Alpster

I like a real warm summer morning when it's just light enough to see. When the water is so calm & quiet that a buzz bait sounds like an outboard motor. That's the best. Also when I was a kid, I loved paddling the Louisiana rivers checking trot lines at night with a spot light. Yea, that's the ticket. Ronnie

Guide - yessss! Fork - nope. Ronnie

6.5 lbs caught in a small pond in south Louisiana in 1982. Black/chartrues arkie jig withUncle Josh black widow eel. Have caught hundreds of Bass since, but none bigger. A few were real close, but I plan to crush this PB at Lake Fork next spring. Ronnie

Dear fellow fishermen, I actually have "THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY" and for $10 and a proof of purchase from a zebco 202 snoopy reel, I will send you a genuine picture of the AUTHENTIC "ONE THAT GOT AWAY"! If you call to order in the next 10 minutes I will include at no additional cost , the SECRET, MAGIC, AWESOME lure that caught "THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY". Don't miss this, once in a lifetime, never to be repeated, I can't believe I got this great deal OFFER. Just make you checks payable to ME! It's the world record "ONE THAT GOT AWAY". Ronnie

You bet! I am counting the days till that trip. I'm thinking about building a swimbait rod to challenge them monsters with. I need it like I need a hole in the head, but it would be a fun winter project and I already have the perfect reel. We'll see..... Ronnie

I am a land surveyor and the name of my little company is Associated Land ProfessionalS as I consult with other engineers, architects, planners on land development projects. I capitalize the S at the end of professionals for the sake of my LOGO, which is a little mountain range. ALPS is how all of my asssociates, clients and friends refer to the business. As the owner who needed a unique screen name on the internet, I became Alpster back in 1999. You will find me on numerous message boards about church, motorcycles, fishing, metal fabrication, etc.. Ronnie

Hey Keith, I don't have to tell you that opinions are like noses. Everyone has one and they always have holes in them. So here is mine. I have looked at high end titanium & gold cermet guides and have been tempted to try them too. However I have looked closely at rods (even cheap ones) that I have fished for many years and I can' find any sign of wear or problems. Granted all those years (on the old rods) were fished with mono and no braid. My conclusion is good quality SiC guides will perform as well as any, even with braid, if you keep them clean. If I were going to spend an extra $50 or more on a rod build, I would put it in the blank ($50 can turn a GL3 into an IMX on some models), but that's just me. Whatever you decide, I want to see some pictures. Ronnie

OK, now you got me going. LOL! One of the reasons I built the "Alpster mobile" RV is because I travel quite a bit to cook for churches and motorcycle rallies, etc. All you guys who say you can cook (muddyman, RW, etc.) will have to keep your promises . I will load up the bare essentials for crowd cooking and might even whip up some GUMBO for the weary anglers. This thing is getting out of control, it will be a media event before you know it. ;D ;D ;D ;D Ronnie

where does it leave NJ from? BMA13, LBH is referring to my RV. I am both happy and sad, that it's all filled up. Ronnie

They also have RV (and tent?) sites for those needing a site instead of a room. There are no tent sites at the marina camping park. Dan (owner) says there are tent sites just down the road. Ronnie

The East side boys are set with a reservation for a campsite at the Lake Fork marina for the week. Thanks for the heads-up Russ. The Alpster RV is FULL. NJBASS fisherman & two mooks in a boat (Muddyman & Ron) will be my traveling companions. I will be contacting you guys with a full itenerary and all the details that I have so we can firm up plans. SORRY to the guys who have contacted me about the ride share. I hope you all can find a way to make the trip anyway. See you in Texas. Ronnie

One down & two to go. I have one hitchhiker on board, only two spots left. Last one in has to sleep on the air bed! ;D I can't wait for this trip. Ronnie

OK yankees, here's the deal. The Alpster RV (26' motor home) will pull out of Eastern NJ early on 3/16/07. The route is Penn. Tnpk I-76 west to I-70 thru Columbus OH South on I-71 thru Cincinnati, OH Thru Louisville, KY on I-65 South to Nashville, I-40 West thru Memphis to Little Rock, I-30 west to Lake Fork area arriving some time on 3/18/07. Will leave early on Friday 3/23/07 reversing the above route. The RV is very comfortable, has 3 beds (4 with an air bed on the floor), heat & air, but no shower (every place we will stay will have one). There is an RV park at the same location as the Fisherman's Cove Marina. I will have to get details about camping, prices, etc. I am willing to share travel expenses and accomodations with anyone who want's to go who lives along the route. This will work out to approximately $400 per/man (if we have 4) for all travel and a place to sleep for the whole trip. You are on your own for everything else. Send me a PM if you want to go and we will work out details. First come, first served. The schedule and route is not flexible, you have to go when and where the bus goes, so don't ask. I am commiting to the trip and will be happy to go alone and pay all the expenses. I only want to help some one else make the trip, if I can. If I have to listen to you snore, you have to help me with expenses. Fair enough? I am excited about this trip. Ronnie

