MickD

I don't think there is an answer that will fit all situations. A lot depends on the price of the guides, which can go from probably $20 per rod to well over $100 for the premiums (which are not really necessary in order to get a great rod). I usually have about $50 in the guides, $10 in the seat, $10 in the tiptop, and about $10-15 in the cork. I build grips from rings turned to my designs. Thread and epoxy a couple bucks. So I have about $85 + the blank in a build, and my blanks range from about $60 to $160. What an equivalent factory rod would cost? I guess about $250-$300, but I'm really not familiar with factory rods exc for what I see in Cablelas/Bass Pro catalogs. As I mention in another post in this string, Revelations and Bushidos go for about $75 - $100, and make very nice rods.

You are not going to save much money by building, but you will get exactly what you want. You may even spend more because you get caught up in the building. One cannot have too many rods.

And don't change the sight-in on your deer rifle if you're drinking. And don't shop on-line when your're drinking. Good advice, all.

Rainshadow Revelations and American Tackle Bushidos are in what I consider the sweet spot of price vs. performance. You can do better, but not much and it will cost quite a bit. The advantage of these lines is also that they have a lot of different blanks available in the lines.

I don't add any weight to a rod to balance the system, and maintain that a rod by itself isn't "balanced." Balance is acheived only when it has a reel on it that makes the system feel "balanced" to the user. As soon as a lure is added, it's not balanced any more. If it's held tip high, balance is less of an issue than if held horizontally. But bottom line, what most consider balance is hard to acheive with rods of high power and with lengths over about 6 feet. One problem with adding significant weight to balance a system is that it will increase the moment of inertia, and when casting aggressively, the rod can hard to stop at the end of the casting motion. I had one almost jump out of the boat on me when I used to add weight to balance. I build now and just build as light as possible and select reels that "balance" the system if possible. But usually the system ends up tip heavy. And that's fine with me.

The longer the better for long casts, but length has problems too. Cumbersome, hard to maneuver, not as accurate on short casts as shorter rods. I think the suggestions for about 7-6 are good. Very important is to match the lure recommendations for the rod to the expected weights of the lures you will be casting. Finally, the use of a premium braid (8 carriers and up) in no more than about 15 pound test will enable long casts. To get a little "give" in the system use a FC leader of about 4 feet length. Line has more to do with casting distance than most anglers realize. The lack of stretch of braid will give better hook sets at a distance than mono or FC.

Slight. For the purpose under question, I'll bet the differences are inconsequential, and as someone mentioned, the lighter the pound test the more stretch. I find all the monos, FC's, and mixes to have more stretch than I want except for braid to lure leaders.

I think what you call the "lazy Alberto" is actually an Albright, isn't it? This knot, the shin, is similar but taking the line through a loop in the braid makes it a different knot, and should make it less likely to unravel.

Funny how different people react differently to different knots. The Shin looks like a good knot, should stay tight, but while some find it easy to tie, I just cannot seem to get it, and cannot control the loop while trying to wrap the leader loop. I find the Alberto much easier to tie.

I cannot recommend auto-stow too much. It's that good. You can with a push of the button stow from the back seat, no climbing back to the front and onto the deck. I wasn't sure I should go with it, but decided to, and boy, am I glad I did. As you age, it gets more important, too. It has push button trim , too, which is so much better than loosening and moving a clamp, then retightening it. With the push button trim it takes seconds and can be done from anywhere in the boat.

As the post above said.

They are using the standard CCS system. Point Blank started with what you call "bastardized," they called RDA, but then added standard CCS in their specs, so they now give both. Their original method was not called CCS. It was called RDA. You will find both under the link that is under specific model descriptions "hard specs."

I should add that measuring rods for CCS numbers is really very easy.

What is as significant as a new line of premium blanks is the fact that Batson Enterprises is providing CCS values for the line. Those of you builders who don't test your builds for CCS are really missing something. With CCS values of your rods you can know objectively the properties of the rods you like , and dislike, what you like for different techniques, and now Batson is providing them for this new line of blanks. Now we have them for a Batson line as well as the Anglers Resource Point Blank line. If a customer comes in and says he wants a rod a lot like one he owns, get that rod and test it, and sell him a new Point Blank or Rainshadow RX10 that matches its power and action.

In this case, or in similar ones, it is imperitive to cut off the OTHER HOOKS before doing any hook removal procedures.

I use both 12 carrier braid (Hitena Pure Line 21 pound test and 15 pound test) and 4 carrier Power Pro and Beyond Braid. I really don't see a difference relative to knot integrity. I still believe that adding two half hitches, stoutly tightened, makes the Alberto super reliable. I am using it more and more and getting less and less experience with the FG. My experience with the FG concludes that it's a better knot for leaders 15 and above than it is for lighter test leaders. It may be because there isn't enough thickness in the lighter test leaders to get a good mechanical interlock between the braid and the leaders. Reference my old photos above on how the braid embeds into the leader deforming it greatly.

Not a feasible option, IMHO. It gets everywhere it's not supposed to be, and if there is any water nearby, it bonds to whatever it's in contact with. Additionally, the dispensers get sealed shut from a drop of water that gets into the tip, so I have to stick a wire down it again. The double half hitch works without the problems of super glue.

Two other things should be remembered. First, inflate per the recommendations. Over inflation can cause excessive wear in the center of the tread, under inflation excessive wear to the outside of the tread, but usually symmetrical (even on both edges). If you notice other strange wear patterns your trailer may be out of alignment. Alignment shops can check and fix this.

I use the VMC drop shot rigs with the tiny swivels, and the fish don't seem to care.

I have been there, and have taken out trebles from my hands in about the same configuration as presented. The one thing I would suggest to improve the method is to cut the other two hooks of the treble off before jerking the embedded one out. Preloading as best you can to push the hook away from the barb will help too. I took a fairly large spinnerbait trailer hook out of a partner in the wilds of Canada this way, and he was amazed at how nicely it worked. Next day you couldn't tell it had even happened.

Usually Hitena Aquinix LT in 14.9 pound test, also Suffix Invisiline leaders in 12 and 15.

I use leader grade FC, including fly tippet material. Limper isn't better for leaders and drop shot set-ups. Stiffer tangles less. Leader grade may be tougher than line grade, although some will debate it. I don't think line twist will be any different no matter what you use. I use VMC drop shot rigs with the swivels and use lighter leader for the sinker drop so it will break below the hook. Just replace the lower piece.

Thanks everyone. I'm now an expert. Sort of . I appreciate your help.

I gather from the pic that you cut them out with an Exacto knife? How do you do the hole? thanks,

I see comments regularly about upgrading reels (both spin and baitcast) with carbontex drag washers, and I'm interested. However, going onto Ebay I find tons of offers, but I've yet to find one relating to specific models of reels, and I find no dimensions. How does one assure himself that he's going to get washers that fit? Thanks!