jimmyjoe

True. What I've found out is that a do-it-all rod design is something that most (not all) manufacturers have abandoned today. The search is, therefore, a little more difficult. jj

Call Pflueger immediately, not as the next step. Tell them the problem. They will be happy to help you. jj

@T-Billy, I'm gonna try and remember to talk to you next year, after you've had more time on those rods. I might need to pick your brain. ? jj This ties in exactly with what I was told and .... so far .... what I've seen. Thnx. jj

I was thinking of spending money for a new rod on Black Friday, Tom, but not quite that much! ? ? ? jj

I think I'm gonna get an education today on all the stupid ideas that have been rollin' around in my head. ? Here are some things I've thought or been told. They ALL assume that "all other things are equal", which we all know can't be 100% true. 1) Fast and Extra-fast actions cast farther, length being the same. 2) Extra-fast actions break easier under load, like fishing for bass and hooking a musky, or setting the hook on a snag. (I've never done that! ? ?) 3) Moderate and Slow actions don't break as easy under load. 4) Moderate actions favor the lower end of their weight range. 5) Fiberglass favors the lower end of its weight range. 6) Fast actions favor the upper end of their weight range. 7) Graphite favors the upper end of its weight range. 7+1) Moderate actions are more accurate with light lures. 9) Faster actions can be more accurate at distance than moderate actions, but need heavier lures to do so. (rod loading.) Therefore the best combination for an all-around rod (or do-it-all rod) is a moderate or moderate-fast action for strength and reliability under load, with fiberglass/graphite composite or straight fiberglass for the ability to cast a wide range of lure weights accurately. Okay..... I'm not gonna stand pat on 15. Hit me. ? jj

I see what you mean ..... dude. I never thought of it like that ..... dude. But now that I do, I can see that you're clearly right and I'm clearly wrong ..... dude. I apologize ....... dude. HAVE A NICE DAY ...... DUDE. ?

True, but one thing is different between fly rods and casting rods. The weight of a lure on a casting rod varies quite a bit, and the efficiency has to vary with it. In flycasting, the weight is actually in the fly line, and it's always roughly the same. So the efficiency of a fly rod can be assumed to be "x", and not vary much. Makes design a lot easier than the design of rods that cast both light and heavy lures with nylon or braided line. ? jj

Well, I can't say I'm surprised. There's always some little idea in the back of my head that maybe .... just maybe ..... they found some new space-age adhesive, or new pattern or technique, that does things they didn't do before. Nope. I've been selling off rods and reels these last two years, trying to get down to as few rigs as possible and still do what I want, and do it comfortably. (The "comfortable" part has to do with arthritis.) I think I've found my perfect Heavy rig, but I wanted to find a Medium Heavy lieutenant for it, kinda as a do-all backup. Oh, well .... the search goes on. Thanks, all of you. ? jj

I'll grant you that. The rating is supposed to give a buyer an idea of the sweet spot for the rod, where it is and how wide or narrow it is. After all, you can't take the rod fishing inside the store. But this sort of rating is downright ridiculous! And from what I can see, it's becoming more common. jj

Sagan's "Cosmos" followed the biology, life and death of a New England beaver pond? I'll be darned! I didn't know that! Learn something new every day! ? ? ? jj

Sometimes I wonder whether you haven't hit the nail on the head. ? jj

I know I'm not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but there's something I don't quite get. St. Croix has several rods rated 3/8-1 1/2 (one and a half) ounces. I used one; the Dock Sniper. It didn't really like 3/8 ounce. Cashion has some rods rated 1/4-1 1/2 ounces. And Ark has the Randall Tharp Honey Badger Glass series that are rated 1/8-1 1/2 ounces. Yep, I double-checked, and that's correct. One-eighth of an ounce to one-and-one-half ounces. My experience with rods is that they either load with a heavier weight but don't load with too light a weight, or they load with a light weight but overload with too heavy a weight. I've never seen a rod that let you eat your cake and have it, too. Did someone come up with some magic formula? How can these rods load at the light end (and provide accuracy) and still have authority to push the heavy end? Or is it all just advertising b.s.? As always, your insights are welcome. jj

"Money: Whence It Came, Where It Went" by John Kenneth Galbraith jj

Another good idea! jj

I understand completely. ? jj

Use a log chain for this. It will "bite" better, and is less likely to slip. Twice around and back down to lock the links. Depending on the diameter of your flagpole, you might want to use something with more authority than a 2x4. Then, of course, you'll have to really lean into it ...... but you knew that, right? ? jj

You might want to try LurePartsOnline, too. https://www.lurepartsonline.com/Lure-Making/Shop-By-Product-Category jj

With mono I use loop knots. With braid I use snaps. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/VMC_Crankbait_Snaps/descpage-VMCCS.html jj

I learned that tubes snag up when you fish them on the bottom. It doesn't matter how you rig them; weightless or weighted, T-rigged, Carolina or jigheads. So I sent a card of apology to my fluke collection, and asked them whether they would like to re-enter the game or not. They said that yes, they would like that, and I caught fish (again), without hangups. I like my flukes. jj

Some info outdated, but lots not outdated. Some also for JDM or world markets. https://www.fanatikbaits.com/blogs/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-shimano-reels https://www.fanatikbaits.com/blogs/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-daiwa-reels jj

You just discovered the secret to a happy marriage! ? ? jj

That was the second thing that came to mind. The first was a War Eagle Wake spinnerbait. Go big or go home, right? ? I think you're seriously handicapping yourself by considering only crankbait-style lures. jj

I think distance is the most obvious advantage, but if I'm fishing very low-n'-slow, the extra length helps me "snap" the hookset. And as @BrianMDTX said, two-handed casting is a heck of a lot easier than one-handed casting. I have arthritis, and I can testify to that. ?

It takes a lot less to set a hook than most fishermen think. Turning a fish's head, as @Catt mentioned, is an entirely different matter. jj

I agree with most everyone here; fishing has abated somewhat, but it's still busier than pre-Covid days. What I really like is that last year, parents and their children were out fishing, and the little kids loved it. This year, those parents are back to the same-old, same-old routine, but the kids are now out with Grandpa or even Grandma, running around, still catching fish and still loving it. ? Gives me hope, y'know? jj