EvanT123

Don't let the line rub on the boat. Try and fight the fish at a 90 degree angle. Use the rod for leverage and reel to take up the slack.

Water and Cover tends to dictate what rod I use. Shallow, Weeds, grass and stumps I go with a medium heavy. Deeper Open water a medium fast spinning rod.

Mark up and economies of scale. Sell a lot at a small mark up or sell a few with a higher mark up.

Academy H2o Mettle

My tip on practicing is to practice more.....watch the line and/or try and feel subtle differences.

I don't know about edge but most "carbon fiber" handles are not carbon fiber. They are a type of foam urethane with a carbon fiber skin over the urethane material. There are quite a few rod builders that can make that type of grip.

Hate to be a downer but you missed a great opportunity about a month ago. NFC had their blanks 50% off. The finished rods look nice but I'd be looking at a custom for those prices.

Have used power pro and suffix mono going on almost 5 years. I guess there might be better lines but they haven't let me down yet. The money I've saved sticking with what works goes towards baits or the retirement account.

Weigh the bag and subtract that from what the scale says with a fish in it. Not the most accurate but probably the best you can hope for doing it that way.

Best is probably a jointed shad rap in craw color. Most interesting was a 4 inch chub still alive with a hook in him and a weight attached. I let the little guy go to get eaten!!!

No problem. I've felt them they feel good to me. More important, if you like them that's what matters. Might want to hurry because @ScottF might scoop them all up!

Check out the st croix bargin room. You might find it cheaper there. http://stcroixrods.com/shop/freshwater/triumph-x-casting-rod/

I'm not buying until they release the quadruple whopper.

Try a prop bait like a smith wick devils horse.

10 minutes to re tie? More rods won't solve that problem. Learning to tie knots quicker will. Finger nail clippers and organizing your tackle will shave some time as well.

I bought mine off craigslist.

Welcome as well....don't know the river you are fishing but can't see you going wrong starting with some tubes and tube jigs, flukes and a topwater or two. Checking or posting in the regional forum on here might get you some response as well.

Pflueger gets a lot of love around here and they should.... I prefer daiwa however. I had a $25 one from dicks that I used forever and it was great. I'm very excited to try out the new bg series when they hit the shelves.

Not covered unless you already have a lucky craft gunfish. My favorite topwater and academy sports makes one for $6 that works just as well.

My dog chases every color ball. If I do a color change it's drastic.

The rods I put together don't have hook keepers so the lure goes on the reel. The rods that have hook keepers, I use the keeper. I noticed the other day my curado was all scratched up from bumping up and down the river. At the moment I was po'd but I bought it to be used and abused so I got over it

Take a looks at a st croix 68mxf they make it in many different lines both spinning and casting.

MHX blanks have been around for quite a few years. They have a good reputation like many of the other rod blank makers out there. Putting a usable rod together is not rocket science. Putting a rod that has no flaws and is tailored to a specific application and a customers expectations is.

I would just add weight to the butt of a rod or get a heavier reel if "balance" is that important. In practice I would do neither of those things.

I'm of the opinion at any price point $100,200, or $1000 the differences between the manufacturers offerings are going to be so slim it will hard to tell if you money was better spent on a different brand.