A-Jay

Thank You. I may actually 'schedule' a few more sticks for rejuvenation again next hard water season. Admittedly once into it, that little voice that says 'hey let's build a rod or two' starts chiming in. But, I've been able to stifle it . . . . . so far. A-Jay

Guess it happens ~ This unit has been solid. Besides getting a fair amount of local use for several years, it's been back & forth through Mexican Customs several times and some how survived. If mine dies - I'm buying another one. In Fact, I may get one just in case. A-Jay

Getting a little stronger but a little smoother too. Seems to always be the way. A-Jay

I’ve got a couple of ‘older’ spinning rods that I really like. As sometimes happens, the thread wrap finish on a few of the guides has started to fail. The guides themselves are in fine shape, as are the other components; cork handles & reel seats. These are two of my favorite topwater sticks and I’m not ready to retire them just yet, if I don’t have to. I decided to simply re-wrap the guides on each one. It’s something I’ve done a couple of three times before over the years on both casting & spinning rods. So for starters, I have no problem admitting that I am squarely positioned in the novice category when it comes to rod building or repair. Might have just enough ‘skill’ to be sort of functional (and perhaps even a little dangerous). Either way, this is not a super complicated or even that difficult a deal. There’s plenty of “how to” available (something I used again this time around) for any enterprising basshead looking to rejuvenate or even upgrade a favorite stick. With that in mind, and if you might be considering doing the same, I humbly offer the following. I had a couple of ‘DIY’ wrapping stands as well as a few other supplies left over from the previous rejuvenations; Thread bobbin, mixing cups/stick, brushes etc. It had been a while since my last re-guide, so I visited my go to – Mud Hole.com. Watched a few videos, read a little info, ordered supplies, (thread and Flex Coat) and I was set. First step was to measure (twice) and note the guide placement for each stick. Next, it was time to remove the guides. Probably the trickiest aspect of the whole project. Took my time and using a straight edge razor on top of the guide foot, being careful not to cut into or otherwise damage the blank, I removed the old flex coat & thread to remove each guide. Used a plastic knife and a little ‘heat’ from a hair dryer to ‘clean up’ any & all guide glue left behind and then a quick alcohol wipe down of each area and we were good to go. Thread seems to wrap better on a smooth clean surface. Next I re-measured & marked the blank to identify the guide positions again for replacement. I had no reason or need, to remove the original tip tops guides on each stick as they were intact & straight. So along with the reel seat, they both helped me get the guides on reasonably straight (I said I was a hack). Using the guide glue included in the Flex Coat ‘kit’, I positioned each guide on the blank and started the re-wrapping process. Using my DIY stands, each went on fairly easily, once I remembered (and eventually perfected) the whip finish. Now moving on to actually applying the Flex coat to the freshly spun on guides. My ‘tackle room’ is in the basement of my home and it’s usually cool (low 60’s) all year. I had jacked up this next process up a bit in the past, by either not mixing it thoroughly or trying to mix it ‘cold’; both left my finish ‘sticky’. Had to re-coat it with the right stuff to correct it. So this time around I warmed parts A & B of the Flex Coat a bit with a hair dryer prior to mixing, seemed to help. After all of that, mixed up the appropriate amounts of flex coat (equal parts A & B), using the supplied brush, applied it evenly to the tread on each guide. In the past I had done this manually, turning it by hand as I went. By not applying it too heavily, it goes on smoothly. Once done, the blank needs to be ‘turned’ periodically throughout the early stages of the drying process, to prevent the finish from collecting on one side of the blank (sagging). This takes a while. If I time it right, there’s usually a good bit of NFL Red Zone going one. A rod turner comes in pretty handy here. So this time around, I bit the bullet and picked up a DCRDS Variable Speed Rod Dryer w/ Dryer Clutch Assembly from Mudhole.com. This sweet rig makes what can be a slightly arduous task – pretty easy. And with a handful (or two) of my rods also getting close to needing a re-wrap soon, I can expect to get more use out of this set up in the near future. I guess it should be noted, that I completed this deal over the course of a week or so; each stick required a few ‘sessions’. All said & done, it was a fun project. I’m looking forward to presenting the poppers & walkers, I’ve enjoyed using these rods for, for 10 plus years, once again. That’s my story & I’m sticking to it. A-Jay

Good One. A-Jay

Blowing off the dust ~ Big fan of that scale ~ The Accu-Cull has been good to me as well. A-Jay

Very Sad. A-Jay

Nailed It ! A-Jay

No. These units can not provide that type of feature. The only real solution to your deal I can see, and this may require some rearranging or set up in advance, but it's to remove your batteries at the end of every trip. Fully Recharge them properly at home and reinstall them right before the next one. Otherwise you'll be chasing dead batteries for ever and their 'life span' will most likely decrease quite a bit as well. A-Jay

