S Hovanec

On a traditional TN grip, the cork is much longer, allowing you to position the reel anywhere along it. I know where I want my reel to sit, so I make mine shorter. I probably could have left one more ring off of that one, but I wanted it to be symmetrical and centered around the checkerboard in the middle

I don't need to move the reel, the grip is built to place it exactly where I want it on the rod. I hold with three fingers in front of the stem, so my fingers are on the blank. The cork is turned to 24mm, a 17 seat is nowhere the diameter of this grip. To achieve something of similar diameter, I'd have to use a 20 or 22 seat, and I prefer the feel of cork.

I prefer rings on my TN grips. I know many don't, and they cite the reason being the rings slip and the reel falls off. This doesn't happen if the grip is turned to the proper diameter. The rings on my grips don't move without imparting some significant force. I also like making a split grip for my DS rods. It gives a nice place to install the weight clip. This is the only type of rod I like with split grips. All of my others have full cork.

1. St Croix 2. Rodgeeks 3. Batson

It's not so much the type of rod, but to get something in a rod that isn't available OTC. For me, it started with a 7' crankbait rod with a 8" rear grip. At the time, all rods of that length had grips that we're too long for my liking. Now Im on a Tennessee grip kick. I love them on my DS rods.

I had a SS one rusted once. Cut it off with a grinder. Now I only install the lock when the hitch is in.

Back at it today. Rough turned.

I think I might have washed mine once since buying it in 2005. I can't remember ever waxing it. People are surprised when I tell them it's 13 years old.

another vote for leaving it in place. Drop the price of the unit so he can buy a new transducer.

Reelseatblanks.com has some nice stabilized blanks. They're always updating the site with new inventory. Cool thing about them is every block is pictured, so you actually get the piece you see on the screen.

I'm going to use one of those with an acrylic insert on my Rodgeeks tube rod and a PTS with acrylic insert on my Inshore St. Croix.

Another vote for the Alconite guides. As for reel seats, the most uncomfortable ones I've had in my hand are PacBay Minimas and Fuji SK2 with Fuji ACS being a close runner-up. I prefer Fuji ECS seats.

I have plans for a BC to throw Slender Pointers, Shad Raps and Bitsy tubes. I've settled on building a St Croix Inshore ML and probably getting an Aldebaran.

I once took a guy out with me that only brought casting gear. We were dropshotting in 55'. I'd open the bail and drop my bait. He'd drop it at the same time and peel, peel, peel, peel line off. I'd be on the bottom and hooked up before his would be half way to the bottom. After an hour of this, he borrowed a spinning outfit off of me.

Wish I would have taken some better pics. It's kinda plain and basic compared to what I normally do, but, a Sage should have a classic look IMO.

I went down the rabbit hole last year. Spent some time on that site watching engraving videos. I was commissioned to build a Sage One. Guy sends me a pic of an Oyster seat wanting something like that on his Sage. I contacted Bill to see if he sold his hardware. That was a big negative. Ended up going with solid titanium Lemke hardware and turned my own spalted maple insert. Pricy, but way cheaper than an Oyster seat if he would have sold one to me.

Pa record is out of Erie and only 29#. NY has the good Erie lake trout water.....the deeper end of the lake.

I haven't run into any blank issues on the Veritas, but I have replaced many, many of the guides that have broke for a few people. Also fixed one Villain that the entire rod in front of the reel seat came unglued from the handle.

Because I despise no fault warranty programs. It makes people feel the rods are unbreakable and if they do break, regardless of circumstance, I'll just send it back and get another one. If it would have broke within the first couple trips, I would have sent it back. As old as it was, I had to damage it in some way. I really wish manufacturers would do away with all of those programs and go to 30 day or 90 day warranty. If a defect doesn't show up in that length of time, the rod broke due to operator error.

Me either. I have 2 old LE's that are broke. No clue how, just that they were broke when I pulled them out of the rod sock. They weren't broke in a fishing situation and I doubt due to manufacturer's defect as they were both 4+ years old when they broke. I won't send them back. Not their fault they broke. I would never pay $400 for a rod, but I have no problem spending $250-$300+ on components to build myself a $500+ rod.

That $100 production rod, in all actuality, contains maybe $15 in parts. The $100 Rainshadow you're building will be a much better rod and probably compare to a $200 production rod.

Kinda like putting steel wheels and hubcaps on a Benz, huh? They're all round and will roll, but one just looks better and gives more pleasure!

Shoot Mike at Delaware Valley Tackle a message. He will be able to help with your choices and hook you up with a nice custom. Myself, I prefer the power and action of St. Croix's MLXF blanks for dropshotting.

Actually it does. The higher end rods have better components. More R&D goes into the design. St Croix designs their own tapers and blanks. They just don't pick a blank that a manufacturer has and build a rod on it like most imports. The mandrels the blanks are rolled on aren't cheap. Higher quality resins, better cloth. USA made vs import. You said those rods are around $120. That would buy the set of guides on one of my spinning rods.

Try to find a local rodbuilder. It's not exactly an easy fix.