flechero

What was the weather like when you used it? I use XT most of the year but in cold, cold weather it's like a metal slinky...

That just means it began it's life as an MB783 blank and not a finished rod. But yes, slate blanks are IMX.

LBH, You've said nothing that hasn't been said before... many of us have posted that we want to donate! I understand Glenn's position but hope to see some avenue to contribute, one day soon. Glenn, no saying it's extra work! Surely one little "button" that links to paypal couldn't be that hard to set up.

Thanks! I think the burnt cork is better on the primary rods... even when I finish the cork, i wear through it and it turns the contact points almost black in pretty short order. I guess that means I use them a lot! ...lol I do like the look of the laguna as the primary color better but only when it's new. One thing to think about, I also used premade grips on a few... but I pre make them on rainy or windy days that I can't fish! I always have 2-4 complete grips sitting in the garage just waiting to be reamed. All my grips are within a ring or two of the same length and all will go up against an ECS seat so it's easy to run them in advance. It cuts 1-2 days (for us part-timers) out of a build if you are glueing the grip on in day one. I'm not the most patient of people when I have a blank waiting for me to get in gear! ...lol

Any of the St. Croix hvy's will work well, I use a 5C70HF as my c-rig, frog, hvy pitching, small swimbaits (matt's) and even buzzbait rod around the grass matts. ...lol I also have the slop & frog blank fishnde suggested but neither of them fall in the price range you mentioned... but the SCII does, I guess that's the PC70HF. The AC70HF retails at about $170 so it's a little over buit a nice rod. Also the Rogue MBH 706C and MB 706C look like good candidates in the $160-$170 range. If you are open to a 6' 10" rod, the TAS 827 is a good choice. Beyond those, most 7' heavy rods will do this. Just to be clear, I haven't held that All Star BB you linked us to so if you think it has a light enough tip for the original purpose, don't let me rain on the parade.... I liken it to the lighter muskie rods and they have about no tip action. ...lol

I use Owner 5102 hooks for everything but the fat ika. They are Offset Shank, Wide Gap hooks with a 90° shoulder, XX strong shank. (read that as a heavy wire, but not as heavy as gammy superline hooks) They make the same hook in a standard (light) wire. (the 5101) There is another thread running on EWG hooks where there is a perfect explanation of why EWG isn't always the hook of choice. Credit The Natural, I believe. The hook point is in-line with the eye on an EWG and that's what I don't like about them. The owners have (in my opinion) the best hook point line differential- the opposite of the EWG comment from above.

Well I finally got to start on one of my Christmas blanks today! First up is a Loomis MB784 IMX. My perfect t-rig rod. Went with a Burnt burl split grip with 2 small accent stripes in Laguna. Nothing fancy, actually it's getting to be almost standard for my personal rods... I lack the artistic imagination that many of you guys have. ...lol When the weather is nicer, I'll start doing some inlay work in the cork again... the garage has been too cold and all my work (except turning) has been done inside when the wife is out. This one will have Ti framed SiC's and will not be weighted. No clue yet on thread... may just go stealth.

Very nice choice!! One of my favorites for sure!! (don't believe me, look in "tacklemaking" in about 1 hr. ) We have a lot in common... my blank was a Christmas gift from my wife! Nothing like a great wife!! ...lol Be sure to post after you get it wet and let us know what you think.

My experience with color preserver is pretty limited and only covers Gudebrod 811. However, are you sure you have allowed it to dry completely? It will look wet when applied and will not return to "normal" looking until it's completely dried. Dilute CP only enough to get it to penetrate... remember CP is works by using "suspended solids" to block out penetration by the finish.... when diluted, you reduce the amount of solids available to block out the finish... meaning that if you thin it to get penetration, you actually reduce its effectiveness. Counterintuitive, I know. I have a good write up on how to make gudebrod 811 fool proof... if interested let me know, I'll find it and fwd it to you.

Out of those 2 and within your price range, I like the All Star BB best. Two others come to mind, the Okuma guide series or St. Croix premier musky rods. If I can make a suggestion- the swimbait part of this equation is killing your rod selection. Any rod rated for 2 oz is going to have a very stout tip... bad for everything you listed but swimbaits. Why not get something a little lighter that will excel in c-rig, frog & pitchin' and either fish smaller swimbaits or address swimbait in another rod? You can pick up a house brand (BPS or Cabela's) musky rod for $30-$100, just to fish the swimbaits with. That seems to make the most sense to me, unless you fish swimbaits an awful lot, then reverse and buy the nicer swimbait rod and go house brand for the rest.

