jimmyjoe

St. Croix has a 7' ML/M Mojo Inshore that's 1/8-1/2, and they did have (up until this year) a Mojo Inshore and a Tidemaster that were both 7' L/M 1/8-3/8. Powell has the Endurance 724CB, which they rate as M/MF and 1/8-1/2. I would cal it a ML and treat it as such. I've heard that Daiwa has a rod in the Rebellion line that's ML, but I haven't seen it and don't know anything about it. Neither have I seen the Phenix Feather ML/F. The rod that I had made uses a Batson IP963F blank, which I have seen listed variously as a M power or a ML power. If someone wanted to call it a ML, I sure wouldn't argue with them. Oh, and BTW ....... I love that rod. ?? jj

Sure .......... rub it in! ??? jj

The kids are 20 years gone, and the wife and I can't eat (or cook) like we used to. Because of the pandemic, no one is coming over and we're not going anywhere. We'll probably have chicken noodle soup with garlic bread. But I'm determined to find a pecan pie ........ somewhere. ?? jj

Last 2 days were 40 for a high. Got nothing in the river. But ..... skim ice is off the sand pit. I went out with a L/MF spinning rig and 4 lb. mono. Threw a 1/4 oz chartreuse spoon. Got 6 bass, all about pound-and-a-half. Now ..... Jimmy's happy! ??? Ain't gonna shut it down yet! jj

I've used blade baits for years, and I'm still experimenting. My latest thinking is white/redhead, lavender, light green, dark green and silver. I try to match the darker colors to the darker weather or sun angle. I find the different colors this site has to offer are an advantage: http://www.elkenlures.com/paint-colors.htm This is for the rivers. As a shorecaster, there's only one local lake where I can use blades lures and not hang up too often. Bummer. jj

I'm pretty sure the "hard" is a leader material, not a mainline. I could be wrong. I tried Advance. Loved it at first, even though it uses the old trick of larger diameter to impress with strength. I liked it because of the softer body. But I fish rocks, and it had poor abrasion resistance. Like many people here, I've got my lines sorted out to do what I want to do, the way I want to do it. It'll take something really, really different to catch my attention. jj

Tica and Okuma are two of the more highly respected international brands originating from Taiwan. Both are into freshwater as well as saltwater. For the money, they both seem to be good deals. jj

I've got a Nasci 1000. I had a problem with the line roller; Shimano replaced the reel. The Sahara is supposed to be the same reel but without the Coreprotect. I think it's great for a plastic reel. Some people like the Daiwa Fuego better, but some don't. If you don't like plastic, you might want to look at the Daiwa BG series; they seem reliable, smooth and they're easy to service. I've also not heard anything bad about the Lew's spinners, but I don't use one myself. Their Custom Speed Spin is metal. Good luck! jj

I'll tell you one thing right now: if that there was sitting in my fridge, it definitely would not last 1-2 days. It might not last 1-2 hours. ? jj

Yup. This place is like family to me. Of course, my family thinks I'm crazy, too. ?? jj

@Catt you're like that algebra teacher in school who made me think so hard my head hurt! I'm not that smart! Now I gotta take some aspirin! ? jj

Man, that brings back memories! Our neighbor made the best sour cream raisin pies and cookies. I had to get her son to sneak me out some, because my mom would never bake them; she absolutely hated raisins. The last time I had those confections was 1967. Now that you've mentioned them, I think I'm overdue! ? jj

Yes, they are. You have to watch your composition on the bottom, though. Like @Team9nine, I like to use the Thinfisher, although I use it in 1/4 oz. size. Between it, the Sonars and Zonars and the Cicadas, I've lost many blade baits to snags in the river. I only started to use blade baits in impounded waters this last year, so I really can't draw any firm conclusions yet. It looks promising, though. jj

So we have some people who don't like to answer questions from other fishermen, or to help them out. I wonder how many of these people ask questions of other fishermen themselves? I wonder whether they expect honest and polite answers. Would they like to set down with a pro for a short question-and-answer session? What would they expect? In other words, how would they feel if other people treated them the same way they treat others? Just a thought. jj

Pecan pie, vanilla ice cream and good coffee on the side, and I'm in heaven! ??? jj

