MickD

One summer when working around a small pond I conditioned LM bass to eat bread off my thumb. Started with them about 5 feet away and slowly moved them in closer until they would eat it off my thumb. Then one day, I plucked a big one right out of the water. And released it immediately.

I find it interesting that the use of mod or mod/fast actions is so extensive in the pro tournaments. You can tell the actions by how the rod curves when they are under stress, and there are a LOT of rods in use there that are neither fast nor extra fast. For all techniques. Meanwhile, it seems that we in the "normal" fishing population seem to be demanding faster and faster actions. There are certain techniques that just cannot be done well with slow or fast actions. Like snapping 5 inch swimbaits on bullet jigs off the bottom. Similarly, I think blades are more effective when using a mod/fast action. Of course the power has to be right, too.

You can try, but consider that you've chopped off a piece of blank with a butt knob on it. How to clear the old blank piece? Maybe someone has an idea I've not thought of. If you try it, most likely will require a rotating tool of some sort, high speed would be best, but be sure you wear google type eye protection. You will be making a whole bunch of little sharp things from dust to significantly bigger. I suppose if the rod construction isn't very good you could get the blank out by applying heat and try to pull it out. If you can do this then you can build up the blank OD to fit and glue it back on. Easiest way to do this is to wrap the blank with thread. Won't take much. Worth a try.

How much do you want to shorten them, and are they full cork grips or split grips? If full cork, just cut them off, round off the end of the cork to a pleasing curve and put an auto interior trim bumper from O'Reily's (look in their interior trim fasteners display for a bumper that is about 5/8 in diameter, sand the areas that will contact the epoxy to get rid of mold release agent) on it. Using epoxy. If split grip, then I don't think you can salvage the butt knob but will have to buy new ones from a source such as Mudhole.com. You'll have to ream the piece to fit the blank. Use epoxy to glue it on. If you need to plug a hole in the end, use the process above. To cut the blanks you have to be careful to avoid splintering them, very careful. MOst builders use a high speed tool such as a Dremel abrasive wheel. Tightly tape the blank where it will be cut before cutting it. Move the tool very slowly. Be very sure of the length before cutting. You cannot put it back on. ?

What does "moderate fast tip" mean? Is the stated action on the rod "moderate fast?" The action description one the rod (M/F/ExF) refer to the rod, not the tip. If it is a St Croix heavy power it is most likely too powerful to properly load while casting 1/4 -3/8 jigs. It is the power that you want to match with the weight of the lures you want to cast. And St Croix's are a little more powerful than other rods with the same stated power. If the lure weight recommendation on the blank states a minimum of 3/8 and it's a heavy power St Croix then I think you will be disappointed in casting lighter lures. It will do it, but a MH power would be better. If you have two rods which are of equal power and properly matched to the lure weight, one a fast action and one a moderate action, the moderate will be easier to cast with baitcasters than the fast. By easier, I mean fewer backlashes, a slower casting action on your part, less arm stress. Faster actions will develop more force in hook sets with less rod travel than moderates of the same power. The Daiwas in the $100-$200 price range are great casting reels. As is the Curado.

I have tried both name brand and "non" name brand braids, not all of course, but my opinion is that some of the "nons" tend to tangle more than the name brands, some tend to fray more, some are thicker. You never know what you're getting with them until you use them. On the other hand, Power Pro is good, Suffix is good (everything Suffix is good), and I'm sure many other name brands are good. They have their brands to protect, so it's doubtful you'll get a lemon with them. A new one I just found is Hitena. 21 pound test is only .oo6 dia and it casts like Power Pro 10 pound test. Pricey, but excellent. Maybe you generally get what you pay for?

The software you want is "KR GPS" shown prominently in the column of items on the left side. I suggest you open all the videos on the guides that are available there.

You say high frame KR and concept, but the high frame guides are KLH. Are you asking about KLH? I believe everything you need to know is on the Fuji (http://anglersresource.net/) site. Open the site and look at the catalog. There is guide placement software there (Be sure to use the right software for the guides you plan to use-there are at least two sets of software there-if your results are really strange, you probably are using the wrong software) plus recommended KLH combinations based on the line you plan to use. If you are using KLH on fresh water spin I would use the reduction group starting with the size 20. It is more versatile than the 16. If you use the 16 and want to go heavier on line, it won't work as well as the size 20 group. If you use the 20 group it will work with lighter lines just fine. The difference in weight, especially since the reduction guides are not near the tip, will have no significant difference in sensitivity. I have settled on size 5 runners for spin, 5 1/2 for cast. You're right, the KLH guides are called "KR Concept." They are all I use now. One thing to keep in mind is that they are tall-that's part of their advantage. But they might not fit into some rod tubes.

I agree with those advocating 10-15. 20 pound with most braids will cost some distance. I just tried Hitena 21pound test and it is great stuff, but expensive. It is only .006 inch diameter and casts like the lighter pound tests i've used. I don't use any mono, hybrid, or FC on spin, exc for FC leaders. The biggest improvement in sensitivity one can make if they are using mono or FC is to switch to braid, any braid. Much more improvement than rod sensitivity, in most cases.

