philsoreel

Thanks to all... Wish I had known about the U40 earlier. I would've ordered it with the rod and sealed it before it left the house. This is my first cork in quite a while...

Since getting completely wet will darken the cork some should I just get the Magic Eraser damp or does it need to be wet?

Abrasive?...?? Technically yes, but it's just a light piece of foam. Haven't used it yet but it seems harmless. Am I missing something? The handle is a bit fatter than I like and was halfway considering putting it on a fine emory cloth diet. Then, sealing it with the U40 when it gets here, but it's comfortable so I'm not going to risk screwing it up.

OMG How have I missed those. I've never seen a lure that I wanted every single color in before. Ok, maybe not purple rain. What colors are working for you guys? John 75=Jr.?

That's been my biggest beef with them. When you give it a good rip they roll over. Never had much of a problem on a straight retrieve. I went through all the same things you did except shaving the lip. I even thought it was my knot at one point. If you have any in ghost colors look at the bb's and weight in the back. I had a few that the bb's and weghts were completely stuck in. I drilled a micro hole in it and freed them with a paperclip. Yes, I tried hammering on them first. Aruckos huh? I'll have to give them a rip, pardon the pun.

This is what I use... Shimano Cumara Reaction Series Models CUC70M CUC70MH CUC70H These are technique specific cranking rods. I have all three and can vouch for Shimano's recommended uses for them. The M is for shallow to medium depth in hard cover. The MH is for medium depths and soft cover and jerk baits. For the uses you mentioned I would say go with the M and MH but if you go to throwing DD22's and Fat-Free's the H rod is much better for those. These rods can be bought for under $200 on ebay.

I wonder how long it would have taken me to think of that, if ever. Thanks. BTW- Do you know if putting them in hot water will straighten out bent ones like other plastics will?

These things don't play well with screwlocks like Keitech Tung footballs and Picasso Shakedown/Footballs. Bigger screws like on a Megastrike Evo2 work okay but are still a bit of a pain to get it on.

Can't remember the exact name but Zoom makes a kind of skinny twin tail grub that's a good size match with the 1/8th bitsy.

I gave up on them. Xcalibur is alot higher quality, better hooks, better finish. The whole nine yards. Speaking of the hooks...SK's are terrible.

Where can I find these? Don't see either at BTD or TW?

Yeah, it does. The problem I have with it is that it also knocks about $50 off the final sale price on ebay when I sell it in a few years or months depending on how much I like it lol. Being that I'm totally in love with this rod it will probably be years, if ever. SoFla- Thanks and what do you mean it's for some and not others? Does it give it a little darker tone or different texture? Yeah about those fills...this rod doesn't have any. It's the most pristine piece of cork I've ever seen. I hope to keep it that way because it's a beauty. I'm going to have to get a different reel for it. The black and red race car look of the CI4 doesn't look right and my drop-shot Cumara feels naked without it.

Just got a new GLoomis Shakeyhead rod a few weeks ago and I need some advice on how to keep the handle looking new. I saw where John F mentioned a cork sealer in another post. I need to clean it some before I put a sealer on to. What's the best way to clean it and what was the name of that sealer again?

Man our Walmart never stocks anything good like those. They only have like 4 SK spinnerbaits, 3 or 4 different stickbait colors, 1 color in rage tail shads and frogs, 3 sexy shad colors in the Red Eye Shad, and 3 or 4 KVD square bills. It sucks.

Not saying that specific action or power is ideal but anytime a Loomis is in the price range, that choice would be simple for me.

I can't get anything out of the shads for the life of me. I've tried them in Gold & Silver Bling, Smokey shad, black neon. I've fished them fast and slow, stop and go, weightless, slightly weighted keel hooks. Different sizes and style hooks. I've even dyed all those colors with red, blue, green, and chart. spike it. I must just be at the wrong place, wrong time with them because I know plenty of folks that catch fish on them and walmart stays sold out of them.

Dude that's quite a list you have compiled. I don't know enough about the rods and reels you have to give you any advice.

Got some special fx robos in summer shad to...they look reeeeeally good.

Just got them in. LMAO they are just like Invizx, you can take a piece 7 inches long and stretch it out to 4 feet. They do feel really strong though. About to go let a few Kentucky Spots chew on one for a while and see just how tough they are.

Bassclary- Just the fact that you are questioning this practice speaks volumes to your character. You're on the right track. Seemed like you had disappeared for a little while. Glad to see you back on the boards again.

I think it's safe to say that I hold PP in very high regards. There is nothing stronger or tougher. However, 832 is second in those two categories and easily ahead in most others. It has a very long break in time but when it does it's a really good line. I'm not crazy about it in the bigger sizes, but I really like the 10#. Reliability and sensitivity are much more of a concern to me than comforts like being quieter and smoother. So far, 832 is allowing me to enjoy the best of both worlds. Dodge- That's the kind of credible feedback I look for. Although, I don't agree with you sometimes, I still hold your opinion in high regard. Great post. Keeping it real up in Poughkeepsie. I also love the open-minded loyalty.

BC- Toray Solaroam Upgrade Spinning- Tatsu

I'm 31 and have been fishing Shimano reels since I was 11. Never the first dud. Nothing has ever broke or needed replacing. Sold a 16 or 17 year old Chronarch last summer that still felt better than most brand new $200-$250 reels. It was never serviced other than a couple of drops of oil a few times. Keep in mind though that all of my Shimanos have been mid to high end models. I bought a couple of Citicas once but all others have been Curados, Chronarchs, Calcuttas, Cores, Stradics, Saharas, and Saros models. I have used but never owned some of the lower end reels and they were junk. Not saying that a quality reel can't be bought in that price range but the difference isn't even comparable. You get what you pay for. I buy rods and reels that make combos weighing 10 or 11 ounces to give me the highest amount of sensitivity possible and to compensate for my lack of talent. It takes alot of dough to get one that weighs that but there are times when I'm in the back of the boat and my partner and I are fishing the exact same set-up except he's using a $100 rod and reel. I will be catching fish and he can't get a bite. My personal opinion is that he can't feel the subtle strike with his Snoopy combo. It's the only thing it can be because he is just as good if not a better angler than I am. I think alot of times people buy cheap rods and reels, ride around with them in the back of their truck, and leave them outside all winter and are shocked that it didn't last two years. This is not just Shimano, I mean all brands and as someone else mentioned before most people just look for something wrong with a brand just because they don't use them. Just my two cents

Sometimes a smaller jig like a bitsy will work better than a bigger profile. Same principles as other baits in that regard. I'm sitting here telling you to slow way down but there are also times when a fast snapping retrieve will get their attention better. Just don't give up on it. They are very versatile lures. I never fish one straight out of the package. I put my preferred trailer on and trim it up to make sure the trailer's action isn't hindered. Youtube trimming a jig.

Slow down and then slow down some more. When you start feeling like you are going too slow, slow down some more.