SirSnookalot

I've got rods about 8 years old with the cork looking pretty darn good. Other rods in the same price range have not fared quite as well, the look is pasable but have become just a little slick.

Me too, and I've never had it happen to me. 3 reels and 2 brands, I get the feeling the problem is not with the reels.

I agree, although St Croix is not one of my favorite brands. From an economic standpoint most rod builders are not building 100-200 rods at a time, they are pretty much buying components at retail price. A rod company builds thousands of rods, parts are wholesale to them and their labor is cheaper than an individual rod builder. A good example of this for me was last year, my buddy has a Cabo 40 reel as I do. He had a custom 8' rod built, I tried it and liked it. Went to see the rod builder 40 miles away, the identical rod to my friend was about $250 and 2 month wait, this rod builder is very busy. Not wanting to wait that long I bought a brand that I'm very familiar with, it's also 8' mh with the same lure parameters, visually hard to tell the 2 rods apart. Casting distance for the 2 rods is about the same and we both handle the same size fish, I see no difference in performance but my rod was 1/2 the price. As important as the rod performance is the customer service, my rod has a lifetime warranty with a great reputation and purchased from West Marine. If there would have been a problem, which there wasn't I have 2 ways to go for satisfaction, makes me more comfortable than dealing with a single individual. A custom rod does do wonders for one's ego, my ego is fueled from the fish I catch not the wand in my hands.

I wouldn't know about being old, I'm only 69.

^^ He was luckier ^^

I go only with up wraps and no wraps coming back down. Strength or lack of is no issue, using a host of different knots every once in a while the knot just unravels for a reason I can't explain. Fishing over 300 days a year with multiple rods that's a lot of knots, the percentage is quite low. All I can say is, it just happens a few times a year. Kinda reminds of the time I asked an appliance salesman how does one sock disappear from the dryer, he said @$%^^* happens. I don't need the strongest knot, big fish pull drag which takes pressure off the knot, the knot doesn't break. If I'm snagged (or a fish too big too land) I want to be able to break it off, that said the break off is usually at the lure and not the joining knot.

I use my own version of the Alberto, it's pretty darn good. Fishing 7 days a week some where along the line I'm going to have knot that looks good but may not be. 100% without ever a failure is too absolute, it's gonna happen with any knot eventually.

For spinning gear? I don't target 150# tarpon, I do however catch them up to 70# on 20# braid from shore. Catching one off a boat there is always the luxury of the guide running the fish down, 50# sounds heavy to me.

Appreciate the confidence. This is what I do if I didn't want 2 outfits, which is really the better way to go. The issue isn't the reel but the rod lure parameters, you have to give up something, I would give up the heavier lures. I like a 7' and 7'6 even better med spinning rated 3/8-3/4, and my mh of the same brand are 3/8-1oz, these are only a guidelines. I can throw lighter on both use 1oz on the med and 1.5 on the mh, I don't often use anything much heavier 1oz. anyway. A 20 lb fish should not break these rods. Would I fish for big blues on party with these rods, not a chance in the world, they aren't designed for that. For bank fishing and small boat fishing in open water, definitely. There is no shortage of inshore rods that fit this bill.

The only bedding fish I target are peacock bass. A marabou jig which I tie myself is as good as I've found.

Absolutely true, Tyson first started using the peak a boo style used by Floyd Patterson, also managed by Cus D'Amato. Rooney took Tyson to an even higher level of skill, Tyson was real hard to hit. As good as Tyson was he never reached his full potential as both a boxer and puncher. I agree with everyone about the Hagler, Hearns, Leonard, Duran era, they just didn't fight a welterweights, Duran broke in as lightweight. The heavyweights around that time were also very exiting, Ali, Forman, Frazier, Norton and people really forget Larry Holmes, really under rated. Holmes never wanted to fight Ali, being his idol didn't want to hurt the aging Ali. Holmes, who I never met and Hearns who I met quite a few times, both have the the 1 st nickel they made. They were smart with their money. Jackie Kallen, who was a close friend since grade school, introduced me the the "right" people. This led me getting press credentials, that's how I attended these fights, as a photographer. My credentials were not strong enough for the really big fights like in Vegas, but they were for the ones in Detroit.

Not uncommon for a welterweight to add 5# from weigh in to fight time. Some boxers have to work to sweat weight off to make the weight limit, they put weight on after the weigh in. I had a buddy, Mickey Goodwin from the Kronk gym middleweight at 160#, between fights he was a good 180#. During the same time period I knew Hilmer Kinty, he never had to lose more than a couple for pounds for a fight, first Kronk world champ under Emanuel Steward.

