Lucky Craft Man

I was wondering if any of you guys wrap your rod handles and if so, what type of wrap do you use? I purchased several G Loomis rods and I wanted to wrap the handles for several reasons. I wanted to protect the cork and I wanted a better grip if it rains. Also, the balance point of the rod is a couple of inches in front of the reel and I thought just adding the wrap would produce enough weight to move the balance point closer to the reel. I don't know if my above reasons are achieved by wrapping the handles, but please let me know in your experience what the benefits and negatives are. Thanks.

I saw the Daiwa Capricorn (the older model) for $60 at Dick's in Cleveland. I looked at it, but it didn't seem that smooth or well built. I ended up getting the Quantum Accurist II for $53.00. It seems like a great reel.

Shimano Crucial 7'2" Medium Power Pflueger President Spinning Reel 8 lb. Flouro.

I have a Shimano Curado 100D earmarked for mine (I just purchased this rod from FatFishFarmer) with 15 lb. Flouro. I was also wondering if this rod can be used with Shakeyhead Rigs or is it too heavy?

Thanks for the response, Natural. Is this rod also good for T-Rigs or do you just stick with weightless plastics on it? I was also wandering what lb-test line do you use? I was thinking of placing 15 lb. flouro. on it (but I also like braid).

I was thinking of getting a G Loomis BRC893 GLX Senko Rod and was wondering if anyone here used this rod. I was hoping to get a good weightless plastics rod and thought this could be a good one. Please let me know what you think of it. Thanks.

You live only 45 minutes away from Lake Fork (and you stayed in a lodge)? I would be there everyday if I were you. I take day trips to Lake Erie, which is 2 1/2 hours away. 45 minutes is my commute to work. Glad to hear you daughter is ok (so if they called the wrong parents for the girl that was hurt, does that mean your daughter was the rock thrower?...Just joking of course)

I found it quite interesting as well, but I found some errors that I hope they address. For example, the fluorocarbon they tested from Cableas is initially listed as 10 lb. test, but further in the test (graphs, etc.) they label it as 12 lb. test. Depending on which one it really is would affect the breaking strength and knot breaking strength percentages. They also mentioned the stretch issue and I hope they elaborate later. Overall though, it was a good report.

Having people who have no clue what they are doing behind the counter can sometimes be a benefit. I purchased a Quantum Accurist PT at Dicks the other day and while looking at the display model, the guy looked around and told me he didn't have any in stock and that he can give me that one for a discount (which came with the box and everything). Well, right behind the guy was four of them sitting on the shelf. Needless to say, I didn't want to call the guy a liar, so for the discounted price I bought myself a new reel.

Fishing University has to be the best show on TV. I mean where else can you see a guy talk about how a particular rod will increase your catch ratio to almost 100% and then have him miss over 50% of the fish on that very rod. Or have a guy catch a smallmouth bass with a lure made out of real food and then to demostrate this, he ate the very lure that was just in the smallmouth basses mouth. Great show for laughs, but not much information one can use.

What would make the story even better is if another BassResource member caught the same fish in the next few months (I would love that member to be me, be I am pretty far away and unless I win the lottery, I won't be near there anytime soon). Great story and catch. Congratulations.

I have three BPS Extreme reels as well. I had problems with two of them, because the metal insert that rides along the worm gear was short. I called Bass Pro and they sent me two little washers to eliminate the annulus in casing. Then one of my reels started whistling pretty loudly when I would cast it. I disassembled, cleaned, greased, and oiled it and the whistling subsided for a while, but then it started whistling again. It seems to work fine, but the whistling is extremely annoying. So I guess I am somewhat satisfied with them, but I don't know if I would buy another one.

Thanks guys for the advice and help. I never replaced a top guide, but it doesn't seem to impossible (thanks to flecheros link to the article - credit given to ReelMech). That will save me some money and my old faithful will be back in service.

I use the 6740X size, because I do a lot of fishing in Erie, but a 6735X or even a 6730X would work. They also sell a 6'8" Shimano Crucial drop shot rod. I like the longer length, because I am taller. My buddy has the 6'8" length and loves it.

My vote would be for a Shimano Crucial Drop Shot Rod (7'2" Medium Power) and a Pflueger President Spinning Reel, with 10 lb. Yo-Zuri Hybrid line. I love this set-up and you can buy it all for around $200.

