Bass Junke

Oh I have been wandering around the dark side for a while now. Bought a book on the subject. Once I finish that, I will re-watch some videos, then finally assemble. I am rethinking my jig design. Mine is to large. I am going to build a much narrower one to make wrapping close to the tip easier. Also build a... I don't know what it is called, an extra leg, an outrigger? Something that is the same scale as the jig but can support the rod and handle when wrapping the tip. I am almost ready and feel good about it. Love all the advise.

Thank you everyone. Hook2jaw, can't wait to see your stuff. So that guide came off of a 30$ BPS rod, I did file the bottom to make sure it was smooth. I did not want to score my new blank. So file the foot down even flatter. This is good to know. I'm guessing it is the little things that come from experience that separate the good rods from the great rods from the awesome rods. Thank you.

Happy holidays everyone. So way back on Father's Day I bought a Rainshadow blank, the SB822.5. Someone suggested it and the specs were right. I finally got around to buying some thread and basic tools. A buddy of mine gave me a cheap 30$ BPS 2 piece rod he did not want anymore. I learned how to cut guides off of a blank. I used one of those guides to practice. The photo is my first successful wrap over a guide with a trim band. I think it came out pretty good, the colors are bad, think I will use black instead of gray. In the end I ended up using the book method, I think Mick suggested that. The mousetraps were a good conversation piece but the book provided more consistent tension, thanks Mick. I think I am about ready to build a rod.

I bought that 30 dollar skirts unlimited kit from Tackle Warehouse to go with a bunch of Boss jig heads. Enough to skirt 50 jigs. (2 pieces of skirt material per jig. I like 2.5 per jig.) Awesome colors which allow you to create great combinations.

I had a gift card for BPS but the local shop did not have the model I wanted so had to order off their website. It shipped to my house. I was thinking the same thing. Thanks Mick, good stuff as always. I had to read these posts 3 times before I figured out what you two were talking about. My brain is not operating at 100% yet this Monday morning. What a great idea turn a reel foot into a peep sight.

Thanks for all your responses. If I put the guides on, I don't think I could live with it. I am not going to do anything about it. I have been fishing and catching with it. It's all good. I was just a little surprised to see the lapse in quality control.

Hey guys, so I just bought a new reel and am living in denial hoping to get out on the water again. I am putting this reel on a St Croix 7'1" MH Bass X. I am looking down the length of the rod and I notice the tip is way off to the left. I'm thinking NBD heat up the tip and straighten it out. The more I stare down the length of this rod the more guides I start seeing not lining up. Another check mark in the reasons to build your own rods column. Which I still am planning on doing this winter, I bought a blank during the Father's Day sale at Get Bit. There is a photo below I think you can see it. A couple of questions. Should I do anything about it? The tip looks like it is covered in clear coat. Do manufacturers do that to tip tops? A lot of guys talk about buying a cheap rod just to learn how to take off guides. I am guessing removing guides without damaging the blank is not a walk in the park. Is it something that a very careful guy who is very good at intricate work and also an aspiring rod builder should do to a rod he does not want to ruin because he needs it until he can build a better replacement? Should I just send it back to St Croix? It is only a couple of months old and in perfect shape, caught a few fish on it, learned how to pitch with it. Or should I just live with it because it just shot up the list of rods to be retired to number 2?

I have been scoping these out since Plano announced them. A little pricey but boy do they look worth it. Thank you BlueBasser and Glen those photos are awesome. Makes me want them even more. That terminal tackle box looks pretty cool. Little pull out trays with clear covers. Sounds like terminal tackle heaven.

Hoping to fish through December this year. Hate breaking everything down and all of a sudden a Saturday in late November early December is 75 degrees. I'm going fishing. Southern Mass is funny, last year the ponds were only hard for just over a month.

