MickD

Great question. I've put a lot of thought into it in light of the conflict of theories of matching the hatch vs. colors and shapes that simply are not in nature and yet they can be at times effective. My theory is that fish respond to a variety of stimuli which tweak their instincts (they don't reason, think) and the combination of stimuli plus the "mood" of the fish determine whether they bite. The stimuli are shape, size, color, movement (both on a micro and macro level) , sound, and maybe others that I cannot think of right now. The importance of each probably changes with season, water color and temperature, "mood," lake/stream characteristics, etc etc etc. We probably all have experience with fish in certain lakes seemingly having preference for certain colors. I've heard guides on Lake St Clair say the only color they need to fish there is green. I think the best Ned color there is Canada Craw, which has a lot of green in it. What in fresh water looks like a tube? But a tube can be made to move a lot like stuff in nature. Edit: Forgot smell. The old garlic Chompers always did well on smallies.

You have nothing to lose by putting a new guide on it. If you don't you are not using it. If you do and it breaks you are not using it. If you do replace the guide and it doesn't break, you win. I expect, as Chris says, that a new guide will fix it just fine.

Otter 17's approach will work well, as will covering the eye with UV curing epoxy and setting it with UV. No need to remove the eyes. Just cover them, overlapping onto the lure body, with one or the other. (UV curing epoxy = Solarez and many others)

Doesn't matter. They just keep on working. My son used the removable ratchet type for many years, then I installed boat buckles on his trailer. He thought he had died and gone to heaven. I respectfully do not think anyone can install, properly tighten, and velcro down the loose strap on the removable ones in 30 seconds. I certainly never could. It was always a PIA and I never could get them as tight as I easily can with boat buckles.

watermelon/candy/red lam

Please explain the details of doing it right.

I wonder if we all are thinking the same stuff when we say "boat buckle." I have never found any user of the retractable "boat buckles" ever comment on loosening. They are easily tightened very tight and they stay tight. Every time . I tried to think of how they could possibly come loose and I think the only way is if the boat is located forward of the retractors and then moves back on trailering. If the retractors are located properly and the boat is snugged up tightly into the bow stop, I just don't see how they can come loose.

If you go to the retractable straps they will stay tight and turn a multi- minute PIA job into a 10 second piece of cake.

Yes, the tips and ice rods are tough. I don't even do ice rods.

Looking good Michael. One thing I suggest you consider, any wraps longer than about 1/16-1/8 off the foot of the guide just add weight and slow the recovery speed of the blank. Especially near the tip. You can shorten the wraps without sacrificing anything in performance, will help performance.

Maybe not as "strong" as advertised.

A-Jay, we geniuses lead a lonely life.

Interesting that an internet search doesn't find anything like this. OP has a link to a news article or something concrete?

One thing that can affect catching fish is if you are a smoker and the tobacco smell is on your hands. Wouldn't affect catching on something like a surface lure, but if the fish have time to look it over, it can really screw it up. If you are a smoker, give it up, at least while on the water, and wash your hands after smoking. Lecture time from a reformed smoker: Its not about what you are giving up; it's about what you are gaining, health and freedom.

Yes, it can go right over the wraps. Clean it with something like windex, pick or sand away anything loose, and then Permagloss can go on.

I feel compelled to mention that while NFC does provide a multitude of fine blanks, trying to figure out what the power and action they have is problematic. Very problematic. Because they describe rods of different powers and actions with the same subjective words. A medium power "drop shot" blank will be very far under the power of a "spin jig" rod that is called medium power. An ultra light spin blank could be called "fast action" when most builders would consider it slow. But they must think it's fast for an ultra light. This results in even experienced builders buying "surprises," blanks that they never wanted but based on the subjective descriptions, thought were right. If you want the "best," and described accurately with CCS numbers, go with Point Blank. Point Blank publishes objective numbers describing power and action. https://www.common-cents.info/CCS_basic_Layout_1.pdf CCS was developed for fly rods but it works with everything.

For the Shiawassee, get DT4 and 6.

DT's work! When the water is cold, fishing for smallies, I often pick the one that will tick the bottom, and slowly retrieve it until it ticks, then stop and let it rise for a few seconds, then repeat.

Try this some time, mount that seat uplocking with either a custom made ramp off the front (cork/carbon fiber/EVA) or the EVA piece available from Mudhole off the front. In my opinion, it looks better and fishes better with the only hand contact being on the swell and the ramp off the front. No threads contact. Dry assemble it to see if you like it. One hook keeper I really like is to use a wire single foot fly guide (Alps XTCHSFGP size 2) . Nice glossy black finish, unobtrusive, easy to use, can be bent to function like a drop shot keeper, placed at 180 degrees just off the front, no line catching on it.

Since the water is likely so cold that the fish would be in "winter mode," I would try what my son uses when ice fishing for LMB, and that is a totally stationary small lure off the bottom about a foot or so. Which would lead me to a drop shot, cast it and leave it for long periods. When ice fishing we can see the fish on the depth finder slowly approach the lure, watch it for a while, then often eat it. We don't move the lure for a long time, then just barely twitch it, just BARELY.

I keep my thumb on the spool when reeling in which puts a little tension on the line as it's laid onto the spool.

Yes, very nice.

This is a common problem. I think the cause is that the epoxy takes so long to cure that it has time to work under the edges. Here is what I do and it works. Place the decal (many recommend a sub coat of epoxy, good advice for ridged blanks, but I don't do it on smooth blanks) and with the backing paper placed over the decal to protect it, burnish it aggressively, especially hard on the edges. Use your smooth burnishing tool or something like a permanent marker housing). Put a light coat of color preservative over the edges. Just a little will be enough, and it will disappear. After it dries overnight apply your epoxy. Some put CP over the whole decal, your choice. I cannot get your photo links to work, why not just attach a .jpg to your comment in the provided box. You might have to resize it if it's a big file. Yup, another reason to go with Point Blank. American Tackle isn't the worst source for this problem.

I always use a leader pound test just below my line pound test. Which is often about 15 pound test leader.

This has always worked for me. Even when I start at full throttle.