F14A-B

He’s a legend in his own mind lol so good he won’t even practice an event anymore.. but he is a family man nowadays.. maybe that’s why. Unless I specifically want them to float, on Elaztec I stretch them out and rubber band them and it will release salts aiding in a faster sink rate..

@Crow Horse that’s what I do. I practiced tying snelled hooks for offshore use. After some practice it’s easy to tie up 20 or 30 and it’s way better than buying them. I get to decide the line & the hook. Plus you’ve got them ready to go when it counts..

Gotta let the fish eat the bait good before a sweeping hookset. My rods for the tactic. Where did you score the Edge rod? You order it or buy it from someone?

I can photograph it

Apparently that was a source of failure on the previous model. The schematic calls bushings, collars but they’re supposed to be ceramic. I’m not prepared to disassemble to find out but the intrigue is there. It’s an amazing caster and the retrieve is Zillion smooth. I can recommend it.

My mistake. That’s a crrb on brake side. Ceramic bushing is on cast control side. Thanks for calling me out on that. There are only 2 ball bearings on this reel per schematic..one spool at brake side and one on the crank.

@Bigbox99 with a double spool and a mental frame it’s gotta be good. Right? I hooked a can of SPAM once. In the middle of a deep hole in Blue River. About 1977, that Mepps grabbed that pull tab perfectly and I reeled it in. After laughing with my buddy’s we opened it up. It was green and horrible but there was no water leakage. No kidding 😂

It been down there for awhile huh

@FishTank what about that rod? Rods don’t seem to fair so well being submerged do they? Although I’ve heard of a few guys that cleaned them up and used them.

@KP Duty @Eric 26 ordered the 6’10” abu I'm going broke following this thread… Thanks for the tip.

@FloridaFishinFool Hey man, don’t let him punk you out like that! 😁😉

Crank sports a crrb bearing and drag is very smooth and adjustment is also. The line out alarm (drag) is audible but quiet when compared to the 3 Zillion HD 1000 reels I have. This reel is closer to a Zillion than a Tatula. Though not a made in Japan reel it’s well constructed. (Thailand) After 5 casts, making quick adjustments on the 6th cast I measured 192 feet throwing 3/4 ounce on an Evergreen/Daiwa rod.. I can live with that.

These pictures even though it’s low light and focus is poor because of it, shows the Ceramic bushing on the brake side. I’m all but certain it’s the same on the cast control side as well..

Blades made today are much thinner than 25 years go. Get you some Hildebrandt blades. Booyah makes spinnerbaits with those blades and with Mustad Ultra point hooks.

@RRocket those mini clippers look ideal for the larger line diameters like the 25-50 range. Have you tried cutting FC with them in those ?

Nail clippers. Everyone can find these. No link necessary.

I wish my beavers were on steroids lol

Straight FC is typical smaller in diameter than say Yozuri Hybrid. I use as high as 50 pound as a leader material when dropping rigs out in the Gulf, but I will at times run 25 Yozuri. Now I’m using 16 pound Shooter, and 22 pound Daiwa FC line. The structure should determine the line diameter you need. Modern FC lines cast quite good even at larger line diameters. You get what you pay for..

I’d rather use a wide gap straight shank , Denny Brauer flipping hook was an excellent hook choice. Owner hook still makes a killer hook for this tube rig or any soft plastic quite frankly.. I have several in 5/0 and they are massive.

Let the Professional Fishermen have their unwritten rule.. but if I’m on a hot ledge on Kentucky lake I’m not giving it up. Nor will I infringe on him if he is.. Unless it’s Denny Brauer then I would! My all time favorite.

While watercraft collisions have historically been a top threat, mass starvation due to pollution-fueled seagrass loss and exposure to toxic red tide algae have caused significant, sometimes record-breaking, die-offs in recent years . Boaters (watercraft collisions) Collisions with boats are one of the leading human-caused threats to manatees, accounting for 17% of all manatee deaths in 2024. A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) study found that 20%–25% of annual manatee deaths were from watercraft collisions over a 10-year period. Red Algae UME Boating is considered a persistent threat to manatees. However look at the numbers on the number of deaths to the manatee by Red Death. Look at the numbers on starvation=UME The information and the numbers are plentiful on search along with every Florida agency, Several Newspapers reporting the deaths and numbers but it’s not boaters that are killing them solely. Bassmaster Elite series are not coming to Florida next year. Opens I believe will fish Okeechobee in February 26 I don't believe it’s the Elites or MLF that is killing the manatees but the pollution and local boaters. In other more plain language Floridians.. I'm out.

Will they sue themselves?

I have a friend on here who added some information on a thread that was going on this past early spring and it’s how & what he said that got my attention. So I sent a personal message. I ended up buying a rod built on what is called XMW Carbon. The blank is rolled by Brad Loomis, Gary’s son. The company is Patriot and yes they are in Woodland, WA. Talon uses the blank and builds the rods. I’m going to also say I’ve bought 3 total this year. Best money I’ve spent on a rod in awhile. The 7’5” MH weighs 4.7 and is phenomenal. 7’ is 4.0. I’m going to tag him but he’s hunting Elk. ( I wish I was) hopefully he will add to this thread when he can. @Rockhopper Talon is across the street from Edge.

@bulldog1935 still potentially useful. I fished ICW in Jax, Mayport area and I’m thinking that there is a Coast Guard presence on the Great Lakes but I’m not sure. Perhaps @A-Jay knows.

@bulldog1935 that’s very helpful information, does this apply to freshwater vessels as well and can you possibly share a link for this information?