GetFishorDieTryin

Rapala made some serious cuts, but the main rod designer/engineer, Ricky is still there. Just like rod series they cut way back on reels as well. I don't know if the designers are still there or not. The design of the rods and reels haven't changed. Other than availability, there is no difference in pre or post Rapala rods. 13 had the best customer service I've ever experienced, and I was a SC guy for 2 decades. If it half as good as what it used to be, it's still better than the vast number of companies on the market.

It had to be first gen Triumphs then. Because Mojo debuted in 08 or 09. Even then it took a few years to work out the kinks in Fresnillo. My preorder OG Mojo had a crooked tip. Surprisingly enough the absolute worst rod SC ever produced as far failures go, by far is the 2021 Mojo inshore. Failure rate was close to 40% in the quarter they were available. I know a couple guides who only fished with SC because of good customer service, after 2 replacement mojos breaking, the one guy won't buy one ever again. SC initially said it was operator error. Eventually they admitted they had 2 defective batches of blanks. That line is still having major issues, today, getting a good one is hit or miss. SC did finally start to try to make things right by waving the $40 replacement fee and upgrading to Avid Inshore, but the damage has been done.

Prior to the Fresnillo location coming online, I thought everything was out of Park Falls. What did they have made in China? Was it the reels?

Pure tungsten is very hard element to work with. It took a long time for Federal to find a solution so that they could produce a perfectly round non tox waterfowl load that would perform far better than steel, have similar ballistics to lead and have superior deformation resistance than bismuth. They eventually figured out that a tungsten iron alloy had a slightly lower melting point and enabled the alloy to be molded into any desirable shape. 30 years later they still use iron, but nickel and other elements are added to attain the desired properties. Pure tungsten has a melting point north of 6k degrees. You can't melt it in a crucible or forge; specialized furnaces are required. Zinc/zinc alloys or tin would be much cheaper and easier non tox metals to work with.

The Rozy 77s use a #8 Duo Nano, which are available to buy. My scale only goes to tenths of a gram and the Nano #8 is .3gs. I think the G finesse nano #6 are also .3 and the #5 is .4. The Owner single replacement #2 is .4 as well. Rozantes are very precisely weighted. .1 g will noticeably affect the buoyancy. I use them for fluke on the edges of inlet channels at low tide. I want them to suspend, so I put a #5 gami nano on the belly and a #2 single replacement hook. Keep in mind SW has a higher specific gravity in comparison to FW. Meaning that same combo could cause that Rozante to sink in FW. Like the vast majority of SP JBs the Rozante in reality is a slow float. If you swap the #6 duo nanos on the 63sp with the #8 duo nano the 63sp almost perfectly suspends. Once you get to a #6 Duo nano the wire gauge is noticeably heavier and would likely cause the 77 to sink in warmer water. IMO the Duo nanos are the best stock hooks ive ever used. Like all strong lightwire nano trebles they resist bending. If they do bend more than a few degrees DO NOT attempt to bend them back. Those hooks have a high tensile strength, that coated hardened wire is great for stupid sharp points and a slick surface. The only negative with those style hooks are that they are somewhat brittle after bending. Ive broken several that were buried in the roof of the mouth when I really put pressure on them. Im certain the #8s are .3 and fairly confident im recalling the correct info. My Gami trebles and single replacements are still in my boat. Ill get them in a little while and weight again. If I didn't recall the correct weight I will let you know.

Rubber has more buoyancy and a different density when compared to most silicone skirting. When silicone gets cold it has a tendency to stiffen. Rubber is as affected by cold water. It still moves really well and being that its buoyant, just a tiny bit of current or small twitch of the rod gives it good movement, almost like its breathing as it expands and contracts. There are drawbacks with rubber. Its not as durable as silicone. It can melt in really hot weather, and I don't think it can technically dry rot, but it does degrade over time, weaking cracking and flaking. As far as I know, rubber skirting is limited to solid, flat colors. To get a specific color or flash, you have to mix in silicone or tinsel. I like the hybrid material jigs. Both materials have a different action so there is contrast in the movement of the skirt.

