justtrying

flech, "wordy" NO, my friend, not wordy, i need word, Word, WORD, WORDYYY! LOL ....actually, i wish there was some way that i could actually go to your or reelmech's place & just watch for a day. i've found that if i can physically see/touch something being done, i can grasp it much better, but, Siiiggggghhhh,,,, since "that ain't happening" ..i'll just wrap, unwrap, rewrap, etc.,,,, til it's done. ...hey, it's not like someone is making me do it! Wheeeeeeeeeeee ---i learned years ago that, "It's Only Work if you'd rather be doing something else!" and, since i can't be fishing, this is the next best thing, working on fishing stuff, & i kinda enjoy it. i'm gonna try to make a few things (thread tensioner, etc.,) but, know i've got to buy some of the basics. ..but, they should be things that i'll use in the future to enhance this sickness/hobby that i have. LOL i can't imagine myself actually building a rod,, i don't know if i'll ever get to that place, but, i do want to re-mod these handles & if i can do that, it'll both save me money & occupy my mind during this re-hab time. and, again, THANKS flech & reelmech (and ANYONE else) for suggestions, ideas, etc. i appreciate it ronnie

Ggreat looking job, bud

hey guys, i'm as new to this rod modifying stuff as a baby in the big bear woods, but, this thread got me to thinking. i'm almost completely retired now, but, my son & i own an electronics co, a computer store, & an a communications store. a few years ago, i was pretty heavy in the paging business & it got tough to get the labels i needed for my pagers, so, i bought a roland vinyl cutter/printer. i cut decals for my pagers, as well as large one for vehicles, store windows, etc... well, with the switchover to cell, my paging business died & i just stopped using the cutter. the decals you guys use are Very Simple to print/cut. soooooo, if you've got some special graphics, styles, etc., that you need, shoot me a pm & i may be able to help you out. Note ---- i'm not trying to take anyone's business.... right now, it's going to take me a little while to get things going, anyway, so, what i may do is just cut a few to go on my "re-mods" & let you see them, & then we could go from there. ...i don't want this to be a business, this would just be something that i would do to try to help you guys as a way of saying "thank you" for all you do to help me. justtrying ronnie jones

FAS CI NATING READING!!!!!!!!

hey guys, thanks for the replys. i'd have responded sooner, but have been away today. i really have a ton of questions for you guys & i'll probably pm them to you, rather than taking up so much space here (tho, there may be someone else here who would benefit from my "novice" questions, and answers from you guys (who, unlike me, actually know what you're doing! LOL) first question,, flechero, where did/do you get threadmaster? i've cut out a few boards w/v tops & made a simple rod holder ...i've got tom kirkland's book & have read it a time or so ...i'm having a terrible time getting "tight wraps" ....i try to wrap the last three or four wraps over a string, then pull the end under those wraps, but, it doesn't seem to work so well for me..i guess practice will help w/that. what essentials do i Have to Have to begin with (you know the things that i need to buy/build, etc.,) that i'll always use? see what i mean about questions? Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee thanks guys

thanks guys, i don't know what i'm doing, but, i've learned some, even on my first try. e.g. i'm using the 5 min epoxy & i think i should use another type .....what epoxy do you use over the wraps? another thing that bothers me ... the end cap ...should i just take that off & replace ....OR, And, this hurts to ask... should i just take everything off & "start from scratch?" LOL .....but, anyway, if i can convert these over, i'll at least learn some of the basics - i HOPE! ps - if you guys would like to keep chiming in w/suggestions, it sure would be appreciated!

when i first used the split grip handle on my spinning outfits, i liked them, i did NOT, however, like them on casting outfits. 20, non split-grip rods later, that has changed. now, i DO like them, in fact, the more i use them, the better i like them. Sooooooooooooo, the dilema, take all the new rods i recently bought, throw them away, buy new ones & learn to like living by myself,,,,,,or, convert the rods to split-grip. i didn't have time to do this myself (i thought),,til, a small problem turned into a Large problem, now, i've got Lot's of time (it wasn't a sprain, it was all the ligaments ripped loose.) anyway, i'm NOT a rod-builder, don't claim to be a rod-builder, know/hope i'll get better as time goes on, but, yesterday, i worked on rod number one...only 20 or so to go. check out the new "split grip frog rod"

