jimmyjoe

Really? Tell me more. ? jj

Tight line ........... out of habit, I guess. jj

Exactly. Thirty five years ago, I weighed my fish. Game warden looked at my catch one day and said, "Jim, I don't care if that fish weighs two pounds or two tons. If you're fishing here, it better be fifteen inches or you're gonna pay." Threw my scales away and bought a tape. ? jj

I would be careful with that. There are a good number of possibilities having to do with this matter, but calling someone a liar without any proof is not constructive. jj

For what you describe, I use a St. Croix Mojo Bass Glass 7'-02" H/M rod called the "Rip-n-Chatter". I've used mono line on it, but right now I have braid. I specifically bought it for 1 oz. spoons, and it performs very well. The "Fred's Magic Stick" that Tom mentioned ( I believe that's what he referred to) is also a great rod with a stellar reputation. jj

I like black bean salsa on mine, mixed with a little (not much!) Tapatio. jj

Hey ..... another first-topwater-bass-on-a-Hula-Popper man! Welcome! (Mine was in '63.) ? jj

If you're a skeptic, no great depth of information exists. No certifiable photo of that day, no affidavit by Page and no other eyewitnesses. If you're not a skeptic, the man's reputation for reliability and honesty coupled with the weight on a certified scale at the Post Office are enough ..... at least enough for me. The real question is this: Is there any evidence of fraud or incompetence? I don't think so. Just because we don't totally understand how they built the pyramids doesn't mean they didn't do it. ? jj

Spoons are the biggest untapped natural resource a fisherman has. Weedless slop spoons are the mother lode. The only thing you need to worry about is gluing your fingers together if you follow @Catt's advice! ??? jj

Truer words were never spoken! ? jj

I began to run line through my fingers many years ago, to keep the Mississippi mud off my line and out of my spool. It's now an ingrained habit; I do it constantly. It seems to help line lay, both with braided and nylon lines. It's nice to get ahead of a problem before the problem gets bad! Seems to work for cottonwood seeds, too. jj

These are the answer. Although newer brake systems are made to appeal to the beginner with ever-increasing sophistication, the old ways are still the best ways. Brakes are good, but the thumb is best. Yes, it's a PITA to learn thumb-priority over brake-priority, but once you learn to use the thumb, you can adapt to sudden, unpredictable changes in your casting conditions. One other thing; if you've just got fluff and not an actual bird's nest, always pull line off with the drag engaged. This gives you firm, consistent tension to eliminate further looping. It helps to line up the line coming off the spool with the levelwind eye, too. That advice doesn't apply to a full-blown backlash. Good luck! jj

FWIW, the Cardiff is easily maintained. It's easy to disassemble, clean, repair if needed and re-assemble. Don't know how important that is to you. jj

Nope ..... that one should be enough. jj

Is there a shim under the control cap that is missing? jj

Yes, you're getting old and crabby. Don't feel bad; I'm old and crabby, too. I think there are a lot more of us, so we're in good company. ? ? ? jj

To me, everything boils down to one thing: did that fish leave the area, or are they still hanging around the same place? If they don't hang around, just forget it. You're very unlikely to draw them back in with any lure because they're most likely spooked. If they hang around, I've seen the soft plastic ruse work. I've seen it work with a senko, and I've seen it work with a fluke. The exception to all this is topwater. If they miss on a topwater, stay with the topwater. Just be patient, that's all. This is just my 1/50th of a dollar. ? jj

The issue is not what we gain with a shorter rod, the issue is what do we gain with a longer rod. For salmon/steelhead, it's line pickup. A lot of them are float rods. As for inshore rods, lengths are all over the map. I seriously doubt that a high percentage are 8', much less over 8'. I could be wrong, though. ? jj

The lines that I use around riprap (Yo-Zuri Hybrid and Big Game) get changed out about every month, maybe more often. I'm a shorecaster, and the abrasion is fairly constant. My lines for unobstructed water (InvizX and Trilene XL) last several months. jj

I have many bad habits, but one of them is using poppers only in the margins, and only in shallow water. Essentially, like a frog without the heavy weeds. jj

I sure hope they never market a replacement for Preparation-H! ? ? jj

InvizX. jj

Don't let anyone buffalo ya. We're all still learning. ? jj

I assume you're using a spring bobber. Try a slip bobber. A slip bobber increases the hookset success at distance. jj

If the NASCI comes with shims, it appears you need to add the thinnest one to the main shaft. jj