bulldog1935

There were no conventions in the old days - there were no spinning reels, either. Baitcasters were used above the rod, below the rod, in front of the cork grip, and behind the cork grip. Likewise, fly reels were wound both "rings up" and "rings down". Clearly with the baitcast reel in back, you thumb with your "other" hand, which will also likely be your winding hand. Many antique reels get mis-identified as LHW, but they were actually bench-made on order for winding on the other side of the rod from what we would consider normal, today. Outside magazine 1917 In 1881, Book of the Black Bass, Doc Henshall recommended casting with the reel on top - for obvious spool thumbing - and winding with the reel under the rod for the natural weight shift - - this also prevents torsional loading of the rod that results from fighting fish with guides on top, and fully eliminates rod breakage. He didn't care whether the reel was in front or back of the grip. Consider in the 19th century, every piece of tackle was bench-made, most by mail correspondence, and catalogs were more rare than fishermen. Rods were often made at home - from wood. Even through WWII, owning one rod was the norm, and the one rod was used for multiple techniques, casting, mooching, trotting (steelheading), trolling. If you lived near trout, your one rod was probably a fly rod, but be sure Theodore Gordon dunked a worm or two. Colorado reels were invented for spin-fishing newfangled mono on your fly rod. I grew up fishing tackle the way it came off the shelf; for spinning tackle cast right and reel left; for bait tackle, cast left and reel right. This is still Normal for me. I mostly cast fly rod left and reel right, but may switch hands, or more often switch front and back to cast across my chest. What most people don't recognize about loading a fly rod - your line hand is more important than your rod hand.

My buddy Josh is doing the same thing, making his own paddle-tails, eels, shrimp, and crabs

I've had many good pliers I liked until they rusted - this includes jaw inserts on alloy pliers. Danco Premio titanium are the last word in pliers that will never rust out of use. And realistically priced. However, replacing the leather sheath for a nylon Booms sheath is also smart if you keep them staged in a kayak. Cutters, yes, but I've never found a split-ring tool on working pliers to be worthwhile - separate tool(s) for that.

Mine are on my Engel cooler and my milk crate I still have the sticker placed on the bow by the defunct sales shop and our christened name on the stern

be careful, a catfish that small still has a poison sack in his dorsal spine. Kayak fishing with my buddies last weekend, they were trying to snag a wayward popping cork, complicated by whatever was on it swimming away. When I drifted to it, snagged it on the 5th cast, and turned out to be a hardhead, which still have stinging spines as adults.

since nobody has mentioned 13Fishing, that's the only rod I've ever broken. The redfish ate the lure when I was taking it out of the water. My fault, I high-stick set at the exact moment the redfish exploded - ok, it was the redfish's fault, too. I called expecting a discount replacement, because I like the rod. Nope, as long as it's a fishing break, it's warranty. Send in the portion of the rod with the label, and I had a new rod in 10 days total. A note about Falcon. Falcon, Academy and I go way back (used to shop in the 1st Academy, Army surplus in Austin; even worked with the owner's son at an R&D company). At one time, ok, it was in the '90s, Academy quit carrying Falcon rods, because the two companies had a falling out over warranty. It seriously lasted most of that decade, and I'm glad they worked it out.

I have a positive review on my Steez SV TW

I mostly fish inshore. I like my Crowder E-series Light (IM6) and my 13Fishing Omen Green (J30T) for different reasons. The Crowder has smooth power, maybe unlimited power, but a bit on the heavy side. Crowder blanks are handmade in Florida. An opportune tide in February, I released 16 slot-size reds on it. The Omen Green is shocking light-in-hand and fast, and may be the best buy out there. I described my 7'1" ML bait to my bud as feeling every blade of grass. He fished his new spinning version Omen Green 7'2" ML for the first time last weekend and loved it. If you're opting for one rod, 13Fishing has 7'1" Medium spinning in stock along with the longer 7'7" MH. You'll find a lot of fans for St. Croix, from Mojo to Avid, first light, I go to my St. Croix Legend Glass just-right action for dog-X, wakebaits and neutral-density jerkbaits, such as TSL Grasswalker. Grasswalker dog-walks in the zone on any retrieve, fishes all day. Not showing off the trout, but YoZuri wakebait, "real gizzard shad", which reflects green and transmits pink - swap the hooks for salt

And here's Shimano's home page - you can't tell me there's a shortage of pontificating on this thread.

These threads always devolve to pontificating brand loyalty. You can buy two of Lew's top-line bait reels for one of Shimano or Daiwa's top line. They have their patents they've banked on for a decade, and that's what separates Shimano and Daiwa (Shimano would give anything to have Daiwa's brake patent, and Daiwa plays catch-up with Shimano on gears). When you get to the low-end Shimano and Daiwa spinning reels, it's wiser to spend your money elsewhere. In baitcasters, I'm still most impressed by ZPI's bench-raced Abu, which competes with Lew's top-dollar reel.

