bigbill

My new Lews Speed Stick Model SG Spinning rods (list $99)starting arriving and I never expected such a difference in quality from some of the fishing rods I've used in the past. I know there not as expensive as some of the rods some of you are using but this is a big jump for me. I just replaced 5 spinning rods with the Lews brand. I did notice these rods have more eyes on the rod too. I can feel the action and power too. This is exactly what I been looking for. I didn't know I could get a good quality spinning rod within this price range. I just want to thank you guys for pushing me toward better equipment. I'm starting to think about a boat in the spring. Some of my extra older setups will go to a local gal who takes kids fishing. It's a great feeling to give and help others starting out in this sport too.

I'll list what I use on each setup. Spinning, Topwater,spooks, frogs, top props, prop torpedos, minnow props. Carolina Rig 1/8oz. Senko, Brushog, Creature, Swimbaits, worm. Crankbaits, rapala minnows, Smaller light weight lures/spinflys/cranks. Spinnerbaits 1/8oz to 1/4oz. I carry these 5 rods normally for shore fishing.

Hank Parker is the man. I was watching his show on fishing that big famous lake in NH. He was using a Mann's baby 1 minus crankbait in Brown Craw Dad. He was catching smallie after smallie. It was in February/march here a snowing to beat the band. After the tv show I drove down to Wal-Mart very carefully and purchased the whole rack of the brown Mann's crankbaits. I gave one each to my family. In the springtime we found out how great this crankbait works. I personally named this Mann's crankbait the "Hank Parker Special". This Mann's crankbait is on my list of lures to throw till something strikes. I even caught a large silver salmon on this lure too.

Hank Parker is the man. I was watching his show on fishing that big famous lake in NH. He was using a Mann's baby 1 minus crankbait in Brown Craw Dad. He was catching smallie after smallie. It was in February/march here a snowing to beat the band. After the tv show I drove down to Wal-Mart very carefully and purchased the whole rack of the brown Mann's crankbaits. I gave one each to my family. In the springtime we found out how great this crankbait works. I personally named this Mann's crankbait the "Hank Parker Special". This Mann's crankbait is on my list of lures to throw till something strikes. I even caught a large silver salmon on this lure too.

My thoughts are in having a wider larger diameter spool were not giving up anything in casting distance when we switch lets say from a 8# test to a 12# test. . Meaning the casting distance shouldn't change with the line not wrapped so tight on the larger diameter spool. Do I make sense? I have a 2000 series reel with the casting capabilities of a 5000 or 6000 reel but not the weight of the larger reel.

Example of an awesome customer service woman who knows the product very well. I called the Bushnell Optics customer service about a screw I needed for a scope I purchased back in the mid 90's. She said that model has been outdated for a while now but let me look to see what's available now that will interchange with it. A few minutes passed and she asked me how many screws do I want to order? That's how every customer service should be. She saved me hundreds of dollars by replacing the turret screw rather than me buying a new scope. I make sure all my optics are purchased from bushnell now. I never expected that a customer service person could know the product that we'll. I called them at 8pm at night too. On the job training doesn't work in customer service if they do not know the products. They hire new people and put them on the job with no knowledge or training before hand. My hats off to bushnell optics because of there out standing customer service. Let's look at the car parts places were there computers go back to 1970 only. And they threw out the older parts book system. Now I need a carb kit for my '55 jeep? I get sorry we can't help you. The next day I go to Napa who still has the older parts book and the newer parts puters too. I had a buddy who you could ask for a part and he could tell you the part number off the top of his head. We don't have people like this in the puter age. What are we becoming?

To me reconditioned means it's been rebuilt. This could mean they found production mistakes so it's been reworked to repair it. Or its customers returns after a possibly recall then they reworked it. I feel we could end with a like new product or a problem child down the road. Is it a reel repair guy selling it? Then he possibly is the one who rebuilt it.

I picked up a Bill Dance Quantum bait caster that had a bushing bearing on the mag brake side. I figured out the ball bearing from the quantum code red bait caster would replace the bushing bearing. So I upgraded the reel. My point is the same as yours these pros endorse these reels and we would think the manufacturer would sell us a better quality reel? I find it questionable now but down the road this stuff could be very collectable.

