MickD

Not in my opinion. Surprisingly, they are about the hardest rod to build, IMO, due to the very flimsy blanks. They are so flexible that wrapping is very difficult. Hard to control the blank even under the fairly light force of the thread under tension. You may find it different. I find multiple piece rods the easiest since one can have either both halves, or either alone, in the wrapper, whichever suits the builder best. Even fly rods are much easier than ice rods. Of course, if you're wrapping a fairly stiff ice blank, my comments are invalid. Another MI builder builds and sells them like crazy. He does some really nice grip/seat combinations. There is a lot of room for creativity in ice rods. Lots of new developments in reels over the last 5-10 years. Check out ThorneBrothers.com for reels, Jannsnetcraft.com for ice rod blanks and components.

Thanks to all who have contributed; I've learned a lot. For me, if I have to spend a few more bucks to go first class on fishign, I'll do it and find ways to find the money.

There are times when smallies like a very sharp twitch, and times when they want more of a sweep. I use small husky jerks most of the time. My perfect setup for small hard jerks is a 7 foot, ML power, moderate action (Rainshadow IP843blank) with micros, 10-15 pound braid and an FC leader. With the very light guides this rod can give whatever action the bass like, but is not too fast, keeps the small hooks in the fish quite well. Could be you're using too stiff a rod?

You're a fiction writer, right? :-) Fried chicken from the deli. I like the thighs best, but chicken fingers are less messy in the boat. + a couple waters, Gatorade, and a big Payday.

What is the significance of 34mm spools? I'm not familiar enough with the Daiwa products to know. thanks,

I would first check with the state dept of natural resources. Nothing wrong with keeping some fish depending on the local circumstances, which you should be aware of. In some cases a lake needs for fish to be taken out. There is no one answer that covers all lakes in all states.

Keep in mind that all rods that are colored are painted. If you feel strongly enough about the finish and don't mind voiding the warranty, you can pretty easily remove the paint and have a natural graphite finish which can either be left that way or made glossy with lumiseal or similar product (NOT EPOXY!). I have a brown SCV 7 foot med power, fast action and it is my favorite tube rod. I just started using a Rodgeeks 4 series 7 foot med power fast action and it, in my opinion, compares favorably with the SCV. It has a little more power, so not likely the right rod for drop shot. My point is that the 4 level Rodgeeks products are pretty darned good.

Why would you not ask St. Croix?

Keep in mind that building to a specific very light line application and choosing a reduction train starting with a 10 will mean the rod will not likely work very well with heavier line tests. So in the search of the ultimate low weight you give up the versatility of using the rod for a different application. The reduction guides are close to the butt, so don't affect the balance or sensitivity as much as the runners. If I were building it I would not go below 16 in the interest of keeping the capability of lines (braid) up to 15 or so. I doubt very much if 20 will work well with a 10. One way of checking it out would be to order extra guides and try it out. Then you need no one's opinion but your own. If the size 10 set of runners don't work to your satisfaction at least two of the guides will probably find their way into the reduction train of your next rod. Possibly all three after a 16 or 20 first guide.

I doubt if most of us can tell the difference between 4's and smaller. Until we get into cottonwood fluff or similar trash on the water.

One thing to keep in mind about all of the high ring/small diameter spinning guide systems is that they are very high. That's part of their success. However, if you want to put the rod with these guides into a rod tube, either to carry or in your boat, be sure they fit. My boat is such that its tubes are far enough away from the butts so that the first guide does not enter the tube, but if your boat is laid out differently, check it out. As stated earlier, I like the Fuji KLH system, lots of options in rings and finishes, it looks good, and performs well with the lines within its guidelines. I just don't like the looks of the new tangle-free Alps guides, but that's just personal preference.

