MickD

I don't think that one needs to pay a fortune for good polarized glasses. The difference between $50 glasses and $200 glasses, I just don't get. I use no line bi-focles, polarized, about $100 from Zenni and they work fine. The main things are to have the right prescription and to keep them clean.

For my rods with small micro guides, the surgeon's knot just isn't the best knot. I use both the FG and the Alberto with the Danek finish. After tying the Alberto, finish it with two half hitches of the braid, pulled tightly, to prevent it from unravelling. FG is more compact, but for the lines I use, the Alberto works fine and is easier to tie. I'll do FG's in the pole barn setting rods up, but when on the water will do the Alberto with the Danek finish. No doubt the double uni is easy and reliable, but it just gets too big with the leaders I use.

A lot of fishermen use FC on baitcasters and make it work. A lot of fishermen, like I am, cannot make it work satisfactorily. I don't like it because it is not nearly as manageable as mono or braid, and I don't like its stretch. It doesn't work well on surface lures because it screws up their action when it sinks. If you use braid, use about 40 pound test even though you don't need it that strong. It's about getting the right diameter, not about the strength. Braid too thin might dig into itself on the spool, and that can be a disaster. I use braid and use a leader with it so I'm not always cutting off the main line and because it eliminates any doubt I may have about fish being line shy from the thick braid.

FC in order to be soft enough has to be so low in pound test that it will be very fragile, easily damaged. I don't think FC is appropriate for spin. If you go only 10 pound test or similar with braid you don't even need a leader unless you want one. I use a leader so I'm not cutting off main line all the time, even if I don't need it for avoiding the fish seeing the line. But fish can't see the very fine braid even in very clear water. They are focused on the lure and the line is very thin.

Ned is the easiest technique there is. Done right it's just leave it there and the fish eat it. Or you can, like I do, get impatient and move it around, nudging it a little, hopping it now and then. BUT, it only works if, as mentioned by another, if there are fish there.

I have not used any live bait in years. When one learns how to use artificial lures, both hard and soft, he will most likely be more effective than he was in his "live bait" days. But it does take time and patience to learn. The advantages of artificials are many, including not getting bait bedding all over the boat, not having to keep bait from dieing, and versatility in method. Especially for bass and pike, artificials are probably more effective since one can cover so much more water with them. Less time fishing an empty hole. I suggest starting by getting some tubes, 4 inch swimbaits with appropriate jigs, Ned rigs, and some Rapala DT crankbaits. No snap swivels, just small snaps or tie direct. Watch some videos for technique, sites like InFisherman.com and others.

Let us know how it goes. I'm sure it's going to be bullet-proof. About 10 years ago I had to cut off the butt 1 1/2 inches of a rod because it kept getting caught at my elbow when going tip up to down. I simply butted the new piece to the grip with no blank inside it and glued it with epoxy. It's still intact, and the rod has been used a lot. The ragged break of your situation will make it even stronger than a simple butting joint, and as mentioned before , Titebond III is very capable for this application.

I very seldom have had braid break in the middle of its length. Sometimes if this is happening, especially if you're seeing frayed braid, it could be that a tiptop or guide ring is cracked, damaging the line. Use a Q-tip to check-rotate it against the ring and if it's cracked, it will grab the Q-tip fuzz. This may indicate a deficiency in the leader material being used, if it seems to be happening often or at too low of load/tension. You might want to try FC designed for leaders, or FC fly tippet material. Some argue it's too expensive, but one doesn't use that much of it , and I believe it's tougher than FC designed to be main line.

It should be obvious where the break happened. It happened at the end of what you have left.

I don't wax my mandrels. I just keep the glue off them. I pre-drill rings to 5/16 and use 5/16 mandrels. Since most blanks are at least 3/8 diameter, there is no need to apply glue all the way to the mandrel since it will get reamed away anyway. Never had a failure.

My problem with super glue is that when I use it on a torn swimbait, which is wet, the water from the swimbait gets onto the super glue dispenser, sealing it shut. I think the solution is to use an intermediary mechanism for applying it, like some toothpicks. Put it on the dry toothpick, thus not contaminating the dispenser, and then from the toothpick to the jig, then slide the swimbait into position. Just have to remember to put the toothpicks into the boat.

I've done it too, same result. Even if some glue leaks out or you get a slight mismatch a little sanding will improve it.

