iabass8

I just assumed somebody finally pushed you into the drink! Joking aside, I'll reiterate the point that getting a guide replace is a very inexpensive fix. As for the shipping, you need to understand that the shipping costs are to cover their end of the ordeal. They have absolutely no idea weather you are telling the truth about the rod being damaged due to a faultily craftsmanship or user error. You can tell them tell you are blue in the face (and this applies to all rod companies) that you baby your rods but you need to understand a rod company most likely hears the same exact thing 100 times a day. Their customer service is amazing. If your rod would have broke in half after only owning it a short time, Gary or Richard will most likely still only charge you the same 40$ shipping back and forth for a new rod. The 80$ replacement is for user error because rod defects show up very quickly. They are fixing your rod free of charge if you ship it back but you need to understand again the shipping cost is just that...only a shipping cost because again..they have no idea whether you abused the rod or it was a defect. It's only your word. St. Croix, who also has one of the best customer service departments in the industry, does the same thing. they will charge shipping.

well, St. Croix makes arguably one of the fastest tips on the market. I own the Xtreme 68mxf and 69mlxf in the cork version. My favorite 2 spinning rods I've ever owned. the tips are very fast. I have no issues using them for shakey heads and casting drop shots /w both straight fluoro and braid/leader. If you're wanting to know about senkos, it's a great senko rod. If you have a phobia of a tip being " too fast it pulls a bait away", then the XF st. croix is not for you.I have also not noticed pulling a bait away from a fish due to the tip being too fast. I have used the avid line for a short time and found the xtreme was a tad faster but nothing you would notice unless you fished both.

Removing/Adding any hardware from a lure alters its action. Personally, i wouldn't remove it and i still get tangles on the front hook from time to time.

Avid is a far superior rod but the Eyecon foregrip on the spinning models is one of the most comfortable grips i've ever held.

San diego jam. Wet the knot and main line while cinching slowly.

Karu vibrashock 3/8

Their e-mail replies take a long time to get back. I would personally call. I've sent 3 crankbaits back to them at one time. I was given 3 extra in each color i sent in. There was somebody on here a year or so ago that had similar issues and this person got a ridiculous amount of extra crankbaits back.

Agree. I'm a big believer in using a trailer hook on a spinnerbait and buzzbait but I would never use one on a chatterbait. More often than not, fish choke these.

Rage bugs are a different size, use different appendages, and body profile. (ribbed vs split ribbed) River bug Rage bug You do realize Bass pro, Cabelas, Gander mountain, etc plastics are all made by popular soft plastic brands. They don't manufacture these baits. They are made for them and relabeled...

For whitecatfish, no the head will just be seem like a bloody meal and won't intimidate them. Bullheads, no idea. People use bullheads for livebait around here for flatheads. They don't get very big aroun here though on average. I've seen a few "larger" bullheads that were the size of a small house cat but for the most part they are the size of panfish in my area. Flats get very large on the river and even larger the further south you go. I've got a few 30# flatheads and have seen one over 40 up close. I've heard of some 50#+ in the IA area but it's pretty rare in this portion of the river.

I would chop the head off and use the whole head as bait and then I would use the two fillets and either use the entire strip or cube them. You usually get 3-5 pieces of bait from one bluegill. As for the rod, base your decision on the use of weight you use most and the size of catfish you are targeting to guide you. I used a Quantum Alliance musky rod due to the fact I used 1oz sinkers a lot. This rod was amazing for using live blue gill and cutbait targeting flat heads and 4#+ channels. It was awful for small eater size channel cats though. I mean it worked okay, but a medium action rod would have been a lot easier and efficient. For hooks, I used Gama big river rooks for cut bait due to the way the hook bends. you can thread the bait on the hook so it stays on more efficient while casting. For live bait, I used circle hooks and J hooks. Never really had a preference both worked fine. I also used these same hooks for small but bait and they worked very well.

Use a lighter to melt the hole creates by the hook back together. Also keep your baits with one appendage and melt another appendage on it.

It's been a long time since I've intentionally targeted catfish. We use to use the most basic rig that probably the majority of cat fisherman use. Essentially, it's just a carolina rig. Heavy braided mainline, no roll sinkers(these are a flat tear drop shape that really works well keeping your bait in place in current) ranging anywhere from 1/2oz to 4oz.( Usually 1-1.5 oz was enough-need just enough to keep your bait in place), heavy swivel, mono leader in the 18in range + hook. Bait of choice was almost always cut shad and/or bluegill. in the spring we would use shrimp before the spawn. We caught countless 10#+ channels and a few nice Flats in the 30# range on this rig. FRESH bait was always the best for us ,I was never super serious about it though but man there's very few fish that put up that fight of a monster flathead. . My boat cost too much money to ruin /w shad guts + clean up was headache. It was more of an excuse to build a fire /w a couple friends, drink beer, and hope we caught some cats. Best investment I made for catfishing was an Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 6501C3. The 6500+ series had a bait clicker feature which when engaged, you just loosen the drag a hair and when a fish bite your line you would hear the clicker/drag click like spinning reel drag..only a lot louder. I never had to pay attention to my line.

Are there any particulars you would like to know about the braking system or just a general overview of it?

Slow, gradual rising large river systems are something I would fish every day.

The smallmouth in your avatar look photoshopped

Catt is spot on. I should have stated that paneling nails are the way to go over regular framing nails/side cutter route. They will stay in the worm very easily. Nail weighted senko is on the DX743. Nail waited trick worm/bottom hopper I throw on a legend xtreme 69mlxf on 7# fluoro. Seems the weights I throw are on par /w the small 1/8oz range drop shot weights and lighter.

I've always used framing nails. I have access to more than I could ever want anyway so it only makes sense to use them for free. Yes, the nail wait works great in a 5" senko. I honestly don't nail wait senkos that often. Zoom trick worms and Berkley Bottom Hoppers are what I neko rig /w nail weights more often than not. I've been using it more and more over the past year /w good results.

Because if someone has a day off work the next day they like to use that real if they have to work the next three days after that.. Also waiting sucks it's worth the $10 to get next day delivery

Describe these deformities if you would please.

Gander mountain wont. Cabelas would be my first choice to give ot a try.

I'm a huge fan of Daiwa Magforce 3D.

Since when...?The legend elite and legend xtreme have always shared the same blank.. Ltb is on the sciv Elite and xtreme are on scv blanks.

Legend elite is the same blank as the legend xtreme. The differences are esthetics/cosmetics. They are fantastic rods. I like the xtreme over the ltb. I havent used the upgrade program for a while but i believe there is a deprecation assessment of 10$ per year bases on the serial as well. Odds are when harry or dan call you, you may only have to pay the difference +shipping.

I give up with you torque.....im not sure what you dont get but it clearly isn't getting through.