Bazoo

It's been pretty cool at nights and some days are chilly and windy now. I'm still getting bites on topwater, some on warm days, and some on cool days. I was telling a buddy about a topwater bass I got yesterday. He said his buddy told him its too cold for topwater... but, it ain't.

I appreciate all the responses. Thanks Tom! @WRB Thanks @bulldog1935, I have read through those links. I normally leave 2 brakes on for the centrifugal, and then for the magnetics, somewhere in the middle. I then adjust the spool tension to where when it drops I get a few inches of overrun. With the Abu Garcia Black Max, and now the Pro Qualifier 2, I'm getting the feel that I don't have to adjust much between lures. I don't fish this way, but I do occasionally practice in the yard with no brakes and no tension. Takes a lot more concentration, but man it's wild when I'm on. I agree with ya accuracy over distance. I want a reasonable distance of course, but I practice for accuracy. Oftentimes times I can cast under a limb or bush, or right at the edge of cover, and with increasing accuracy. I normally set a couple targets up in the yard and practice both overhand and side casting, roll casting, and pitching. The hardest by far is a right side (casting to a target on the right) roll cast.

I did glue the reel seat back on with JB Weld. I first used 60 grit sandpaper to sand the inside of the reel seat. I took tape, and doubled it so it made a small strip of "double sided" tape, and used that to hold a small strip of sandpaper to the rod forward of where the seat goes. Sliding the seat back and forth over that, I was able to scuff up the inside. It didn't feel like any of the original epoxy was stuck inside there. I picked at the existing epoxy that was left on the rod, and it was holding well, so I scuffed it up, as well as the rod where the seat goes. I carefully applied a thin coat of JB Weld to both the rod and the existing epoxy and slid the seat back into place, making sure that the line guide was positioned at 90 degrees. I let it set overnight, and it appears to be firm. I tried breaking it loose with my hands, and it did "crack" a couple times, but hasn't budged. I think the old epoxy cracked in a place or two. I rarely fish with this rod, as this is my going up creeks with heavy cover rod, but I cast it a lot in the yard with my boy. Time will tell I guess if it holds. I've had a lot of experience with JB Weld, and knowing what I know about it, I expect it to hold up over time.

I started baitcasting with a round Abu Garcia Ambassadeur about 25 years ago. This reel had centrifugal brakes, and it took me a while, but I finally got decent with it. I took some time off fishing and got back into it this last spring. I purchased an Abu Garcia Black Max combo to get me going again. With that, I quickly "re-learned", and am able to cast about anything I want without issue, including weightless Zoom lizards. I still have an occasional backlash, but its due to hurrying, trying to cast with an odd stance or not loading the rod due to position. This reel has magnetic brakes. The rod is a 6'6" Medium Power / Medium Action. Well @Dan N was very nice to me and sent me a BassPro Pro Qualifier 2 baitcasting reel, and a BassPro Crankin' Stick rod a while back. This reel has both magnetic and centrifugal brakes. The rod is 7'3" Heavy Power / Fast Action. It took me a bit to get the hang of the new reel and rod, but I started getting used to it and was able to cast okay with it. The rod being heavy power makes it different than anything I've ever tried before. I then purchased used a Lews Speed Spool reel with magnetic brakes. I put it on a 5'6" Zebco Medium rod that I had a Zebco 33 on. It took me a bit to get accustomed to this reel too, but I got to where I was able to do well in the yard. So, now, I am trying different combinations of rods and reels. I took the Black Max rod and mated to it the BassPro Pro Qualifier 2 reel, and am using that for my all round rig. It pairs well, and I'm getting more and more comfortable with the reel. I put the Lews reel on the Crankin' Stick, but... dagnabit she's hard to master. I don't know if its the rod, or the reel, but I get a lot of backlashes for some reason. Not just a little overrun, but backlashes that require a minute of untangling and picking, just like when I first started getting used to the Lews reel. It seems to me each reel requires a different technique, and a new education to my thumb. There is certainly a different feel to each reel, with regard to how hard one can cast, and how much pressure, and when that pressure is applied. The rods, all different, I find that if I put the Abu Garcia Black Max reel on them, I do pretty good. I'm getting to the same point with the Pro Qualifier 2, but I'm starting to wonder if me and the Lews just don't get along. Does anyone else mix and match their rigs like this and try new things? Am I the only one that finds different brands of baitcasting reels to cast differently, or at least with different difficulties?

Sorry to hear it. I love finding the old stuff. I found a new wooden Rebel jerkbait yesterday.

Have you tried to clean up the little crank? Wondering how it turned out.

Wow! Thanks for sharing. Very interesting hearing about fishing in other parts of the world. I'm not familiar with it at all. I assume the folks down there fish primarily for food rather than sport? I'll have to go read up on Peacocks now.

Thanks for sharing what you do. Sometimes I'll cut the hook and leave the soft plastic rigged so I don't tear it up. Even with a Texas rigged worm, I just slide the eye back out of the nose, leaving the barb and point as is. I don't do it all the time.

Lost the trap the other day unfortunately.

