Linewinder

Well, I don't know what the stuff is, for crying out loud! I don't pretend to think that it is hard as epoxy, but it sealed the cracks in the existing and remaining epoxy. So, I just now dug out the bottle and put on my spectacles to see that it is "Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Extreme Wear" something or other (finish, hardener, paint?) in "Invisible" color. But I did get it at the local dollar type store for $1 and only got it because it was cheap and clear So it's as similar I suppose to the others posted above. Actually, I put the stuff on just to keep the epoxy from flaking off and don't expect it to be a miracle solution in the long run for my case. I do wonder if the small cracks your rod shows can be sealed (probably not hidden) and last for many years than if left unattended. It's clear and dries hard enough but just gives me the impression that it is flexible too. I just feel that thinner epoxy finishes will have more flexibility than thicker. Just my impression.

What's the stretch like on Mean Green?

Could it be the epoxy shrinks, and that is a stress point so it cracks? It looks as though the threads are still ok. If you hang onto it, perhaps the nail finish will handle the sealing. I recently did this with my 35+ year old Berkley Lightning rods but used dollar store variety finish because the wraps were still good to go -- no loose guides.

This is an interesting question, as I have recently been asking myself this again too. I'm somewhere in your average to semi-enthusiast range. I still use circa 35+ year old reels and rods. I certainly didn't have tons of money back then being a newly minted young man, but I took basic care of things I had. Are new stuff better than those of then? Perhaps. Probably. Would I want to have more of those older items? Yes, and am casually keeping an eye out for them. Why? I'm familiar with them, and they worked very well then so I wouldn't expect them not to now. Should be cheaper now (relative value in $), but I am finding that is not the case -- perhaps the collector's market dictates those prices. So the current value of the old stuff I want isn't at a level that makes sense vs. new equipment. Will newer stuff work well? Yes. Will I seek those out? Only if the prevailing (non-collector) market values them closer to the market for the (collector) value of the older things and I'll pay more for the newer stuff of course. But I'd say I'd pay more for a newer good rod long before I pay for a reel because the better rods make for better fishing (there is a thread somewhere here recently where the OP explains this very well about rods vs/matching reels). I'll put my old reels on it. Of course not all my older reels are 35 years old. So, if you follow this, you'd see that I don't buy the latest and greatest ($$$) equipment, but if I was competing (and therefore would not be average to semi-enthusiast) I'd naturally step it up in cost and quality. So, currently I wouldn't be sacrificing any features that new stuff have by not buying those (other than weight). Happiness in the interest/hobby/activity is more valuable. What's your happy? When I begin to work for the stuff new or old, and an equivalent happiness doesn't follow, I know I've gone too far ($$$). Honestly, I'd know that before I made the purchase. It's been said before that this is a personal decision. I do remember using my brother's St. Croix rods probably 12 years ago so those would be within 15 years old. Mojo and Triumph. I thought then that these were definitely better than the older Berkley rods I was using, but the Shimano reels (round, perhaps a Calcutta; and spinning reels) didn't seem to impress me much into the 3-digit prices then. The rods had such better balance and smoother action than anything I had.

I don't understand why they are essential. I mean, sure, there are uses as described above, but doesn't that make them optional?

Well, you learned some while you were there and it sounds as though you had some fun in there too. To me, when local waters get muddy like that it's basically an automatic to go with firetiger cranks. I suppose chatterbaits and such too. It's tough. I think the rain came in a little earlier than predicted and was extremely heavy, but if you found fish (maybe not cooperative) you are further in the game.

... but it is easier to fix on a spinning reel.... when nobody is looking.

Sort of wanted to know how things went @BeardedBassCaster ? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I've always toyed with the idea of using the reel and line to turn the lamp on. Those pull switches -- pull on, pull off.

He's still around?

If Laura makes a good presence with rainfall Saturday (?) I was thinking maybe the backs of creeks might be good. The bass in the Reservoir do respond to current, and shallow too -- wind and increased creek flow. Jigs, jerkbaits, soft plastics, spinnerbaits... "TM only" -- what's that?

Who is this Glenn you speak of?

