papajoe222

I've been using Original Clear Blue Stren for decades. It's an easy line to watch when worming/jigging, isn't as stretchy as some and is more abrasion resistant than Big Game or XT, IMO. McCoy MeanGreen would be second on my list only because I'm a line watcher and it's difficult to see under most conditions.

I agree with Gary and Mike that the seat is not a major concern when it comes to weight savings, but it can make or break the deal for a customer when it comes to comfort and appearances. If Someone wants to add some bling to a build without adding the extra cost to them and work for me, this is the first place I focus. Personally, I like the PacBay exposed blank seats. Big hands and low profile reels mounted on a low profile seat make for joint discomfort. As with most components, personal preference is the main consideration. I do like the OP's idea. Sounds like a winner.

The past couple of seasons, I've been using circle hooks when I rig up worms for the kids I take fishing. I really like the fact that they don't need to set the hook (just reel with the rod tip around 11:00) and the kids don't have to deal with gut hooked fish. This year, I started using the octopus circle hooks that Gammy offers for myself when wacky rigging and although it takes a little self control, I have to say that I really like them. I even started using them on my split shot set-ups with excellent success. They've all but replaced the finesse wide gap Gammy for me for those two presentations. Does anyone use circle hooks on a regular basis and if so, what techniques do you use them for?

Is the twist with Big Game only happening on one reel? If so, check to make sure the roller on the bail is spinning freely. If it sticks under the slightest pressure remove, clean and lube the internal bearing. Something is causing the line to twist, it doesn't develop twists on its own. The only other thing that could cause a problem may be an over filled spool and the line is jumping off in coils during the cast.

I use both the Super Soft and regular Fluoro/Nylon Hybrid . If you're frustrated with line twist, changing line brands isn't going to solve the problem. Do a search for 'line twist' there are a number of threads on how to reduce/eliminate it, starting with how to spool it.

Sorry guy, already taken by Charlie BrewerHow about the Mustache Jig. Decorate their upper lips with your Mustache.

Not quite sure what you're asking I fish them because they're exciting to fish, even when you don't catch anything on them, there is the anticipation of a fish exploding ony second. If you're commenting on them not producing and wondering what to do, I only have one suggestion. The speed that you work a top water makes the difference between catching and just disturbing the water's surface. Vary your retrieve from fast to slow, with pauses and without aggressively or subtly. When you find out how the fish want it, stick with that retrieve until it stops working. When it does, don't put the topwater away until you try the various retrieves. Sometimes the bite doesn't die, they just change their preference.

There are a couple of things you can do to 'tune' them. As mentioned, make sure the blades spin freely. You can also bend the blades slightly back or forward to get less or more commotion. Heavier mono works best as it is stiff enough to stay out of the way of the front hooks. Nate, you're missing out on some great topwater action if you shut down using them when there's a chop on the water. Just as with spinnerbaits, a good ripple to a moderate chop seems to turn the bite on for prop baits and others like a Torpedo, or Lucky13 that make a lot of disturbance on the surface. The diffused light makes it more difficult for the fish to make out exactly what is causing the commotion and they seem to strike with more authority.

My best results with them are on days when there is a good ripple on the surface. A lot of guys like to rip them 8-12in. a rip, but I only use that retrieve when there is more of a chop on the surface. My normal retrieve is similar to using a PopR, just a little more aggressively. If it's more on the calm side, I'll let it sit after a few pops of the rod. Then again, I work topwaters a lot slower than you see the pros doing. I have more confidence in the fish actually getting the bait in their mouth that way.

Just wondering what your favorite way to add weight to a wacky worm presentation. I've tried jigs and nail weights. The jigs are time savers when rigging and nail weights seem to detract from that all enticing wiggle when added to the ends of the worm. I haven't tried adding a single nail weight to the center of the worm. Anyone?

I've built one with that blank. I actually love cranking now, well, more like enjoy it.

If it's a Plymouth and alive and kicking, you can bet it's kicking.

I'm looking into building three additional rods on white blanks and I need an epoxy that will dry and stay clear. The finish on my last white build made the butt wrap and decal noticeably darker than the blank. Any recommendations would be very welcome.

Now who's hooked? I'm assuming that you set the hook as soon as you saw the fish blow up on it and he didn't have the frog in his mouth. Waiting until you either see your line moving off to the side, or until you can feel the weight of the fish is difficult to do. I'm sure you've heard that before. With frogs a sure way to accomplish hesitating before setting hook, is to retrieve it with your rod tip held high. It takes a little time to reel down and set the hook.

Without depth finder, using a C-rig with a heavy sinker is a great way to not only present a bait to deeper fish, but for learning the bottom and what is there as far as it's composition and the presence or lack of cover.

Nah, he generally leaves me alone during fishing season. He did force me to purchase a Daiwa Sol a couple of days ago, but that seed was planted quite a while ago. Last winter as I recall.

Their MB843 blank is a good all purpose blank and they are available in different color options. My first was a white blank and I'll be working on a metallic green one in the near future.

This is one of the reasons I began building and one reason many anglers will continue to purchase custom rods. It's all about personal preferences. You're building the rod to please only one person. I have two rods with 12in. rear grips. I wouldn't dream of deep cranking all day with anything shorter.

I grew up with 60's and 70's rock and Mowtown, but my education in music came when I discovered jazz. During my college years, I'd hang out on Rush St. in Chicago listening to some of the best live jazz ever. Buddy Rich, Albert King and so much local talent back then. They were true artists, not performers, and their canvas was their music.

My girls are 35 and 40 and my proudest moments were seeing them come into the world. She'll always be your little girl and your boys will learn to live with that. Best Wishes and don't forget who to thank for the blessing.

We used to do something similar in biology lab with frogs. Great way to get the gals shrieking and disrupt things. Tried finding a way to do it with a pig in college, but without some form of electrical stimulation nothing happens. More recently, I've been trying to find a way to get the wife.........................never mind.

Back in the day, I'm talking late 60's and early 70's, I talked to plenty of fish and they didn't hesitate to reply. I just needed the right amount of drug induced perception to be able to understand them. Most of the time they were just giving me grief about the hook sticking out of their eye socket or in the roof of their mouth. Other times, it was just a stain on the boat's carpet that was talking.

One thing I learned years ago and I'm surprised more muskie and walleye anglers don't do, is to change directions during the retrieve. I rarely point my rod tip at the lure when retrieving. Somewhere during the retrieve I will move the rod tip left or right, up or down. The effect on the bait is similar to a baitfish changing direction or speeding up to avoid capture. I learned that little trick from an old muskie guide way back in the 60's. It's one of the best triggers to getting a following fish to commit to your offering. It works great on bass and most game fish.

I've used one or the other. The first (plastic trailer) to allow a slower presentation which all but eliminates the necessity of the trailer hook. In weeds and brush a trailer hook can spell disaster. A paddle tail trailer not only allows a slower presentation, it adds some lift to the mix also.

For a C-rig, I recommend a mono leader as it floats. The majority of the time, you'll want your offering up off the bottom and fluoro will, at the least, drag it down some. Unless it's chunk rock, I wouldn't worry too much about using braid. Most river rock is smooth. As others have mentioned, a C-rig is a headache waiting to happen in river current. A drop shot or split shot would be my choice with a short leader on the split shot rig.