The main issue with rods in the car is usually controlling the tips so you don't jam the tip into something when loading them and so they don't get jammed into something when you are driving. To prevent this I suggest bundling your rods together so all the tips are together and not splayed out helter skelter. Bundle them with hook/loop straps, the bendable plastic/wire devices from Home Depot, for the tips. Bungee cords can work for the butts. The object is to get them to form a single object that is easily controlled. I've done this for years and have never broken one. Sort of like plywood-each gains strength from the others. And most importantly, the tips are where you want them. Keep using your socks. I recommend having the butts in the back because they are tougher and won't be damaged if the rods bump into the rear of the trunk. The tips will be up front with you where you can keep tabs on them easily.

I guess for $20 I'd go Immortal. What are you going to do for guides? If I were to do it I'd do Fuji Klh with a three guide reduction starting from a 16 and use 4.5 KB's and KT's for runners. If you're interested consult their catalog, but I think it's 16-8-5.5M then a couple KB's, then Kt's to the end. I have a number of rods I've done this with, use 10-15 braid, and love them.

That's the next step up. The finish on that blank is really nice, IMO. It will go with just about any color thread.

Rainshadow Revelations are very fine blanks at a good price. S610MXF-SB Drop Shot/Shaky head 6'10" 6-14 3/16-1/2 0.425 4.5 X-Fast M 1.78 $65.83

I guess I should have stated it differently. If your rig casts long enough without going to really small guide sizes, then there is no need to, or no priority in using them. To me the only real reason for micros is sensitivity. I can build rods with bigger guides that cast far enough without using micros. If I were trying to milk the absolute most distance from a rod I would use "micros," about 3mm. I usually use 4-5 mm. What is a micro guide? Good question. I think a micro is a guide that the manufacturer says is a micro. Some manufacturers have other names for what most of us call micros. All guides have hole and a foot. Some have two feet. If the hole is small enough people call them micros, but there really isn't anything specific about what makes a micro a micro. Fuji offers a line of guides they call micro that go as big as 5.5. They are lightly built and have smaller feet than most other running guides. But they offer their KB guide which has the small ring and a bigger, stronger , foot for use in the higher stressed middle sections of rods. I've never had a micro fail. While they may bend more easily than some guides, they are usually so low that they don't snag on things and I find they don't get bent any more than other guides. Because it is so hard to apply a bending load to them, I find them less apt to bend than small diameter "Y" guides. I think the inspiration for the high reduction guides of smaller diameter and very small running guides was the use of similar configurations in distance casting competitions, but I could be wrong.

What is the difference between a 5 mm micro and a 5 mm standard guide? Most custom makers put something like a 6 or 8 as the first guide, based more on height than diameter, then the same size all the way to the tip. 2x + larger if you are considering a 2 or 3 mm micro for the comparison, but certainly not for a 4 or 5 as the micro comparison. I still maintain one must talk about ring sizes and not "micro" vs. "standard." It takes a pretty darned large knot to cause problems with a 5 mm micro. Or a 5 mm standard. I agree that the bigger the ring size the less problem you will have with knots. Part of the problem is the mis-use of small guides. For example, small guides on a big swim-bait rod. The reason for small guides is two-fold- increased sensitivity and longer casts. If the rod is to be used with lures like big-swim-baits or large cranks, sensitivity and long casts are a very low priority. Better to use larger, more reliable, guides.

With a double uni each line is more than doubled, more like 5 layers of it. We keep talking about "micros" as if that describes the guides. "micros" are available from about 2 to 5.5 mm, so there certainly are combinations of lines/leader/knots that will work with some of these and combinations that won't work with the smallest ones.

I just reread the original post, and I believe that the FG is the only knot that will work with micros and that heavy leader and line. On the other hand, tying the FG on that heavy leader and line is easier than tying it on lighter lines. It may be simply that you don't realize how hard you have to pull to tighten it. You have to pull it tighter than you've had to pull any other knot. EVER. EVER. I suggest you try a test FG with that combination, then take it apart with a razor blade. If that leader is not VERY distorted, permanent curls, you are not tightening the knot enough. I still suggest the half hitch treatment as I have proposed earlier when you tie a knot intended for fishing.

