Stasher1

I'm not sure, but I think it might be penguin crap. Every time I see penguins, they're surrounded by that white stuff. ;D

They just keep getting better...

I had typed out a long response, but then I realized that it wouldn't change anything. The simple fact of the matter is the police can't protect you or your family. They can show up afterward, take statements and write a report, but your safety and the safety of your family is YOUR responsibility. Life is not a video game, you only get ONE chance. If you're not prepared, it's game over...and there's no reset button. And that's all I'm going to say on that subject.

Let me guess..born and raised in MA?

Fixed.

Believe it or not, that was the pistol I was considering buying instead of the Sig 1911 I did buy. Kimber (and Sig Sauer, too) had a few models with certain features that were troublesome when they were first introduced and those troubles were widely reported on the net and people formed strong opinions. But by and large, Kimber makes a top-shelf production pistol and they are among the finest available. A few months ago I had a Colt Commander customized by a gunsmith named Mario Ruffino, who was a top gunsmith in the '50s-'80s. He gave many of the current 1911 modification techniques to guys like Dick Hienie and Bill Wilson. He was also Abercrombie and Fitch's head gunsmith for many years. I asked him his favortite brand of 1911. He liked many of them. But he told me today he had very high regard for Kimbers and does a lot of work on them for customers. He holds them in high regard. That's high praise. I like Kimbers and would buy one in a heart beat. Not only are their pistols great, but their rear sites are fantastic. The only Kimbers (or any brand 1911) I would avoid are the alloy framed models wthout a barrel with integral feed ramp. (The Pro Carry II you mentioned HAS the barrel with the integral fee ramp.) The models that have the feed ramps built into the frame will, after awhile of rounds sliding over that alloy, will chew through the anodizing and dig into the soft aluminum. I've seen it in a friend's gun. Steel framed Kimbers, and alloy framed Kimbers with barrels with integral feed ramps are fantastic. FWIW, I owned that exact gun along with a Pro CDP. The CDP was a nice little gun, but the Stainless Pro Carry II was the most unreliable piece of crap I've ever owned. Paid $679 for it brand new, and sunk another $700+ into it trying to make it reliable enough to actually carry. Didn't help. I wound up trading it for a heavily worked Sig P239 SAS, and never looked back. I'd buy another 1911, but definitely not a Kimber. If I was in the market for another one, I'd be looking for another Dan Wesson. A polished turd...

This... made me want to drive this... into this.... That is quite possibly the most irritating thing I've ever heard.

How so? One would think that lower gear ration when fishing high resistance baits like a DD22 is going to be less effort, and it will wear less on the reel over time. Not only that, but your gear ratio is going to determine the IPT. I'm not coming up with the same math as you are, showing closer to a 5" difference between the two. If that's the case, when you've moved the bait the entire 10', the 7.1:1 will have moved 50" further than the 6.4:1. That's a pretty substantial difference. Spool diameter determines IPT, not gear ratio. Two reels with identical gear ratios but different diameter spools will have different IPT, with the larger spool taking up more line per revolution. Also, a lower gear ratio doesn't necessarily equate to more torque and less effort when reeling. I have a 6.5:1 baitcaster that requires considerably more force than my e7 to retrieve the same 1/2 oz spinnerbait.

The new one looks and feels bad , but the eva knob feels like a little sanding block in my hand. When/if I can find a replacement, it'll be gone. >

IMO, gear ratio isn't as important as IPT, and even then it only matters if you're fishing moving baits. If taking up the slack as quickly as possible was as important as people make it out to be, we'd all be using large spinning reels. They take up far more line with each crank than a casting reel.

Depending on what size you're looking for, you may find it a bit cheaper if you shop around. BPS still has some in the 35 size for $70.

Guido Hibdon has said on several occasions that he and Dion use yellow braid for the increased visibility.

If you're casting from the shore, have no problem transporting a 7' rod, and have plenty of room to swing a 7' rod without whacking a tree or bush, go with the 7 footer. The extra distance you can get with the 7' may come in handy some day.

Ok, I just tried my 700X on a 7' M/F rod with just a 1/8 bullet weight and the best I could do was about 60', but it was a bit breezy. I may be able to cast a bit farther on a calm day. I also weighed a Trick Worm and a 3/0 offset round-bend hook and it came in @ ~1/4 oz on my little digital scale. So, theoretically, no problem casting a weightless Trick Worm a respectable distance. Any lighter than that and I'll stick spinning gear. ;D

I use Norman Speed Clips on cranks, but I remove the factory split rings first. The only other time I use snaps/swivels is on the kids' rods. It's so much easier than retying knots everything they decide to change lures. They're usually fishing for bream with worms or small grubs, and the fish don't seem to mind the snap.

I don't, but I suppose you could add a sealant or something if you wanted to. Now that you know how easy it is to clean, there's no reason for a sealant, imo.

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser for the cork, and Windex and a toothbrush should get all of the funk off of the reels.

Ya know, I was going to post something very similar. ;D You'll have to excuse us if we ignore the advice of a 15 yr old when it comes to vehicle durability and longevity, especially since some of us are driving trucks older than you are. :

It bears a striking resemblance to the Arkie U-Bolt...but at over twice the price. They also offer this with a football head, in 1/2 and 3/4 oz. I have several packs of the U-Bolts sitting here, but haven't had an opportunity to try them out. Well, that's not entirely true... I've had the opportunity, but I always pass over the U-Bolt in favor of the Giggy Head.

I picked up a US Reel "Effortless" 700X in the Flea Market a couple weeks ago, spooled it with 30# braid and it'll cast a 1/4 oz practice plug an impressive distance. That's the lightest practice plug I have, so I haven't had an opportunity to try anything lighter. Maybe tomorrow I'll tie on something like an 1/8 oz bullet weight or a weightless Trick Worm and see how it does. It's definitely not the fanciest or nicest looking reel around, but it does exactly what they (US Reel) claim it'll do, and it's MUCH cheaper than the others mentioned so far.

Huh? On half of the backlashes, the lure/ plug will fly off to a watery grave. Maybe I'm in a minority here, but idk why some people think braid doesn't backlash as much as mono or fluoro. Your backlashes must be a LOT more severe than mine. I've never broken off a lure on a backlash, ever. I've also found braid to be less likely to birdnest, and if it does, it's usually easier to pick it out. But maybe that's just me...and BASSclary. ;D

Buy this assortment pack... http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Practice-Plug/product/13377/-577396 Start with the 1/2 and work your way down to the 1/4. Once you get used to casting, you can use these to practice flipping and pitching in the yard.

6'8" MXF St. Croix Avid, Pflueger Supreme 8035MG, 30# Power Pro with a 8# or 10# fluoro leader 6'9" MLXF St. Croix Mojo, Pflueger Supreme 8035MG, 20# Power Pro with 8# mono leader (used strictly for weightless Trick Worms and floaters) 7' MF BPS Carbonlite, US Reel Supercaster 700X, 30# braid with a 10# fluoro leader

The one I've had the bast luck with over the past year or so has been the Giggy Head, the standard model with the barbed post, not the screw version. It's not ideal for thinner plastics, but it workes well with a Power Shaky Worm. I also have several packs of the Arkie U-Bolt to try. They look pretty good, but when I'm looking in the tackle box for a shaky head I usually reach for the Giggy Head instead. ;D