Cheaper, yes. But not near as healthy. jj

I guess I'm old-fashioned. If it's something I don't use, then I don't care if it's free; I don't want it. On the other hand, if it's something I need RIGHT NOW, then a price break is nice if the timing is right, too. But I'll pay full price if I have to. In between is the iffy stuff. I think that's what you're asking about; stuff I maybe could use, stuff that's better than what I have now, stuff that I could experiment with if the price was right ...... but not stuff that I actually need. In that case, what both @jbsoonerfan and @MN Fisher said applies to me, too. I wait, I compare, and I only jump when I'm sure the price is right ...... and it's something that's useful to me. And let's not get stuck on the Antares. It's just one example to start the thread. jj

One of the reasons I don't use Norman lures (other than the Fat Boy) is that too high a percentage don't run true. So I would adjust the line tie, and they would run OK ..... for a while. Then I'd have to do the whole thing over again. Does this Speed N run true? Thnx. jj

Exactly. Applies to more than just spinnerbaits, too. jj

Hmmmmmmm......................

What's the old axiom? "Good, Cheap or Quick. Pick Two." jj

@bulldog1935, those open-cage reels almost look 5500-size and 4500-size. I wish there were someone to re-position (drop) the crossbar on regular 5500C3 reels, because I have arthritis. The crossbar is ju-u-ust the wrong height for my hands, and will trigger some wake-up pain. I appreciate the open-cage reels except for one thing; the constant winding of the line lay. Too bad that a synchronized level-wind mechanism and a reduced-height thumb rest can't be combined in a single reel. Oh, well. Nice stuff. ? jj

NO. Subjective is not the same as objective. Weight alone doesn't explain the difference between two blanks. Taper, tip construction, tape wrap density, modulus and angle, butt weight and over-all balance all have their contributions. However: the biggest contribution is something that is a two-edged sword. The ability of a blank to transfer vibration is, with all other things equal, what gives a fisherman "feel", or sensitivity. Normally speaking, that means that the blank doesn't damp down the vibration, but passes it on to the fisherman's hands. Like I said, this is with all other things being equal. The wrong guides or the wrong handle (like one that is "more comfortable") can damp (kill) the vibrations. The other side of that two-edged sword is simple; the less damping you build into a shaft, the more brittle it is and the more unpredictable the breakage will be under impact. One good hit against an object with a rod like that will produce cracks .... and eventual shattering. Limbs, rocks, motor cover .... it makes no difference. Believe me, I know. ??? This little article doesn't explain everything, but it gives you a fairly good idea of the various things that go into the "recipe" for a manufacturer. https://blogdotfredscustomtackledotcom.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/what-is-im6-im7-im8-graphite-ratings/ Hope this helps. jj

It sounds as if a good chunk of your fishing time is spent on the bank. I'm a shorecaster. I have to deal with riprap the majority of the time; the federal, state and local governments use it everywhere to stabilize banks. The two lures you've mentioned are my go-to lures for riprap, but I don't use them the way most people use them. In any kind of rocks, I don't retrieve my lures topwater, or two feet off the rocks, or even one foot off the rocks. Instead, I beat those dadgum rocks with my lures, contacting the rocks and staying in contact with the rocks. It's almost like I'm knocking on the bass's door, saying, "Ba-a-a-ss! Come out to play-ay!" (like "The Warriors") I do this because of the spinnerbaits' ability to ride up and over stuff. Even still, I lose a lot that get wedged in the rocks. To avoid losing squarebills left and right, I fish them VERY SLOWLY, with a "tic .... pause .... tic" sort of retrieve. That's just the opposite of the way most people retrieve squarebills; most people retrieve them at a medium or fast rate. Naturally, this style of fishing wears out lures fast. The friction of pulling spinnerbaits over the rocks chips heads and shreds skirts. And the "square" in my squarebills turns into "kinda-sorta square". What makes it worse is that as a shorecaster, I try to position myself so that I can make a long cast parallel to the shore. So .... more wear and more chance to snag up per foot of retrieve. I do things this way for one reason: I've learned from this site that I can't count on the bass coming to me; I have to go to the bass. Big bass are ambush fish. Of course, I see that you've mentioned some rivers, too. I fished rivers for years, and they're different from impounded waters. The fact that the water levels change radically throughout the year allows (or forces) fish to move. Sometimes they move a quite a ways, too. Under those circumstances, you'll need to resort to wide-area casting to find fish, moving and searching taking up a sometimes-frustrating part of your day. I have no idea whether or not this has helped you. But I learned by doing, and that's still the best advice I can give anyone. Listen to other people all you want, but at the end of the day what you've proven to yourself, in the areas you fish, is what counts. Good luck! jj

Tom, sometimes I think you're watching me fish! ??? jj