MickD

The IMMWS72ML is around 325 g, 13 ERN, I believe, and would make a good BFS blank. The trouble with going lighter is that you'll have trouble handling good-sized fish-it won't have enough power. I use that blank built as a spin for Ned rigs. I'll check my data later to be sure I'm remembering the numbers right. Don't worry about using blanks called "spin." Blanks are blanks and what matters are the power and action NUMBERS. Subjective descriptors are a crap shoot.

I see posts on forums of builders taking excess epoxy off the wraps, which brings up the question: why is there excess epoxy to take off? I never take any excess epoxy off. And I never get footballs. Wavy epoxy is often caused by two issues: Applying heat and applying too much epoxy. I would rather "fix" a wrap with another coat of lite than fight footballs and waves. Without regard for my practices, develop what works the way you want it for you. Then do it that way every time.

I have a few rods with Winn grips, as does my son. None of those rods have shown premature wear/fuzz/any problems. I wonder if some of the problems reported are due to Deet-they, like most elastomers, are sensitive to Deet.

I don't know Irod. But if Irod is foam, they are not Winn. https://www.winngripsfishing.com/

Winn Grips are not foam, but are a tacky, rubbery layer over a somewhat firm foam core. They are a lot like tennis racket grips or the tape you put on bike handle bars. They feel very nice even when wet, but some consider their durability to be suspect. Seems like a lot of immature comments here where "everything I like is right, everything else sucks." Come on guys, different strokes for different folks.

One thing that you can try in the future, if you have not already done so, is the Lite variety of wrap epoxy. That is what I prefer, and in most cases with guide wraps I only need one coat and don't get footballs. On decals and other longer lengths of coverage I often will use two coats, having found a defect of some sort in the coverage. Usually dust.

Every fly grip I've seen has evidence of filler having been used. I have not seen a recent Sage or Thomas and Thomas grip. It would be interesting.

Pflueger President is a good choice, as is the Daiwa Fuego.

Braided line cannot keep any weight jig from sinking. It's very close to neutrally buoyant. I fish a lot of smallies in clear water with 15 pound braid and 15 pound FC leaders about 5 feet long and have seen no indication of fish being line shy. I could be missing some fish, but don't think many. If you want to go longer, fine, but I think 15 feet is excessive. I would keep the knot out of the reel which would give a leader length of about 8 feet. The weight of the jig tube is usually dependent on water depth and/or the aggressiveness of the retrieve. I generally find subtle , slow sinking, weights work the best and we get quite a few hits on the fall. The deeper the water the heavier the jig. For depths less than about 8 feet I use 1/8 or 3/16, for deeper fishing 1/4. I don't fish deeper than about 15. If I did I would be using 3/8 more often.

I just tie with a normal terminal knot, no loop. It takes a little practice to get the stinger mono length right, but it works very well when you get it right.

Yes, just as would happen with a normal jig at the terminal knot to the line. But it can be of any strength you want. I use 15 and have never had it fail.

Then I wouldn't go longer. I made the comment because it seems so many are in love with short UL rods without having tried longer ones which in most cases offer a much better fishing experience.

I suggest you try longer UL rods. Much better for hook sets and casting distance.

I didn't get this done exactly right, the hook goes into the back seam of the lure and that seam lines up with the eye of the jig head. The hook was cut off at the start of the bend, so the shank is inside the swimbait. The jig head is one with a coil for attaching the lure. Mono connects the treble to the eye of the jig head. This is a 3.8 fat and the treble is a size 6 VMC. For a 3 inch I'm guessing an 8 treble would be right.

This is close. The hook is cut off at the bend so the bait can be screwed onto the screw retainer. Instead of using a snap, use mono from the eye of the jig to the treble. Use a smaller treble than this, about half the size of this one. The treble goes into the back of the swimbait, on top, same side as the eye of the jig. You don't want the treble in the bottom of the lure; you want it on top and it cannot be this large or it will tend to turn the lure over which you don't want. Get it done right and the motion in the water will look just like conventional swim bait rigging. I'll see if I can get a photo of my actual rig.

I'll try to get one, raining like heck out there right now, though.

Best hook set percentage, and doesn't hinder the action: Screw lock jig head of your choice, cut the hook off at the bend, put the Keitech onto the jig by screwing it on, run a mono strung stinger small (size 8, I think-use your own judgment) treble back from the eye and sink one of the treble points into the back of the Keitech a little less than half way back. I do this for the 3.8's but it should work with the smaller one, just go down as appropriate on the treble size. I make a few up in advance to have them ready.

Cannot go wrong with Tatulas.

If you, like I do, have trouble wrapping on their ridged blanks, be sure to order the mirror finish. The ridges offer no advantages and to some make wrapping more difficult. I don't think the mirror finish is available on all blanks, but am not positive.

T wings pass leader knots bigger than an FG. Everything Daiwa makes in reels is top quality for its price.

Anything over about a dozen weaves of the FG prevents the knot from tightening properly, according to what I've read. Makes sense since it does require the braid to actually deform the leader by the weaves tightening onto it. More is not always better. But everyone is focused on the knot when this problem may be the quality of the leader and not a knot issue. Double uni's are about as reliable as it gets.

I have no idea of how to fix this issue. But I think I know how to prevent it. Don't tear your reels apart past the first "no-tool" level of disassembly. The only reason to do more is if the reel has been dunked in the lake, and then, leave it to an expert servicer. I have dozens of reels, cast, spin, fly, and they just keep on working year after year with just a "first level" disassembly, clean, and lube. I spend a lot more time fishing than I do in figuring out how to put it back together correctly.

NFC just released a new fly rod blank FAF 763-4! 4 piece 7 1/2 feet. 75 degree AA so it's pretty fast for a fly rod.

They look a lot like the Ghost minnows I use.

May I suggest you hold the fish more vertically so you don't stress the fish's jaw so much?