Alpster

AWESOME Carl!!!!! Good Job! I am pumped about fishing up your way next year! Congratulations. Ronnie

Good job Eddie! The pics are awesome. It just keeps getting better & better. I have 2 girls (grown now) but I still have my pics & memories of when they caught their first fish. Keep up the good work! Ronnie

I found out yesterday that a dad of one of the kids went out and bought his fishing license. I have also received an email form each parent saying their kids had an awesome time. Make no mistake about it, it is purely selfish on my part. It just blows me away to see a kid's face when they are reeling in a fish. PRICELESS! Ronnie

As a Land Surveyor, I do a lot of work in GIS & LIS. Are you a CADD operator, data manger, photogramatrist? Ronnie

These are some older pics, but they will get you started. There ya go........LOL Ronnie

Once a year in NJ the State allows adults to fish without a license so they can take their kids fishing. I organized a trip for my church to get some kids out on the water to fish a little. I knew that fishing from the public pier wasn't going to produce very many fish so I brought my boat and the kids took turns going with me and catching a few. It was almost 100 degrees and I could only put 2 kids at a time in my boat. Except for the two oldest girls, these are the first fish they have ever caught. It was an amazing day to remember. THE KIDS HAD A BLAST!!!! So did I!!! Ronnie

The 844C is not a "broom handle". It has a fast tip and a lot of backbone, but it loads up real nice. I use it and highly recommend it! Ronnie

Very nice work Eddie! You can certainly be proud of those rods. Keep up the good work and keep posting those pictures. It's a wonderful addiction. Ronnie

Congratulations on the new PB! AWESOME!!!!!!!! Ronnie

Professional Land Surveyor in NJ. Have had my own business for 17 years. Ronnie

Matthew 6:33 & 34.....I am praying for you buddy. Ronnie

Flor grade natural cork is the best of the best. Less than 5% of all natural cork can be considered Flor grade. Be careful when buying "flor grade" cork rings on e-bay or similar sites. Flor is near perfect, with little or no pits or grooves. It's expensive because grips made from these rings are beautiful. picture added 6/13/2008 grip made from 'flor grade' cork... Notice there are no pits or grooves. Ronnie

Life is GOOD! Mono is great if you change your line often. I still use 4lb XT on my ultralite rigs. Buy it in bulk and it is very cheap. As I see it, you can move up to copolymers and braid for more $ and change your line less often or stick with low priced mono. It's cheap enough to change it nearly every time you go out. It's awesome to have a choice. JMHO Ronnie

I had a ABU 5600 break down on me on the day I caught my PB. I wound up cating my largest bass on a little zebco that my friend had in his truck for his kid. I haven't bought a cheap reel since and I have not had a reel break and never had one repaired since. I have sent them to reel guys like Reelmech and had them cleaned & tuned. This is one of the reasons I spend more money on higher end Shimano Reels, they have never let me down. Rather than spend $50 several times and take a chance on my equipment breaking in a tournament or on a dream trip, I will spend $200 or $300, fish with the best and never worry about it breaking. JMHO Ronnie

I cast with both hands and reel with my right foot. Ronnie

What if you dog thinks you are a jerk??? Sorry I couldn't resist a new twist on an old Cosby joke. Ronnie

Like it or not, braid is the most sensitive to bites. Ronnie

I have the DSR820S GLX Dropshot rod and I HIGHLY! recommend it! For dropshotting and shakey heads, it's hard to beat. JMHO. Ronnie

I find myself pitching with nearly every casting rod I own. From my 7'-6" flippin stick down to my little 5'-6" Lamiglas rod. Sometimes pitching is just the right delivery. I pitch mostly with long rods, but if I find a small hole in the thick cover or a want to land a spinnerbait between a parked boat and the dock, I will pitch if it's the best way. Ronnie

I am a big G-Loomis fan but my advice is, if you can't afford an IMX, skip the GLs. They are overpriced for the quality. JMHO Ronnie

I have caught a few on 1/2 oz Reaction Innovation stand up jigs with a Robo sour puss trailer. Also getting bit on my 'go to' stand by T-rigged Culprit worms. The water is finally warming up here and the top water bite will be on now. I will report back soon! Ronnie

FWIW - As a rod builder, I think that Lamiglas rods and blanks are the most underrated in the industry. They are light, sensitive and tougher than nails. They are keeping fiberglass rods in the hands of good fishermen. Quality for the buck, they can't be beat and for some applications, they can't be beat for any price. JMHO Ronnie

If buying Shimano reels makes you a sheep then all I can say is...baaaa. If you have $200 to spend on a spinning reel, add $20 and get a Sustain at BPS on sale $40 off. You will be one happy freakin sheep. I guarantee it! JMHO http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=44492&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults Ronnie

Matt is right! We do think differently on this subject. The only time I have lost fish is when I have tried to "play" them. I have had them spit my hook at the boat and shake it out of their mouth ONLY when I have given the slightest release of pressure. I use braid in heavy cover, a quality rod and a good reel. Drag is set tight and whether it's 2 pounds or 10 pounds, it's coming to me, NOW! I spend my money on equipment so I have the advantage. Hard pressure all the way to the boat. I also believe that it increases the release survival rate if you get them in and out of the boat quickly before they are so worn out. JMHO Ronnie

Sign up with photobucket.com and upload your pics. Follow their instructions for generating message board photo links. If you have trouble, send me a PM and I will try to help you. As a rod bulider, I too would like to see what you like so much. I don't get the semi-custom rod idea. Thanks! Ronnie