keith71

Thanks everybody,I haven't fished it yet but have cast it in the yard.Its the MHX metallic series blank 6'6"med hvy.Fuji #16 ACS trigger seat with Fuji Alconite guides. I learned alot and can't wait for my second build.Thanks again for the kind words.

Here's one I did for a friend a while back.

I used to fish those lakes a lot years ago when I lived in the area.The great thing about a small boat is you can jump lake to lake in that area if the fishing is slow on one of the lakes.A Jon boat and an electric motor is a big plus.Soft plastics(motor-oil,electric blue,firecracker ) were my faves in a ribbon tail worm.Find the deeper water banks after the spawn and fish a Texas rig slowwwww.Hope this helps a little.

Used the engraveing attachment,just take your time.

I played around with my Dremel.Hope to fool a few stripers ,hybrids this fall.

Thanks everybody for the kind words. It really was a lot of fun from beginning to end. I'm just making them for a few friends as gifts and a few for myself. See you on the water.

I was thrilled this morning when this spot chomped it.

I used 80# coated wire leader aprox 3in bent in half with a silicone jig collar attached. leaving about an 1/8th inch protruding through collar set in mold and pour carefully. Walla Hope it helps a few of you.

I still call tubes "Gitzits".

Numb I think your talking about Don Meissner from the show "Streamside" that was on PBS in the 80's and 90's. Mike D,love the show and keep it up.

they look great.

I think about family and friends and how I hope there is fishing in heaven.

Its a good deal,their good rods. Dont get me wrong, if I could pick these up cheaper I would but still a bargain at this price.

I pitch boat docks around Smith Mountain Lake and use braid to flouro. One of the best benefits is you only have to change your leader not your main line.65braid/20 flouro works great even in clear water.

Oxblood 6'' ,haven't found a clear-water lake that it wont catch bass.

Have a similar story,some twenty something years ago a couple of guys in a jon boat had a stringer of fat bass 3-4lb range.Caught them all on a "TOMATER'' colored worm.They gave me a handful and it wasnt long after and I was hooked on this worming technique,still am.

I love to fish for panfish with a fly.I think a good all around rod is between 4-5 weight. I use a Redington outfit I picked up for $100 bucks came with rod,reel,line.

I like it better because you can use a stronger hook than the football mold that uses the 90 degree hook.They both have their place,I just think of the 90 degree mold as more of a lighter line finesse type jig where the Trokar model can handle a beefier hook,wider gap heavier line etc.

I have both the Trokar football mold and the brush jig mold.They both really maintain their upright position.The Trokar will accept most 60 degree hooks.I use both Owner and Mustad with both molds one nice thing about the Trokar.

Taking my son on his first fishing trip in a boat.It was a beautiful spring day and we loaded up and started to pull away from the dock with just the trolling motor. When the sound of boat working its way through the water started ,my son smiling from ear to ear said "Im so excited daddy" Me too buddy.

I think with SML the water is so vast that it can have several patterns on any particular day.There is always a dock pattern or at least somebody fishing it but I think that the deeper fish patterns are usually where you'll find the bigger bags this time of year. The guys that do the best in tournaments are the guys with established patterns before the tournaments start. Pre-fish,pre-fish,pre-fish.I know its not always possible but the guys that win on this lake stay on it and on top of the game. Spend time and scout, idle over points,channel swings,bluff walls etc.I get my butt handed to me on this lake and so do alot of other guys but its usually lack of preparation not technique. I have friends who love the C-rig and drag it all summer and do pretty well with it.I like to soak a jig,deep or shallow .I know of a guy who is really good at getting right on top of them and knocks them in the head with a spoon or a silver buddy and have seen some huge bags from this guy.Hope this helps a little,good luck.

A co-worker of mine went out Sunday and caught a couple of fat smallies and a striper on a flutter spoon.He said if you didnt let it touch down on the bottom and then rip it up you wouldnt get bit.