flechero

the temperature alone won't bother the materials. It's more of a principle than an actual problem. I will reluctantly admit that I keep my rods in the garage most of the time and I'm in central TX with daily summer temps in the 120's in the garage. It's not the best choice but it's all I have other than boat storage which is a metal building that gets even hotter than the garage! The one big drawback is that you will have to replace your line much more often if it's mono... You will need to clean them more often and be more careful around them since the garage is more prone to having things "happeneing" to them.

Bad news... the reason that tip is so light is that IMX "fast" is like most other's x-fast. If you want a "heavier" tip, you'll need to find a slower tapered blank. That tip is what so many people rave about as far as being super sensitive and being able to cast lighter baits on a heavier blank. After re-reading your post, was his rod a 782? If so, that's really light and a heavier rod would correct the "problem" you had with it. If you want a Med power in st.croix speak, look to a H in Loomis for a similar feel in power. I had a MBR783C IMX (labeled MH)for all of 2 days. It felt like a light to me. I sold it in short order. I still have a 784 and an 844 IMX.

Many thanks, Jay! That's the info I was looking for! I do have a knocker... been in the boat for 2 years and is still in the package, but I have one. ...lol What is your glue of choice for repairs? I have a little "Pro's soft bait glue" left but it's beyond shelf and almost empty so I'm ready for another bottle of something. You covered the Huds well, any info on the 3:16 models other than the mission fish (I have several of them) or other soft baits? Should I really be looking at others? I have a handful of Matt's BB & BG but that's it. Thanks again, Keith

FAQ tutorial http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?virboard=misc_ID;num=1133376419

Wow, that's deep! I guess I need to ask my question differently since I'm not going to fish them deeper than about 30' and more often -water in the 20'-25' range... usually there is brush so I guess I need a little advice on what baits will run comfortably at 20' or so and also baits in the 10'-15'range to stay above the brush/tree tops. Any opinions on the 6" huds? What depths will you use the ROF 5 and 12 on them? Will both huds run (and stay) at or near the depth you count them down to? The more I learn, the more I see I have a ton to learn. Thanks for the help!

If you think I'm indecisive with cork, thread is worse... that's why 8 out of 10 times I build them stealth! ;D It would look cool but I only use EVA on cranking rods. I've always felt way more with cork, and this rod will be a worm jig rod of some sort.

Can you guys help me with running depths of some of the swimbaits? I had assumed that the Huds for example, ran at or near the ROF depth but I saw the vid where Matt(lures) metions the ROF 16 being good to about 40' I had no clue! So how deep do you fish em' and What bait at your listed depth? Thanks!

The Shimano's are awfully tough to beat in that price range. However, I'd be sure to handle a few All Stars before making up your mind.

Couldn't have said it any better myself!! (except I paid my electric bill online!)

Thanks guys. I do remember the exact stickup where she hit... and I saved a waypoint on the GPS in case I ever hit my head and get amnesia. ...lol I stuck with the swimbait until we left the area.... the 7 came out of 30' deep brush pile anout 4 miles from that spot. I still kept one on for a while but realized I need to order something that runs deep... I'll make that another thread though.

my mistake, I was thinking casting rod. Forget spiral. The sizes are the ring diameter in mm's. Some Fuji end in "J" that designates the concept guides. There is a great article on spinning guide set up on RBO, even has pics of how you want to choke the line down. You'll need extra guides, since each rod is different. That's the only bad thing about starting with a spinning rod. I also did and had to order guides 3 times. :-[ Now I keep a full set plus extra running guides in stock and reorder what I use, to replnish. Start here: http://www.rodbuilding.org/library/newguide.html then here: http://www.rodbuilding.org/library/staticguide.html In fact most of these are short and many will be useful in your first build http://www.rodbuilding.org/library/library.html be sure to read surface prep and fit & finish.

