MickD

I had trouble tying the FG holding the braid in my teeth because many times before I got the knot tied, the braid slipped. Until I started wrapping the braid around these and holding the bigger, softer, device in my mouth. Even better was when I discovered that the device could be tied to a belt loop which brought the whole tying of the knot to an ergonomically better position, basically tying it in my lap. The double uni used with the lower pound test braids and leaders that are so popular now is small enough to go through every guide size, including small micros, that I've tried. For size the leader is the major culprit, and double unis with leaders over about 15 pound probably will not work well with most sizes of micros. Maybe lower than 15.

I may be the only one who is challenged by what your testing, but I don't know what an "un-retied" knot means. I don't know what your testing process is, and as you say, a single test isn't enough for a solid conclusion. Does the 7.5 pounds mean that the double uni knot only held half of the leader pound test then broke? 6 turn on through every test? Did you not take it to failure? I don't mean to be critical, but I think you have to be more specific in order that we don't all come to our own conclusions as to what's going on and what the results are. Right now I can take no conclusion from what I've read.

Can you tell me what keeper that is? Never mind, I see it in your specs.

I'm not sure, but probably has to do with their long length. Maybe their internal organs get stretched out of place. I've read it in some pretty credible pike/muskie articles. I tried to find some documentation for the horizontal hold, and did find a little, but no detail on why the horizontal hold is recommended. Maybe a muskie expert can help out here.

IMHO balance is highly over-rated. Especially on techniques where the rod is mostly held vertical or close. I would go for the most sensitive blank, which is the Legend.

Just cannot resist any longer. I have never found a jig that would tie itself. But I'm still looking.

If you hold them properly, without distorting and overstressing their lower jaw, I think there is no problem. I find it amazing that so many fishermen, supposedly experts, on TV hold the fish so that the lower jay is terribly "bent." Let that jaw be vertical when hanging the fish from it. This is not the case with big pike and muskies, which should have their bodies properly supported in a horizontal position. That's why cradle nets were made.

One of the most effective and versatile here in MI is one mentioned a lot already, the Rapala DT 6. The Live River Shad color will take anything that swims around here.

Yes, I saw these recently. Thanks for reminding me. I'll have to come up with a scheme to remind me to put it back in.

I never take my plug out of the boat exc at the dealership where they require it (for good reason). By not taking it out, I never forget to put it in. Not that that ever happened before . . .

I'll bet it was the bail spring that got you on the Mitchell. Seems like the rod in question would be good for what you used to use it for. Or spinnerbaits in cover. Or as a spare for your most used technique. You're from MI, so you fish smallies in clear water? Put a white Senko about 3-4 inches long on it, keep it handy, and throw it to follow up a hooked bass, or if your partner has one on. The smallies expel half digested minnows quite often and other bass follow and eat them. The minnows are pure white, or very close to it.

Do the lure weight recommendations for these blanks match the lures you intend to cast? Mod action is right, length is right, but the rod has to load properly for casting the cranks, and that depends on the lure weight recommendations.

Of course if you can get a warranty fix, do it. It sounded to me like it was an old rod that might cost a lot of money under warranty. If that were to be true, then the method I proposed is cheap, low risk, and high probability of fixing the rod to a condition better than new. The original construction failed, right? This fix won't .

Loose handles and reel seats. The most common problem with rods other than custom. Skimping on epoxy. I have no knowledge or expertise on St Croix warranty and what makes sense with it, but I do know what can fix the rod. Drill a couple holes in the area where the grip/handle/seat is loose, 1/16 inch or so. Drill them only until you contact the blank, no farther. Then inject a structural epoxy into the holes, pushing it well into the rod so you know you are getting a lot of it into the area between the components and the blank. Don't skimp on it, get plenty in there. Then when it has cured, fill the holes with an epoxy/cork dust mix. Finally sand it off flush with the cork grip.

After your last post: Notice in my numbers that the MH Rainshadow was the most powerful rod of the ones I mentioned. My son uses it for 1/2 oz jigs with pretty hefty trailers, and likes the solid hook sets. You may be better off with blanks called MH, even RodGeek blanks, since the Rainshadow of my selection has the highest power. I don't think that Rainshadow is too powerful for what you describe. I think your risk of being underpowered with M is greater than your risk of being overpowered with MH.

No FC. Life's too short. By the time you find one you like you'll be too old to fish it. Big Game has a very large following on this forum, so I expect it is very good. If you're used to 50 pound braid, mono may disappoint because of its stretch, but it does cast very well.

Calcutta 100? if so, a very fine reel.

RodGeeks MODEL #C470MF LENGTH7' POWERM ACTIONF MONO. LINE WGT.6 - 14 lb. LURE WGT. OZ.1/4 - 5/8 TIP SIZE*6 BUTT DIAMETER*0.457" Weight*1.9 oz. I have built two of these, and they are very fine blanks. Being "St Croix," they are a little more powerful than the typical med power. This blank is very similar to the St Croix SCV 7 foot medium power blank. Which I've built many of, and is one of my favorites. There used to be a great Rainshadow MH 7 foot XF action blank that I built, too, and it was just a little more powerful than the RG, but don't find it now. The CCS for these is as follows: SCV 181 pennies-77 degrees (452 grams) Carbon4 200-75 Rainshadow 231-74 For what you describe, I think the Carbon 4 is the best of these 3. Certainly better than the RS which I couldn't find any more.

6 pound test is too light, and FC is too fragile. Also check your tiptop with a Q-tip to see if it's cracked. The fuzz on the Q-tip will catch on the tiptop ring if it's cracked. Try 10-15 pound test braid and you'll be amazed at the casting distance and better hook sets, especially at long range.

I think you have one of my photos. I took a friend fishing one time on Saginaw Bay. We were after smallies, and went to Big Charity Island. My friend was not a very sophisticated fisherman, with his Zebco 33. We fished a nice drop into about 10 feet, me using tubes, and catching about nothing. So my buddy puts a couple split shots above his metal leader, and puts a yellow 1/4 oz Jitterbug on the snap of the leader, and throws it out. And immediately caught a nice 18 inch smallie.

Keep the rod. Don't take a chance with the relationship. Not worth it. Use it for neds and for light square lips cranks. Not too long for neds imho, and perfect for small cranks that are too light for BC. One cannot have too many rods.

If it's a new motor it will have AAA batteries, not the coin type. At least my 2 year old one does. They last a long time, but of course you want spares on board.

With today's ferrule designs, at least on quality rods like St Croix, the action and power differences between one and two piece rods are undetectable. The weight will be very slightly higher on two piece, but that too is IMHO undetectable.

I don't think the XH power is right, and with a rod that is both XH and quite long, it's probably going to be very tiring. And even pitching does load the rod some, so this rod may be like a long broomstick. Costs nothing to try it though. I could be mistaken.

Make sure your rod tips cannot contact anything, especially a vertical wall/bulkhead. It doesn't take much motion to break the tip by jamming against something.