No tape needed. Worst case scenario is that it would break again. Then use tape over it. But I really am confident that either epoxy or titebond III will be plenty strong without tape.

Rodbond will work, also TitebondIII woodworking adhesive. Many builders use it to glue cork rings together, and because of the shape of this, it will work even better than it does with rings.

Covering the area with a tape like Winn's wraps, tennis grip tape, should fix the problem without introducing other problems. It will be temporary if it doesn't work for you, then you can try something else. Another possibility, if you can find a piece thin enough, is to wrap the area with the soft polyurethane foam that electronics often come packaged in.

My son and I were fishing on a sunny day on a lake just inland from Lake MI and I noticed my line (mono at the time, probably about 8 pound test) entering the water vertically, not with the normal gentle slope. I lifted the rod trying to figure out what was happening and immediately noticed an audible buzz. As I lifted the rod higher, it got louder; when I dropped the rod it went away. We quickly left the water and in a few minutes a severe electrical storm hit. We had almost gotten struck by lightning on what we thought was a normal sunny day.

Spiral wrap changes nothing with respect to knot clearance, but it does offer the opportunity to use fewer guides, so you can go bigger with less weight penalty. Or none. I doubt if you can tell the difference fishing 4.5's vs 5's except when the knot gets too tight in the guide. Then you'll tell a big difference. I think you may be setting yourself up for a problem, and with what you're planning to fish, taking knot clearance chances to enhance sensitivity doesn't make sense to me. I would build this rod with 5.5's.

A good way to locate the seat is to use the same distance to the reel stem as another rod you like. Longer is better for balance but if it gets too long it can catch on clothing at the elbow when going between tip up and down. If a cold/wet weather rod you might go shorter than you would on a rod you know will not be used with rain gear or other bulky clothing. I build for ergonomics first, don't even consider balance. I use the smallest guides possible for the application to keep the tip light and responsive. People building for kayak fishing often build with shorter distances between the reel and the butt. Most people ask the question based on the seat when they should be asking it based on the stem of the reel. Not all reel seats are the same for reel stem to the end of the seat dimension.

If I wanted to fish it this year I'd use the band aid. Fix it right in the winter. It will fish just fine.

While I respect all the great work as a builder than you have shown here, I don't think there is any chance of that guide crushing the blank by bending it back while attached. But Fishy, if the force seems pretty high, then back off and take the guide off. If you do that then you might as well replace it with new. I think you'll find that it takes very little force to bend it back into it original position.

No, super glue is not the right material to use here.

You don't need to to take it anywhere. Bend it back into shape. It and you will never know the difference. It will cast as well as it ever would have. The comment on epoxy making it hard to repair later is in my opinion wrong. Epoxy is on the wrap now. A little more won't hurt anything. If we were talking using epoxy on fastening a tiptop to the rod then I'd have another opinion. Another option to seal the crack is Sally Henson "hard as nails" clear, UV resistant, nail finish. I have used it many times and had no problems. I would seal the crack so water doesn't get in and fog the existing epoxy.

Don't forget Craig's list. I sold my last boat for what I asked, many bites fast. Go high on your asking price, don't be bashful. You can come down, but not go up as the process progresses.

I understand the point, sometimes cut the seat, but weight and (in my opinion) ergonomics and looks are not adversely affected, I sometimes don't. I think the biggest gain from cutting them off is simply looks. Yes he does. Uplocking Thanks, .ghoti Uplocking simply means turning the seat around compared to the orientation that most builders use. It works well with this type seat, not with all types. With the Fuji seat, size 17, I make the ramp off the front close to the same diameter as the hood so that the transition from the hood to the ramp is seamless, and very comfortable. I build that ramp from cork or polyurethane reel seat shims. In the case of shims it has to be coated with wrap epoxy for durability. With cork they can be covered for aesthetics or not, as one chooses. I have heard from builders that uplocking results in reel loosening, but I've not had that problem with the Fuji seats. If one is worried about that include the Fuji jam nut in the build, as I sometimes do. If you are buying components rather than turning your own cork then you'll have a hard time getting the right diameter. If you have a drill press I can show you a way to cheaply adapt it so that cork grips can be turned very easily and safely. I have not bought a cork component in many years, other than fly rod grips.

This is exactly why I build all my spin rods with up-loading orientation on the seats. It puts the threads at the back and out of the way of my hands. It allows me to build a short ramp from the seat hood onto the blank. Very sensitive and comfortable.