papajoe222

Unless you plan on using the set-up strictly for deep cranking, you don't really need a slower gear ratio. I used a 6.3:1 for years, but then my favorite lake is only 14ft. deep at the deepest. I have a 4.9 Daiwa that I use for my DD22's and Deep Little N's and occasionally in the spring for spinnerbaits. The only reason I use the lower gear is because it's easier to crank those deeper baits not so much for the slower speed. If you only throw the big boys for short periods, on rare occasions I'd invest the money in a quality crankin' stick. If, however, deep cranking becomes your strong suit, you'll be in the market for one. Daiwa makes the Exceler in a 4.9:1 left hand version. It'ls a little larger than a Shimano 50 series and lists for under $100.

What brand you decide on is going to be a personal preference thing. Unless you plan on re-lubing your reels a couple of times a season, most quality brands will get the job done. I'm partial to Ardent's products and my kid favors Quantum HotSauce. There are others out there in the same price range too. Keep in mind that you'll need to remove all of the old lube or oil and to re-lube sparingly. Oil and grease attract dirt and the more you use, the more dirt you'll end up with.

I have a 7ft. in Med action and the only knock I have on it is that it isn't a Med/Hvy. I got it for shallower/smaller cranks and it does a good job of casting 'em, but I like a little more sensitivy than this rod has and I think the M/H would have given me that. Caught my biggest fish this season on that rod, so it will still be on the deck next season.

Glad to hear that you're mending and also that you've gotten the chance to get out a few times. I lost an entire season to a bum shoulder and drove anyone that would listen bonkers because I couldn't get out to fish. I too have a couple of 'old favorites' including a Lazy Ike and a couple of home made in-line spinners. They don't get wet very often anymore, but when I'm feeling down, I'll break them and some fond old memories out and the blues don't stick around for long.

I wouldn't hesitate to go with the braid. Hook sets are all about rod tip speed and not power. The braid wll drive that lesson home for you and you'll find that when using other lines you won't need to 'cross their eyes' to get a good hook set.

Very simple. Black and blue, green pumpkin and white. Don't make the mistake of not using white jigs, especially when casting. A jig can represent more than crawfish or bluegill and the white jig covers that end. Besides, if you're throwing white while the majority of the anglers out there are using green pumpkin, those fish will be seeing something they normally don't and that's always ups your odds.

The kit was $30 from Cabela's and the thread was maybe another $8-10. I couldn't find a two piece in this action, but I'd compare it to one of BPS IM7 rods. It's a little butt heavy, if I were picking out the components I'd have gone with a different grip, but I'll be throwing spinnerbaits with it and doubt that I'll notice it very much. I can't really compare it as far as price to a retailer, because I don't know of any that sell a hand built rod, but if you're only considering the initial outlay and not the time spent doing the build and wrap, it's cheaper and you can personalise(sp?) it to your liking.

A couple of suggestions for the 683c would be a Curado 50E and a Quantum Smoke. I don't know if they're available in a 7.1, but for the applications you mentioned, I don't think it would make a big difference. For the 735c I'd stick with the Lew's if for no other reason than your familiarity and confidence in it. If you're looking for a suggestion, I'd recommend a Daiwa, but they don't make a lightweight reel in that price range.

I have a custom made rod (John Nutter made it about ten years ago) that was gifted to me by a close friend. It's 6'2" and I have it paired With my Daiwa Sol. That reel does get switched to different rods on numerous occasions, but it's the only one I use with this rod. I know John is still in business, but I'm not sure if he still builds rods. My attachment to this rod isn't just emotional, the tip action was chosen specifically for this presentation and the balance is perfect with my Sol. If I ever come into some money, I'd bribe this guy to make me a cranking stick. I still haven't found one that has gotten past the infatuation stage for me.

About the only time I use a C-rig anymore is when I either want a slow presentation just off the bottom, or I'm concerned about the fish feeling the weight of a Texas rig and dropping it. To finess a tube just off the bottom, I'll insert a small piece of styrafoam packing material abd rig it with a light wire hook and a long mono leader.

Think positively and can't will have no place in your vocabulary. I've been carrying in the land of Lincoln for over 30 years. As long as you're looking, look at the Sig P239. It's only a 40 cal, but it's lines and size deserve some serious consideration. To the question of what gun, there is a saying that goes something like; Any gun will do, if you will. Meaning your commitment to carry isn't based on what gun, but on your commitment to use it, without hesitation, if the situation arrises. Look for something light and comfortable to carry and don't limit yourself to just one carry position. If you commit to carry, always carry and that dictates different holstering options for different types of attire. I prefer OTW, but during the summer, it isn't an option for me.

LOL. If a smallie grew to the size of a steelhead, we'd have a good difference of opinion.