Tackle House Rolling Bait - killer deep-water sinking lure.

I'm just going to add to this thread that the price mark is the biggest factor. To get Shimano and Daiwa's best efforts, you spend a lot more. At comparable price, I'd say you get more from Lew's, and will keep holding up my now 5-salt-year Super Duty G. Where I fit in Daiwa was ML and BFS because of the great aftermarket spools offered for them, but my go-to on the heavier stuff is still Lew's. I'll also admit Shimano baitcasters have never caught my eye. Shimano spinning reels are a no-brainer. My buddy somehow got two Twin Power 3000MHG from Asian Portal, they wanted him to pay the return shipping, so I'm buying the second from him. Cult fishing tackle will never be a problem for me. I'm a form-follows-function guy, in spite of the added flash.

Thanks guys. All the finesse gear I've been honing got put to its first-best use and pushed hard, and my first time to try UL baitcaster here. Noteworthy, finesse-fishing lures for big seatrout and snook, the baitcaster did the job better than spinning tackle. Keeping the line tight on the cast was a big factor. At least equivalent cast distance with the lightest lure (3 g), less lure fouling during cast, easier to give the right lure action, and easier to feel both the lure action and fish strikes. The long spinning rod is still choice for using the long-leader live-bait rig and tandem rigs with 2" paddletails. Keep in mind, when big fish are after tiny bait, they don't exert energy to feed, or they wouldn't gain calories. The strikes are the lightest in-and-out sipping of any fishing you've ever imagined. You have to be in their face, you have to tempt them to even open their mouths, and to get them to feed aggressively, you have to get and keep the attention of more than one fish. The 1/2-oz rolling bait lure, I fished on my inshore baitcaster moved to Lami G1000 8-1/2' MF steelhead rod. It was also important for reaching visible fish sign halfway across the arroyo.

kalamata olives, cremini mushrooms are mandatory, prosciutto, any number of Italian meats, calabrese, mordetta. I forgot to add - we put jalapenos on everything here, including pizza.

With a kayak, you're limited to about 3 rigged rods and reels. My bow hold has 3-pc spinning, 3-pc bait, and 3-pc fly, back-up or opportunity. My lap hatch has a pelican with back-up bait reel and back-up spinning spool

also with the finest braids on BFS

My memories are a little different. I fished through the gears in mine over four years of fall spanish macks from the jetties while in high school. A green Penn would have kept going.

@HaydenS @DINK WHISPERER you guys ever looked up at a moose while driving Sterling highway at 5 am? Why are the trees moving?

I figure it don't skin my teeth. It won't peeve me unless it grabs my braid on a back-cast.