I am an FG fan, but the knot is very easy to screw up. Also, it doesn't like an aggressive twitching retrieve. Same for the Alberto. My suggestions are: 1. More wraps than normal as recommended above. 2. You have to pull it VERY tight to set it. What the knot actually does is deform the leader to form mechanical interlocks in the leader for the braid wraps, but if the braid comes loose, the knot is gone. So the next suggestion is 3. Concentrate on very tight, multiple, half hitches to finish it, then apply super glue or UV curing epoxy to just the half hitches. If you take one of your FG knots apart and see no permanent distortion of the leader, you are not tightening it enough. If it slips as you pull it tight, you are not using enough weaves. If the knot continues to slip as you pull, start over with more weaves-this knot is not salvageable. The FG is also different with lighter lines and leaders than with heavy ones for which it was developed. For lighter lines and leaders you really have to use a lot of wraps, and very tight, multiple, glued half hitches. I know there are those who don't seem to need to do all these things, but I wonder if they really use the knot with aggressive twitches. I cannot get away without doing them. The FG done right is a dream, very strong, very long lasting, very clean and quiet through the guides.

Bass Pro has a reel service offering in their catalogs and presumably on their web site. Why not go there with a BPS reel? Make sure it's not simply the pawl nut backing off which will allow the pawl to come out of engagement with the worm gear. The pawl and worm gear get the most crap, and are the most likely system to fail. I always lube them more often than the rest of the reel. Also, if the pawl were to freeze up and not pivot within the nut it would freeze the whole reel up. If that is what you are experiencing, don't force it.

The clearer the water and the brighter the day the lighter the color. The murkier the water and the duller the day the darker the color. This how I start the day. + chartreuse on any day, always worth a try. But you can never be sure, so if the habitat is suitable for spinnerbaits and you think bass are there, change every 5 casts or so until you find what they want. If they are bumping it and not eating it, you are close, but something is wrong, either blade color or skirt/trailer color, most likely.

The Simms is form fitting and ventilated around the mouth and nose, so it's my favorite over a few others I have that are simply tubular. I have not tried the Buff mentioned above. I think all are of a light, breathable, material, but verify to be sure. They not only shield from the sun, but wind, too. Face feels much better at the end of a long day vs. just sunscreen.

I have no river experience , but on lakes where the fish are coming in for the baitfish that are moving in, a 4 inch white Strike King KVD swim bait on a 3/16 darter head jig is really effective when allowed to drop almost to the bottom then snapped sharply up. Get into a regular cadence with it.Yesterday it was the only thing two of us could get action with from-63 degree water, very windy, very cloudy water. One interesting bite-I had my jig hung up and I sharply jerked it a few times to free it. As soon as it started to come, a fish hit it. Our best 5 were just shy of 25 pounds. Biggest two were 5-9.

If I remember right, you mentioned that cost was not a big consideration. So spend whatever it takes to get you what you think is the best blank available. Consider that your kids will pay for it through less inheritance, and if you brought them up right, they will not begrudge it. Also, consider that one of them will get the rod which will last them a lifetime if they take care of it properly. And it will be special to the them. I provide this advice based on experience. I've done it a number of times. Consider a little more advice. You cannot have too many rods. Learn from this one and have another go at the next, better, rod. This rod is not world peace. It's a rod. To answer your questions, .3 oz will not make a blank a "slug." All the blanks in the that weight range (~ 1.8 oz) will build into a fine rod. Weight depends on a lot of factors of blank design and construction. I do believe the more expensive materials make better rods, but I have a lot of nice rods from $75 blanks. I have started with many blanks in the 1.7 to 1.9 weight range, and they all are fine rods. The weight of the finished rod will be about 2 oz more than the blank weight, assuming a 1 oz reel seat and 1 oz for cork/carbon fiber/EVA etc and guides/wraps. This is for an efficient design without a lot of excess cork (split grip/no foregrip). A little more for burl cork, a little less for a skeleton seat (which I don't recommend due to poor ergonomics/comfort) or carbon fiber. Go for it!