The_Natural

'IM' is quite misunderstood. I'll try and explain it. IM is a rating the Hexel corporation gave to a series of fabrics it produces. These fabrics are used for the making of graphite/carbon fiber. Hexel gave the IM rating to describe the strength to weight ratio of the fabric, or how many psi it can withstand (IM6-40 million PSI, IM7-41 million PSI, IM8 45 million PSI). This fabric is also called a 'scrim (a woven fabric...like a gauze pad). The scrim is the backbone of the graphite, much like rebar in concrete. These fibers can be made of a variety of materials, with the best being pure carbon. When you coat this fabric or 'scrim' with resin and it hardens...you have graphite. The resin that coats the fabric is as important as the fabric itself, and makes up quite a bit of the finished material. Good resin gives high modulus fibers the ability to flex without breaking. Other manufacturers adopted the IM ratings of the Hexel corp, and even extended them. The big thing with the modulous rating is what the fibers or 'scrim' are made of. Kind of like your sheets....are they egyptian cotton or Bamboo/cotton blend? etc. The scrim material and resin equate into how sensitive a rod is. Loomis's GLX is 65 million modulous, and has pure carbon fabric or 'scrim'. There are higher modulous fabrics out there, but why aren't they as sensitive as a Loomis? Number 1 is you don't know what the fabric is made out of, and #2 Loomis has a proprietary resin blend. It's the Loomis resin that sets them apart IMHO. There are other blanks with a pure carbon scrim on the market, but the GLX sets itself apart due to Gary's secret resin blend. Cheers....

For a casting rod, my 6'3" Steez is hard to beat, but I do fish jerkbaits more with a spinning rod. I learned to fish a rogue with a spinning rod back in the day, and have used one ever since. I won a club tournament back in '05 throwing an x-rap with my spinning rod and light fluorocarbon. This was very clear water, and a cold front had just passed through. I feel my 6lb fluorocarbon was the key. Until last year, I used a 6' medium action Avid paired with a Stradic. Now I use a Loomis SJR722c paired with a Daiwa TD Advantage. I'm here to tell you; try throwing a jerkbait with light fluorocarbon. You will get more bites and a challenge at the same time.

I recommend going through TCP Global. They have awesome customer service. You really don't want to go cheap on your brush or compressor....you spend a good amount of time on your baits, and they deserve a quality paint job. You can obtain this quality paint job with an Iwata HP-CS and a TC-20 compressor. This will only set you back $250. This is brand new, and obviously you can shop ebay for a better deal on a brush, but this is a pretty good deal. You won't find a compressor that performs better for the price....this one is fairly powerful at 1/5hp and can maintain 40psi or more. It also comes set up with a moisture tap and auto pressure regulator. They even give you a free braided hose. Compressor... http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Quiet-AIRBRUSH-AIR-BRUSH-COMPRESSOR-Tank-Free-Hose_W0QQitemZ220462637618QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item335498e232&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14 Iwata HP-CS http://cgi.ebay.com/IWATA-Eclipse-HP-CS-Gravity-Feed-AIRBRUSH-w-FREE-HOSE_W0QQitemZ200373744169QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2ea734b229&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14 You can buy these together as a kit for $20 more, but for that $20 you get some Createx paint and supplies. Well worth the $20.

You might apply to be a Dobyns Pro-Staffer before you buy one. Dobyns has more pro-staff than I've ever seen...they seem to hand them out like peppermints. I think 75% of anglers that own a Dobyns are on their Pro-Staff. It's almost weird....

Quit looking up my shorts!

A nice reel definitely increases the pleasure of fishing....like a find automobile. However, a sensitive rod can actually improve your fishing....especially in deeper water. My first high end rod, an mbr844 IMX, improved my Carolina rig fishing 3 fold or more. All my deep water fishing improved with highly sensitive rods, including drop shot, deep jigs, etc. I can say with certainty that I catch more fish with higher-end rods.

I love going out on foot patrol. Crankbaits were my secret weapon. There were several ponds back in Norman where I used to fish that got decent pressure. Your average joe blow fisherman just tosses plastics....mostly worms purchased at walmart. My crankbaits gave the fish something they don't see a lot, and I capitalized. A B2, BDS 1 and 2, and Moonsault cb-100 were my staples. If the pond wasn't known for larger fish, I'd just throw the bds 1 and cb-100 moonsault. Fish'em fast...don't give the fish time to decide whether they want to eat it or not.

Use an old toothbrush. Puts some paint in a cap...dip the toobrush in it...and 'fling' the bristles with your finger.

Rod....it's not even close really. Give me $400 to spend on a combo, and I'll mount a Citica E on a GLX.

