Alpster

I consider myself an 'under cover' fisherman. I like to fish the nastiest, thickest, sticks, weeds, timber, bushes and blowdowns. I have sacraficed countless lures to the snag devil, but I have cheated him out of a few fish too. I love throwing back 1/2 a pound of weeds & lilly pads before I remove a hook. Ronnie

OK Ronnie, Here's a few pictures of my rod wrapper. I put together one of the wheel sets that will replace the v-notched supports for the pictures. I have three more to make, as I will also use them for drying, etc. This is the motor speed control and pedal, I put it on the table so you can see it. You can set to just creep when you push the pedal which gives you amazing control with fine thread and when you get it all lined up you can let it fly and finish a wrap in seconds. This is a "Pacific Bay" rod chuck, it's a replacement part for their wrapper. These are the old v-notched support and the new support wheels. The wheel sets are adustable for rod size and height. This is the motor & pully/bearing assembly, you can buy all these parts in one place. This is the whole banana, I will add two more wheel sets to make the rod real steady when wrapping. I use a bobin (for fly tying) to add tension to the wraps. Thats why there are no tensioning devices, but you could easily add these if you wanted. I have wrapped 1/2 dozen rods with this rig and the more I use it the better I like it. I can't wait try it with the wheel supports so I can add upward pressure when tying thread. I enjoyed building the wrapper as much as the rods, most guys will opt for the ready made machines. They will add some features, such as a dryer & lathe capabilities. Anyway, you asked for it. Ronnie

Ronnie, Thanks for the contact info for Andy. I will contact him about the CTS noodle pole. It sounds like we are living in a parrallel universe. Day before yesterday I ordered a G-loomis FS904 7'6" IMX Flippin Stick blank . The blank costs $165 from ''Mudhole". I am guessing with the guides, cork and reel seat it will total a little over $200 for the finished rod. I am stoked about this rod. I really hope you get some relief from the pain soon, and yes, I can empathize with you on that one. Ronnie

Ronnie, I built my power wrapper myself. I bought some red oak at the Home Depot and most of the parts from a local tackle shop that builds custom rods. It's a sewing machine motor with a pedal control belted to a large pully. I made the rod props in the wood shop by cutting 'V's in the oak and gluing felt to them. I have modified it by adding a motor speed controller (you may not need this option) and I have just gotten new rubber wheels to replace the 'V' props. I am just going to attach them to the same wood. The guy I bought the parts from, sells one completely assembled for $165 which is what I wound up paying for all the parts, but mine is customized to my liking. The cheapest power wrappers I looked at that met my minimum requirements started at over $300. I too have a separate lathe and drying motors. If you want pics, let me know & I will post a few. Hope this is helpfull. Ronnie

Ronnie, The more I think about this, the more I want to build a 7' ultra lite. For blanks, so far I found a Loomis GL3 and a St. Croix SCIII at the 'Mud Hole' for $80 and $55 respectively. I know this will sound dumb, but who is Andy? - and where did you get the details on the 'CTS' blank. Specs., etc. Thanks for getting me going on this. Ronnie

How do you get one of those?????????? I like it! Ronnie

I was working at an oil refinery in south LA in the 70s. My boss had been transferred from PA and was a fisherman. Being the 'suck up' that I was, I invited him (and his son as it turned out) to go brackish water fishing near the mouth of the Mississippi. The catch was, we had to cross the Miss. River at it's widest point in a 16 foot Jon Boat with an 18 HP outboard, dodging barges, crewboats and ships (yes ships). If jumping those big boat wakes in a Jon boat wasn't enough fun, we had to go through a lock from the river into the bay. We were in a lock (don't forget in a 16' Jon boat) and the water level was 6 feet different river to bay. There were 1/2 dozen crewboats, we are talking about 75' long boats with diesel bow thrusters, and the water is falling six feet. You should have seen his face, (a funny shade of pale) and the 11 year old kid was crying from fear. Anyway when we finally made it out into the pipe channel he said "I WILL NEVER DO THAT AGAIN!" I quietly reminded him we had to eventually go home. He said "OH S***"! And the kid started crying again. You had to be there to appreciate this scene. Just so you know how catching fish affects a person's outlook. After we completely filled a 70 quart ice chest with red fish and speakled trout (over 100 lbs of fish), the ride home wasn't so bad after all. The only question was "when can we do this again?" Thanks for lettin me tell my story. I hope you find it enjoyable. Ronnie

Here's my home-made livewell. I decked my whole boat so I would have as much fishing platform as possible. The livewell is mounted in front of the rear seat and under a door in the deck floor as you can see. Let me know if you have any questions or if I can help in any way. Hose connections... Out of sight untill needed... Sucks water in from the fishing hole and lets it run out when full, (overflow protection) Pump and drain, there's a tube in the drain hose that fits through the boats drain plug with a valve that didn't make the picture. You stick the tube through the plug hole and fill your catch & release bag for weigh in and finish draining the tank. This works great and I hope this is helpfull. Ronnie

It's already dark here, I will take a couple of pics tomorrow and post em for you. Ronnie

Can you make an adapter of some kind that will allow you to put the TM where you want it? My foot control TM is mounted on a square alluminum tube I bolted on with stainless bolts and it works very well. I can post a picture if you want to see how I did it. Is you boat fiberglass or aluminium? Ronnie

Mine is permanently mounted and it holds a lot of fish for long time. But it was cheap and easy to build. I bought a 20 gallon potable water tank for an RV ($75) an areater pump from Walmart ($12) and some hoses and fittings ($15). It draws water from outside the boat (so it's the same water the fish came from). I rigged the outlet hose so if I forget to turn off the pump, it will drain out the back of the boat by gravity. I know when the livewell is full of water when I hear the water trickling out the overflow tube. I will post some pictures if you are interested in something like this. I love mine. Ronnie