Funny story. I want to service my own reels. Figured I would start with A spinning reel I had a duplicate of. Not any good videos out there for spinning reels. Might have taken it down a step to far because the tiny little spring that holds free spool switch in position went flying. I am never going to find that. Even if I do find it, it is so tiny, I am never getting that spring back on. Fast forward a week, I am looking for something on the floor with my head lamp on, what do I find, that tiny little spring. I grab a magnifying glass and some tweezers, the spring is back on the reel is all cleaned and lubed and good as new. I will service my spinning reels now without worry. Baitcasters are a bit harder way more parts. However there is a 4 part video series by tackle junky that is about as in depth as you can get. I have watched it a couple of times. I think a couple more times before I attempt this.

Check this out. Very portable and going from boat to boat is quick. https://www.fishfindermounts.com/

Thanks Dogbone. Saw a 8.1 to 1 Tatula in the 120 range. Not a bad deal, might pull the trigger on that one.

WDY, is there a thread about it being 50% off and if it is worth purchasing at 50% off? I believe you missed some of the point of the post. I was really trying to put some helpful info out there, I am sure there are some Concept Z fans out there that might want to know of a potential bargain. Additional info, Pflueger is having a sale on their site. Not as aggressive as last year but still. Wise words. Kinda echoing my thoughts. Moving on.

I was just on Amazon. Concept Z reels under and around 100 dollars. Looking for a new reel. Don't know much about 13 Fishing. I am a big fan of good deals though. I have read some mixed reviews on these reels but they must be worth grabbing for half price. Thoughts?

I smell my hands after I catch a fish all the time. Haven't figured out if I like the smell yet, but I still do it.

I have been pitching from my kayak for about a month now. When I was in Newport for a week my wife and I rent a house with a bunch of friends. We don't really do anything but eat and drink. The house has a 20' by 40' deck attached to it. I spent the entire week pitching into solo cups on that deck. Got okay at it, still a lot to learn. I do not have a framed seat on my kayak so I am basically pitching from about 6" off the water. Little tricky at first but once you start doing it, all kinds of possibilities open up. Keep practicing.

Good to know. I bought 3 shakey heads. Those were not bad. Might stay away from the jigs though.

I have also been doing this all season. Although I have removed the braid from my spinning reel and spooled up some co-polymer because it was so great on my bait caster. Horrible line management issues. had to do ^^^^ after every outing. It was constantly wrapping around my tip. Finally gave up and went to straight floro. The floro is actually better(8lb sunline sniper), I still do ^^^^ after every outing. Helps with line management and makes it real easy to feel a nick or kink.

If you get into an accident where you receive injuries that leave you on deaths doorstep, America is the best country to be in. If you have an ongoing condition ( diabetes) this is the worst country to live in. There is no money for the insurance companies if they cure you. On the other hand, if they can keep you alive with medication...$$$. The way I look at it, if you can't make me better, I shouldn't have to pay for medication to keep me alive. We have the best and brightest in this country, figure it out.

I think about this more often than I should. Then I think about our purpose in the universe. I shudder, and think about all the self-absorbed people in the world and how we all matter. I never arrive at any conclusions, I just make my head hurt. So now I just accept my place in the universe and think about fishing. Much easier on the brain.

Catt, curious about the sinker stop. What is its purpose?

I do. I have a soft plastic fetish. During the winter months I usually have soft bait near me while watching TV. I have a Mister Twister sassy shad at my desk at work. Never know when I might need a little stress relief, or to daydream about how to rig up this piece of plastic in my hand and cast it to open water. Yes I have a problem, first step is admittance. Have we started that support group yet?

I do this also. The Boss jigs have been great, skirting them yourself is easy and fun. However I bought the skirts unlimited kit on TW for 30$. That has everything you need to make 50 jigs. The kit advises to use 2 pieces of skirt material. I kind of like two and a half. Plus that half allows you to add a third color. You can be pretty creative, I love to add a half a skirt of red to a lot of my jigs.

Thought the OP was between Bur Oak Landing and Millennium Park. That section Navionics seemed to have forgotten about. Or is that section really that featureless?

Hope it works out for you. Yea but if you keep scrolling East, it stops. Navionics needs finish up. Lets all at Bass Resource start a petition and ask Navionics to plot out every body water in North America. Shouldn't be to hard