While I do prefer composite here, I have a St Croix LTB Sweeper Spinnerbait stick that I use to snap lippless baits out of the grass. It's MH Moderate Fast graphite blank and if I had to, I could use it for a vibrating jig . . . It's the LBC70MHMF A-Jay

You're Welcome. I have the GB70 which is in fact 2000 Amps. I prefer to have more than I expect to need, rather than not enough. Perhaps consider the unit that's right for you & your gear. btw - regardless of where or how you stow your rig, you can still benefit from a routine. A-Jay

I developed a set routine I use to both pull out & rig my boat trailer to the truck, as well as a set routine when I put it up and secure the rig after use. Part of that routine is ensuring that the on board battery charger power is secured and cord removed before I hook up to the truck and then the unit gets plugged in & and energized when I return. I perform this routine the same way every time I do it and have a check list hanging in plain site to ensure that I do. The 'system' works perfectly and the only variable is Me. As long as I exercise the self-discipline to follow it - I'm good to go. If & when I chose to 'free-lance' the deal - that's when things get missed and can cost me time & $$$. As for a portable charger - I carry the NOCO GB70 in my boat all open water season and I put it in my truck box for the winter. This unit is amazingly powerful and will easily start both my V8 4.6L outboard as well as the V8 6.2L motor in my truck. Additionally can charge or run other small devices (cell phone, Go Pro) and it holds a charge for a ridiculously long time, so it's always ready when needed. I highly recommend it. https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-GB70-UltraSafe-Lithium-Gasoline/dp/B016UG6PWE/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&aaxitk=LGsFWwsSnoGQx4yqn-SK7w&hsa_cr_id=7008608300801&ref_=sb_s_sparkle_slot I fish big water, usually by myself, and do a good bit of very early season, very late season and night fishing, when there are not a lot of other boaters on the water (OK usually None). No one's coming right away to offer assistance. While nothing fool proof this unit does offer peace of mind. A-Jay

Perhaps strive to never say: "I should have . . ." "I could have . . . " or "I would have . . ." Every Day. A-Jay

While I did fish this stuff for a while and did like some of the characteristics of Gliss, I had to move on. As mentioned below (By you in fact) the line degraded too quickly for me. Additionally, there have been some new 'versions' of braided line introduced since 2015. I have been duly impressed with Power Pro Maxcuatro Spectra Braided Line in Moss Green as well as Seaguar Smackdown Braided Line. I am still working my way through a couple of bulk spools of Sufix 832 - and since I do not use as much braid as I have in the past (mostly spinning gear now) it will be a while before that supply is expended; which is a good thing. However once it's time to reload, I'll probably be reaching for the other two products mentioned above. Unless of course, something else new comes down the pike. YMMV A-Jay A lot of good info here

Nicely Done ~ Bet that felt really good. And tell your bud we said he's weak and that when pitching in for warm weather trip gas, cost 3x as much. Congrats A-Jay

Nicely Done ~ I say you're on track with your thinking. I am a fan of new; never liked the idea of purchasing someone else's abuse & neglect. I am always willing to pay for that along with the warranty that comes with it. Get whatever you can afford. Take care of it. As long as the rig is safe for where & how you fish, getting out and actually going fishing is the goal. Good Luck to you on your search and impending purchase. A-Jay

Rest in Peace ~ A-Jay

On the list of things that last, a barbell has got to be near the top. A-Jay

The questions are not silly and you should ask whatever you like. Bass Resource is just that and sharing info is the foundation of it. A-Jay

LOL ~ Michigan Summer - otherwise known as a Georgia Winter . . . . btw - sure hope summer falls on a weekend this year. A-Jay

For a while now, I've been saying that catching a PB is a Blast But this is next level . . . A-Jay

You Certainly do Not need to apologize ~ I'm the one who should be & needs to apologize. Your question is certainly valid however, like may 'techniques' in fishing, there are many ways to get it done. And we each have our own way of doing them. Some folks boat flip most of the time, some folk never boat flip at all and then there's the bassheads who fall somewhere in the middle. Experience has shown that boat flipping sometimes breaks rods, utilizing a net rarely does. It's up to you how you want to handle this deal. No real wrong answer though. I apologize if my response had you thinking any differently. A-Jay

I Guess ~ But you know that's not me. I'm this guy . . . #nothingbutnet A-Jay

Yup ~ You'll be fine ~ A-Jay

For me it depends on the gear I'm using, the type of cast & presentation I'm making and the distance desired. Then there's the fact that we all do it a little differently. Time on the water with your gear is really the best way to find out what works best for you. A-Jay