I found these the other day. I messaged a buddy that I'd scored another Whopper Plopper and he asked if it was brown. I said "yes..." I showed him, and he confirmed from location, it was the one he had just lost a few days prior. I offered to return it next time I saw him and he said keep it as it was a good one. The Spinnerbait I gave to another friend that just started fishing this year.

JB weld setup time is pretty long I thought, maybe like 20 minutes?. It can also be thinned with acetone according to their website. I make furniture for a living; gluing stuff together has taught me to get ready before I start smearing glue. I appreciate the advice. I’ll probably give it a go.

Nice find. Good to get all that line out too! Oddly, I'd have confidence in that color. I have about no confidence in crawdad color, but clown and firetiger and similar colors I've had success with for some reason.

I ran the test 2 or 3 times per reel.

I have been using an Abu Garcia Black Max baitcasting reel with 6.4:1 ratio as my primary reel. For a while it was my only baitcasting reel. Then a member gifted me a Bass Pro Shops Pro Qualifier 2 with 5.3:1 ratio. Then I was able to acquire a cheap Lews Speed Spool with 7.5:1 ratio. Today I checked all 3 for line takeup per handle turn: Abu Garcia 23" Pro Qualifier 2 23" Lews SS 28" This surprised me, the Pro Qualifier 2 and Lews were right on what I'd expect, and the Abu Garcia is low compared to my expectations. They are all full of line, so it isn't from that discrepancy. The Abu is spooled with 12 pound Trilene XL, on a backer, the Pro Qualifer 2 is spooled with 10 pound Trilene XL, and the Lews Speed Spool is spooled with 10 pound Trilene Big Game. I don't see how the pound test/diameter would make any difference, especially since they are so close to the same. Any ideas why the Abu Garcia and the Pro Qualifier 2 would be the same IPT, why the Abu Garcia would be lower than expected? Is it just the difference in manufacturers? Thanks for looking, Bazoo

I appreciate the suggestions thus far. I haven't done anything yet other than ponder on it. I like the idea of extending the rod blank with an old rod. I have one I may try that with. Does anyone know how JB weld would do for gluing the seat back? I already have some JB weld and am familiar with it.

I am under the impression that you have to be a member of bassresource to sign up. I found Bassresource because of the articles. I was learning about different techniques before I joined the forum side. I didn't know anything about the giveaways until Glenn posted about it in the forum. At any rate, I appreciate Bassresource and all the information it provides in 1 place. The articles, and the forum with the combined knowledge of all the members. The giveaways are icing on the cake. Thank you Glenn, and all the staff, for making this site what it is and for keeping it running.

If I'd known at the time of purchase, maybe not. I got it for only $300, and I like the design of it better than the currently available models. I'm not afraid to take on the work, once I've done enough research to understand what I'm up against. And I have no problems with the type of work involved to repair it. I also have access to foam that I can use. I've been thinking about how to make sure it doesn't happen again. So far, the best idea I've had is to seal the foam blocks in plastic bags, like vacuum packing but without removing the air, so they can't absorb water. I'm considering that. I'm also considering machine screws with washers and locknuts for ease of disassembly should I ever need to do so again. I'm also considering getting a stapler and redoing the staples.

I found an old video of a factory tour of the Buster Boats. Pretty cool to see some interior construction and methods. The seam is sealed with butyl tape, and about 280 staples. I am going to figure out what to do with the staples before I attempt disassembly. I'm not sure if I'll try to reuse them, or replace them, or restaple it.

I entered the last one and I got an email saying I may have won. I didn't. I am here daily, and I see all the regulars, and I don't see them posting about them winning. Shame that probably most of the folks that win aren't actually contributors here. I know I'd be posting about it if I won, as I imagine any of the regulars would.

Well, I've got the itch for ultralight now, thanks to this thread. Some awesome stories shared here. I normally don't go any lighter than 10 pound line, though I will run 8 occasionally.

I was gifted a Basspro Crankin' Stick and found the Power Hump to be comfortable as well. I was quite surprised.

Interesting replies, thanks all for sharing. I knew you could save them for remelting, but it didn't occur to me until just now that my son (only 4) may want to do it some day. I don't really have an interest in it myself. I remember what it was like being a kid. That's an awesome idea.

I've found I often will try a fluke, or worm, or other soft plastic for a while, and without any luck. Then when I switch, I have one that has holes in it, and or is slightly discolored from dirt/slime. I find it hard to put that used one back in the bag, but I also don't want to throw it away. I have relegated a section of my box for used soft plastics. This in turn causes the red ones to turn the others pink. Not to mention that it turns into a catchall compartment. What does everyone else do with those gently used soft plastics?

No... but if I backlash in a place I'm prone to losing my lure, I real the lure in over my backlash, and then strip it off and clear the backlash. If I'm bank fishing, I cast the lure out on the bank about the distance I need so I don't have as big of a mess.. To answer the thread question though, I suppose the sound I don't care for the most is a booming automobile, the ones that shake the ground. In the boat, my buddy will say... Well, guess what? I know that means we'll be paddling over to a tree or snag. Sometimes I know before he says it, as the boat starts gradually going to his side...

Wow thats amazing. Thank you for sharing that with us. Some serious amount of skill and patience there.