dbass

LOL...That's is odd. Any other time the anglers on this site would be hanging on every word written about any tackle on TackleTour. The only positive review on that stick I have read here is from Redline and Tackle Tour review after the show, and since Redline has returned from his big trip after Peacocks with it, I haven't seen any words other than these written about the gimmick of the year. Just my .02¢ Tight Lines!!!

The water is starting to cool down, so no matter your presentation you slow down. Don't be in a hurry, not at this time of year (if you think your fishing to slow, slow down some more). Cooling water will have the bass bunching up in/on sunlit banks, rocks, and tree falls (shadow side) just on the edges, of deeper water (creek channels, etc.). On sunlit wind blown banks/points, fish the eddy (slack water) side. Thats how it is here on my home waters. Just my .02¢ Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!

As a builder, who builds exclusively on St.Croix blanks, I am in constant contact with my blank supplier, and St. Croix direct. 2 weeks ago I was told by staff at the factory that all of the avid rods were gone and the new Avids (IPC and new paint job), and LE/LT's (same same except for the split grips), were coming on line.So if any on-line shops make a deal with St.Croix it isn't for the top movers in the Avid line IE. MF, MXF, MHF, etc.. But I did find out that they are holding a heavy stock of the top moving blanks for custom build component distribution. Just my .02¢ Tight Lines All!!!

Avid, Guides, guides come into play when you start talking lines.Ron is right, the (Spiral Wrap) key is the elimination of rod torque thus making the rod more stable under fighting loads. Nothing else, does not hurt, nor help casting, does not give any edge to either braid, fluro, or mono. It all in the name of rod stability. Just my .02¢ Tight Lines!!!

DaveAs a builder if you came to me and asked what should I use for a jig/t-rig rod I would say if your bank bound and fishing around a lot of over hanging trees a 6'6" MHF would do the trick. If you are fishing from a deck and can move to your target then a 7' MHF stick would do the trick.. Just my .02¢ Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!!

Here is the thread your looking for..... http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1194371160;start=all Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!!

bubbler, Here's some reading for you.... To Weight or Not To Weight That Is A Good Question Balancing Your Rod Step By Step..... Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!!

That's definitely different (out of the box). Without holding the rod I wouldn't be able to realy comment.. How do you grip the line for casting, seems to me you have all the fingers used up trying to feel the rod blank. Also it looks as though the system makes the angler grip the rod/reel where I have never seen anyone grip a spinning reel before. Reel stem between pinky and ring finger. :-?

My Custom 3.5oz Shikäri SHX844 7' Hvy Fast, Split Grip, Spiral Wrap jig rod, super light and very sensitive...

IMPO Very good place to start, for T-rigs, Jigs, C-rigs. Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!!

I wouldn't waste my money. The Premier® is as low as I would go, and then I would try and save for the Avid®

This is a little story that I think should be just the right touch here. It is written by a friend and fellow rod builder that Flechero and I know Andy Lamar of Lamar MFG. Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!

Big T, Rod Tip Repair FIX IT! Tight Lines!!!

dsaavedra, You need to slow down little buddy, that's a darn harsh statement from someone who is going nuts trying to get as much rod info as you have of late..... How do you know that the Triumph series is a POS...Have you owned one? I have built quite a few rods on the premier blank, I would say they are St.Croix's best of the entry level rods. Tight Lines!!!!!

They are nice looking rods!!! Basically what they did is use fore grips. Take two of them, one is placed at the seat and, the other is split in half and a foam cap is added... I told everyone after the ICAST show that not all of the split grips on the new St.Croix® LE, and LTB rods wouldn't fit everyone.... The only way to get a fitted/balanced split grip is through custom builds..... 8-) Tight Lines All !!!

njfishfreak, All of the St.Croix® rod blanks use the NEW ART technology now. It is proprietary to St.Croix® (found only in their blanks).. The ART technology came about only 2 years ago 2005. The IPC® technology came about in 2000, in NEW proprietary design software for the St.Croix® computers. Both of these new technologies are proprietary to St.Croix® and no one else. Tight Lines!!!

INTEGRATED POLY CURVE® (IPC®) TECHNOLOGY ADVANCED REINFORCING TECHNOLOGY (ART) These are the 2 new technologies for StCroix® that were only found in the SC4 Legend Tournament® Bass, and, SC5 Legend Elite® blanks. Now they are found in the SC3 Avid blanks. Of course at a price.......

The new Avids® will be about another $20.00 higher with the new IPC® and ART technology, when you finally do see them in the racks. The Triumph® series is a Chinese import (built to St Croix specs) still they are SC's ugly step child, but I have built some really good rods on the Premier® series blank. Tight Lines All!!

Mick, Took me 15 years to accumulate the equipment that I have on the rod building side of my shop. It just depends on how much you have been bit by the rod building addiction.Tight Wraps All!!!!!

Sorry Matt, Ain't buying it. You speak of wrapping. On the average the 8" to 10" fore wraps you were doing average 8 - 10 hours. I don't care if you were hand turning or using power.... The quote you made was.... Fancy Wrapping isn't building. Rod layout, spine finding, guide foot prepping, static flex testing, guide spacing, test casting, guide wrapping, grip turning, grip and seat mounting, finding the proper balance points, etc. That is rod building!Learning that takes some time, and it is always being improved upon.

Brokejew, And even more are stopping after the first try... I put no less than 30 hrs into each rod I build.... If you don't do your reading before you start I have seen some really messed up layouts...No such thing as low risk when a customers hard earned cash or even your own cash is involved.... I would say anyone with a good sense of tools and layout can build decent rods. There are not that many tools on the market "made for" rod building. All of the tools in my shop I made with the help of the guys on the rodbuilding.org forum. you will have to search on-line catalogs or get a hold of the different blank manufacturers catalogs and do a lot of research... Unless you have a business license you will pay MSRP for all components of the build. Which can bring you upto just about what you would see for a finished stick in the rack... Read ... Newbies with rod building questions.... Good Luck & Tight Wraps!!!! Mattlures, That's is funny & NOT TRUE!!!.. If it is so d**n easy why then isn't everyone doing it? I have been rolling rods for 15 years professionally and some 10 years practicing prior to that. To this very day I still learn something new every time I start a new rod... Just my .02¢ Tight Lines!!!!

IMPO it is important to spine the blank, but many a lot more experienced then I am are now saying it isn't as important as once thought.Tight Wraps All!!!

GMAN, Just a thought.... What I found with all of my articles that I have on my rod and reel sites. "Don't Rush Them" Take your time, the readers will still be there.... Sounds like a real asset to the forum and tacklemaking..... Tight Lines!!!!

Been practicing my flames, I think I'll do the 3C70MHF with something like this between the split grips..... Tight Wraps All!!!

flechero, Is right......... It is one of the way's that helps balance my rods. Tight Wraps!!