.ghoti.

I have mostly split grip rods. I can not say that they are more sensitive merely because of the grip style. The only way to realistically be able to say that is to have two identical blanks, with the same components, one built split and one built conventional. Did a quick calculation based on measurements taken from my rods, and researched density figures for cork and EVA, and came up with an average of 1/3oz of reduced weight accounted for by the missing cork or EVA. If you could reduce the weight in front of the reel seat by that much, you would have a noticeable difference. That amount of weight reduced behind the seat only makes the rod a bit more tip heavy. On that note, I had to chuckle to first time I read the St Croix marketing for the LT series new split grip design. The said, " we've reset the fulcrum point to produce more efficient casting", or something to that effect. What a clever way to say the rods are now a bit more tip heavy. Kudos to St Croix's marketing people for making a silk purse out of a sow's ear. ;D ;D ;D If I had to guess, I'd say that the reduced amount of material behind the reel seat produces an imperceptible increase in sensitivity. If you think it's more sensitive, then you'll act as if it is. For the record, after trimming my bass rod collection down, I have two rods with conventional grips, eight with split grips, and one with no grips at all. I can't say, for the two and eight, which are more sensitive. They're from different companies, with different lengths, powers and actions. The last one is the most sensitive. Not because of the missing material, but because my hand is in total contact with the rod blank all the time. Nothing to get in the way.

Already got it. She picked it. The safest cource of action. http://www.chateauonthelake.com/DisplayPackage.cfm?ID=22

One of my most productive baits last year was a 3X worm on a Tru Tungsten jighead. Either the Ike's Spike or the Weed Wacker. One worm will catch at least two dozen fish. When it will no loger stay up on the jig, slice off about 1/4", re-rig it and go catch another couple dozen. Just don't mix them with regular plastics. And keep them out of the sun. One more tip. Do NOT try to dip them in JJ's Magic. I tried it once. Melted the worm immediately, and turned the jar of JJ's into what looked like orange cottage cheese.

That's my take on it, too. Except mine's a Gerber.

But it made my day. http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_11574397

Gonna be good seeing you and the wife again Gary. I with you bud, getting real impatient here too. I stopped and looked at my local lake today, (Stonewall Jackson) and the ice was still about 3 inches thick. Gonna take a while for that to melt. :-[ Hey buddy. Let's try to make timne to do more than say hi, how ya doin' this trip. We ran of trip last trip.

Love the free cat.

I fished Ascension Bay, Boca Pila, a couple of years ago. A totally awesome bonefishing trip. Caught a lot of bones, a couple of nice permit, but no tarpon on that trip. The Cancun lagoon is some great flats fishing, with the right guide. I've caught bonefish, baby tarpon, barracuda, snapper, grouper, pompano and snook out of the lagoon. Hooked a small blacktip shark once, but didn't land him on 10lb test spinning tackle. Depending on the weather, wind I mean, Isla Blanca can be a great choice. A little farther away, but a lot less traffic. http://www.cancunflatsfishing.com/ Enrique, the guy with the bandana around his neck is by far the best guide I've been with in that area, and I've been with several. I go to Cancun almost every January, and fish one day on every trip. PM me if you want to talk about it.

I find it much easier to slow down with a fast reel. In fact, I swapped out the gears on all of the slower reels I had to speed them up, when possible. The one I couldn't change, I got rid of. A 4:? reel is just useless to me.

Got my room booked, and registration sent in to Alpster. Can I leave tomorrow?

Thanks for the proper terminology. That's my choice, but I never knew what to call them.

The only thing I can say about the fishing right now, in my neck of the woods is: It's sure easy to skip a bait.

I love a Zoom Super Fluke. Been throwing them as long as they've been making "em. I really nice alternative is the Yum Houdini Shad. This bait has a flat tail designed to be modified. Don't modify it. Rig it weightless, on a 4/0 EWG hook, and watch the wiggle as it falls. Great action, as long as you leave the tail as it is.

There is, of course, only one correct answer to this question. Do what feels good to you. All my BC reels have the crank on the right side. All my spinning and fly reels have the crank on the left side. I cast only with my right arm, so I'm switching hands when using a baitcaster. Been doing it that way for a long time. A really long time. I bought a left-handed baitcasting reel once. Used it for about five minutes, and gave up. Traded it off for a right hander.

I use an Avid, 6'8" M-XF for Senkos and Ikas. I think it's the perfect rod for those baits. The casting version, that is. The spinning model, in that length and action, is a little softer. I have two of those; or I did until Mrs Ghoti appropriated them. I would say that a 6" Senko would be pushing the upper end of the bait weight range for that rod.

