Josh Smith

Same material + same diameter = just fine. Josh

I'm not liking smalljaw. My birthday is November 5 and so I'm not buying myself anything right now. I got an email a couple days ago from BPS informing me of the free shipping that fishballer mentioned. I ordered a bunch up and was one click away from confirming the order when my conscience stopped me. Dammit. Josh

I have two that I bought on clearance at Walmart just to try out. They're pretty good rods -- not my style as I find the handles too long, but compared to others of their ilk, they're on the better side. Mine are medium and medium heavy. The medium heavy is looking to become a spoon rod for walleye. I just finished a 5500 from '75 or so and put it on there. It casts really well. The medium is the only medium rod I own. It works well and is a bit more "whippy" than today's MH rods. They both balance nicely and give the impression of being shorter they they are. Josh

MOA is acceptable, but try to do better.

Fixed.

No, you are right. I have a headache and was thinking of a 5500D. I'll correct this in a minute. Josh

My best fish have come in on the old stuff. I have no idea if Mr. Childress designed the one you reference. Mr. Mann's designs have all been very good to me. Josh

It's an excellent marketing tactic. I have often thought these would make interesting spoonplug reels if you are not able to troll the spoonplug. Josh

I'm the same way, Avery. Some are more visual, though. One thing I found when I went to a faster reel the first time, I had less tactile feedback because of the way the gearing was. The slower reels of 26ipt and less give better feedback to the fingers through the reel handle. The most sensitive reels I've fished are the 4.7:1 (about 23IPT) Ambassadeurs with braid. After I remove the slop with bearings (including crank bearing) and other methods, sensitivity through the drive train increases even more. On a fast reel, pull the anti-reverse and strip line, you'll see that it takes a lot of spool rotations to move the reel handle just a little. (Pulling the anti-reverse can be done by removing the dog on ratchet-and-dog setups. You can also pull the sleeve out of an IAR bearing and replace it with a same-diameter-and-length tube but with a round opening inside instead of one that grips the shaft.) On the other hand, a slower reel will move the reel handle a lot further, giving more tactile feedback. This is further enhanced on the '60s to '70s Ambassadeur reels (and most others of that era) due to a dog-and-ratchet anti-reverse setup. There is a little handle movement backwards prior to this engaging, and in many instances can be a huge advantage in feeling through the reel what the lure is doing. Josh

Tell you what: Next time I build an old 5000, I'll keep its original gears. I'll upgrade to bearings, of course, and put a better reel handle on it. I'll send it to you. You can fish it and figure out what it's good for. It largely depends on the individual. I don't know when I'll get around to doing this, but I do know I have a box full of parts. I probably just need bearings, truth be told. I'll take a look-see. Josh

Mine was a Zebco 66. I outgrew it, graduated to a Zebco 33. I don't recall the rod. It had to be a light or ML glass job. I outgrew it a bit later on and the reel, at least was replaced with a Zebco 33. My first lures were Mepps inline spinners and Beetle Spins. Josh

They were feeding on schooling baitfish, and I needed one that looked like a little bluegill!

Oh, boy.

Hello, Dad is interested (maybe) in a low-profile reel. I got him a Silver Max at the same time I had a Black Max, but neither of us liked them. The shape was OK for him (I still prefer round reels) but the feel was off. I'm therefore exploring reel options for him. Like me, he's not sure what's out there these days. He was happy to know that Lew's was still around as he was friends with Mr. Childress's nephew, and used an Abu Garcia 5000 and a Lew's tournament rod in the '70s when Lew's stuff was made by Shimano. I'd like to find a reel with a profile about the same as the Abu Garcia Max series. The frame needs to be metal, not graphite, and Dad said he'd like to try a reel retrieve speed in the 30ipt range. It does need to have the handle on the left hand side. I would prefer a price of around $50 as that's what I can comfortably afford at this point. I would assume this places me in the gently-use or refurbished reel category. Suggested recognized names are Lew's, Abu Garcia, and Shimano. I was looking at Revo reels, but they're just a shade more than I am comfortable spending. We're thinking about going after walleye this winter, and he prefers spinning reels for that, so I'm thinking the baitcaster might be a Christmas gift. Can you suggest a reel with that meets the above description? No hurry; still a couple months if ever, but I'm definitely looking slowly and methodically. Regards, Josh

Last night I dreamed I was out fishing. I had four rods, three baitcasting (two of which were custom I've been wanting from DVT!) and one was my ultralight spinning setup. Bass were jumping all over, but they weren't biting what I was offering. When I figured out what they wanted, I found that I only brought two tackle boxes and left the third with all the lures I needed at home! I don't think I've ever been so scared.