Since you are in the north, waiting for the next big sale and then striking should work. You aren't missing fishing time, most likely. When is the next "sale date," like Black Friday? Ebay sellers with 99+ % approval ratings can be trusted, in my experience. But as all are saying, find a rod on sale as far below its list price as possible, and you'll have a good rod at $60.

WRB has it right. Here is a test article. https://electrek.co/2016/04/08/tesla-model-x-tow-test/ It is my opinion that there is some misinformation in some of the other posts. The good info is what Tom said and the advice to get your info from your dealer.

Not quite. When you want to go from retrieving or trolling to giving line quickly and easily, spinning cannot do it as well as baitcasting. Not as big a deal with bass as with some other species, but it's a fact. When you want to go to freely giving line instantly, spinning cannot do it. You have to open the bail instead of just hitting the thumb bar. An example, trolling for cuda-they notoriously cut the bait in half and come back for the part they missed. Which will have the hook in it. Easy, efficient, with baitcaster, not at all easy and fast with a spinner. I also prefer the more "direct" connection offered by the baitcaster for some techniques, but I admit it is a preference, nothing like a show-stopper.

Everyone who builds rods knows everything. But our knowledge does not always agree. But it works for us. Will it work for you? Whose advice will work for you? Part of this is due to the fact that people work differently and under different conditions, but often don't realize it. So two builders who give you conflicting advice are not lying, but what works for one may not for another. You take all the advice, consider it carefully, try things out , and see what works for you. I'll give you a couple of what I consider important tips: 1. check out https://www.rodbuilding.org/list.php?2 2. Before executing a decision, consider if there is a way of testing it out before getting into an irreversible condition. Like going down a mountain. Don't drop into a place where the only way out is farther down, then you find out you can't go down that way. But you can't go back up. For example, if you think that cutting 6 inches off the butt of the blank is the thing to do, don't start by cutting. Start by taping a reel seat on where it would go if the blank were 6 inches shorter, and try it. 3. At least at first , don't even consider tweaking epoxy mixing instructions, just do it like the maker says. Don't thin it, don't heat it, don't alter the proportions, just use it as intended at the temps intended (cold can be your enemy) until you're much further along. It will work well if done right, as the maker intended. 4. Don't ever cut off the tip of a blank. Doesn't take much to screw the action up, and there are thousands of blanks our there, designed by experts, that should be the length you want. 5. Record the specs of the rods you build, guide spacing, guide details, thread specs, epoxy used, component specs and spacing (reel seats, for example). Then if yo have to repair you have the details needed, or if you build another off that blank, you don't have to go through the guide spacing process again. Oops , more than a couple

Has to be the cold. Couldn't be the truck. ?

Sounds right, but most boats have a breaker than has to be reset after firing. Check if you have a circuit breaker in line right at the batteries and if it does not have to be reset after firing this could be it. But most likely it will be a manual reset breaker, and since you have not been resetting it, that is not the problem. Regarding your tester, Harbor Freight gives good digital ones away now and then, so to buy one should cost almost nothing. Nice to have one on board and one in the garage. The compelling data to me are the readings at the motor plug in point. As I understand it you are getting good voltage at each individual battery but getting 1 volt at the plug in, which I think is after the malfunction. I suggest you do this: 1. Measure the voltage at the plug before using the motor. If you don't have 24 something in the plugin or wiring to the batteries is bad. 2. Measure the voltage across both batteries right at the batteries (batteries in series-it has to be about 24, UNLESS the wires connecting the batteries in series are bad). These measurements prove you have good voltage BEFORE the malf. Now repeat after the malfunction. If the voltage across the batteries is not 24 the wiring between them is bad. If the batteries have 24 but the plugin is 1V you most likely have a wiring problem either at the plugin or between it and the batteries. If that is the case you have to find the bad wiring, which might be a corrosion issue that under high current goes open. I have found those plugins to be unreliable. I hard wired my last boat, which is easy to do. You can temporarily hard wire it to test the system.

Rezetti traveller 2300 vise is very versatile. I don't tie flies smaller than about 8's, but the vise is supposed to go much smaller OK. Specs say it goes up to 4/0, but I have not tried it. I's sure for the size hooks used for bass jigs one could go cheaper, but the recommendation for having a rotating vise is very sound.

Spence, I think part of the problem is that CCS uses the whole rod to measure its power and action, and when you cut any rod off, either end, it will "change" to a slower, more powerful rod. According to that specific objective test. But what people feel when they cut the tip off is different than that since they hold the rod in the same place they did before. So it's different than CCS. And what people "feel" when they compare the two rods of different lengths is just a "feeling," and is whatever it is. I've broken tips off rods that were not restrained properly when travelling and the tips got jammed, breaking a little off. I've never liked the "feel" of those rods again. They just don't seem to have the same "livelyness" in the tip any more. It doesn't take much. Someone else may think that the rod an inch or two shorter "feels" better. Next time I have a rod in my CCS fixture I'll test it the twice, once with the tiptop hanging the weight, and then with the first guide from the tiptop hanging the weight, keeping the butt support unchanged.

