tholmes

So many unanswered questions... Is the propane tank full or empty? That's one toiugh rod, but is it sensitive? Inquiring minds want to know. Tom

My test for fishing rod sensitivity is simple. Does it cry when you say mean things about it? Tom

Here in fly-over country, we're just getting on the back side of the first big cold front of the fall. It should warm up and clear off tomorrow and stay clear for a few days with beautiful fall weather. I'll be hittin' the local community lake as often as possible. The bass should be chasing shad in the shallows and I'll be all over them. I LOVE fall fishing! Tom

Thanks guys! I'll get the O.D. measurements and go from there. If it's a mm off one way or the other, that won't matter much. The rod is one that I carry in my truck for lunch break fishing, so it's not a showpiece by any means. Function over form and all of that. Tom

I have an old Lightning Rod that's missing a guide, the one right below the tip. I can handle the replacement, but how do I know what ring size to buy? Do I measure I.D., O.D. or something else? The I.D. of the guide measures 4mm. The guides on the rod are Berkeley SS304. Thanks! Tom

I have a few reels that do that and I just take them out and throw a bunch of long casts. It will level out. Tom

If the AR works fine under your normal drag setting, don't worry about it. You can remove the excess lube the next time you service the reel. Tom

I have a Berkeley digital scale that my niece gave me for Christmas several years ago. It's accurate (yes, Ive checked it against a certified scale) and I've only had to replace the batteries once. I don't weigh very many of the fish that I catch. I don't really care most of the time. Tom

I'm primarily a bass fisherman, but I'll target whatever is biting. I love catfishing on warm summer nights, spring crappie fishing and catching bluegills with my great-grandson. The small (50 acre) community lake that I fish the most is stocked with wipers, and they're a blast! A double digit wiper is a pretty good fight on light spinning tackle! Tom

I've done this on spinning reel spools. 800 grit wet sanding > Automotive rubbing compound w/Dremel > jeweler's rouge w/Dremel. The process removed a small spot of the anodized finish on the spool, but it worked great. Tom

Way to go, Catt! Right at lunchtime too. I'm hungry! Tom

Just curious, why would you avoid 3 in 1 oil? I've been using the Zoom turbine oil on bearings and level winds for about a year with no issues. It is a pretty light oil, but I service my reels monthly during the season and don't worry about how long it stays in the bearings. Tom

External cleaning - Simple Green followed by a coat of car wax. Internal cleaning - Simple Green, acetone or naphtha for soaking bearings. An old toothbrush for scrubbing stubborn gunk. Oil - Any good quality light oil will work. I use Tri-Flow or turbine oil. Rem Oil works well, also. Grease - Abu reel grease or Yamaha blue marine grease on gears and sliding metal parts and Cal's on the drag washers. Tom

Central Kansas. ~15 mile SW of the geographical center of Kansas and ~135 miles S of the geographical center of the 48 contiguous States. Tom

Cast with my left, retrieve with my right. Tom

I've been using the round Abu Ambassadeurs for most of my bass fishing for more than 40 years. I currently have about 20 of them. My current "starting line-up" includes a Record 40, a Record 50, (2) 5600 C4 Mag-X, a 4600CI, a 5600 C4 and a 5600 CL Rocket. I also have (2) 4600C3, (3) 4600C USA Bass, a Royal Express, a 5500C, a 5500C3, a 5600WS, a Black Max 3600C, a Pro Max 3600C, an old 5000C and a 5000 that I use for catfishing and a 5000 35th Anniversary model. I've added dual ball bearing levelwind and cog wheels and carbontex drags to several of them. I like the simple, rugged design, the fact that parts are readily available for any of them, and I can do most of my own service and repair. Tom

^ This is a good idea. You can prolong the life of the levelwind parts by putting a few drops of oil (not grease) on the worm gear often. Tom

TOXIC beat me to it^ You probbably need to replace the line guide pawl and possibly the worm gear. Tom

Lots of great suggestions here. I'll add one of my favorite bluegill/sunfish lures to the mix. The Rebel Teeny Wee Crawfish, both the shallow and deep versions. Also, a Panther Martin 1/16th oz. spinner, black w/gold blade. Tom

This^! I've tried to love the stick worms, but I've never caught a bass over 2 lbs. on one. I've fished 'em wacky, T-rigged, weightless, etc. Nothing but dinks. Oh well, I can cut 'em up for Ned rigs and catch more dinks per worm. Tom

LMB, SMB, spotted bass, rock bass, green sunfish, bluegill, redear, white perch, white bass, wiper, striper, walleye, northern pike, bullhead, channel cat, blue cat, flathead, carp, buffalo, drum, white crappie, black crappie, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, brown trout, brook trout,...that's 26, and I'm sure that I'm forgetting a few. Tom

The spool might be released by pushing a button in the center of the drag adjustment knob. Just like the old Mitchell reels. Tom

Lew's service and parts: https://www.lews.com/service.php Tom

Dead bait works very well. Every bait that I cast for bass is very, very dead. Plastic worms, jigs, crankbaits, spinnerbairs, etc., all as dead as a rock. Tom

X2^ Tom