We rent this giant house on Arroyo Colorado for a new moon every winter, and invite family and friends to join us - the cast changes every year. This year, we were joined for the first two nights by Michael (mwatson), whose company we enjoyed immensely, and were impressed with his fishing skill and persistence. All four days and nights we had the prevailing SE - no fronts made it this far south - highs in the low 80s, and lowest low was 65 - we had a choice subtropical vacation. While we kayaked a bit during the day on Friday, the reason to be here is the night-time dock fishing under the lights. The drill is fish from sunset to 9 pm, take cat-nap breaks and get up again to sample the dock through the night. Through the nights, we fished with dolphins, an alligator, a big gar which I sight-fished and wrestled a bit, pelicans, blue heron, night heron and egret. The results varied with the bait and tide - the bait ranged from native poecilids, to finger mullet and balls of tiny glass minnows moved by the tide and wind currents. In the apparent slaughter below, please note, every fish we filleted was a schoolie male, which travel 20 mi/day to chase bait. Thursday sunset on the arroyo Michael can vouch this isn't exactly fish in a barrel, but takes stealth and skill to find where in the water column of the deep barge channel, and exactly how, the fish are willing to feed. We honored our calendar day bag limits - starting new at midnight every night, and sticking to the 5-fish bag before the next midnight. Michael fished hard Thursday night into Friday's wee hours, and had to release 2- or 3-dozen nursery trout that live here. I'm not sure if we put a fish on the stringer Thursday night - bait under the lights was pretty sparse. The house is located where the barge channel and natural arroyo diverge to opposite ends of Peyton Bay on LLM. Friday we launched kayaks - I turtled getting in, but it was easy enough to get back in pushing off the bulkhead. We crossed the barge channel to fish the natural arroyo, found small specs on the first shelf, and Michael chased a slashing redfish against the bank. Otherwise, it was a great paddle. I overheard Lou and Michael chasing a wayward popping cork charged with a catch. Michael said he spent more than a few casts trying to snag it. When I drifted to it, snagged it with a double-treble plug on the 5th cast - but it turned out to be a hardhead. Lou's wife Susie flew into Harlingen Friday night, and Friday night was going to make up for the previous 24 hours. Michael warming up at sunset. Susie and Lou added fish to Friday night's stringer, and I got up later to add four, but Michael's trip was made by this 21" male schoolie trout. While I added those four specs, my evening was made by an 18" snook caught (and released) on my UL baitcaster. This stringer became Saturday's fish fry - Susie is a phenomenal cook, and chases the rest of us out of the kitchen. These were caught on a mix of live shrimp, 2" tandem, 2" UL plug, and this half-ounce 3" Tackle House Rolling Bait, which let me sample deep, and was my best lure for this trip. Michael stayed for the fish fry, and a few more casts before heading home Saturday evening. Everything came together Saturday night. The bait was thick under our light - every time your line moved by the dock, 100 glass minnows jumped into the air. Lou and I went into the evening with my single and his 3-fish remaining bag limits. After I put my last on the stringer, I realized after casting out another shrimp, I should be done until midnight. Saturday was also my mom's birthday, and yes, I called her. Hey Lou, if I hook up, you take the rod. Sure enough, I did, he did, and together we landed a 22" schoolie male. Taking this one home for Mom - she loves those big trout. It got better into the evening and after midnight. Susie landed her lifetime schoolie spec, 24.5 inches - on XUL, and two 50-yd runs. Guys, this was a male trout, and rare enough, the state keeps a 28" record male speckled trout. The fishing was good into the wee hours, and our Saturday night stringer included the biggest and thickest male schoolies we've ever caught here - 16" to 25" and every one a male - proof Susie's 25" trout was a schoolie male. First thing in the morning, the pelicans lined up for our filleted carcasses. One wise old brown didn't want the carcasses, only the rib trim. I think I slept most of Sunday day, while Susie enchanted the most phenomenal Waygu beef pot roast that melted in our mouths. But before dinner, I was having fun yet with a small sunset snook. Lou and I agreed we would not fish past midnight, but finish our Sunday limits (1 and 2) and sleep to prepare for the pack out. We were done by 10:30, Lou added a thick 19" stud, and I added 4 fish tacos to our ice water bowl. We fished with good company. packing out Monday morning - we'll see you next year, old friend on the drive home, I made the good call to swing across SH 44 through Robstown and down to Water Street for lunch at Thai Spice - this only added 20 miles to our drive. I had the shrimp and flounder I think my friends got tired of hearing me purr. December new moon was one for the books.

Arroyo dock fishing results over the weekend - we saw alligator, dolphin, sight-fished a big gar - fished all night with pelicans, blue herons, night herons and egrets pelicans lining up for carcasses from our fillet stand 18-inch snook caught (and released) on BFS caught on the same Duo Ryuki as this 45-mm plug, but the smaller 38-mm, 3-g plug Susie's monster speckled trout landed on XUL after two 50-yd runs (fishing under the green lights, which caused the reflection)- - and added to our best overnight stringer - these are 16"-25", and all schoolie malies that chase bait 25 mi/day - - a 24.5" schoolie male - biggest male spec any of us have seen , and the state record male is 28" (state record female is 41")

Just got back from the Arroyo Colorado in far S. Texas - 4 nights of dock fishing, a bit of daytime kayaking. Prevailing SE, highs in the low 80s, lows 65 - the lights drew finger mullet and scads of tiny glass minnows. Lou fishing the sunset a pelican fishing with us Susie's monster buck speckled trout landed on XUL - it made two 50-yd runs added to our best overnight stringer me having fun yet with a quick sunset snook before dinner.

I think it's the opposite, 7' is more versatile - 6' and shorter are for fishing streams and tight cover. More people may have 6' UL rods, because they're traditional. Mine go out to 8'3' but they're about reaching as far as possible. If you look at casting as ballistics, rod rotation being constant, every 20% increase in rod length doubles cast distance. With the longer rod, you cast light weights with the tip, which also protects the light line, and fight fish with the butt. As I tried to describe above, the short para UL loads deep over the full rod length to cast a narrow lure weight range.

that combo makes my tongue hard - congrats.

You'll get my standard rod taper description here. Short traditional UL rods are para taper, with a faster tip, more flex as you move into the mid and butt, and a narrow lure weight range. Long UL, all-range, bass finesse, shore light game (rockfish) rods are progressive taper, with most flex in the tip, a faster mid, and a stiff butt. They have wide lure weight range, protect the lightest line, and keeping the rod low sets the hook and turns big fish using the rod butt.