I have a G Loomis Rod that is about 3 years old and is well used. The ceramic insert in the tip broke out of it (my error). I have no receipt and it is a model of rod they currently still produce. Is this rod eligible for the Xpeditor Service (obviously with me paying the $50) or is that service limited to certain types of damage (like un-repairable rod breaks, etc.)? I read their website policy and it seems I can just send it back after I received the replacement, but I wanted to hear from some of you guys who are more familiar with the policy and may have even used it. Thanks in advance.

This would be my recommendations (these are all Shimano Crucials as requested): CRC-C66M (6'6" Medium Power, Med. Fast Action): Shallow Crankbaits, Jerkbaits, & Topwater CRC-X68M (6'8" Medium Power, X-Fast Action): Spinnerbaits & Buzzbaits CRC-X70M (7'0" Med-Heavy, X-Fast Action): T-Rigs & Soft Plastics If I were you, I would add a Crucial Spinning rod to the line-up to serve as a finesse and Drop Shot Rod. With those five set-ups (including the G Loomis 844), you should be ready to face any situation. This is just my humble opinion and what I would get if I were you.

I love Cabelas XML rods. I have 7 of them and they are hard to beat. I held one of the XML Ti, but you can't add the balance weights to them like the XML's do, so I stuck with the XML's. I used them from Carolina Rigs (XCLC704) to Chatterbaits (XCLC702) to Senkos (XCLC703) to even Drop Shotting (XCLS704) with the Spinning Rod. I can't say enough about them and when my nephews stepped on the tip of one and broke the ceramic insert out of it, I took it to Cabelas (without a receipt) and they said "Go back and get a new one," and that was it. Unbelievable customer service.

I like to use the frog colored jointed jitterbug during the day and black at night. It is my best night time lure. Though, like everyone said, I would change the hooks.

Bass Pro shops makes some good 2-piece rods for under $100. The Bionic Blade have several 2-piece models and are listed for $79.99 (but I would never pay that since they go on sale very often for $59.99). What I have that I keep in my car is the Extreme 3-piece travel rod. I keep two baitcasting rods and 1 spinning rod in my car at all times and with the hard-case tubes they come in, you won't have to worry about them getting damaged. Very good rod and they list it for $99.99, but I paid $69.99 for mine in one of Bass Pro's many sales.

Thanks RW for your response. I have the MBR843C, which I use for soft plastics and love (which is why I was looking at another G Loomis product). I was searching for a rod just for throwing frogs in slop. Right now I use a Cabelas XML 7' Heavy Powered Rod, which I also use for Carolina Rigs. It's a pain to work a slop field and then retie on a carolina rig to work a main lake point right off of the slop field I was just fishing. Therefore, I would make that Cabelas XML Rod my Carolina Rod and I wanted a good Frog Rod and I was wondering if the FRG863C was the way to go.

I am looking at the G Loomis FGR863C Frog Rod for throwing hollowed bodied frogs over heavy slop (my favorite style of fishing). I was wondering if anyone had used this rod and if it has enough backbone to haul bass out of heavy cover. I would appreciate anyones opinion on the matter. Thank you.

Do you see the size of that guy? There is no way he is leaning over to land these fish unless he sits in the drivers seat.

I have the medium power, which works very well in Lake Erie for 5 lb+ smallmouth in 30 ft of water. I also use heavier weights like 1 oz for the bottom weight and it overloads the rod a little bit, but I drift instead of really casting it, so it's not a big deal. When I am on smaller, calmer lakes, I cast lighter weights (like 3/8 oz) and it does well with this. Bass Pro also offers the Crucial 7'2" drop shot rod in Medium Heavy Power. I have never handled this rod, but this one may give you the increase in power you might be looking for. I can't say enough on how well the Crucial is for detecting strkies on the drop shot rig, so if you are looking for a primary drop shot rod, this is the one to buy.

Charlie Ingram is by far the worst when it comes to promoting products. It's funny, but when VS displays which show is coming up, they will have a subtitle explaining what the show is about. For example, The Jimmy Houston Show was coming up next, so the had "Jimmy Houston" with the word "crankbaits" underneath, thus letting the viewer know Jimmy Houston's show will be dealing with crankbait fishing. Well, Charlie Ingram's show was coming up so VS listed the show as "Fishing University" with the word "Kistler Rods" underneath it. So his show topics have nothing to do with fishing techniques, but with products. I watch that guy just to see how much lower he is going to go (the best so far was when he had edible baits that even humans could eat, and he actually ate one.)