I didn't mean that I thought it was that big! Just that kind of dwarfed the one pictured. I'm in Tx, not Cali... my frame of reference is slightly smaller than yours! ;D

Yup, girth is the distance all the way around... which is the height of both sides and width across the back and belly, depending on how much you flattened it out, the girth could be 2 times, or 2 times plus a little more to account for the thickness of the body (if you didn't "roll" it any when measuring) No kidding, you caught a real trophy!! I'll be expecting your camera and scale thread to be posted tomorrow! ;D

Congrats!!!! Sounds like a real trophy!! You might check again or at least clarify your measurements..... girth is circumference, not the "height" of the fish. If you took your "height" and doubled it, you caught a monster! Plug in the numbers... and then go buy a dedicated camera and scale to take fishing. Neither cost enough that people should be without them!!

Are you going spiral or guides up? If you want a chart and suggested sizes for guides up, there are several available... but realize that they are not based on your rod. I build all my casting rods in a spiral. I usually start with a 10mm butt guide and depending on a number of factors, use a 8,7 or 6 bumper guide and then if needed, a single transitional guide and use 5.5 or 6mm running guides. I use several styles of guides, depending on the rod and the set up. I know that doesn't help you much now. There are some articles oveer at RBO on static testing and guide layout. You'll need to learn that stuff and I type too slow to give you a lengthy tutorial today. Kirkman's book also gets into the selection and layout.

I like the taper in the front grip, it's about how I did my c-rig rod. What's the handle length? And did you add color or go stealthy on the wraps?

Took RW's advice (even though he was kidding) about 08/08/08 and went fishing last night. I figured since it was the "luckiest day of the year, I'd throw a swimbait/wakebait. Sure enough on about the 4th cast with it, I got hammered. I was jazzed up as this was a seriously salty fish... easily the biggest I've seen at Stillhouse. She got her head above water twice safely and threw it the third time. Totally my fault, never got the hook set with the light rod I was using... I saw her open her mouth and spit it. :'( She had clamped down on the bait and I never got it to slide through and hook up. (forgot the megastrike as well) fast forward about an hour and I get hit pretty good in some deep brush on a c-rig... catch this fish, which is very respectable (7.0 the digitals) and sort of eases the sting of the evening. However, I would have paid a lot of money to see the first on on a scale.

I am leaning towards the lighter for this rod. I do like the burnt better on most of the unpainted blanks and the blue ones for sure.

Glad to hear you like the new sticks! It would have really been a bummer to buy 5 and not love them! I'm almost surprised that no one has suggested you save the grand and buy a spool of braid. ...lol I miss those posts... "buy a spool of braid and your ugly stick is better than GLX...." blah blah blah... ;D

I should have said light or contrast... something is off (the odd gray background and the sunlight) Thanks, I'll have to look up the evergreen rods and see how they look.

I picked up a Batson SB843-3 blank a couple weeks ago and just got started on it. No particular need, I just wanted a travel rod that I can fly with, as a carry on. (I don't have any BC travel rods yet) Read that as just an excuse to build another rod!! (or several if this one fishes well) I have high expectations for this rod. ...lol here is the dry fit grip and seat (not yet trimmed either)

I'm just getting around to working on the new Batson RX-8 blank from a few weeks ago. I can't decide on a light or dark grip with the "ti-chrome finish" so I made up 2 sets, identical pattern, but opposite colors. I should have pictured the front grips but anyway they have a single 1/4" trim band instead of the double 1/8" bands. Which looks better on this finish, light or dark? (sorry for the pic quality)

That's pretty cool, you just made my morning. Quite often the fishing is secondary...

Just fish other forms of cover (brush, trees, etc.) and look for structure (contour- points, creek channels, humps, drops, etc) Finding combinations of the 2 will unlock lots of fish...

I fish lizards year round. For years I quit even carrying other "worms" since the lizards worked as good or better, year round, in my waters. I have never found a body of water (including saltwater) where a lizard didn't work. t-rig (weighted and unweighted) and c-rig Did you read the c-rig tips sticky at the top of the page? There are pages and pages of good info and most people's descriptions of how they rig and fish it.