Dave T.

Wow, I thought I was the only one who still uses a Yo-Zuri Pop'n Splash. I only have two left, and the one has been beat to death. LOL Suskydude, Where have you been able to find them... except for the occasional straggler on Ebay?

I'm also torn between a St. Croix blank or a Baston blank for my next rod. I've heard nothing but praise for Baston rod blanks. Some folks "insist" upon using them.

Personally, if you are looking for a rod to handle 1/16 oz to 3/8 oz lures that you speak of... I would opt for a Medium action rod and not a MH. My son has a 6' 6" Crucial spinning rod that he uses for that exact range of lures, and he loves it. I have 6' 6" St Croix LTB ML that I use for a similar range of lures and it is "perfect". I would bet that a similar medium action Loomis rod would also be great.

Jeezzzzzz... looks like 4 pictures of footballs! Awesome!

Stumps! ;D

I'm just disappointed that there's not a St. Croix in that list. LOL Seriously, if you are considering the Loomis, and you are willing to spend the money... why not get it.

For oil, I also like the Ardent Reel Butter. The Penn synthetic oil is also good. For grease, I like Dupont Teflon White Lithium grease in the aerosol can... great stuff!

I only loosen mine after cleaning during the off season. Never had an issue with any drag sticking. Having said that, it's probably not a bad idea, and certainly can't hurt. However, for sure, if I loosen the drag during the season, I'm sure I'll forget to tighten it... and loose a "lunker" because of it. ;D

That is incredible work!

If you are patient, and keep your eye on the BPS and Cabelas sites, you can often find a great deal on a rod... especially at the end of the season. I've seen $150 rods at half price. Although, I'm not sure the blank will be black.

I've always related it to the strength of the graphite. It takes less IM8 graphite to build the exact same rod in IM6, and even less graphite in IM10. Less graphite means a lighter more sensitive rod. Of course, the extremely thin walls in the highest grade graphite rods like IM10 or Sic VI and others can make them more vulnerable to breakage.

There is a tool that us fly tiers use that's called a bobbin threader. You could buy one, or even make one. Here's a link to a video that will give you and idea. If you make one, you could make it with wire big enough to see, but small enough to get through the line guide. Hope that helps.

If it were me, for the type of light lures you are using, I would go with a 6 1/2' to 7' MLXF rod. Essentially, a light "Senko" rod, or drop shot rod. The XF rod will allow you to cast the light lures further (nice if you are wading), and the added backbone will help set the hook better.

IMHO... When bass are on the feed and the fishing is easy... a lot of lures will work... including plastics. When the fishing is tough... plastics may be the best lures... and sometimes only lure that can trigger a bite.

From another Nam vet... that is a beautiful rod... a keepsake for sure! Semper Fi

LC Flash Minnow is my favorite, but if I could only use one lure/bait, it would be a Trick Stick/Senko type lure.

I have several smallmouth rods, but if I could only have one, it would be a 6 1/2' to 7' medium power, fast action spinning rod for lures in the 1/8 oz to 3/8 oz range. Depending on the manufacturer, any good reel in the 2000 or 2500 or series is a good choice. A quality 6 or 8 lb test line would work great. That setup would cover about 80 to 90% of my smallmouth fishing.

That's great to hear. I have to St Croix's... nice to know if anything happens it won't be a big deal.

i learned years ago to close the bail by hand on any spinning reel. As do we whenever possible. Probably just a defective spring... we'll see.

I have an 2500 series Stradic FI. For the most part, it's a nice reel. I've heard a lot of folks like the Saros.

My son and I both have a Plueger Supreme (not the XT) spinning reels that we purchased this year. Seem to be pretty nice reels for the price. However the weak link in the Supreme line seems to be the bail spring. After one month of use, the bail spring on my son's reel broke... mines been fine. Plueger was quick to send a replacement spring (and I picked up a couple extras). Anyhow, something to keep an eye on.

I have an LES70MF and an LTBS66MLF for smallmouth fishing. Both rods are very light, powerful, sensitive, and of extremely high quality for mass produced rods. To be honest, for the price difference, I think the LTB is a better deal. If I were to buy another one off the shelf, it would be an LTB. If I were to go custom, I would go with the LE, as the difference in price of the blanks is minimal. I haven't fished with an Avid, so it may be the best bargain of the bunch.

Keep an eye on Bass Pro and Cabela's for "combo" deals. For example, right now, Cabela's has a deal on a Shimano Sedona/Cabela's Tourney Trail Spinning Combo for $65 (reg $90). Either of the ML setups would probably work nice for smallies... if your looking for a spinning rig.

I couldn't agree more with SuskyDude. If you find some slightly slower pockets (like behind a boulder or slight drop off) in those fast runs... your in business.

Well, I don't have any of their casting rods, by I do have a St. Croix LES70MF and a LTBS66MLF, and they are both excellent smallmouth rods. As a matter of fact, the LTB may be the best deal in the ST. Croix lineup. I plan on having a MLXF spinning rod custom built... probably on an LTB blank... that's how much I like them.