Burley...I love you buddy (in a 'good game' type of way), anyway....I know you use Pure Fishing 100% (Stren/Trilene). Are you telling me it isn't better than Vanish? I used Vanish for a while, and while I didn't find it to be as horrid as others claimed....it wasn't that great :-X. That Stren/Trilene is much better....no?!

I realize getting a new bass rod, reel, or bait is exciting, and I urge you to snap a pic and show it off....regardless of the cost. I love looking at tackle, as does everyone else. However, when you ask for reviews of an item you have already purchased....you aren't really looking for objective answers....only 'high fives'. Most of us aren't going to share a bad experiences we've had with that particular product, because we don't want to hurt your feelings. If you really want honest reviews...ask before you buy it. Otherwise....just post up that you bought an 'XXX', and it rocks!....any other owners out there?

I find too many bargains...hence why I have so much stuff. I've purchased Compile-X Steez rods for $140, but it's the little things that make me buy too much. Academy put Bandits on sale for $1.38 back in 2005. The ad in the paper was supposed to read $1.83 (their cost), but when the paper came out they had transposed the numbers and it read $1.38. Academy honored the ad, and I think I bought like 200 baits. Academy also used to do 'half off all .88 cent endings', and I arrived the Sunday they put all the Kinami hula grubs on clearance for .88 cents. After taking half off, I was paying .44 cents a bag. I purchased 200+ bags; every bag the had in stock. I've still got them...I bet I've used 1 or 2 bags at the most ;D. But hey...it was a good deal...right?

They sell SS wire in small sizes at Home Depot. It come in a little roll, and costs around $5

Createx, Auto-Air, and Wildlife Colors are the standard paints. The House of Color pre-mixed airbrush paints shoot better than anything I have used out of my airbrush...by a long shot, but they are enamels...not water based. They are super thin and dry instantly, but cleaning your brush between colors isn't as easy as with a water based paint.

I think my post went over everyone's head.

I just threw a DT4 on my gram scale, 9.22 grams. #5 shad rap is 5.15 grams, nearly half the weight. These weights are hooks and all. Thats quite a difference in weight. You are incredible, I wouldn't bother to try throwing a #5 shad rap on a baitcasting rig. The only gram measurement I'm familiar with is 3.5 grams, which is an 1/8th, or 7 grams which is a 1/4. Don't ask me the significance of that

The Skeet mini DR is a good bait...it should handle your medium depth needs just fine. FYI....it gets down to about 7ft for me with 12lb Trilene fluoro. I don't own a Slim Shad....I'm not excited about it to be honest. I don't throw a lot of shad rap type cranks.

The short arm is the only way to go, and it only comes in a single colorado. I haven't found another spinnerbait like it. Short arm spinnerbaits are hard enough to find, much less narrowing down to just the Zorro and their proprietary design. FYI...the long arm Zorro spinners are much like every other spinnerbait made today, and don't give you the wire weedguard. I'll go ahead and post the pic again....

Uncle Leo is spot on. Falcon's generally aren't as fast or powerful versus other brands of the same power rating. I would go up at least one power rating. FYI....the Bucoo is said to be the Falcon Original blank packaged in a split grip format.

An airbrush instantly makes you a better painter. To be honest, I wouldn't attempt to paint a bait without one. You can get set up very inexpensively...I got my compressor and brush for $200. Just make sure your compressor can maintain at least 30psi and has a moisture valve.

I have to admit, when I first read the thread title, I thought "why doesn't he just google it?" I was quite surprised when google didn't turn up anything. Tons of middleman shopping wesites say they have it, and the link goes straight to bass pro, and the item is no longer available. Bass and Duck has the product info and a pic, but you can't order it. I'd call the company, and ask for the name of a dealer.

Compre is good....I also wouldn't hesitate to buy one the of BPS XPS Finesse sticks; they are very light and come with Sic's. If you can squeeze out another $25, you can have a custom rod made by Gblanks.

I know exactly what you are speaking of, and I would say this holds true for every casting reel that isn't designed to throw light weight baits. Kind of a cast where you use your arm to cast the bait versus flinging it with your wrist. Light weight baits just can't provide the inertia needed to immediately accelerate a spool with 140yds of line on it. However, with the right technique, you can adequately cast lighter baits even with larger spools. For the record, with a pixy, you don't have to alter your casting technique at all....you can fling 1/8oz baits without worry of backlashing....it's pretty magical. I bet the Core 50 is pretty close, but the Pixy's line capacity makes it unbeatable in the small bait department (line is heavy...less line=lighter spool)

Any of you braid guys tried the Fireline crystal? Even though it really isn't clear as it states, I just wondered if it looked less visible than the green.

Premier hands down; you can buy last years model for $170 at Tackle Warehouse, and cheaper on Ebay.