I'm sure you will have ups and downs with each treatment but you will feel better inbetween. You will beat this thing. God bless, bigbill

Update, My two new Lews Speed Stick Spinning rods finally arrived today. I have to say these rods look awesome. The setups are for the casting test as follows; Lews Speed Stick #SG66MFS 6'6" med/fast action, US Reel 230X with 10# line. Lews Speed Stick #SG70MFS 7'0" med/fast action, US Reel 240 X with 12# test. They will compete against two 6'6" & 7'0" rods with Finor and okuma reels with the same line test. I'll compare them soon.

I shot a lot of different guns over the many years. I shot two of my dealers full auto weapons. One was a thompson Tommy 45acp machine gun and a select fire m14's in 308. I'm a big man at 300# + and running a 25# 100cc chainsaw blogging I'm not weak. I wasn't expectlng the barrel rise on the full auto m14 but after realizing how it climbs I could control it. The Thompson Tommy gun was awesome to shoot, very controlable. Overall my choice of the SHTF weapons would still be an SKS in 7,62x39 or a Russian Izmash Sanita in 223 or 308. Either gun in my hands will shoot 1 1/2" groups at 100yds with no scope. I could also hunt with either rifle for deer too.

What do most of us look for in a spinning reel? Is it who offers the most ball bearings? This can be a tough call. For my spinnerbaits I prefer lesser ball bearings like four ball bearings is enough. For everything else 9 to 10 ball bearings is ok. Or does the cost matter?

As far as a copolymer fishing line I like the Excalibur silver thread the best. But when the seasons here going full bore its out of stock a lot. Then I go with yozuri, Vicious as my second choices for a copolymer line. I'm just starting to fish with braid but I had two setups sitting here for years now. I need to start buying those 3,000 yard spools of copolymer now. I'm not sure of its shelf life. But the larger spools would be more affordable.

I need a few days so I can see how far these supercasters can cast.I'll spool them up tomorrow when the rods arrive by FedEx. I purchased one 180, two 230X, two 240X US spinning reel super casters so far. I have every US reel bait caster but the pro1000 I didn't get this one because I went after the spinning super casters first. I would suggest buying them now. I'm thinking by making a longer cast in the open water it will pay off if I can reach a new area to fish. The open water borders the Lilly pads so if I can cast parallel to them and past them I can attract what ever is there with a swim bait, a spinner bait or a topwater lure. I seen the bass tearing up these pads now for years but I can't reach them from shore yet. No boats are allowed here. It's private but the judge who owns it is a nice guy and let's us fish it. My biggest bass near the pads is a 6#1oz.so far. I was watching a fish tearing up the pads when I casted as far near them as I could when I set the hook on this 6# er. As I had this big gal in my hand the fish in the pads was still tearing them up. This is the same spot I lost a big fish that bent my rod in half in November during the light snow on a yum money minnow. I figure I'll have my better rod setups ready this year soon. I will go after it again till the ice is on this year. My point is I'm counting on these super caster spinning reels making the difference in longer casts. I need to post pics of these places I fish at. Now for all you guys and gals and youngsters who have been taught and learned from fishing these smaller places it also works in any other body of water too. Trust me everything we learn and hone our skills at we take all the knowledge with us when we fish at the different New places. My point is don't feel intimidated when were fishing at a new place. I start off with my ritual of lures to see which one the bass want at that time. It's no different we just need to find were the fish are at too sometimes. I like to start off with a knocking spook first. It can call fish in too. Don't be afraid to throw a split shot rigged black plastic worm too. I say this because most of my spots here aren't fished by bass fisherman. They use night crawlers knotted up on a hook.

I need a few days so I can see how far these supercasters can cast.I'll spool them up tomorrow when the rods arrive by FedEx. I purchased one 180, two 230X, two 240X US spinning reel super casters so far. I have every US reel bait caster but the pro1000 I didn't get this one because I went after the spinning super casters first. I would suggest buying them now.

