K_Mac

Or YES. It just depends on who you ask. That is pretty much the case in all aspects of fishing. The only real way of answering most questions is to see what works for you. That is part of the fun of fishing IMO.

I was always in the 'don't need it' crowd until this year. After several months of using it I also think it makes a difference in clear water. I think it makes a real difference on contact baits as well. It does transmit information better than copoly or mono IMO. I rarely use braid and have no love for its lack of feel on anything but a tight line. Do I need it? No. I do prefer it though.

Are you really good at flipping, pitching and cranking, AND at locating fish that can be caught using those techniques? If so you are a very versatile fisherman IMO. Is there value in being competent using finesse techniques? Sure, but most of us have techniques that we only go to when the fish insist that we do. Go with your strengths!

That is great question. I could not find anything on their website.

Bob you can believe what you want. That is my point. You can not claim scientific authority while giving anecdotal "evidence" though. If the science proves your point and you can support that, you have a case. if not you have opinion. It does not matter what you think you heard from Garry Loomis or anyone else. While you don't like the anvil analogy it simply makes the point that with normal use, i.e. within the design specifications, you or anyone else is not going to "wear out" a fishing rod. FWIW I do not claim you are a Shimano basher. You simply fail to understand that they are changing the policy on new purchases and requiring proof of purchase on older rods and that is not a breach of contract. It is simply a change of policy. Did they do it for monetary reasons? You can bet on that. Does it make sense as a business model? Yes, it does IMO. Are they making more than you find acceptable? Only you can answer that. I am now tired of beating this anvil. Peace.

Bob with all due respect, I challenge you to prove that any quality rod, at any price, when used within the limits of its design will "wear out" over time. It is not normal flexing of the blank that damages the blank. It is going beyond those limits. Maybe you can wear out an anvil too, but not with normal use, whether you're shoeing horses or cracking walnuts. The other idea in play in this thread is that bad companies are making too much money. Shimano may not be your cup of tea, but their success is based on a very large and satisfied customer base. I don't have a Shimano rod or reel in my arsenal at this time-I am not a fan-boy. Shimano, or any other manufacturer competing in an open market succeeds or fails based on their ability to meet the needs of the market. The idea that because they make a lot of money they owe you more than a company that doesn't is nonsense.

There is no free lunch. GLoomis and St.Croix do not give in store replacement rods. When they do give replacement rods that are damaged by the customer, there is a fee. That fee continues to rise over time. I continue to be baffled by the idea that a one time purchase of any rod entitles someone to a lifetime of use regardless of treatment. For those that feel that way Ugly Stik is a great deal. You can't break the bleeping things. For most of us though, that is not the measure of a rod. There is always a cost of ownership. That is an adult reality in all of life, including fishing.

Well said captain. I want the best rod for my money. I do not expect the manufacturer to replace it unless it is for a defect in material. Period. One year is more than enough time to determine that. As Mike said the market will decide if a manufacturer is dealing honestly and fairly. I do not want to pay for those who expect a new rod when they slam the tip in the truck door. Period. A rod better suited to be a tomato stake that is warrantied to last till cockroaches are gone has no value to me.

Just remember,"There is no crying in baseball." Congrats papa.

There is no question that the price of the warranty is added to the cost. I am fine with paying a fair price without the cost of free replacement when I carelessly break a rod. I never have understood why people think that is the manufacturer's problem

I have had reels on the deck of my boat for several days running in very wet weather with no ill effects. As DVT said, it is the symptoms that indicate more is needed. If a little dirt or water hurt reels I would have to find another hobby...

You make a point. There are differences. The problem is once you've had your property damaged a few times you may not differentiate between the guy who is casting to the edge or the guy who just damaged something on your dock and is now climbing out of his boat on your property to retrieve his crankbait. Hitting a ball into a yard adjacent to a golf course does not give you the right to retrieve it, and does not mean you are not responsible for any damage done to private property. It is not that these folks who own something that we can't or don't have special privileges or rights. They simply have the same rights as everyone else.

Fair game or not, if you were the guy having your property abused and damaged by inconsiderate fishermen you might soon come to the conclusion that all fishermen don't give a rip about anything other than catching fish. This is one of those things that get us all lumped together in the classic bubba stereotype. Some of us play by the rules and treat others with respect, and some of us are idiots. Like it or not we are sometimes judged by the behavior of the idiots. Find another dock to fish. Life is too short to worry about the little things.

Confidently is the best answer! Wacky is by far my most productive way of using them. They were designed to wiggle seductively and do that either way. Let the fish decide...

Senile1 pretty much sums up my experience. Most of us tend to fish the same spots with the same baits year round. In the summer deeper, and faster or slower is usually my approach. It's counterintuitive, but shallow heavy cover in the heat of the day sometimes works well. Finding the right location is always key. Hang in there. There is satisfaction in finding fish when most others have gone home.

That is about as well said as I've heard. Getting and staying fit is not as complicated as we try to make it. It really is pretty simple-just not easy. With better eating habits, walking, strength training and core work I've gone from 335 to 200# over the last couple of years. I can do everything better now , including fishing!

I'm in the soft plastics crowd. I have found one thing to be true: The price of a bait has little to do with its value IMO. I have bought and still regularly use many knock-off baits. My income is limited and I have to watch expenses carefully. Some of them work well on some days, others not as much. A couple bags of original GY plastics or RI Beavers may cost me a few dollars more over the course of a day. If I catch more fish on them verses the knock-offs, their value is higher to me. Dollar for dollar, pound for pound a RI Smallie Beaver is probably the best value for me. Of course it could be an original Chatterbait, an SK squarebill, or a 100 series Bandit...

Night fishing is just like fishing during the day. You have to find the fish. As mentioned above often fish will move a little more shallow, but not always. Camping on one spot until you find fish may not be a good idea. If you have a history on that spot at night and know it often produces, that might justify it. My advice is to have a plan before you start. I almost always start on the deeper edges and work my way in. If that doesn't work I will repeat that pattern as the night goes on. I did not get out tonight, but will a couple of times this next week. I can promise you one thing: Have one night when they are on and it will change the way you fish! Good luck.

Raider you married into a very colorful family. They are lucky to have you to add some class to the family tree!

That is funny! Anyone who has ever spent a couple of minutes on a gun forum knows how divisive this is. What a great analogy!

I am will soon be 58 and in better shape than I've been in years. I am capable of fishing far longer today than I could think about even last year. Conditioning makes a huge difference. With that said, fatigue is a real issue when it comes to fishing IMO. Maybe for an hour or two here and there it doesn't matter much, or for you young guys that are 10' tall and bullet proof it is not an issue, but put a couple of long days together and for most of us it is. Most of us don't give a rip whether you use baitcast or spinning. use what you like. Better, lighter gear will make either one more enjoyable in my not so humble opinion.

I don't know exactly when it happened for me. I think somewhere in the 50 range is about right. At some point you come to understand that people will think what they think, and it really doesn't matter one way or the other. Those that love you will, and those that don't...It is kind of freeing to not worry about such things.

I think your post was funny, and hope my response was in the same spirit. The interweb is not always a good place for subtlety. Some, like me, are challenged by subtlety in any context.

I agree. You probably can do it manually, but I doubt it will cost but a few dollars to have someone blast it and then you have a nice clean finish ready for paint. I respect cheap BTW.

I have had remarkable action at times along steep rock bluffs over an old river/creek channel. Roger is right as usual that depth of the fish is more important, but bass will come from a long way off to get a nice meal-at a speed that will make your head spin. In crystal clear water you sometimes see a flash before the hit, other times not. Find a big school of nice fish and you can get a smile so big it will make your face hurt!