I don't retire lures, use them until they are no longer usable, I like them a little banged up it adds character. I hang a 1/4 oz jig head on a hat that I caught my first tarpon on, haven't worn that hat in years, lol.

I may have missed this, is it spinning or casting? I'm no expert on casting gear, but I am on spinning gear. I fish both saltwater and freshwater and I agree 2 rods is a better option, in fact 2 separate combos. To answer the question, it's doable to use 1 rod in both venues at or near the lure weights mentioned. I'm not in the habit of recommendations, only familiar with what I use, I can't know everything in the marketplace. You may want to check out a Star stellar lite, both casting and spinning are available. I would be more concerned using a lighter lure than a heavier one, overloading won't be an issue.

A 25# muskie has the power to pull your arm out of the socket on the strike. First hand experience, sharks get much bigger than 25# and are very powerful.

Only confusing to the ones that make it that way. Use a rod that handles the lure of choice, I find nothing to be confused about.

Foreman gets knocked out by an aging Ali. No longer with speed tires out Foreman with the rope a dope, showed how to win using his head, had one of the greatest chins. One of the very few greats that could completely change a fighting style during the fight. A young Ali beats a banger Liston, twice. A good case can be made for the punchers too, people have forgot Marciano, undefeated Champ with perhaps the highest KO ratio, pretty small guy at about 190#. Some of the most entertaining fights I can think of come from the group of Hearns, Leonard, Hagler, and Duran. Leonard's fight with Hearns was a real classic how to lose the first 11 rounds, then win by a TKO in the 14 th. Professional boxing is about 1 thing, winning.

Different styles are created IMO to sell you more stuff. The fish hit the bait attached to the jig head, not the jig head itself.

As good as any for sure, but not one of my favorites. I have my favorites which is not based on what I catch but how I catch them. Given the right kind of water I'd be fishing a Storm chug bug all day long.

As I said on another thread use the guide's gear, he has the right everything, this is what he does for a living. I'm a spinning guy for all my inshore fishing, I use only 15 & 20# braid. Let's think about this, you're fishing open water with fish that have the capability to make some pretty decent runs, line capacity might be an important issue. You are fishing with your drag set properly, with a fish pulling out line the line won't break unless the drag is too tight. 20# braid breaks well over 30#, your drag is not set even close to that, have no fear about the line. I mention drag often, IMO nothing is more important than that for landing larger fish. What's the difference between a 1# fish and 100# one, just 99# and a little more time to land it, the landing technique is the same. I'll repeat again, use the guide's gear unless you think your's is better suited. Never hurts to have steel leaders with you, many fish out there don't hit wire too readily like in the mackerel family, barracuda and bluefish will. I personally use mono leaders 20 and 30# for most inshore species and 40 & 50# if I'm offshore, I seldom use wire except when making my barracuda tubes. Little sidebar about these cuda tubes. Legend has it they were first developed for stripers from a guy out of Maryland. We have given these tubes to some of the snowbirds, get great reports about them catching stripers with them.

For party boat fishing a pretty basic set up is all that's really needed, I don't think it's that much of brand issue. Both senators and tld's are proven work horse reels in the budget area, senators may be a little less expensive. Just about every party boat I've been on uses senators, tld's are popular on charter boats. I would be looking for a reel with a line capacity of about 300 yds of 30# mono, senators are star drag the tld a lever drag, similar sized reels the tld is a lighter (not a big deal) with a stronger max drag, might be a few bucks more. Braid is not a good option for these reels and type of fishing. One thing that should be understood, any of these conventional reels are not smooth like a bass or inshore reel, they are not designed to be nor is it necessary. They are designed to take punishment.

I have lots of barracuda experience, they're small compared to sharks. These fish strike at speeds upwards of 30 mph, I would recommend your healthcare premiums are up to date.

Fight weight is usually a lot less than normal walking around weight. Last night I watched the rise and fall of Mike Tyson, very interesting. For street thug he was pretty intelligent, articulate for an uneducated man and quite emotional. His demise was the deaths of Cus D'amaoto & Jimmy Jacobs (I did not how great an athlete Jacobs was, mainly handball), then signing with Don King, another thug. Tyson's animal instinct prevailed in the end, I do believe he could have been the greatest heavy weight ever.

The real issue is are you having problems with the reel? If yes bite the bullet and buy a new one, if no just enjoy it.

Not worried about bass being turned off, there to relax and enjoy myself. 1. Won't stay home. 2. Won't over complicate having the right rod, reel, line, lure, etc etc, the fish don't care, why should I. 3. Given enough time the odds usually turn in my favor, getting skunked is rarer than catching fish.