the last time i was fishing, i had a white senko tied on that i was tossing into real shallow spots. when i came to one of my "hot spots" (9-11 ft), i decided to throw the senko in & see what happened. ..answer, Nothing!, not even a bite. i was blown away, i Knew there were fish in that area. i had caught one of my largest fish from that lake right there on a black/red flake senko. but they would not hit that white one. rather than leave the area, i circled back, put on a black jig w/brown sweet beaver & immediately caught a fish! in a 30 yd stretch, i caught 2 fish & missed 2 or 3 that came unbuttoned on the way to the boat (bad choice of jigs). i think if i had put on a dark senko, they may have hit it, ..i don't know, but i do know that they could/did tell a difference between a white senko & a dark colored beaver tipped jig.

summertime in the rivers is much different than summertime in the lakes. that, being said, even in the hottest part of the day there is often shade & current along some parts of the bank that fish will hold on. a buzzbait is a Very good "locator" bait that allows you to cover lots of water in a short time. the plus about this, is that not only do you get the thrill of initial huge strike, but, if you miss the hook-up, you can always throw a worm or tube back into the area & usually catch the fish. and, for what it's worth, i've got/tried different types/models of buzzbaits, but, Nothing beats the original Lunker Lure!

Congratulations, bro. my prayers are that God will help you get THE right job, to be used for the very best of your potential & to enjoy/appreciate Every day you're granted life on this earth. what a Great time it is for you. and, thank you for sharing it with us. and, from one semi-retiree to another ....here's an open invitation to come to eastern SC at any time & enjoy the river & lake fishing just inland from the coast.

earthworm, errrr, ummm, bud, the bait does NOT spin. i have quite a few of them, have fished them in shallow & deep water, in lily pads & clear water. the chatterbait gets it name from the "chatter" it makes as the blade chatters from side to side on retrieve. ...there is NO line twist & the blade does NOT collapse over the hook. or, let me say, mine do not. hey, i'm not trying to be a smart or make fun of your lure. it's all good! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

if you "Just Want to Catch Fish" put a feeder on thedock. pretty soon they'll be around your dock like hogs around a feeding trough.

i know a guy (he's my brother in law, but, i'm not proud of it) who has feeders set up in some of his ponds like ray scott had in his. he let us take the grandkids one afternoon @feeding time & it was "amazing." you could put your hand in the water & the fish (mainly bream) would nip at your fingers. there were hundreds of them! he let me fish in it ONE time for an hour or so. i threw a trap around the feeder & it would never get to the bottom. the first fish or so was fun, but, after awhile, it was just "winding them in." i don't know how many i could have caught if i'd have spent a whole/half day. ...but, anyway, i'll never know, he let me know it was a "one time deal"...he was raising fish for HIM to catch. he doesn't even let his brothers go. does it sound like i don't get along with him???? Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

roadwarrior, i have to agree w/the 4 inch tube theory. i've tried longer, fatter, etc., but almost always, after a short trial, i'm back to the 4 incher, because it Catches Fish. as far as weight, i usually fish weightless, will sometimes go to 1/8 oz barrel, but, personally, i just LOVE the weight & hook of the gitzit. they just seem to work when Nothing else will. btw, i saw an episode of in-fisherman this morning where they were fishing the gitzit tube, but rigging it with a small octopus hook, hooked about 1/4 in from the top of tube. no weight,,& they were catching Lots of smallmouth & a few LARGE smallmouth.

times indeed are changing. i was at a friend's pond yesterday afternoon w/my wife & grandson. naturally, the grandson wanted to keep all the fish i caught. and, at this pond, it was no problem. i'll tell you why. this guy told us before (and, again, as we were leaving yesterday) that he wanted anyone he let fish his pond to keep Everything they caught! he told us if we didn't want to cook them, just throw them over our shoulders into the woods when we caught them...do NOT put them back in. his reasoning is that his ponds are over-stocked, the amount of fish needs to be depleted for large ones to produce, & if he's giving us the privilege to fish, we should at least honor his request to help limit over production of fish.

since you only have small lures (& i assume light line outfit), i'd throw a tube on the windward side of the pond, let it "sit" for 30 or 40 seconds, then slowly hop it back to shore. if this doesn't work, a wacky rigged senko might do it for you.

