ejtaylor822

To fit the cork rings, or the assembled grip, to the blank. The rings tyipcally have a 1/4" dia hole in them and they have to be reamed to fit on the blank. Pretty tedious as you want the internal shape that you are reaming to match the taper of the blank. Its quite a bit of work but does get easier the more you do. Eddie

I get Bassmaster and Bass times and like them both. Bass times, naturally, focues a lot on the tournaments, but I really like the insight into the techniques and application that is used. Will have to check out the others.

I agree. Have always great results with Cabela's. Great selection, reasonalble pricing, and shipping has been great.

Yes. Just remember, the cops will never think it is as funny as you do. ;D Man, I wish we would get some good snow down here. We have not had a good snow down here in YEARS. Throw a snowball and ride a sled for me. Great pic, BTW. Edie

I love these new handle kits from Mudhole! I actually extended this out past the 19" tube length for this blank. This is Lamiglas 2-pc Salmon/Steelhead 8'6" heavy-power fast-action blank that I am planning to use for in-shore/back-bay and light surf fishing (baitcaster) that I have had for a while. It's an incredible blank and I have been waiting to do something special with for a long time. When I got this handle the other day, knew this is what I wanted to use it on. The quality, fit and finish on this are excellent. Plan on using a lot of these in the future especially since the trim rings come in different colors. It actually comes with the "guick lock" fore grip, and a skeleton hood for which ever one you want. I went ahead and used the quick lock as I wanted a foregrip and to keep the look of the foregrip/EVA that came with it. Wanted to pass on in case anyone is interested in that Matagi look but would rather spend $50 instead of $500. Eddie

I like the one my contractor used when we were building our house. He was letting me use his cordless drill and referred to it as an "electrician's hammer". I thought it was funny. Next day I was working around the electrician. I watched him drill a hole through the bands under the house, insert a fitting then flip the drill around and start hammering away on it with the back top of the drill. It was really funny at that point. Eddie

Good job! That will work, Red. For me half the fun of rod building is tool building. Eddie

Yes. Very much so..... I sent Scott and email last week talking about this with him and if we could can get an "arrangement". Told him I would be out next week or two and check out the new digs. Know I will be coming home with something. I really like Mudhole though and the pricing and service is very good from them. Regardless, its dangerous to have someone 30 mins away..... Eddie

Yes, that is the way to do it. I bought a "discount" blank to make my own, but, just couldn't bring myself to cut up a perfectly good blank. When you make one, just leave about 1/2 to 3/4" of the end exposed out of the handle so you can chuck it up in a drill/lathe. That is what I love about these. Chuck them in the drill to get the hole so it is workable, then, take out of the drill and the grip is very easy on the hands to finsh and fit to the blank. I epoxy dowels in mine to make them very strong and hold in the chuck better. Just be careful when using in the drill/lathe when working with EVA or hard/dense grip material like rubber cork rings. The reamer can get really hot causing the glue to melt and making a real mess. Once again, hasn't happened to me, I, uh, heard about it happening to another guy...... :-[ Eddie

I deal primarily with Mudhole, Swampland and fishsticks4u. But, 80% of my business is with Mudhole. Tremendous service and given that they are a few states away my orders are usually here in a couple of days. I would encourage you, though, if this is something you are going to do seriously to get a relationship established with a vendor. Know their products, selection, and the folks that work there and will make life easier on you. Eddie

That is awesome! What blast.

That is really nice.

I use these reamers: http://www.mudhole.com/Shop-Our-Catalog/Reamers-and-Abrasives/Professional-Reamer-w-Handle Started with the small size and use it 10:1 compared to the other sizes I also have. Really like these reamers. And like flechero said, I replace the paper with belt sander pieces cut in strips - note though - just don't cut it in two - cut on the seam that is glued/taped together. Otherwise, is hard to lay flat when putting on the reamer, I heard about this, never happened to me :-[. I use rubber cement to glue the stips on. Eddie

Hey, are you asking will one spool be enough? Yes. One spool will be a plenty - including practice wraps. Eddie

