Diablos

If you're not too concerned with whether it's foreign or domestic, the Toyota Highlander, 4Runner or Honda Pilot are good reliable choices with fairly strong engines. My boss has a 2005 Pilot and tows a 3000lb Sailfish boat and hasn't had any service issues. If I was in the market for a tow vehicle I would probably buy a certified used GMC Terrain with the 3.0liter 264hp engine with the 3500lb tow capacity.

Cold weather: Cool/warm weather: warm/hot weather:

i am sitting here right now contemplating whether to head out for late afternoon/evening fishing and the winds are 15-25mph. i have a 1000lb boat/motor and sometimes just don't feel like fighting the trolling motor to hold positions.

No hooksets but one time casting in to a heavy wind with a heavy lure. It was my fault and the company replaced the rod for a small fee.

I run exactly this. The batteries seem to be solid and reliable.

Wow! Your Dick's sells Loomis? I think the best rod they sell up here might be a St. Croix Premier and then drops to the Triumph then sub $30 rods after that.

I really like that Rikon lathe.

I purchased about 18 lures that were samples from a former Yozuri rep a few years ago. There were mostly Hardcore cranks,pins minnows and poppers but these two lures were in with them. I always assumed they were Yozuri but every single Yozuri I own have the name on them. Here you go:

That's a heck of a lot more than $15! haha $78 is the bottom price that St Croix will sell that blank to any company on their top buying program. I think you have to spend 40K a year to get that price. I have no clue what it costs St Croix to actually make that blank but i would guess it's a little more than any top end Diawa or Shimano blank since it's 100% American.

Most of the machines are the same in turning the blanks. It's the material and the mandrels that change. Not to downplay man-hours in the design of blanks, but guide placement is a fairly simple job. If you notice most rod companies use the same guide placement in the top 50% of their rods. On their lower end rods to save money they will skip a guide or two altogether. As for warranties, companies will not do anything to lose money. The high end rods are marked up to a point that they can offer a white glove warranty and still make money if you break it once. I want to see how Evergreen reacts when you call them for your third or fourth breakage. They might be willing to lose a customer at that point.

For the guys targeting large bass here is the Jitterbug you want 5" 3oz lips

St. Croix 5C70HF-B blank = $195 retail = $101~ distributor = $78 oem wholesale

I have a friend who owns a rod manufactering company in Korea. They spin their own blanks and such he said that no matter how expensive the rod is the blank it's self when it's first made costs no more than 15$ for even the extremely top end rods like the 1,000 evergreen the rest of the cost is componets and then from there they like to make at least 100% profit but try fo 200% if they can I am a rod builder for a living for a small manufacturer/saltwater retail store in the northeast. You guys would be amazed by the cost of some "high end" blanks from major manufacturers if you're on their top end programs. I could build a SCV St Croix with Fuji titanium guides for under $200. Things that drive the costs up are Matagi seats which can run $30+ wholesale but a simple Fuji ESC seat runs only $3-$5. That being said, why don't I build freshwater rods my self. Well, I have. But when you make rods 8-10 hours a day it's a job and not a hobby. uh-oh, now it's really going to hit the fan ... The point I was trying to make was after a certain price point high end rods become a profit machine for manufacturers. If I broke down the Vendetta into pieces and used a Chinese blank such as a Rainshadow. A similar blank would cost about $5 in China. I'm pretty sure they use Pacific Bay guides which here in the states would cost $8-10 wholesale buying oem from PacBay. The EVA grips are are pennies and the Fuji seat maybe $2-3. Including the labor that rod would cost about $17-$19 to make. Now if you have to box it ship to the US via sea shipment and Big Rock Sport's(Henry's which is a major wholesale distributor) buys it from Abu for a 25-30% markup($25) then Henry's wholesales it for $37-$42 depending on model: which is a fact. Then it goes to small tackle shop for $79.99. Big box stores buy direct from Abu allowing them to make more profit.

I have a friend who owns a rod manufactering company in Korea. They spin their own blanks and such he said that no matter how expensive the rod is the blank it's self when it's first made costs no more than 15$ for even the extremely top end rods like the 1,000 evergreen the rest of the cost is componets and then from there they like to make at least 100% profit but try fo 200% if they can I am a rod builder for a living for a small manufacturer/saltwater retail store in the northeast. You guys would be amazed by the cost of some "high end" blanks from major manufacturers if you're on their top end programs. I could build a SCV St Croix with Fuji titanium guides for under $200. Things that drive the costs up are Matagi seats which can run $30+ wholesale but a simple Fuji ESC seat runs only $3-$5. That being said, why don't I build freshwater rods my self. Well, I have. But when you make rods 8-10 hours a day it's a job and not a hobby.

I have a 12V 800amp Interstate cranking battery.

I have used the same batteries since I bought my boat 3 years ago. I have one cranking battery and one deep cycle. Because it was easier to connect my depthfinder to my cranking battery, that's what I did knowing I have shortened the life span of the battery. So now it's time for a new cranking battery because it won't hold a charge for long. I want to keep my wiring the same and wondering if anyone has had luck with dual purpose batteries in terms of longevity.

That was my EXACT thought after spending some time with my buddy's two 7' Vendettas, I think one was a mf, and the other a mhf. I totally agree about the price gap narrowing. I haven't spent over $200 for a rod since my GLX a few years ago and don't feel one bit jealous of any $300+ rod. I do own Vendettas and enjoy using them and if you ask me at $79 they are a great price. What's even more unbelievable is the fact they cost dealers like Bass Pro and TW $37 wholesale according to the 2010 Henry's master wholesale catalog.

I have 2 Vendettas and while they are a great value for the price they feel like bass rods from the 1970's in terms of weight. Just the decals weigh like 4 ounces.

I hate to admit it but I'm the worst kind of brand snob. I fish Powell, Dobyns, Airrus , All-Star, Abu, and Lamiglas rods; also Abu, Shimano, Diawa reels. Other than that I hate everything else :)

Ragetails are awesome but like every other bait they aren't magic. I always have luck catching fish with the shads when the topwater bite is on. The fish wouldn't touch them the other day but inhaled my Lucky Craft sammy. Go figure.

This and this

http://www.suncruiser.com/showroom/sport-deck-boats/sd224.php 2 in the back 2 in the front...have fun

Looks like you're headed to the canyons for some tuna with that setup! ;D

I fished Ashumet yesterday while a small tourney was going on and one guy caught 2 fish in 25ft of water on a heavy spinner. The water was 50-52degrees. It was my toughest day in a long time. Partly my fault though, I was being too stubborn to throw jigs in deep water.

Welcome!! What city are you from? I'm from New Bedford and same as you I fish fresh and saltwater.