MickD

I would start with an inexpensive kit to get familiar with the parts and processes. Before long I recommend you get into turning your own grips from rings which will allow you to get shapes/sizes/looks that you want. You don't need a lathe, but a drill press really helps. If you need help on how to rig one for turning cork, let me know.

Probably 25 days before Christmas. Sorry, couldn't resist. I noticed the Pflueger Supreme XT on sale at Cabelas and ordered one, they said it shipped. Great reel, great price.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. As is always mentioned on this forum: "I must have had a bad batch." ? I really like the Suffix Elite.

I used to use YoZuri hybrid for bait-casting, 12 and 14 pound test if I remember correctly. I left it since it seemed so stretchy, like using a rubber band (yes, exaggeration). My current favorite is Suffix Elite. I'm using 14. I have not noticed the stretchy sensation. Elite casts every bit as well, maybe better than the YZ, and MUCH better than braid or FC.

Does the split ring nose compromise other uses of the pliers, like grabbing hooks to remove them from fish? I've never had pliers with that nose.

I think the Creme brand is still very much with us. https://www.cremelure.com/

I think the chart thing has about + - 2 degrees of accuracy, but I think putting an electronic level closely parallel to the indicator extension even touching it so lightly that it doesn't move, is probably under 1 degree. I always had trouble with the chart, holding it level behind the object then trying to read which line most closely matched the extension, and interpolating. Exact leveling of the blank is not a significant issue, in my opinion. But it's best to get it as right as possible. You mentioned tip droop. Except for fly rods and possibly long salmon rods, droop is not significant. But the process specifically calls for doing the deflection measurement from the theoretical extension point from the butt, not from the drooped tip. The reason is that the rod has to carry its own weight, so droop figures into the power. If you base your measurement on the drooped tip you will get a lower power rating and a lower AA. At least that's how I see it. One thing you can do also is to ask the manufacturers for specific model data. While they don't publish it because we builders just hassle them about correlation, they do have it and most will share their numbers on specific blanks of theirs. Of course if you get it, you DON'T want to imply that a correlation difference is their problem. I trust their data most of the time. Just one example of a significant difference.

How 'bout those purple and white worms strung on leader with three single hooks. There is a highly pressured public park pond here which is hammered by everything people talk about today. And there is one fisherman who just plops the the old purple worm out there and doesn't move it. You should see the pics he has on his phone. largemouths

I'm using stuff similar to above. I might add that if you get too much power and want to snap the baits off the bottom you will have trouble getting a good smooth cadence of lift and drop, with the drop being on slightly taut line. It will drop on slack line and won't work as well, and you won't feel hits on the drop as well. The power should be such that it loads well with the weights you are using, so medium light power is most likely going to work best. No faster action than fast, but that is less important than the power. I use a number of premium braids in the 10-15 pound class with 8-15 FC leaders. I don't think using an especially light leader is as important as having something that for the water fished is not fragile. I think 8 is the minimum. Mostly I use 15.

Unless you use the extension when you get your other discrepancy fixed you will still have an issue. Why not do it right and eliminate the issue? With your logic, when you get the current issue fixed you will have a slight error on the low side. I use a digital level meter placed against the extension and find it very repeatable. I have one Rainshadow blank that I say has about 4 degrees higher AA than they publish. In the past I have correlated well with Rainshadow and Point Blank factory data. Not sure if the rod blank below is same as yours, I think it is. It came out very similar to St CroixSCV70MF exc just a little more power. RodgeeksC47MF#1MetGrnPearl AA 75 ERN 18.6 blank 84 spin 6-14 1/4-5/8 Med/Fast 211 75degrees 18.6 ERN 527 I would expect your RS 844 popping blank to have an AA of close to 65 degrees based on other RS popping blanks I've checked. I don't have that one.

I prefer the 60's, but certainly don't have good data to back up my preference. Keep in mind that tubes can be fished with other types of jigs, too, with the hook entering right at the front and coming out farther back, with the jig head outside. Even the pivoting/loose jigs, which give another different action. A recent article in In-Fisherman leads one to believe that smallies get conditioned to familiar lures, so new/different approaches may lead to more fish. Aquarium fish have indicated that they learn to avoid unpleasant consequences. Food for thought.

