Josh Smith

Hello, I have been thinking about building another '70s 5000 I have laying around here. This time, I'll keep the low 3.8:1 gears that give it a 21IPT (or so; I'm guessing) retrieve. I usually use carbon drags without grease, but I'd grease the ones going in this one. I need to get a SS frame instead of the aluminum frame, though I'm sure the aluminum frame would hold up fine to most catfish and carp. I'm torn on whether to use bearings or bushings on the spool. I'm thinking bushings would be fine. They strike me as being tougher. I really don't like long rods or rod handles for bass fishing. A trophy bass might be landed best with one, but for the average bass and occasional bigmouth buffalo fish I catch, the pistol grips I prefer are just fine. The largest fish I ever caught, a buffalo, was landed with my 5000 (23IPT retrieve) and a pistol grip pole. I started getting worn out after about 15 minutes, but the rod held and so did my hand and wrist! However, for a dedicated bottomfeeder rod, I'd probably go with a hybrid rod design and a long handle I can tuck. Do you have thoughts on these ideas? Thanks, Josh

Yessir, I just bought one from BPS not too long ago, a 2014 model. It's a piece of quality. If I can get one for $30, dangit, I will! Regards, Josh

It had to be clearance priced at $30, or maybe it was a mislabeled made-in-China 5500 S or whatever the call 'em. The 5500c3 is NOT a $30 reel. Josh

Dang, you're 10 years younger than I am, Gardner! Ever hear of an overdraw? Here's one: http://www.boneheadbowhunting.com/bow-pro-overdraw-wsnap-it-rest-p-8336.html The Oregon bows were the first ones to send arrows over 300fps. I choose not to push mine that fast, but it'll do it if I set it up to do it. Oregon Bow: I have this problem with splitting arrows inside 30 yards or so. If you want to really practice for deer season, use the bow to hunt squirrel. Eventually you learn to anticipate any jump and aim accordingly. Compared to squirrel, a deer's jump is nothing! Regards, Josh

Heck, we're almost in the same boat and the same age. I wanted an Oregon back when I was a teenager. The cost was prohibitive. Got back into archery when I was 35 or so. I found a good, used Oregon for $100. I have no urge to push it fast. Still, with uncut 400 spine arrows and 125 grain points, it clocks at 210fps. It has zero recoil. When I shoot at the public indoor range, I have "kids" coming up and asking about it because it shoots right up there with their stuff in many cases. Josh

When I was growing up, we lived on a retired farm. We had rods up on the house and barn. Being the tallest thing around, the barn got hit all the time. Josh

Mmmm... where?

Which is the $30 reel? Josh

Yes, this is a good idea. I'd been trying to work out a way to get the bass down to the depth in which I caught it, but couldn't figure anything out. Sounds like your solution will work fine. I'm not a fan of poking holes in things when they're not required. I may still get the boat going before fall gives way to winter. If not, there's always next year. I'm wanting to try spoonplugging. Regards, Josh

Thank you! One reason I've never done any deep water bass fishing is because I've been afraid of blowing them up. Regards, Josh

My 5500c3 is one of my main bass reels. I have three types of bass reels: Original 5000/5500 series: Two are in active duty. Both are 5000 models. One is a 5000c and the other was a 5000. Both have been upgraded to 5500c specs but with 6 bearings including the crank bearing. These have 4.7:1 gears for a 23IPT retrieve. The next one, on a Cherryrod, is what you have. It's a 2014 model 5500c3 that has been supertuned and has 6 bearings including the crank IAR bearing. It has 5.3:1 gears for a 26IPT retrieve. The 5600 has all done to it that has been done to the 5500c3. Its main differences are a thumb bar and a faster retrieve. It's on a BPS Tourney special. It has 6.3:1 gears for a 30IPT retrieve. All are really excellent reels. Regards, Josh

Hi Folks, I've never had to do this. I watched the vid, though, and it seems simple. The question I have, though, is this: Where can one find the needle? Apparently they're tougher to get because so many druggies shoot up. It seems that having one or two in the tacklebox would be a good idea. Thank you, Josh

Give ya' 10 bucks for it!

I experienced this with Berkley Fireline and metal guides. Suffix 832, Spiderwire EZ Braid, and Spiderwire Stealth cure this problem for me. I was disappointed. Fireline was never like this before. Josh

Not anymore. Not for a while. It used to be I'd get fatigued but that was, oh, 20 years ago maybe. For a while there I could fish forever without a break. Now, it appears I have slight ulnar and carpal tunnel. (Numb pinky for the first; numb thumb, first and middle fingers for the last.) For this reason, a lot of the action comes from my fingers these days. I sort of roll the reel in my hand. I split the wrist to finger action about 50/50. My elbow only comes into play if I'm doing high lifts of a jig, or if I'm setting a hook, or something else that requires medium motor movement. Actually, when I set a hook, my wrist comes up, my knees bend, and my back arches. I don't know that my elbow even moves when setting a hook if I'm standing up. When I'm burning a lure, I keep my arm and wrist locked and turn at the waist. Regards, Josh

There's a lot of new stuff out there that I, like Raul, have used for a long time. For example, the drop shot method I keep hearing about here. I did this as a teenager. When I considered its origins at all, I wondered if anyone else did this. It was just a way to get the worm to do what I wanted. Spinnerbaits and such have not changed much. Josh

4'6" to 6', depending on action and construction. Short and/or pistol grips are best. I prefer accuracy and precision. I might get five more yards out of a 7' rod, but I don't think so. I've been fishing since I was 2 and casting since I was 3, and I learned on pistol grips. I recall my tendons being sore at the end of practice or after a fishing trip. No longer. Five hours with a 5'6" MH/F rod and a 1oz lure is nothing. It's what you're used to, not what's "best." Regards, Josh

The chicken bone method has pretty much been disproved. Josh

Oh, yeah, I know... but sometimes confidence breeds messups. Josh

When I was down in Southern Indiana from about '98 to about '02, I seem to remember ice storms more than anything. Josh

I just did the other day. I was tuning a reel and felt the line begin to fluff almost immediately on the cast. When I went to control the spool, I ended up with a nice friction burn. Turns out I thought I'd adjusted the tension but it was it was actually 360 degrees out of where it should have been. Josh

I've been thinking about building a 5500D for this. It backreels but a drag controls the backreeling. Been forever since I did this, though. I took the dog out of a 5000 once and tried it for a bit. It gave me no advantage over the drag for the time and place I was fishing, so I put the dog back in. Regards, Josh

Hello, About all I use are centrifugal brakes. I have one reel that is both magnetic and centrifugal. The ones that have mag only I don't use, though I do have a couple Quantum reels. I run mine dry. In fact, when I take them apart (which is often) I clean the brake plate ring with denatured alcohol on a Q-tip. If I have excessive braking, I go to lighter brake blocks or turn off a brake, depending on the model of reel. Regards, Josh

Your only mistake was not building a car fast enough to outrun the cops...

Try twitching it erratically. Josh