twitchfish

The reel has not been professionally cleaned. I have taken the spool out and cleaned as much as I could. My problem with cleaning the bearings is that cover. I assume that is where the bearings are. Is removing that cover like removing the lid off a can of whoop? Or is it shockingly easy? I am sorry to bother with this, but if this is common routine maintenance, I want to be able to do it. Not have to send it away. Thanks for your help. Twitch

I have a Zillion less than a year old that is making a loud noise on the cast. Sounds like buzzing or grinding but only on cast, not noticable on the retrieve. What should I check first? I have taken the spool out and oiled the recommended parts by Daiwa with their oil, but the bearings have a cover over them in the side plate. Is that plate as easy as taking off and lubing the bearings or more involved than that? Twitch

I also get a good professional cleaning in the "offseason" but, I am not going to during the season.

I am shorebound also and on a particularly long walk, lost my last DS weight on a snag. Tied on a 3/8ths oz skirted jig I had cut off before as my drop shot weight. Naturally, being a banker, use a horizontal retrieve and that afternoon caught an equal number of fish on the plastic up the line and the jig. Twitch

I would like some help visiting the basics. Over the last year i have aquired some really nice reels and my concern is how well I am taking care of them. I am shorebound and the waters I primarily fish are getting covered with vegetation, moss and particulate and filamentous algae. These are being carried by my line to my reels. I know that these reels are sealed well, but how well? For instance, a Zillion has developed a noisy cast, what needs to be cleaned? Is it something I, the village idiot, can do? A Sol is visibly dirty and< may be imagining it, but may not be as smooth as it once was, what should I do for it? I think alot of folks get busy, start having fun and neglect taking care of their equipment, hope helping me helps some others too. Twitchfish

Dick's Sporting Goods

I went and held a KVD Tour Crank rod tonight@Gander (on sale for $99) and not thrilled. Seemed very heavy and very soft. I am positive he uses something from a custom division of Quantum, because as BigRick stated he does alot more "ripping" than your average bear and I would be shocked if it was with that rod. I passed on it and am still on the hunt.

I do like the CXX idea. After much research, folks lean toward Medium Heavy and fast. Do you have to play them that much more carefully with a fast tip? The KVD rod seems pretty soft. May have to invest in another High Speed reel.

It was a 24" in diameter, very angry snapping turtle that I caught burning a spinnerbait over WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A LOG, go figure. Not bad for a Medium action rod and 15# P-Line FloroClear. Took us 25min to get him up and out. And yes, he was the talk of the summer block party, tasted great. Twitch

Bought a lot this winter, and I mean a freakin LOT. 2 Zillions, a Sol, a Fuego, a Dobyns .......sorry sometimes I drift. Sold a bit this winter too, made a few trades, made a big donation to a local high school bass club and got the usual Christmas and birthday gift cards (unfortunately all from BPS - keep that in mind later). I have decided after all of the fine tuning and spring prep, I don't have a lipless crankbait set-up that I am really comfortable with. Have been using a Lightning Rod Shock MH, kinda soft and an Accurist Burner. I would really like to upgrade the rod. The reel is getting a new home on a Dobyns possibly too so reel suggestions are welcome also. What do you fellas use? What and Why actions, lengths, tapers? Reel speeds? Have been intrigued by the KVD Tour Crankbait Rods and really trying to find my preference in reels, I don't have 2 of the same other than the new Zillions. (A 50th that may just be fer lookin at.) Would like to buy something at BPS and use up these cards. Last year really tried to "learn" jigs, this is Twitch's "Year o' the Crank". Thanks for your help! Again Twitch

I am trying a bag each of my four colors of the Hydra. Will let you know as soon as the water softens. Twitch

I kind of like it for cranks. I have a MH and it is pretty soft, but still has an ample amount of backbone, for lack of a better term. Have thrown cranks and some topwaters with it and have been pleased for what I have invested in it. It does launch them pretty durned well. Twitch

They were in store, in a centeraisle display. Majority were their 3x plastics in a nice variety. I was at the store in Peoria but sometimes do work in the Joliet area and have stopped at the one on Rt6, i think it is, off of I-55 in Joliet. May try to stop on the way back from the Outdoor show on Saturday. Twitch

Great Shakey Plastics and a great time to load up. Also, found a few bags of my favorites, the Bleeding Tubes. Don't bother going for those though. Have fun boys, Twitch BTW, big Chocago Outdoor show this weekend!! Great place to buy more stuff we can store.