Structure-wise look for those ledges and long points, and larger tributaries. Generally not more than about 15 feet down to catch. Crankbaits and jigs (pork trailers?). Ryan's dam is a popular location and if right time will produce. Cover all along shoreline and in coves. Standing timber on left side cove going out of Fountainhead. If you spend time running down lake (lots of gas; 10 hp restriction) there are more ledges and larger points as you can see on the map. Been raining recently as probably was in Winchester so water should be full or close. That will give a little more weed cover near shoreline. What time is the weigh-in or check-in?

I sit back and watch my son fish. Or I just look around, see what's there. I remember many years ago I was fishing one extremely hot day in Florida with my brother. We skipped around to 3 different lakes but this one we were on the hottest part of the day, sweating bushels, he asked if we should go in because he didn't think I could handle the heat. I was doing better than he was. Just to annoy him though, I stopped casting, looked at the sky and said, "I see a whale, up there in the clouds". That ticked him off enough to focus himself on fishing rather than whining about it being hot. We caught a few in the weeds. I'll watch the birds too.

That's how I got an UL Ugly Stik!

Try letting a little more out of the tip before casting. Sort of a poor man's longer rod with lighter tip.

I'm with you on this. I don't disagree, but it goes to someone's perception of budget too. So what price range do you start describing a good performing sturdy quality rod? or brand specifics? What have you found. Just curious. I hope things get better for you and your family -- I presume kids are involved given your profile pic. I am glad that you are thoughtful to give up things of importance to you for the greater good, and that your personality includes the virtue to never give up and to persevere.

The uni-to-uni knot and the like allow tying indeterminate lengths of line together basically end-to-end, while knots like the J knot require passing the working end through loops, which is feasible for determinate lengths as a leader may be. What do folks do for tying two lines together, one on the reel and the other still on the spool? Do you pass the spool through the loop? I'm all for stronger knots in use.

Sorry. That's wrong. That's not a uni-knot. That's a clinch knot, not even improved. A uni-knot starts with a loop that the tag end is passed through. The video shows it the other way around, with the loop last and passed through then (clinch). I remember the uni as coming from Berkley, in a booklet or something, perhaps included with some line, back in the '70s and I'm still using it. https://www.berkley-fishing.com/Berkley-ae-how-to-tie-a-uni-knot.html I might try to switch to San Diego jam knot for terminal tackle but haven't thought about it in this situation, nor with clinch/improved clinch knots. I've been using sergeon's knot (double or triple) for short mono leader to braid/superline lately with general success -- seems a smaller knot.

My older model has a "flipping" switch on it, such that when you release the thumb it automatically engages the spool. I don't see that on yours -- still have that or did that go away? I never quite got the hang of that anyway.

I think one of the problems with making in USA is never being able to get to "cash cow" level for particular models. The market demand dries up for that series of rods so the maker needs to develop again, retool perhaps, reformulate, do the marketing sales again and again. If the manufacturer cuts labor costs here (supposedly minimum wage) the thought is nobody wants those jobs, where in reality it is that nobody can live on that with the standard of living we have in the USA. Costs have to be contained somehow, so off our shores they go. My Econ 101 professor showed us this is inevitable. The country's manufacturing and technology is relinquished so the resources can be put to newer industries. Cameras. Radios. Televisions. Computers. Gone. Alternative energy systems -- going. It becomes a problem when things are relinquished before the resources can be redirected.

The other reward is that we know too that @cheezyridr is a good and honest person. If it were me, I'd send it back as soon as they sent a prepaid shipping label, though I've got stuff I don't want sitting here at the house waiting now over 4 months for said label ?

So that's casting, but what about length for catching? Is that a consideration here? Longer seems easier to turn fish away from cover, but maybe that is a function of the rod's action in conjunction with the length. Vary the length with the action so performance matches more or less between a long vs. short rod?

With those older Mitchells and their slow gear ratio if you want your bait to move faster you have to crank like a windmill in a hurricane. The newer improved model 300A for instance seems to be an improvement on the retrieve rate.

Maybe put a rudder on it to help with straightening the paddling.