Agravating, isn't it! ...lol Sounds like a sweet one!!

For me it's a reliable cold weather technique. (or on occasion in dog days of summer) I prefer the baby 1- or floating rapala minnow or shad raps. (the trick is to use something with really bouyant) Can be a great cold water technique.

Can't you just ask them questions either before or after they weigh? I assume you guys are all friends since you are in the club together, right? Seems like they should be open to sharing info if it's a club... if not, they should be just fishing tourneys. That's just my opinion. I'm not one who believes in "My holes" or "my fish" unless I happen to own the lake. ...lol

I noticed that... about 30 minutes AFTER the UPS man delivered my reel that came from Cabela's. talk about the old saying "a day late and a dollar short" Oh well, they will be contributing to the forum on my behalf, many times this year...

Good one... Congrats Redlinerobert!! Looks like a killer boat!

Why? Marriage does not mean you have to root for the same teams. It's only a game, besides, you have a guest room, don't you? ;D (or at least a couch!)

Someone already said Gander mountain, also Sportsman's Warehouse, BPS, amd all the larger on line retailers carry it. A few of the smaller retail outlets I've visited also have it. (wal-mart in my area doesn't carry it.)

I have a zip lock bag of skirts that lives in the boat (year round in the tx heat).... these were bought at costal tackle in '96 and are still like new. (bought a 'lot' of 50 in the same color) I replace the ones on baits every other year but the bagged ones never seem to change from new. Oh yeah, the black bands on jigs fail just as much for me, about every other year. :-/

No, it's just a preference thing, I like a 7' rod for flukes and senkos (and a little lighter power) but it's probably close to 50/50 if everyone answered.

I figured on the SX spool since the actual pic shows a mag dial. But I did "assume" that. ...lol

Al, If it were ME, I'd go with the CU100D and use it for any one or any combination of the following: t-rigs, small jigs, close quarters pitching and spinnerbaits. Don't be afraid of it, that rod should do anything you need it to... at closer ranges. I just re-read that and saw 6' and not 6'6" so that's why I edited. ...lol

If I were you I would use your 6'6" MH rods for t-rig worms, smaller jigs and add a 7' rod to the mix for c-rigs, frogs and maybe jigs and big spinerbaits. You are lucky to get a discount, All Star is a good buy even at full price. If you stick with the original question- Here are my suggestions for a worm rods... those ending in a 6 or 1 have tips light enough for senkos, flukes and other soft plastics (all will cast them but the 7's will require a better trained thumb) but none of them are great c-rig rods, I like 7' or longer for c-rigs. Depending on your price range and preferences, look at: TAS786 TAS787 TAS806 TAS807 TAS826 P786 P787 AC WR-1 AC WR-2 AC SBR-2 I have had either the rod or the blanks of all the rods listed, I think ones ending in 7 are better worm rods but that is purely preference as I like a little heavier worm rods. Reels, get something decent but no need to brake the bank on them... I used Abu 4600's for may years and none ever let me down. (and they are pretty cheap) Lots of good reels out there for less than $100

Muddy, I'm sure you know I wasn't trying to "correct" your wording, but just in case, I wasn't. ..lol I guess I should also mention that it was Fork that turned me off of braided line. Fishing worms and jigs in deeper water and not being able to break off when hung is the reason I quit using braid. I had to carry a piece of an oar to wrap the line on or use the boat cleat... With XT I very rarely have a fish break off but I can break it on demand when hung. It's also one of the best lines for withstanding abrasion.

Muddy, A spiral wrap doesn't need any different line. Choose based on "what and where" As for Fork, I always use XT in 14, 17 or 20 depending on what lures I'm throwing... however, in cold weather (which we may have in mid March) XT is like a slinky. You can use an number of other mono lines that are more limp or braid is also very popular. (and I know Alpster used guides that are rated for braid on that rod) I stay with mono, but that's just me. Bottom line is don't let the spiral wrap change your thinking and remember that fork is a flooded forest, litterally. -keith

Because Cabela's had the model made, or licensed or whatever the technical term is, it says "Cabela's Exclusive." Any retailer could have done it... it just takes either a crap load of money to pre buy or a committment of a certain number of reels. (probably like a thousand) Think of it like the "Hank Parker" Abu 4600 that only Bass Pro has... (the cabelas write up says 6 pin cetri. brake and the pic and highlights show the mag. brake) (I would call to find out for sure which it is before buying it) I'd bet it's actually an S model but with an SX spool and a magnetic brake... That would allow it to be in between price points.