Not a drummer - bassist - but a drummer at heart. Its been my experience that the good drummers - musicians that is - learn all there is to know about their instrument and their craft to add to the song. The old saying about "when all you have is a hammer everything is a nail" applies. Brushes add another dimension and are another tool in the drummer's trick bag. The good ones will have a set of brushes in there stick bag - just in case - and know how to use them. Check out the good drummers - the ones that stay busy and everyone wants to work with - guarantee they have brushes and use when it adds to the song. (The same way when I would show up for a date/gig/audition for the first time and not knowing what to totally expect. I had a bag full of pedals, multiple basses (fretted and fretless), and other "tools" out in the car just in case - don't want to lose a gig cuz the distortion pedal is at home and the producer wants a dirty bass sound in the mix.) Check out Carter Beauford with Dave Mathews (Bela Fleck, Carlos Santana, Victor Wooten among others) he uses brushes (as well as mallets and his hands) a lot for texturing the cymbals and light percussion. All about bringing something different and adding to the song. His main influence? Buddy Rich. Neal Pert (Rush) and a lot of the big studio cats like Dave Weckle, Steve Gadd, Kenny Arnoff, Anton Fig and others you will see and hear using brushes on occasion. There is a sweet soft cymbal sound that only comes with a brush. You won't see brushes in the hands of the drummers on MTV, but the good ones still have and use them. The up and comers that want to master their craft will learn and use them as well. Eddie

I like it. If you don't, PM and I will give you my address and you can send it to me. ;D

Hey Red, Here is the story for the one I use. Totally home made from scrap. http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1204259464/0#0 Here is how it looks today - not quite a year later. It is still very much a work in progress although after a year of wrapping on it think I have the kinks worked out. One thing I would recommend is that you drill some holes so that you can move/remove the v-block stands. That should help with getting them in the right location - that is what I had to do to get tips and splits wrapped. I used 1/4" dowels. Close up view showing the drilled holes. This is about the only change I have made. (BTW, the burn marks are from holding the micro torch too close while I inspect the finish for bubbles :-[) Here is picture of my thread tension device. Very simple. In the original I had used the bolts along with a fender washer, pan washer, spring and a nut - in that order. But, didn't take too long to realize that the turning of the thread loosened the nut so I added a wing nut which fixed the problem. One day I needed a something guick just to hold the thread so instead of using the nuts I slapped on an alligator clip just to hold it. Well, I stated messing around with it and they work great. So, now all I use is the alligator clips and adjust as needed for the tension and have not had one move on me. Eddie

Burt Reynolds.

Flechero, I can believe it, its just my big old fat fingers get in the way. Especially on single foot guides. Double foot guides are somewhat easy as I can hold onto one foot while prepping the other - pulling the ring against the outside of my finger. But single foots guides, the smaller ones, less that a 20 or so, just can't keep a good hold on them. Eddie

Amazing what those little guys will go after. I was out testing a new saltwater swimbait in the pond. The lure was about 9" long, didn't even feel it get hit but when I pulled it in had a little about 6" dink on it.

That is so cool. I want to catch me some peacocks!!!

No. I worked in a grocery store in HS. Part of it in the meat department and we sold whole pork brains. Yes folks bought them and ate them.

That is awasome! Congratulations!

Bassectomy, yes, just like Booten was saying it helps the thread smoothly "climb" up the guide. Will give you a nice smooth transition from the blank to the guide and help the thread lay a lot smoother on the guide. Here is a #6 fly guide. This is the FIRST time I have ever been able to do fly guides, even with a file. Sorry for the bad/fuzzy pic. Prepped guide feet using the tool. For the most part this is the way I want to get the feet to look. This tool is about the only way I can consistently acheive on smaller guides. #30 guide feet. There were done by hand. Painted up and ready to be installed - after they dry. Three sets of BYAG-309's - 27 guides - prepped and ready to be installed. All total took about 45 mins. Would have spent that just on one set - and no prep of fly guide feet. Eddie

Try some jerk and swim baits on that rip-rap. Especially on sunny days - assuming the rip-rap is getting sun. The rip-rap will warm and bring up bait fish and other creatures - which will then bring up the bass. Rettieve them slow with LONG pauses on the jerk bait.