I been using the Finor, the okuma exipitor, the viva and the globe spinning reels for many years now without one problem yet. The Finor people manufacturer those giant saltwater reels for fishing marlin, to sail fish etc. For under $100 you can get a decent quality reel. Before I became sick I fish everyday and I only throw lures non stop. If a reel has something wrong with it, it will show up during my use too. I been hoping someday one of these reels would wear out but not yet have showed any kind of wear yet. If you want to get a more expensive reel that's ok too. God bless, bigbill

When I was a class A machine builder I built cnc machines that machined the upper and lower races for the turret bearings for the US Army M1Abrams tank turret. It's almost 108" in diameter. The lathe I built had a 108" Chuck. I also built a machine to machine the main engine rotor for the turbine tank engine too. My point is I seen a short video of this tank in mid air coming over a hill and locking on a target and firing and hitting the target while in mid air. That's D weapon to have. Just checkout the YouTube videos on the m1abrams tank in Iraq and Afghanistan. Trust me I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end f this puppy. One other gun to look at is the Russian Ishmash Saiga in 223rem or in 308win. It's a sporting rifle version but it has the fire power of its ak/akm cousins. Plus its the most accurate out of all the ak/akm designs too. It's a great hunting rifle. Check out the saiga 12 sight.

I was building 155mm howitzers for the US Army at one time. I always wanted one for my front lawn. Machine gun why. I think an AK47 pistol in 7,62x39 would cover it all. Or tween and tune your 1911 and carry the 15rd mags. Or ten 8rd mags.

I ordered a few US Reel supercaster spinning reels. The size of the reel bodies and spools aren't that big. I have the 180x ultra lite, 230x and the 240x which I thought they were going to be Huge size wise. The 230 $ 240 have the same 200 series bodies. But the difference is in the spools and how much line capacity they have. The 240x holds a little more line over the 230x. Which isn't much of a difference. I'm waiting for my two new lews spinning rods to arrive here for them. Then I can test them against my okuma 30 & 40 series reels for casting distances. Since the US Reel company is up for sale and we may or may not see these reels again if you want one we can still buy them at discount prices.

KVD maybe good but I let no one intimidate me. When we're fishing the fish has no idea what equipment we have nor who's on the other end. Let's be fair and give me the zebco 202 too I was weened on that reel. I never judge anyone by there equipment too. My point is I seen what some fisherman can do with 150 yards of fishing line wrapped around a soda can when they twirl it with a drop shot and 2oz saltwater sinker. Some of these fisherman as so good they can cast as far as some of the surfcasters do too. At the low cost of a five cent soda can, a spool of line, a hook, a sinker for under $6? And he's fishing in the same spot we are catching the same flounder/Flatfish too. Does he intimidate me? No but I do respect him for his talent with his equipment. He's fishing to feed his family. Bill No flames, no rant, just some fishing facts for fun.

I did mention it could possibly be my fault on the hook set too by not being hard enough or quick enough to set the hook. But my rods could be way too soft power wise too? I guess it's mostly operator error too.(My fault) I need to be more aggressive on the hook set.

Yes we do a panfish tornie between me and my two sons. Side by side if one of us missed the bite the other two would cast in the same spot. I'm still laughing right now as I write this just thinking about it. By the time we left we had bobbers hanging in the trees. But I won for the most caught. The fish won because they got fed. My side's hurt from laughing so much during the competition. It's the best thing a family can do together. I hope to do it again with the whole family and make it a cookout too. Since the daughter in laws fish too.

You could be right I keep my rod up. I need to keep it lower. The line went slack during the fight. I do remember holding the rod up.

It doesn't matter where we are fishing. At this time of the year it's time for the snapping turtles to move to there beds in the swampy areas for there winter sleep before the ground gets frozen and hard. I watch the swampy area on every outing now for the paths being cut through the stalks and brush in the soft mud of the swamp. If you look closely you will see a two lane highway leading through the mud. I figured I would mention about this so others can enjoy this part of nature we never get to see too. It's really visible in the farm ponds and smaller bodies of water we fish at.