flechero

Like BMA13, I can get Ivy on a good windy day. After 100 home remedies and other tricks, I settled on Tecnu and Ivy-Dry. Both are available at most pharmacies. Too late now but buy some Tecnu, you can apply from before, up to several hours after exposure and not get it... basically you can apply it up to the time the rash actually breaks out on your skin. After you get it, tecnu still helps some but "Ivy-Dry" works much better. Usually takes care of it in half the time. Good luck, I feel for you!

I completely agree with David on this and I also do static testing with the guides in the spiraled positions. (only) And that aside, I just HATE stripping old finish!! I'd rather build a whole new rod that repair one. ...lol Which is why I used an old arrow shaft and a cheap guide for my own practice in the beginning.

You could always have something made to balance for your hold with your reel. Balance is checked and measured with a scale, not a hand. No offense intended but, what feels good to you based on comparing other factory set ups is very different than someone with medical issues needing balance to aid an injury... I'd bet money that what you call well balanced is actually tip heavy if you weighed it on a scale, unless you hold in front of the reels center line, which very few people do. this topic is purely subjective if we don't define balance and the balance point.

I cast a spinning rod with either hand (or 2 hands in either position) depending on what I'm throwing and where. Never meant to diversify my casting, it sort of just happened over time, and I usually realize it after a "changed" cast. With a little on the water practice, you should have no trouble casing a spinning rod with either hand.

Bowtech, If you want practice at wrapping and finishing, buy a few cheapo guides and use old arrow shafts for the "rod." You can get lots of practice and not take a rod out of service. As for finishes, they all work fine. I like Threadmaster because, like ReelMech w/ flexcoat, I started with it and have always had great results.

I don't think many fish have very much side to side action in the head when swimming... just the mid and tail sections, kind of like the slammers and other multi-piece baits. Can't hurt to experiment, though!

I'm at work so I can't write much now but try the search, there have been a number of really good threads in the past on this very topic.

It's my opinion that glass is only desirable when fishing the biggest deep divers. For all other applications, I like graphite much better.

Bobby, I hope you have a bunch of extra 3/8 oz.,white on silver baits for the give-a-way! ...lol

That 7/0 hook is too big but would work... you are better off with a 2/0 - 5/0 (depending on brand and style) since the body of that bait is only about 5" long. It's basically a lizard with no arms/legs and an extra long tail.

Easy decision. Both of those scenarios are better served with the graphite rod. And that rod will also work well for deep cranking, whereas the glass rod would be a little better in deep cranking but not as good in the primary applications.

Just curious, when not catching, why didn't you change the presentation?

You'd be surprised, the bearings are probably perfectly fine... It's more likely that there is old dirt,grease,debris in there, gunked up and affecting performance. I'd send them the Reel Mech and let him do a cleaning and re-lube on them... if anything needs replacing, he'll let you know. You can rest assured he'll do a quality job. The cost of a couple sets of bearings that you might replace that only needed cleaning will cover his service costs.

in a word- beautiful! Thanks for the pics!

I don't use bridge guides... in fact I think they less stable than the BLAG's.

The close ups can be tough... if you have a macro setting, just rest your hands on a block of wood or something. That's all I ever do and can get some decent macro shots like that. That's the salwater series in the Belize Blue, correct? Canyou try to get a shot in the sunlight so we can see the blank color as well? Thanks!

took the words out of my mouth! Eddie, you've been on a tear lately... this is like the 4th rod in 2 weeks! Looks like pristine workmanship!!! Any chance we could talk you into a close up macro shot of the wraps? I'd love to see the ferrule reinforcing wrap and a guide or two.

Devcon 5 minute epoxy is only water resistant. The 2 ton is water proof.

A "good" tip top costs under $3.00 Just replace it. Almost every tackle shop will replace it for you if you buy the tip top from them. They are usually secured with a hot melt adhesive, although sometimes an epoxy is used.

Congrats!! It will take some getting used to on my end since I've seen "SFC" for so long (creature of habit) but it's well deserved!!

I think he was asking about fighting cancers and other terminal conditions that aren't "immediately terminal", not being in a vegitative state. Fighting cancer, for example, can cost 10's, or 100's of thousands of dollars and more. Sometimes only increasing a lifespan by a few days or weeks. If you look at how many people have these problems very late in life, you see that there are probably billions of dollars involved. Sadly, much of the time, the quality of life is actually lowered by some treatmants. I think the real question avid asks, is this: is it worth billions of dollars to prolong people's lives for such a statistically short amount of time? Realizing that on occasion, someone lives much longer. It's a hard question. I watched several grandparents go through agonizing battles in the end. I want no part of it for me or the rest of my family. I fall on the "keep them comfortable and let nature take it's course" side of things. try to keep the highest quality of life left. My opinion is that a few extra days of pain or suffering aren't worth it, regardless of cost or savings. With that, you must trust the opinion of your doctors. I also think that every person should have a will, and a healthcare power of attorney.... they serve 2 different purposes.

Looks good... the fish around here would surely eat it!

Looking great! I'd say you have about mastered the tiger wrap with just a couple rods. I'm impressed! You should be proud. One other thing... your work area is mighty clean!

You might use the catfish rig for starters and see if you have the temperment for swimbaiting. (realizing it's probably not ideal but will work why you decide) If you do, you can set up a rod and reel for it... and consider other reels that fall closer to your target price range. Anything can be done on a budget.

For what it's worth, the new avid blanks are better (my opinion) than the old ones. Worth more than the $20 upgrade charge. I understand your frustration and don't think you should have been charged for the upgrade.... the avid is still an avid, you bought an avid and they should replace it with an avid, end of story. It wasn't your fault that a model has been changed. If the new model was junk, would they have refunded a portion of your price with the warranty rod? I suspect that was a store decision, not a St. Croix decision. As ghoti mentioned, you would have spent the $20 in shipping anyway so you probably came out even.