S Hovanec

No rule of thumb here. I tie on 18' when I put a new leader on. It leaves a lot of room for break offs and reties.

Exactly. When someone wants a price to copy xxxx rod exactly, I tell them to just go buy it. What I do is make what can't be bought.

Never said it was. However the actions and powers are uncannily similar. Actully, SCII and SCIII are USA made too, at least the ones they sell and put on the Premiers and Avids.

I've built a couple with the spinning and one with the casting. The spinning guides work as advertised. Didn't notice any advantage with the casting.

The stickers are to put between the reel foot and metallic reel seats.

I'm just repeating what Jason Brunner said in his blank design seminar at the 2013 ICRBE.

I believe about 3 years ago, St Croix was using a 3M nano resin. There was some talks and 3M wanted their little red logo printed on all of the products. St croix didn't want that, so no 3M nano. I don't know what they are using, but I'm sure it's on par with the competitors offerings.

Before I switched to braid + leader, I used PLine Halo. Then I used it for my leader. It seemed to be the softest of any of the fluoros I've tried.

Cup and stick. I have a mixer, but I don't like it.

Surely you can't be serious. I can only assume you're basing this on your experience with a Rage, Mojo Triumph or Eyecon and not the Park Falls made LE, LX, LT, Avid, Avid X, Avid Pearl, Premier, Wild River or the numerous USA made Saltwater and Fly offering.

Shoot DVT a message. He's a forum sponsor.

You would think, but not anymore. Not all Fuji is made in Japan. Been getting Chinese Fuji for about a year or so. These are TiSiC. Can't remember what was on my Ti/Torzite bags.

Different style rods will have different length grips. Musky rods typically have 30"+/- of grips and reelseat. If you're trying to compare a 7' bass rod and a 8' musky rod, I'd bet there is more lbapn in front of the foregrip on the 7'. Most rods built today are of blank through design.

I know I'm nitpicking, but not 100% made in CA. They have Fuji guides and reelseats (China) and cork (Portugal). St Croix is the same, Fuji and Kigan (Korea) guides and Fuji seats. If you want a 100% USA made rod, you'll have to go Custom. Its going to be expensive and it will not perform as well as it could. To get the best possible performing rod, it requires global diversity.

I'd probably look at a Carbon 4 RodGeeks if you want to stay in an action/power similar to St Croix. C470MF will save you some money.

I doubt it. The blank is $165 alone. Off the top of my head, I'd be about $350 to build that.

It is almost impossible to build a rod with 100% USA made components. Unless you use pine bark or birch bark, your only other grip option is wood. You're limited to those butt-ugly Recoils for guides and a REC aluminum reel seat. Find some old stock Gudebrod for your thread and you're all set!

It doesn't necessarily keep it clean, but it does aid in keeping the filler from falling out in the lower quality grips most manufacturers are using.

I agree with that. I still have the bottle I bought 10 years ago.

Get rid of that plastic wrap, All it does it trap moisture. Cork seal is a very good product and works as advertised. I use Tru Oil on all of my grips, but I rarely use natural cork, just burls.

I have a 16 in my inventory, no 17.

Just get one with a bigger Honda. My 135 is great on gas!

I'm with ya on that one. 5 gallons on the water and 15 to get the boat there and back!

I lapped it on to the blank, just like I do with epoxy. Might be good for an on the water/camp fix, but it has no place in my shop.

My boat holds 32 gallons. First fill up of the year is a killer. After that, its usually no more than 5-7 gallons a trip. I love my Honda!