I fish a lot of undressed jigs (dart heads, stand-up heads, ball heads, etc.) without adding an additional trailer to whatever dressing I'm using on them. Those jigs would work great as swim jigs and either a long, full skirt, or a swimbait in place of the skirt. You could also fish them as pictured and add a swivel and small willow blade for some flash when swimming or stroking them.

I'd have to catch them both and compare the experiences before making any kind of decision Either would almost double my personal bests and although I believe that pound for pound a smallie is the hardest fighting freshwater fish, a DD largemouth has been a dream for decades for me.

I'm so right hand dominate that I can't even 'buff the wood' with my left hand, so when I injured my right shoulder I didn't even attempt casting left handed. I did learn to cast without involving my shoulder using a roll cast and became very proficient casting that way. Even now, overhand casting will aggravate that shoulder, so about the only time I cast that way is when muskie fishing and then, I will take a break every hour or so to let the shoulder calm down. That said, I've been giving the idea of pitching and flipping with my left arm some serious consideration as either of those techniques result in pain and muscle knotting that lasts for a couple of days. Needless to say, I don't use either and I know I'm missing out on some quality fish by not doing so. What was it the little red engine said? "I think I can, I think I can" Maybe I sould make that my mantra when I'm learning the left handed stuff.

<img src="http://i23.photobuck...22/photorod.jpg" "http://i23.photobuck.../photoguide.jpg" Sorry, I'm not very adept at posting pics. This is my first complete build. It's a Pacific Bay IM7 blank in MH/Fast. The butt wrap is a simple diamond wrap done in three colors with a silver accent. The guides are done in red/blue with a white underwrap. I still need to put a second coat of finish on, but I'm waiting for another motor. I'll be doing another as soon as I get a little more practice in on my decorative wraps. Hopefully it'll be done with a closed butt wrap.

Thanks, I pretty much figured that had to be about the only option. I couldn't see doing a complete build without adding one, so I did a fairly simple three thread diamond,six diamonds. It's a little off center, but only if you look hard. My next one will likely be a closed wrap, but shorter in length. I imagine that I will need to feather the loose strands (I didn't on this one), or end up with an excessively high trim band.

I just finished my first rod building project and although I'm extremely happy with the results, I wasn't sure how to finish the end of the butt wrap. What I ended up doing was tieing off the end of the wrap as if it were a guide foot and cutting off the ends of the butt wrap threads prior to finishing off that overwrap. I searched some sites, but they all discussed the wraps themselves. How do you guys end your butt wraps?

what I've done is thread the plastic trailer on the trailer hook until it covered the hook's eye and then added the trailer hook in the normal way.

How fast or slow I work an area depends a lot on my confidence that it holds fish. Take, for example, an isolated tree on a drop-off or creek channel. That would get a lot more attention from me than say a row of trees in the same location. One or two docks close to a channel swing vs. a dock every 100ft. or so down the shoreline....same thing. Actually, I'll work them all fairly quickly, but the high confidence spots will get worked a second or even a third time with a different weight or profile bait. I learned to do this years ago fishing tournaments and that second or third pass produced when the first didn't. The only situation where I'll work my bait for any length of time is when I'm fishing a tree, especially if I haven't determined what depth or part of the water column the fish are using in which case I'll work my way down through the limbs.