Easy choice for me, Tat Elite all day.

If my heart could take leaving the North Atlantic behind, I would wind up in Washington or on the other side of it in Ireland.

If you're hurt or sick, its not worth it, especially in August. You can cause more damage that could force you to sit out later in the fall when the fishing is better. After the 4th I cut my FW way back. The fish get in a real lazy mood when the water heats up and the oxygen saturation is at its lowest. There can be some great fishing, if you run up to the headwaters of ditches and canals and can find water deeper than 3' with some flow. The big girls stack up in that this time of year.

There are quite a few misnomers about rod length. IMO the biggest is that a longer rod casts farther than a shorter one. Its true in some cases, but not always. A longer rod gives you more leverage which in turn increases tip speed. The exception is with lighter rods. If the rod doesn't have enough spine to transfer the energy to the tip, you're not going to see any increase in casting distance. If you have 2 of the same rods, 6'10 and 7'3 Med power F action, the shorter rod is going to have a slightly faster action due to the shorter tip section. If you're really trying to be subtle and not over work a bait, shorter rod can help you do that. If you start a 6'10 and a 7'3 with the tip at 10o clock and twitched the rod until the tip is at 12, the longer rod will move the bait farther. You can learn to be really precise with a longer rod, but shorter rods are ideal for twitching baits. The shorter rod will also have a shorter rear handle, which makes it a little easier to manipulate without the butt contacting your arm. A shorter rod gives more range of motion, allowing you to twitch the rod in a downward direction without contacting the water. A longer rod gives more control, since you can move more line without using the reel. Here's 1 many people don't think about. The length of the rod that really matter when it comes to working a bait or retrieving a fish is the length from where you grip the rod to the tip. To find that length, you subtract the length of the rear handle from the total length. For example if you have a 6'10 rod with a 14" handle, you have about 5'8 of rod above the reel seat. The longer the rod the longer the rear grip. If you decide to go with a 7'1 rod that has a rear grip length of 16" as opposed to a 6'10 with a rear handle length of 14", the reality is you have about 5'11 of blank above the handle, so you're only gaining 1" of useable blank with the 7'1 when compared to the 6'10. Length effects weight and balance as well. A shorter rod has less blank material which makes it lighter when compared the same rod in a longer length. Once you get over 7'4, rods can become tip heavy, which no matter how light the rod is, it's going to feel heavier because the balance is above where you grip the rod. Thats where high quality guides come in. They are lighter and can dramatically affect the balance in a good way. One of the biggest reasons that rods have gotten longer as the sport advances is because longer rods generally handle shock better. When you have fast and hard fighting fish, like Tarpon, 8' rods are favored because they act like a shock absorber and keeps the hook pinned with minimal tearing. A slower action/soft short rod can have the same effect. Just like how a longer rod gives you more control of the line/depth/direction, that extra leverage gives more control of the fish at all ranges. For example, you can discourage a fish from jumping, by sticking the tip of a longer rod in the water during the fight. That helps to keep his down and away from the surface. The reality is, it comes down to preference. For years 6'6 was the average length of most do it all rods. As the quality of materials increased, the weight decreased. Thats one of the reasons the most common length is now 7' or slightly longer.

Depends on what ou want to throw. The M power XT is on the lighter side, despite its 1/8-3/4 rating. It should be closer to 1/8-1/2 or 5/8. Ive never fondled a Black Bass, but the SCiii builds out Fresnillo (formerly the FW mojo family blanks) are good blanks and the power/actions are consistent. The SC more than likely has the higher quality blank, and is likely lighter. So long as SC did a good job balancing them, they should be light in hand. The ergonomics appear to be pretty good. The rear locking reel seat and full EVA foregrip are comfortable, easy to maintain and will last longer than lower quality cork. I hope SC made the grips thinner than those on Victory. IMO a thinner foregrip gives me a better connection to the rod and is more comfortable. Try to get your hands on a Black Bass and see if you like the feel. Barring a balance issue, defective blanks like the newer inshore Mojos, or spending another $35 to upgrade to Tatula Cork, I would think the SC just edges out the XT slightly.

