S Hovanec

I'm in SWPA. I don't know anyone out in your area that builds.

In case you're wondering the significance of the border collie, here are my fishin' buddies. 15 year old Blaze 13 year old Ginni 4 year old Taylor and last but not least, the late, great Tiffany. The one that started our obsession with border collies.

Just laid down the final coat of finish on project Spybait. I'll snap some good pics once the finish is cured.

St. Croix retailers are bound by contract to sell current models at MSRP, so, no matter what dealer you shop, the price SHOULD be the same. Discontinued models are allowed to be discounted. What some dealers do to skirt the MSRP thing is to offer free shipping on St. Croix rods. Its kinda like getting $20-$25 off.

I apply at high rpms and cure at the lowest belt setting on the power wrapper.

I haven't heard anything about the RodGeeks paint. If you gave up SCV for MHX, you took a serious step backwards. I have built dozens of blue/green flip SCVs and haven't had any come back for paint coming off. St Croix has had paint issues as long as I can remember, but has recently improved. The paint on older generation SCIV and SCV was quite fragile. Just a swipe across it with alcohol will yield color on the towel. Bug spray and certain sun screens will destroy it.

I'd have a bunch of St. Croix's built by me with JDM Shimanos on them.

I'll put it on when I get home and take the pic on the finished rod, not just the mock-up like you saw.

Had a jerkbait rod to get out. Finally got back to the spybait build. Here's the one that put the spybait on the back burner.

It can, if you order enough of a single model!

I had 5 of those screw clamps and sold them all for $1 at the ICRBE in February. I may have a couple more in a box somewhere.

You talking about the old, old style that had a knob and screwed up through the bottom into a plastic piece to hold the reel foot?

I used to to admin on a buddy's FB page. I never knew who it would post as, Wet Net Charters, SH Fishin'Sticks, my dogs memorial page or me! It was a crapshoot. FB has gotten much better about that now.

I had a good laugh the other day when you friended me on FB. I was looking at the rod pics and recognized the one you did for Roadwarrior. I said to myself "that looks like the one DVT did, who the hell is Mike, and why is he posting pics of DVT's work". Then my brain engaged and it all clicked.

Fish alot with the electric motor til you can have it fixed.

That sucks even worse because he had to pay more than book for it, its a Ranger. They always sell for over book price. At least if he was the original owner, he would have got his use out of it before being hosed.

I'd go geek! I'm gonna be doing an 11wt in light green metallic soon. Waiting on the reelseat now and planning the grip in my head.

I've been fishing PowerPro for 6 years. It's been good to me, but this year I ordered a spool of TuffLine on the recommendation of my charter captain buddy. He has it on all of his river rods and has used it for years. Good enough for someone that fishes for a living, good enough for me.

I know a few people and pay attention when they talk! It helps to have a memory like an elephant too!

I fished PowerPro 3 years. Then I flipped it on the spool, exposing the new line and fished it 3 more years. Im gonna change it this year.

that sucks big time. For what theyre gonna give him, he'll be able to buy a new Touch 12 and a canoe.

I had a Kunnan Advantage 6'6" 3wt fly rod. I remember paying $45 for it at a local sport shop when I was in high school, maybe 1989? I beat the hell out of it. I sold it at a yard sale 15 years ago along with the Berkley reel I had on it.

Don't fill the spool then. When I was using floro for dropshotting, I'd only put on 50 yards at a time over mono backer. When it got too short or too messed up, I'd strip off what was left of the floro and put 50 more yards on. way cheaper than filling the spool every time you need new line.

I can't remember the measurement. I didn't have the reel when I built it but I used my Chronarch 101SF to cut the seat and it ended up being the same size foot as the Aldebaran.