The distance between the butt mounting points should be 10 % of the length of the blank. As mentioned above. A minor deviation from this spec has not resulted in significant errors based on my experience, but if you can get it right do it. It will eliminate a possible question about your process. For AA have you attached a straight indicator right at the tip of the blank and are you using that as the AA refrerence? See figure 8 at this link https://www.common-cents.info/part1.pdf Can you provide the model numbers and data from your questionable tests? Please also provide the subjective description of the action of the blanks, (slow, moderate, fast, Xfast, etc). If you make any errors on the high side of IP it will also increase the AA, so be sure you are not over-estimating the IP with testing errors. The process was designed based on fly rods, but there is no discrepancy introduced by using it on faster action/more powerful rods. The work done by Hanneman many years ago is all still valid. He added weight to get the natural frequency into a slower range where it could be counted, but if he had had more modern technology, he certainly would have used it. For example, I have found a way to check the true natural frequency of blanks and rods by using a cell phone/Kindle app and it is very accurate. It allows one to see what adding components (guides/wraps/tiptops) does to natural frequency, which most believe is a good indicator of sensitivity.

For plastic that is sort of fragile, easily damaged, you need high rpm and slow progression into the material. Like Dremel tools of some sort. Not sure which. But experiment, try different things. No one can tell you the right angle to cut your bill slot. Try a few options and see how they work.

I don't understand the question. Built "for" the Thorne Bros? Or are you asking if we have purchased rod building supplies from Thorne Bros? Or are you asking if we had a rod built for us by Thorne Bros? Please clarify.

Being cheapskate, and knowing that what hits the boat really won't matter, the message will get through, I'd use something cheaper. If I had some really stinky catfish bait, that would be good.

I would be very tempted to drop a few casts right into the boat.

I'm don't think you are correct on the spinning and casting rods having different actions (because they are called "spinning" or "casting" or due to the ergonomics of casting) . Interestingly, a few years ago, Anglers Resource introduced a line of premium blanks for rod builders of many different lengths, powers, and actions, and there was no mention of whether they were casting or spinning blanks. Builders just build them into what they want to build them o into. Most custom rod builders understand that many blanks with different specified model numbers called "spinning" and "casting" are actually the same blanks. Whether glass or graphite, any blank can have any action and any power. Not necessarily the same recovery time from deflection. Yes, generally, casting rods have slower actions, but not because of the ergonomics of casting. It's because they generally are used for treble hook lures which most fishermen think need slower actions to keep them from tearing out. But in fact it is not so much "action" that does that as much as it is "power." The Point Blank series has proven to be very versatile in spite of the fact that most are fast or extra fast action high modulus graphite blanks. And are being built into both casting and spinning rods.

My tackle has always been stored in an unheated pole building and I've never seen a problem of any type with any of my rods/reels/lures/anything due to temperature in Michigan. Yes, you want critter control. I did have the grips on a reel nibbled one time. The "camp" type bucket mouse traps are good in that they can keep trapping and killing mice without having to be constantly reset.

One not mentioned is the Super Fluke, yes, the 5.25 inch one. On an unweighted 4/0 EWG worm hook. In shallow water it's not unusual to see the wake of the fish going for it.

Good point. I make my own to my own design, which I've never seen before in a commercial rod. I'm not familiar with either of the options regarding grip design.

I am not familiar with the Loomis, although I've built a couple on different blanks, and they are nice rods. I have built 4 SCV70MF's, and they are one of my favorite rods, same for my son and daughter in law for whom 3 of them were made. I use them for about everything, but especially for tubes (1/8 to 1/4 oz) and Strike King/Keitech swim baits on 3/16 and 1/4 oz jigs in St Clair and Saginaw Bay. They are light for their power and very sensitive. They will work for almost everything, but being a builder I have a lot of rods, other fine rods set up for other techniques. I always have my SCV on board with either the tubes or swim baits.

Gotta get you into building your own, so many options, great blanks/guides/components. I haven't broken a rod in years. Last two were 1. I stepped on it and 2. I got the tip caught on my boot and grossly "high sticked" it from its position along the side of the boat, not being used. How was your smallie season this year? How did it differ from past years?

Maybe, but it looked to me like it wasn't severe enough to fail a rod. Could be the rod had been damaged?

Then take an appropriately sized cooler, with a bag of ice in it, and put the fish in there. Not rocket science.

Largemouth or smallies?