Yes. My exploration of the lake I'm currently obsessed with is far from complete. Josh

5500c3 answers both questions.

These 12" bass I talk about catching eat anything from ultralight lures to bigger, 1oz lures. They are aggressive! It's interesting. I have one pole that will throw over 1oz. If I go to bigger lures I'll have to invest in heavy poles. I am hoping the big bass in this lake are hiding deep. I'd sure like to get maps of the lake before they dammed the creek to make it, too! Josh

The largest I caught this year was probably 2lbs. The lake I concentrated on seems to have a LOT of 3 year old (or so) bass willing to hit lures. This is from the bank. Repairing the boat is taking more time than I figured, but I would like to get out next year and troll that lake. I am sure there must be bigger bass in there. That said, I'm starting to wonder if this lake is deep enough to have any real thermocline. Thinking back, I don't recall the sonar ever sounding that deep, but it has been years. But I digress. I am saying 2lbs max this year, maybe 3/4lb average. Josh

I guess I'm lucky. Most of my favorite lures have single hooks and are weedless. Mostly I fish deep cover, but I have the added benefit of doing less digging out of hooks, both on me and the fish. Josh

<sigh>

This. Exactly this. My kids are under a year and 6 years. Both will learn cursive. I've been through the founding documents and their printed counterparts. Know what? Key things are changed. Not so you'd notice, but things like "People" and "people" are different. Capitalization denotes differences and those differences are taken away in the modern translation. They took away the option of learning Latin before I hit high school, and there's a lot of stuff that I cannot now do without it. Latin is important. Everyone is so damned obsessed with charging ahead that the lessons of the past are forgotten, and we wonder why we're in the state we're in now. Bubonic plague, here we come! Josh

Thanks, guys. Been thinking about getting one of those lippin' things that in A-Jay's bottom pic. Am I right in remembering that the gill plates are sharp? I've only caught like two of these on my life. Actually, one was a Sauger. Dad went after bass and walleye; I went after bass and panfish. I've never forgot the fight those things put up. The one I tied into with the ultralight especially was an experience! Lures... I've tried walleye lures but the most successful (limited, I know!) were a Rapala minnow on an ultralight that I let float down the river to a rock, then twitched. BOOM! The other was an inline spinner. I'm thinking all these Red Devil spoons would be great to use. Some day, I'd like to go pike and musky fishing, too, and move beyond what I was taught. That's for another day, though. What kind of lures do you all favor? What rods and reels? I'm thinking that if my old 5000 and 5500 new 5500c3 and 5600 Mag are considered a bit heavy for bass by today's standards, they should be about right for Walleye. They're on MH rods, three being graphite and one being hybrid (Cherrywood HD, my favorite.) They range between 5'6" and 6'6", which is also my preference. I'm rebuilding a Lew's spinning reel that was Dad's, but it's not done yet. For those pictured, I really think I'd prefer the baitcasting reels anyway! I have been listening to seminars on walleye fishing while I fall asleep. Lots I didn't know! Thanks, guys! Josh

Hi Folks, I am just wondering how you all handle walleye. Used to be I would transfer them directly to the stringer and not touch them at all. This year, however, I will probably use a cooler filled with ice instead of the stringer. What is the best place/way to hold them by hand? Thank you, Josh

I don't remember my first fishing trip. I was two or three when Dad started taking me. We would go to a private pond as well as Little Flat Rock River. I wore a life jacket and held a little Zebco while Dad went wading for smallmouth. Eventually Dad went to a Quantum 1310 and I inherited his '70s 5000. I'm actually in the process of rebuilding it right now. Dad is still alive and well, but doesn't enjoy fishing much any more due to a bum knee and just age. I figure I'll keep bugging him until he goes again. Meantime I'm teaching my boy. Josh