I think we are all lucky that there is NO SUCH THING as LUCK. JMHO Try to explain to a kid why his lucky dog named "Lucky" got run over by a bus. I really had to do this once. Sorry to bum anyone out, but like the poker & fish analogy, luck too often gets confused with chance. Chance is somewhat measurable and can be calculated. A poker hand is a good example. You can calculate the odds (chance) of filling a hand based on the # of cards in the deck, # of the cards you need left in the deck, # of cards showing on the table that cannot be in the deck, etc. The more information you have, the better you can figure the chance of success. The guys who bet on their luck, pay most of the bills at a gambling establisments. Those who are good at assessing the facts and calculating the chances are sometimes the winners in games of chance (not games of luck). JMHO Ronnie

Sneaky boats = more boated fish. JMHO Ronnie

I have had success throwing a spinnerbait into the frenzied baitfish. The bass are coming up from below to smack those baitfish. A spinner bait just below all the action can get em sometimes. Ronnie

You are certainly welcome here! Have fun! Ronnie

Amen! I could be happy fishing my confidence baits (soft plastics and Jig & trailers) forever. I have caught fish on buzzbaits, spinnerbaits and even one (1) on a crankbait, but I have considered it mostly luck, because I know I don't fish them with a lot of skill. My tendency is, to quickly get impatient after throwing a non-confidence bait and I reach for that faithful worm rod. I need to follow RW's example and take only the bait I want to learn to fish. Ronnie

I see a lot of posts about trouble with baitcasters. I wonder sometimes if the basic problem may be that a long time spinning fisherman grabs his first baitcaster and tries to throw it a 1/2 mile like a spinner. I think a lot more spin fishermen would fall in love with baitcasters if they would start out learning to pitch. It helps you learn and feel the mechanics of a casting reel. I think if more casters would start with pitching and work up to short side arm casting and eventually to longer casts that it would open up a whole new world of fishing. JMHO. Ronnie

T1, You will get a lot of advice about dealing with bubbles, so here's mine. Get yourself a sturdy paper plate and cover it with tinfoil (Renolyds wrap) after you mix your finish, pour it onto the foil and let it flatten out. This will sound crazy, but it works like magic. Open your mouth as wide as you can and exhale your breath over the epoxy a couple of times and 98% of the bubbles will disappear. I thin the first coat of flexcoat and only saturate the wraps with a small brush. Go to flexcoat's website, there are detailed instructions on doing this.Turn it on the drier for a couple of hours and let it set for 24 hours. After the first (light) coat dries for 24 hours, I use a little flat stainless spatula to apply the high build finish because a brush will introduce bubbles. Most times my finish is bubble free, but when I see an occasional bubble I use an alchohol torch and pass it gently under the wrap. If you heat is too much it will thin and run. I have learned to live with an occasional tiny bubble, but if they are big or I can't lose them by heating the finish, I will wash off the finish with alchohol and a brush and it's a do over. I hope this is helpfull to you. Ronnie

I don't believe distance is nearly as important as accuracy and quietness. If you can sneak your boat in (without stomping. talking, and rattling the tackle box) and pitch a Jig silently next to the log, stump, drop off, etc. so the bass just can't help but suck it in, well, you get the idea. It's all about presentation, presentation, presentation. Concentrate on presentation (with a proven bait, of course) and you will catch fish. I always believe that every stick and log that I pitch to, has a big bass lying there, waiting for my jig, worm, creature, etc. If not. what's the point? JMHO Ronnie

Rich G, Welcome to the board! Very nice woodwork on those handles! There are a few rod builders with a lot of talent who hang around here. Keep up the good work on those rods and feel free to jump in with any secrets you might have to share. Ronnie

T1, I have only wrapped one piece spinning and casting rods, but every multi section fly rod I have ever seen (I have 8 fly rods and 3 waiting to be built) is designed this way. Even my big ole 12wt. My 9wt fly rod feels like a noodle when you hold it in your hand, but lots of 20lb+ stripers have been landed with this model rod. So it is very typical for fly rods. Don't let it bother you, wrap the female end of the ferrulle 1/2 - 3/4" or so and this rod will work fine. St croix rods are tough and if it's not abused, I don't think you will have any trouble with it. You can plug the male end if it makes you feel better, but I wouldn't bother. Wrap it, fish it and have fun. Just my $0.02. Ronnie

That's the truth! IMHO Ronnie

Matt, Pitching is kind of an under hand cast where you hold the lure in your opposite hand and release it to swing like a pendulum with your free spool held with your thumb. You release thumb pressure on the spool as the lure swings forward and control the line delivery to land the bait gently and accurately. Flippin is stripping line with your opposing hand, swinging the lure toward the target and paying the line out as it swings forward with your opposing hand. I hope this makes sense. There is not a whole lot of difference in the two methods. They are both intended for close quarters and delicate presentation. Both are deadly for catching fish. I use a 7 1/2' flippin stick for both techniques. I flip & pitch worms, jigs, frogs and even spinnerbaits. Some anglers use a short (5 1/2') heavy stick for pitching Hank Parker for example. I am building a short stick to replace an old Hank Parker Jig & Pig rod. I LOVE PITCHING! Ronnie