The disciplined approach. I like it. I carry around a dozen setups, but rarely put more than 5 in a boat; sometimes less. 1. 6'6" Setyr MH-F, TD Fuego, #12, Shake2 jighead & GYCB Hula Grub 2. 6'6" Setyr M-F, Millionaire, #12, spinnerbait / topwater 3. 6'8" Avid M-XF, Revo STX, #10, Fat Ika / Senko 4. 6'8" Cumara M-XF, TD Fuego, #12, T-Rig / Jig 5. 7' Setyr M-F, Revo STX, #10, Tube / Fluke / Jigworm Ask me tomorrow. I'll probably give a different answer. ;D

Another follow-up. I got the two I ordered last week. I asked them to not ship them when I ordered them, but to wait until I called back. Went on a vacation, and didn't want them sitting on the porch while I was out of the country. Great people to deal with at Green Top, by the way. If they had a website, I'd be buying more from them with no qualms. Haven't used mine on the water yet. The water is still hard in these parts. I did try out one of them in the backyard. Excellent caster, quiet and smooth. The reels are smaller than I expected. Very comfortable in the palm. These two will replace two of my PT's, on plastics rods. I'll be buying more Daiwa reels. I got the Quantum PT bandwagon for a while, but now I'm back on Team Daiwa. I will replace all of my other reels, except for the two Revo stx"s I have. I'll keep those, but everything else will be Daiwa from now on. I've seen the light. For the rest of my current lineup, I'll need three more reels. I'm thinking two Zillions and a Sol. Look for some bargains on used but not abused Energy Pt reels on the Flea Market in the near future.

Green line on all my moving baits rods. Cranks, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, etc. Fluorescent line for all my plastics/jig rods, so I can watch the line easier.

Love backyard fishing. Do it all the time when the water's hard. I also do it every time a service a reel, just to make sure everything is copacetic. I did have to modify my choice of baits after catching a cat. A few years ago the stray cat population exploded. Turned out to OK for me. No more mice in the house. But. I had always used a 5" Senko, and 5/0 ewg hook with the point buried in the middle of the bait instead of skin hooked. Also I would give it a shot a Pam, to make it slide through the grass easily. Test casting one day, a cat came out of nowhere, and chomped down on my bait. I tried to get it away from the little beast, but succeeded only in setting the hook. And the fight was on. Puts a new face on term cat-fishing. Did you know a little two pound cat puts up a lot better fight than a two pound bass? It's true, though I'm not particularly proud to admit it. I finally got it cranked in to within about 8 feet of me when he jumped straight at me. I quickly reeled up the slack and hoisted him up in the air. Now I have a completely berserk cat hanging on the end of my line, and I'm thinking; What the whoop am I going to do with this thing? Just then I hear my next door neighbor say something. What did he say you ask? He said; What the whoop are you going to do with that? And he has a big snot-eating grin on his face, clearly enjoying the situation. I tried setting him down, to see if he'd run away and stop, and maybe I could shake him off. Instead, he comes at me again, and I hoist him up in the air again. I try this a few more times with no success. He keeps coming at me. Is it possible that a big 260 pound man is afraid of a little two pound cat? You bet yer rectum, amigos. The only thing going through my mind besides what the whoop, is rabies shots. Well, he finally spits the bait and hightails it out of Dodge. I found the hook point still embedded in the Senko, and a cat tooth stuck in the plastic right next to the hook bend. It would appear the hook bend was jammed between a couple of teeth. Lesson learned. My new favorite backyard baits are a super spook, with all the hardware removed, and a pop-r, tied on backwards, again with all the hardware removed. The occasional cat will still jump on these baits, but they get off a lot easier. Final bag: one cat caught and released on a Senko, one cat caught but not landed on the spook, and five cats caught but not landed on the pop-r. 15 pounds guesstimated weight.

That is the best thing said in this thread. The only thing I'll add is; Anthropomorphism anyone?

Now there's a theory I can heartily endorse.

If it was working properly before you serviced it, I would hazard a guess that the pinion gear yoke is in upside down. That would be the plastic part that the pinion gear rides in. Just a guess.

I don't have either of those, but as a long time Energy PT user I'll give you my thoughts. The extra two bearings are probably in the handle, and would account for at most, $10 of the difference. If you intend to use this for moving baits; cranks, spinnerbaits, etc, then the bearings in the handle are definitely worth a few bucks. I spent about $45 each for new handles for three of my Millionaire reels, just to get a smoother feel while cranking. It was worth it to me. The Tour model has the vacuum deposition coating. That accounts for some of the price difference. I have three of last year's PT's, and the finish still looks like new after a lot of hard use. It is nearly indestructible. Worth a few bucks in my opinion. The biggest cost differential has to be the carbon fiber handle. Look up ZPI or Bassart carbon fiber handles, and you'll see where the money went. Very pricey, and not, to my mind, worth the cost. Just my fifith of a dimes worth. Cheers, GK

When I read the post title, I expected to see a drop shot rig consisting of a 22/0 EWG hook impaling one of those hand-poured 19" worms and a 4oz cannonball weight, all tied up on 100lb test flouro.

PB&J used to be the "secret" color on Table Rock. That could be where the "use it in clear water" idea originated. It's a good color anywhere.