I have 5000a from the late 70s. Reel is a tank. New bearings and new drag. Sad that it is now starting to lag when you crank it is taking almost a half a turn before the spool engages. Maybe the winter project getting that fixed. I am really not sure were to even start. Will say though, things fly off that reel after the upgrade. Twitch

Bought the MediumLight/Fast Casting rod. Wanted a rod rated down to 1/8th for weightless plastics, but the tip seems very soft. It will either get returned or get some duty as a topwater/spook/popper rod. Twitch

Buy it and the skill will come. Buy it and the skill will come. Buy it and the skill will come. Buy it and the skill will come. I like that. Heck, put me down for one too. What were we taking about again? Buy it and the skill will come. Twitch OOOhhhhhh nothing honey.

I wrapped that monkey up, didn't feed him for 4 days and gave him to my mother-in-law as a late NewYears present. Did not think it was possible, but the old bat hates me even more! The ungratefulness of old Eastern Block women. Give her a perfectly good monkey and where's the holiday joy? Twitch PS, anybody here a good, or even average lawyer?

How does it compare to the Chronarch 50s? I am looking for a used one. My financial adviser informed me the purchase of a Core would result in her keeping it in the immediate divorce. Twitch

I nominate Connor as November Fisherman of the Month!! Great job.

Treeeeeeeblessedmendous!! Great fish!!

But really? What is the risk? Typical pumps hold roughly a quart of oil, or if a two-stroke this size looked about a gallon tank of mixed. If a quart of oil or a gallon fuel got into this 10acre lake what is the risk? There is a quarry in amall town south of here. The story goes, to provide cover for his fish, the owner sank 2 old broken down dumptrucks (before you boys freak and start calling BS, it gets better). Well the old boy didn't drain the tanks on either contaminating the quarry for, I have heard, 5 to 15 years depending on the storyteller. This quarry is 90 feet deep at it's deepest and there has not been a fish caught in years. Of course the caveat is he was a mean old dude who NEVER let anyone fish there. The property has recently been sold to a nursery. I am going to ask them the next time I am at their more local offfice if anyone has been fishing there and if any luck. I know this is a terrible situation and owners and authorities have been notified. How bad is it going to be, it was a great spot. Thanks for the understanding - Twitch

It was immediately reported to the home/lot owners I knew who have the situation handled. It has not gone unaffected, my concern is for the health of the water. The new fishing hole was a smart alleck comment. To quote Steve Martin in Roxanne, "I gave up irony, because there were so few practitioners". Twitch

Stopped at one of my favorite spots this morning for a little pre-long day attitude adjustment. Grabbed a weightless worm rig and walked to the bank. This spot is in a HIGH rent area that I know most of the lakeside homeowners who view me as the harmless, crazy guy fishing in boots and a suit. One of the lots has recently been sold and foundation work for new construction has started. We have gotten a lot of rain lately, and I noticed a pump running in the foundation dig with a fuel can next to it. No big deal. Under the advisement of folks on here, first cast is made 10' from shore as I softly approach. I slowly start reeling up the slack. As I retrieve I notice a dark residue splattering about my reel, my clothes and hands. IT IS MOTOR OIL! And it is everywhere. A thin film covers the cove, the whole cove. I immediately started looking around and close as I can figure it came either from the pump or that can, was kind of a mess everywhere. Worried what effect this may have, thinking not good. More rain is coming, hopefully this will help. If it is bad, anyone know of easy access bank fishing for a crazy guy in a suit and waders usually only an hour at a time at weird times of the day? Simply to battle depression. Twitch

What should one be looking for in a Shakey Head Set-up? What power rod, reel, line is most conducive to this technique? The reason I ask, is I have what I consider alot of gear that I am not utilizing optimally. Of course, I want to buy more stuff to hold and love and call my own, but I want to know if I can double time something I already have. Thanks in advance, Twitch