Last weekend I saw something at Larry's Pistol & Pawn Shop that sparked my interest. The occasion was our 15th anniversary and I was looking for a little something extra for my wife Julie. What I came across was a 100,000-volt, pocket/purse- sized tazer. The effects of the tazer were supposed to be short lived, with no long-term adverse affect on your assailant, allowing her adequate time to retreat to safety....?? WAY TOO COOL! Long story short, I bought the device and brought it home. I loaded two AAA batteries in the darn thing and pushed the button Nothing! I was disappointed. I learned, however, that if I pushed the button and pressed it against a metal surface at the same time; I'd get the blue arc of electricity darting back and forth between the prongs. AWESOME!!! Unfortunately, I have yet to explain to Julie what that burn spot is on the face of her microwave. Okay, so I was home alone with this new toy, thinking to myself that it couldn't be all that bad with only two triple-A batteries, right? There I sat in my recliner, my cat Gracie looking on intently (trusting little soul) while I was reading the directions and thinking that I really needed to try this thing out on a flesh & blood moving target. I must admit I thought about zapping Gracie (for a fraction of a second) and thought better of it. She is such a sweet cat. But, if I was going to give this thing to my wife to protect herself against a mugger, I did want some assurance that it would work as advertised. Am I wrong? So, there I sat in a pair of shorts and a tank top with my reading glasses perched delicately on the bridge of my nose, directions in one hand, and tazer in another. The directions said that a one-second burst would shock and disorient your assailant; a two-second burst was supposed to cause muscle spasms and a major loss of bodily control; a three-second burst would purportedly make your assailant flop on the ground like a fish out of water... Any burst longer than three seconds would be wasting the batteries. All the while I'm looking at this little device measuring about 5" long, less than 3/4 inch in circumference; pretty cute really and (loaded with two itsy, bitsy triple-A batteries) thinking to myself, 'no possible way!' What happened next is almost beyond description, but I'll do my best....? I'm sitting there alone, Gracie looking on with her head cocked to one side as to say, 'don't do it dipshit,' reasoning that a one second burst from such a tiny little ole thing couldn't hurt all that bad. I decided to give myself a one second burst just for heck of it. I touched the prongs to my naked thigh, pushed the button, and . . . HOLY MOTHER OF GOD ... WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION ... WHAT THE HELL!!! I'm pretty sure Jessie Ventura ran in through the side door, picked me up in the recliner, and then body slammed us both on the carpet, over and over and over again. I vaguely recall waking up on my side in the fetal position, with tears in my eyes, body soaking wet, both nipples on fire, testicles nowhere to be found, with my left arm tucked under my body in the oddest position, and tingling in my legs? The cat was making meowing sounds I had never heard before, clinging to a picture frame hanging above the fireplace, obviously in an attempt to avoid getting slammed by my body flopping all over the living room. Note: If you ever feel compelled to 'mug' yourself with a tazer, one note of caution: there is no such thing as a one second burst when you zap yourself! You will not let go of that thing until it is dislodged from your hand by a violent thrashing about on the floor. A three second burst would be considered conservative? IT HURT LIKE HELL!!! A minute or so later (I can't be sure, as time was a relative thing at that point), I collected my wits (what little I had left), sat up and surveyed the landscape. My bent reading glasses were on the mantel of the fireplace The recliner was upside down and about 8 feet or so from where it originally was. My triceps, right thigh and both nipples were still twitching. My face felt like it had been shot up with Novocain, and my bottom lip weighed 88 lbs. I had no control over the drooling. Apparently I pooped on myself, but was too numb to know for sure and my sense of smell was gone. I saw a faint smoke cloud above my head which I believe came from my hair. I'm still looking for my nuts and I'm offering a significant reward for their safe return! P.S. My wife, can't stop laughing about my experience, loved the gift, and now regularly threatens me with it! If you think education is difficult, try being stupid.

Seeing as my season is over, I decided to go over my logs for this season and see if anything different jumped out at me. I didn't find any earth shattering changes in fish movements or locational patterns, but I did have a lesson pounded into my hard head that I think I should share, especially the rookies among us. I spent a total of just over 319 hours on the water this season with a total catch of 574 fish (dang, it didn't seem like that much). That averaged out to approximately 1.8 fish per hour and now that I see those numbers, it was a GREAT season. Now for the part I wanted to share: Of all those fish, ONLY ONE was in the trophy class for my part of the country and it barely made it at 6lb.3oz. More astonishing to me was the low number of monster fish I actually landed, those being over 18in. Please note: I rarely weigh my fish. A quick measurement and back they go. Only 14 fish in that catagory. You guys can run the numbers if you like, but one fish in over 500 is less than .5% that's 1/2 of 1% and 15 out of the same number is less than 4%. The point that I'm trying to convey is just because you target big or trophy sized fish, the odds are against you on any given outing. Not that my home waters produce an abundance of 18+inch fish or do. BTW, I didn't just luck into these fish, I worked at catching them and the other 500 or so narrowed down my search. Only twice did I actually tell myself "I know there's a monster here" and came away empty both times. That doesn't meat there wasn't a monster there, there likely was, but despite my efforts I'll never know. The lesson that was pounded home became strikingly evident to me and I hope to you grasshoppers out there.

I've done it before to learn and gain confidence in a particular type of bait. I never caught a thing on a spinnerbait until I did this. Granted, I never kept one tied on long, but doing this really built up my confidence in them. I really need to do it with drop shotting as that's the ONLY way I'll ever use the technique.

In-line spinners, shallow cranks and jerkbaits. There's something about an in-line (Mepps, etc.) that triggers some awesome, hard strikes. BTW, these are all lures I use to cover water with. I'll start with the spinner and cranks and switch to the jerkbait if I feel I need to slow down. If I catch a couple of fish in an area on one of those, you can bet I'll be throwing a tube jig in there before I move on.

Young gun, I like that. Well, this old fart would try to find out what those fish are after in the shallows and try to match it with a drop shot or a tube jig. In the fall, I like to use larger baits, but once the water temp. drops below 50, I'll downsize to get more bites. I know I won't get many bites, so I try to improve on those numbers then. The only lakes I've been on with water temps. that low have been in Wisconsin. However, I target deep structure then and rely heavily on blade baits and hair jigs. If you're not against using a little live bait, a hair jig tipped with a minnow is a killer in cold water. Sorry I couldn't help more.