a-Fishfinder

Thanks, Im aware of that and the relationship of Rodgeeks and St Croix, but was looking for some comments of those who have built or fished them. I expect they are very good, but have never heard from anyone who has built one.

Do any of the posters who advocate that FC is more sensitive than mono have any data to confirm this belief? The only hard data comparing the two that I have seen are density comparisons that show mono has a density about the same as water and FC about 50% more. Which confirms that mono is better for most surface lure fishing. Since there is no objective test (at least I've never seen one) for sensitivity (how does one measure sensitivity?), what attribute of FC would lead one to believe it is more sensitive? Stretch? I think that has been debunked by many tests indicating there is little if any difference. Just asking. Just trying to learn. I note an appropriate quote above in red.

It really doesn't matter. You cast it. You retrieve it. Even the line doesn't matter. I'd say use whatever setup gives you the longest casts.

In central MI it stopped two days ago. they yesterday we got 3 inches more.

Can anyone offer comments on their experience with Rodgeeks Carbon 4 fly rod blanks?

I worry more about the spot lock holding the boat, but my experience of a few days ago doesn't indicate that smb are "chased away" by electronics or spot lock. We sometimes had as many as 6 big smb in sight, some going right under the boat in about 6 feet of water. WE had a hard time getting any to bite, but they looked like they were just chilling. Water was obviously very clear and there was no wind. Always tough for me. I think we had gotten in too close to their spot and that was part of the problem. Remember the string about long casts? I took one immediately on getting into the area, 3 chased it. A few gave a "lazy" chase at some lures, but as time went on they stopped that. But they didn't leave. I think if we had been out another 30-40 feet we would have caught more than the few we did. In the past I've fished with both spot lock and electronics on and caught a lot of fish. A month ago I took 13 lmb from a little corner of a "pond," without moving. Nothing huge, I admit, only up to about 19 inches, the rest smaller. One time a few years ago three of us found smb packed into shallow water and we took about 60 in about 2 hours with spot lock on. Most over 3 pounds, some above 5. But they were obviously not chiilng that day.

They are often not in the rock piles or weed beds, but outside. LAst trip to St Clair they were within about 50 yards of weeds. But not one fish from the weed bed.

73 years for me, I believe. Old black line casting reels, steel rods, bamboo poles. Orvis glass minnow traps, (I still have one), catching crawfish under rocks, perch fishing the piers and Elberta and Frankfort. I remember about 1950 Dad buying his first spinning reel, Airex? From Europe? It was magic. At that time it used a green "braid," not sure of the material, but I guess there was no mono at that time. In time I became a fan of the Italian Alcedo Microns, still have a couple of them, but they don't measure up now. I could get the Microns, which were not cheap, because in my sophomore year in high school I got a job in a sporting goods store. You know where my income went, fishing tackle, an Ithaca 37 rib-deluxe shotgun, etc etc etc.(Still have it, a wonderful shotgun). We fished smb on the Shiawassee River, still a good smb river in spots, and the killer lure, discovered by my boss, was the F7 silver Helin's Flatfish. My boss posted a pic in the store of all the smb and rock bass he and a friend caught drifting the Shiawassee, and we couldn't keep them in stock after that. Sold hundreds before it cooled off. I gotta try that lure again today.

Color film. You're a young guy. ?

Green green green! Muskegon Lake is a great lake for just about everything. For both LM and SMB the ned is very effective if the lake is suitable. Also tubes for both species. In clear water bubblegum and white in super flukes and swim baits are good. 4 inch swim baits on a darter head jig snapped off the bottom will at times kill SMB. And always the drop shot in colors that match the habitat. The new Z man minnows on drop shot are proving effective at times.

Tied on, not with a snap, is the most weedless lure ever invented. It works really well crawling over lily pads, too. I had forgotten it, nice catch, Tom. Gotta find some real white pork strips! The kind in the jar that has the cap that rusts on when you don't use them for a while. So soft they do not catch any vegetation, just fish.