i keep a spinning outfit w/a tube (usually a gitzit) attached in my boat at all times. i was at santee cooper thursday afternoon & just before leaving, i threw a jerkbait beside a cyprus tree & a bass swirled at it & missed. ..i immediately put the baitcaster w/jerkbait down, picked up the spinning outfit, threw the gitzit into the swirl & it never stopped. Bass Love Tubes!

randall, even tho we've never met, i feel as if you're a friend by the posts you make. my heart is saddened to hear of the news. you and your wife will be in our prayers in this difficult time.

i lived in a place like that one time. ..woke up one Sunday morning, it was 10 degrees, wind blowing 20plus mph & it was spitting ice & snow. ..i told my wife, "if the Lord had meant for people to live in places like this, He wouldn't have made warmer places, we're moving!" and, we DID, and i'm GLAD ....and, to get back on subject, my "go-to bait" this time of year is a culprit purple & black worm pegged w/1/8 -1/2oz sinker. ..it catches fish when NOTHING else will (for me) ..caught this one yesterday - check out what's in his mouth.

i've been thinking about this thing a lot the last day or so. i really hope that when all the facts are known that jimmy doesn't come out being the "piece of crap" that mr jt bagwell called him. ..now, let me say, i don't know mr bagwell, but i really enjoy his input on this forum & i've read all his articles on br (even the one about the senkos! LOL)..and he has my respect, i was just kinda stunned at the heading. what i've seen of jimmy houston through the years has always been honorable, but, i've never seen him anyplace but on tv & i know how that can be "tilted." he just appears to be a nice guy, & somehow, i think he is. he may have just made an awful mistake, or, ...i don't know. it's just sad to see something like this out of someone you've admired. just one last thing before i quit rambling. ...i did an awful thing one time. it hurt a lot of people's lives. i didn't think i'd live through it, but, i did. i paid, & am paying, a very high price. ..i needed peoples understanding & forgiveness, & still do. ...it taught me many things, but at what cost! mr houston may be going through just such time.

got home today & had a new bps flyer in the mail. ..it was advertising the 2006 spring fishing classic, going on at the myrtle beach store next weekend. ......guess who the pro is feb 16 & 17. ..the flyer says it's "America's Favorite Fisherman - Jimmy Houston!" that is going to be an intersting presentation!

cool, thanks i'm looking forward to it

last saturday, my wife & i took joshua (our grandson) bass fishing for the first time. josh is 3 years old (will be 4 in march.) the first fish/bass he ever caught was actually hooked by me & he reeled the fish in. ..we did one more like that, then he said, "i want to do it my Self, drandaddy." so, i'd cast gitzit tied to a spinning outfit, & hand it to him. at first, he'd just reel it straight back in, but, after a few times, we got him to "reel twice, stop, count to three, reel twice, etc.,,," he did this & actually stuck & reeled the bass in, after that (he had a hard time reeling them in. LOL) at the end of an hour & a half fishing, he had caught six bass, four that he had stuck & reeled in himself. his grandmother was so proud til she has pictures in her wallet that she shows EVERYBODY! this is the picture of his first one. ...no matter how old he gets, no matter how many fish he catches, this will always be, "Josh's First Bass!" - and, hey, the best pictures are the ones in my heart! same fish you can see, i edited out the un-important stuff (me - LOL) - we really had a ball & are looking for next week already. ..i'm going to try to find some bream beds for him, if the weather will co-operate. btw - those missing front teeth are the result of a "golfing mis-hap" between him & his older brother. the ball hit him directly in the mouth & knocked 4 teeth out. the dentist tells us to wait now for permanent teeth. siiigggghhhh

10-4 on what LBH said! ...i could never see putting that kind of money on a trailer! ...if you'll pick up a copy of auto-trader (or, something similar in your area), they'll have tons of used boats & trailers for sale.

twenty years ago, if you weren't wading while fishing the flats at Santee-Cooper, you weren't catching big fish! i waded the lower lake many, many, times. ..knew where every stump, every ditch, laydown, etc., was. when the water came up, i caught fish til it was almost embarrassing. ..and, back 10-15 years ago, we kept a Lot of bass. we'd have stringers that most people only dream of. so, back to the subject, can you catch fish while wading? ..do bears play in the woods??? LOL ..hey, come to think of it, i Still have my waders!!!!!!!!!!!