Alpster

Yep, cobalt is used as a binder to hold the tungsten powder together while it is scintered. Ronnie

You could likely get it hot enough to melt with an Oxy/Acetylene torch, but whatever you poured it into to cast a sinker would be destroyed instantly. Tungsten powder is mixed with cobalt and cold pressed into the form of fishing weights, then they are heated in a scintering oven to make a finished weight. Ronnie

I agree, this is part of your problem. Try some Berkley "Big Game" mono. It will behave better than floro. JMHE Ronnie

A lot of guys (me included) like to palm their reels. I wouldn't touch the foregrip it it were there. I have a couple of store bought spinning rods with foregrips, all others are customs with no foregrip. JMHO Ronnie

X2 and very inexpensive

Alpster you will get no argument from me that RH is wrong or that it is less effective. I would not tell one of the pros (or anyone else) using RH reels they were doing it wrong. It just doesn't work for me. I am not crusading for LH, just saying it is my choice. 8-) I hope you didn't think I was picking on you K-Mac. I know you aren't crusading. LOL I actually shot too soon. I thought this was an old tread brought back to life. It's what I get for clicking on the last post link, instead of the top of the thread. SORRY!!! Ronnie

This is one of those "we have beaten this one to death" threads. Righthanders who reel with their left are fanatics about it. Those of us who change hands are too. I have read many, many posts about how much time it takes to change hands, but in 45+ years of fishing, I have never come close to missing a hookset or had any other problem changing hands on the cast. My bait rarely hits the water that I don't already have the spool engaged and I I have fished with countless others who do the same thing. JMHE K-Mac - in the article he states that he is going lefty because he has severe tendonitis and he may go back to cranking righty if he can't get used to it. Just sayin.. Ronnie

I don't use florocarbon for anything. It has too many quirky issues. Knots, kinks, it's a slinky spring on any reel. I think all lines should float. I can always add weights. Use whatever makes you happy. JMHO Ronnie

Just an update - went to the TW site to redeem my E-Gift from Simp. Grabbed me a big pack of skinny tungsten drop shot weights and a big roll of #6 Yo-Zuri Ultra-Soft for my spining reels! YaHooo... Thanks again Simp!!! Ronnie

X2

Well the rush is percentages. Chunk and wind you could probably get 30 maybe 40 cast in that 10 min. time period. I would venture to say that the percentages will be on your side if you hit 30 different spots rather than let your lure sit in one spot that may or may not be holding a fish. JMO No one is suggesting you fish this way exclusively. It is just a technique that can work when others (casting like crazy) have failed. I have avoided getting skunked more than once by slowing way down. JMHO Ronnie

I'd have to give it away before it got me kilt. LOL Ronnie

Is this for real or did you mean seconds? I can barely wait for a lure to hit the bottom before I lose my patience. I guess patience is the key when deadsticking. The time is right, but I must say, the guy who showed me how to be still that long was fishing like a maniac while I sat. LOL I caught a 2 1/2 lber the very first time I sat for more than 10 minutes. You just have to try it. Ronnie

Locked and Dodge Guy are right about something to wrap braid around to pull it so you don't cut your hand off. I have also saved a few expensive baits by straightening the hook or catching a limb. I buy Power Pro in bulk spools to make it affordable. 50/12 for bait casting and 20/6 for spinning reels. I don't use it exclusively, but it is mandatory for some of my fishing. Ronnie

I have two "pitchin stix" one is a 7'6" Loomis IMX 905 Hvy and the other is a 5' 6" Hvy Lamiglas pistol grip. I pitch to heavy cover from my boat with the long rod. One of my favorite (and most productive) lakes in the world can only be fished from the bank and the structure of the lake holds fish tight to the bank in sparse cover. I have murdered them pitching with the short rod along the bank. The long rod would be nearly useless in this situation. Like Franco, I will pitch with whatever is in my hand when it makes sense to do so. There is no one perfect rod for any technique, that's why I have a basement full of them. Ronnie

Texas rigged Culprit 7 1/2" black shad worm. When I pull it out of my box and open the bag, usually at least one bass will jump in the boat and throw up his fins, before I even tie it on! The rest just line up and prepare to be caught. Seriously, we all have at least one high confidence bait and I believe that it is as much how we fish it as the bait. We get great confidence in any bait when we learn how to fish it correctly in all conditions. Don't just fish the "magic worm", make it look like bass food. I learned you have way more options than just cast & retrieve. Here's just a few ways to fish my favorite. 1.) Dead stick it for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. 2.) Drift and let it drag very slowly across the bottom. 3.) Cast over a log or a limb and dangle it for while (you can fish a lot of different depths on the same cast) 4.) Cast on top of cover (log, lilly pad,floating dock, etc.) and pull gently to let it slip silently into the water. This is deadly BTW. 5.) Hop it, jump it, twitch it, jerk it erratically, experiment. 6.) Drop shot, split shot, Texas rig, Carolina rig, mojo rig, make your own rig. You can fish with the same soft plastic bait for days without ever doing it the same way twice. It is always amazing to me when I find a great presentation and "load the boat" on one day, that I can't steal a bite the same way for months. Gotta change it up and keep on keepin on! The point is "magic bait" + "magic presentation" = BITES! Go get em! Ronnie

Arguably some of the best fly REELS made. I have one and it is a gem. Ronnie

I use braid on a Loomis GLX rod with Recoil guides - noisy as heck - but no grooving... My GLX Dropshot rod has recoil guides and this is my experience also. Ronnie

Sorry for your loss buddy. Will pray for your family. Ronnie

Got a slammin $30 electronic gift certificate to "Tackle Warehouse" from SIMP! I'm thinking some 1 oz jigs and maybe I'll treat Stella to some new Ultra Soft. THANK YOU SIMP! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Shimano's Calcutta TE201DC is a 5.0:1 lefty reel. I have the right handed model. It is the best cranking reel there is IMHO, but it's pretty expensive. Ronnie

There used to be a good video of Russ (Low Budget Hooker) skipping w/a spinning reel. I couldn't find it, but here's a youtube of how it's done at about 1:15. Ronnie

Wolverines for me. The closest you'll get to a water proof boot. As a land surveyor, I have put some serious miles through some rough terrain. I wear slip-on boots. No laces=no leaks. I go through a pair about every 4 or five years. I don't wear sneakers or dress shoes. I wear these boots every day of my life. If you get married or die, I will polish them. 8-) Here ya go... http://www.wolverine.com/US/en-US/Product.mvc.aspx/G-HID-COLL/21976M/0/Collections/Mens/Jesse-Wolverine-MultiShox-Contour-Welt-Western-Waterproof-ST-EH-10-inch-Wellington

Man, I love "Pawn Stars"...."You never know what's gonna come through that door..." If I had a buddy who was an expert on antique door knockers, I would open my own pawn shop. Cable guy is here right now. Kicking out Fios for predatory billing. My only question to the cable installer was "am I still gonna get Pawn Stars"? Yeah baby!! Ronnie

Burley's BACK!!! ;D Ronnie