Those awesome fish Chris! Thanks for posting the pictures. Gives us amatuers something to shoot for. ;D Ronnie

I wanna sticker, why can't I have a sticker, those guys got a sticker ...:'( Ronnie

Hey Ronnie, That is a great looking rod! Nice bass too! I have been thinking of a one piece fly rod blank to make an ultra lite spinning rod. I am starting my list of rod projects for the coming winter. This is something I have been thinking about for a while. Keep them pretty rods coming! Ronnie

That's still a little harsh, don't you think? To be really politically correct, how about "relative consumers" that doesn't sound so much like THEY EAT THEIR BABIES!! JMHO Ronnie

My PB came from 'Husser's' pond in Amite, LA in May 1982. I charmed the old man who cared for the pond for a year to let me fish this pond. I had a new Ambassadeur 5500C with the thumb bar cast (this was a new innovation at the time). A friend from work & I went to fish the pond after work on a Friday. I made 6 or 8 casts with my fancy (at the time) reel and it would not retrieve, it was broken. I was ticked, and had no backup gear. My friend had already hooked and landed 2 3+ pounders with a plastic worm. I asked him if he had another rod I could borrow. He said "there might be one in the back of my pickup". I found a 'Zebco 202' reel with a rod that belonged to one of his kids. The worst rig I have ever fished with. I tied on a 1/2 oz "Arkie Jig" with an "uncle josh" black widow eel and casted it up to a bluff bank and when it hit the water the line took off. I set the hook three times and he kept on pulling. After he stripped most of the line from the little spincaster I wrapped the line around my hand and walked backwards up the bank and screamed for my buddy's help. He waded into the water and untangled the fish from the bush he wrapped himself around. At a little over 6 1/2 pounds and still my PB after 24 years, this is a pleasant memory. Thanks for letting me tell my story. I will release every freshwater bass I will ever catch, but this one is mounted on my wall and I smile every time I see it. Ronnie

More than the pain, I wonder if I keep a fish and take it home and eat it, will his mommy miss him? What if his mom is divorced and remarried to hybrid striper, or worse, living in sin with a pickerel. I bet he was hanging out in the lilly pads selling Megastrike to the school fish. LOL. I grew up in the south and most folks never confused animals with people. I'm talking about farmers who spent their whole lives raising, caring for and yes, eating all sorts of animals. Peta's members are mostly city dwellers who need a purpose for living. They have spent very little time around animals except their domestic pets, and have eroniously projected to them human characteristics. JMHO Ronnie

I still do too. I am fishing a charity tournament this coming weekend, and I will spend every evening fussing with the boat, tuning lures, organizing the boxes. I grew up in South Louisiana at the mouth of the Mississippi. It really was the "Sportsman's Paradise" when I was a kid. I knew people who didn't have a car, but still had a boat. LOL You could fish anywhere and catch fish in those days 60s & early 70s. Salt water, brackish water, and more fresh water than you can imagine. I remember catching LM bass in the river on a plastic worm and wondering if anyone else knew about these awesome fish. I still have the first decent Shimano reel I bought in my late teens. It works and I still fish it sometimes. Great memories. Ronnie

;D That there's funny right there. But I know what you mean. There is something magic about silently slippin a worm or jig over a submerged log and feelin the bite when it falls down. If I was big bass that's where I would hang out. Ronnie

Ronnie, Rod looks good! The pretty gold inlays are different & I love different. Now you have to take her fishing. My late wife loved to fish, I hope you have as much fun as we did. Thanks for posting the pics. Keep crankin out those rods. Ronnie

You guys are right! ;D That foam butt is "BUTT UGLY". It's hard to see from my avatar, that I have rhuematoid arthritis (more than 20 years now) . If you look at my earlier posts on this thread, you will see that I had this same blank & reel seat fitted with a tiny butt and small button corks on both sides (not yet sanded) just to satisfy my curioisity. My poor old hands just couldn't make this awesome 'stella' reel work with this set up. I opted for the eva foam and the finished rod you see in the pics, mostly because my deformed fingers can handle it (larger diameter of handle & butt) better. I am not complaining, I am very blessed that I can still fish, let alone half way wrap a rod. I am impressed with Triton_Mike's rod, and that is what I was trying to emulate when I realized it has to be handicapped accessible. I love this forum and am greatfull for what I learn here. There's still nothing like fishing! Ronnie

Git youself a big ole 3/4 oz 'Arkie' or a BooYah jig and a 9" 'Uncle Josh' black widow eel pork trailer. Find out where there are a few stumps in that deep water. Try your best to get snagged on those stumps and you will pull out a big bass. This takes time and a few lost lures, but if you stick with it, you WILL catch a big fish. I have never had a dink take this big ugly offering (over an ounce total weight and 12" long). Best fished with a heavy flippin stick and at least 20 lb line (I use 50 lb 'power pro' braid) . My top 3 PB all caught with this rig. JMHE Ronnie

Grumman has a long reputation for making good stuff. JMHO Ronnie

Ronnie, Rod building does eat some time, but there is nothing like catching a nice fish on a rod you crafted yourself. I have a lathe but have not yet tried a wood handle. I can't wait to fish with this setup. I just signed up for a tournament in 3 weeks and I plan to win it with this rig. I can send you my stuff but you also get the bills. :'( Post some pics of some of your work. Ronnie

LA MS TX MO NJ NY GA That's All! Ronnie