What is fun is to take a good pic of the fisherman and his "lunker." I have one of a friend, taken about 10 years ago, that he still treasures. Sitting in the boat seat, cigar in mouth, looking over the shoulder, big smile, with a 5 inch perch displayed.

One can easily and accurately evaluate power and action of blanks and rods using the CCS method. It doesn't matter whose blanks or rods they are. Or where in the country they came from . Numbers are numbers. It is purely objective. With experience you will be able to translate what the numbers mean with respect to your preferences and requirements. If you had the CCS numbers for these three blanks you could easily distinguish the differences. http://www.common-cents.info/ There is a way that works well that uses a pedestal instead of the big sheet of "plywood." Less of a storage issue for the equipment. Rods could be bought and the ones whose numbers didn't fit the requirement could be returned undamaged in any way.

Shortening rods from either end makes the action slower (under defintion of the CCS system)and more power. Pool cues have powerful, but slow actions. While shortening from the butt often works quite well, shortening from the tip has always resulted in a poor performing rod by my perception. If you need to shorten a blank to make the rod you want, do not shorten from the tip. To evaluate what will happen tape guides and reel seats in the new positions and try it out. It's easy to slide a reel seat up the blank and tape it into position. Not perfect, but works fairly well. I would NEVER shorten a blank or rod from the tip. In the case of doing a repair, there are ways to do repairs that work quite well. Repairs that I've done when within a foot or so of the tip have all worked well using the method in the link below. It sounds like you have a repair done with different tip section from the original. I'd say all bets for success are off on that. How does the spacing increase unless you are in fact using a piece from a different rod? Please clarify. Here is the right way to repair a rod, and it works. https://www.rodbuilding.org/library/repair-oquinn.html

I've been paying more attention to line diameter recently, all types, and I'm not finding a direct correlation between diameter and pound test (at least advertised pound test). I prefer to label showing the brand and year plus the pound test and type. There is a very big difference in performance between brands of FC, for example.

Since one priority is "durable," consider the mid-range graphite rods, like RX6 and 7 rather than the top of the line stuff. In general, the lighter/higher modulus/higher sensitivity blanks are less durable than the mid-range blanks. I assure you, you can find some very good blanks in the RX6 and 7 lineups. Rainshadow is a great line with all kinds of blanks in both materials. Revelations are very high performance in RX7, and have a big variety. The RX6 3 piece travel blanks are very good. One of my favorites is the SB841. Don't be misled by its ML power. It has a light tip over a very stiff, long, butt section so it is very versatile for casting light stuff while at the same time handling powerful fish. I have built two for spinning for bonefish with jigs as light as 1/16. I would start looking at the lengths you want, then the action you want (probably fast or Xfast), the lure range, then the line test, and finally power description. The power descriptions are the least accurate designators, IMHO. Usually the lure weights and line test tell the power story. Getbitoutdoors.com is a very good source for Rainshadow blanks.

Who would have thought this string would go so far? Regarding color affecting fish-catching, there have been allegations that white is too visible and can adversely affect the frequency of strikes. On clear water salt flats some argue that glossy finishes cause the same problems, but I've never noticed a bonefish flare from the rod, always the line when I screw up. Maybe up really close?

AS RECOMMENDED ABOVE, DO NOT TURN THE ENGINE OVER! The fuel in the engine, in the hoses, in the tank, is all contaminated, full of solids, probably water. You do not want to introduce any more of it into the engine. You have to get the whole system cleaned out before running the engine or even turning it over. The exposed hoses most likely should just be replaced. I'm not sure how to flush the engine, but an expert at a shop can tell you. The fuel in the tank and the hoses from the tank to the engine has to be expertly flushed and dealt with, which is not inexpensive. Gas disposal charges are many dollars per gallon, but it has to be done. Using the gas is much more expensive I do think that since the boat has no wooden structure, it can be cleaned up and made serviceable. Does that engine have an oil injection system? With a little tank for the oil? If yes, and the pump is what I once had, a diaphragm pump, that pump will either have to be replaced or rebuilt. The hoses also should be replaced. The diaphragm pump was a crappy design to begin with, and it most likely has been damaged by the ethanol/water/old gas. Do not trust it. If it fails your engine will fail. If your engine is running when it fails, your cylinders will be scored. There is no warning. I know this from experience. As others on the forum have said, I appreciate your service and hope you pursue getting your dream back on the water. I think it can be done, and if you do it, you will really be proud of what you have accomplished. I wish you well.

Not cheap. But if it yellowed in less than a season, the manufacturer was not using good wrap epoxy. You really cannot tell with factory rods much about how they are built.