When Im in a yak or a small boat I use 1 rod for trebled topwaters, squarebills and lighter traps(3/16-3/8 or .5 oz suspending or slow sinking traps, which is a 7'1 M F Muse. It does everything well enough especially the lighter traps and 3/8-1/2 square bill, jerkbaits as well. A 7'1 M F with FC is ideal for squarebills IMO. Its got enough give to keep trebles in the fish, but is also crisp enough to get good deflection off of cover. For topwater twitching baits and JBs a 6'7-6/10 is ideal for working those baits, but 7' is more than serviceable. I like the longer rod for traps as well, because I'm either yo yoing a trap or very erratic stop and starts. That slightly longer tip section doesn't have much resistance, so the fish doesn't feel much pressure as I'm starting to lift the bait or tear the bait out of the fish's mouth by accident.

Wish I knew, but I was looking at that myself not too long ago. The dia was very thin and it made in Japan, so the quality is likely there. I think its a newer line for the FW fishing crowd, as Nomad concentrates on nearshore and offshore angling.

Curado M or MGL for sure. The M/MGL is far more versatile than a DC IMO and much better with lighter baits. If you really want a DC go with an SLX DC. The extra $ for the Curado really doesn't get you anything but an extra bearing and a different paint job. Performance wise they are virtually the same, with the Curado being noticeably heavier.

Get him a 6'6 or 7' M power rod that can handle 1/4-58/8 or 3/4. That range will cover small tins, 1/4-1/2 head+ gulp/soft platic and he can throw a smack it jr or just about any size under 1oz mirrolure/yo zuri/rapala with ease. 6'6-7' is good on the sand, pier, or drifitn for fluke in a boat. The brand of rod really depends on how he treats his gear. If he doesnt know how to take care of a rod go with an ugly stick. There are much better quality rods at the same price point of an ugly stick. The composite blank is difficult to break, wherther its stepped on, dropped, shut in a car door or what have you. The catch is that the components on the rod aren't as tough as the blank, but they are servicable. If your boy has experience with rods and is careful with his things, you could get a significantly better-quality rod, as far as quality of material, components and sensitivity go. Either the 13 fishing 6'7 Defy @$60, Ark fishing catalyzer 2.0 @$60 or the Daiwa Aird @$60, all of which are great starter rods. As for a reel, the same logic applies. If you think he can handle keeping the reel out of the water and sand, go with a good budget Daiwa like a Regal LT 3000 @$80(outstanding value) or see if you cant find an older model golden spooled Exeler, as they sell for about $60, which is a steal for what they are. If not stay with Daiwa and get a Laguna LT or Revros LT. All of those reels will hold up in SW pretty well. The bane of any reel is sand. If he can keep it out of the sand, either 1 of those reels will last at least a few seasons with minimal care. The Regal an previous gen Exceler are punch way above their weight price point wise as do the other reels I mentioned. The benefit with the Regal and Exceler is that they can take a beating, but they are light, smooth and very enjoyable to fish. Line is whatever is he is used to. If he's used to mono, go with Berkley Big Game in 10lb and upgrade to braid when he understands how to manage line. If he's used to braid go with a stiffer 10 or 15lb braid like original PP or suffix. Braided line is actually easier to manage than mono, since it resists twisting, which is what causes headaches with a mono or fluorocarbon line. It would be a really good idea to get him a multi tool or at least a pair of decent pliers and attach them to his tackle bag with a lanyard or paracord so he cant lose them.

Been looking at some of 6ths baits lately. Other than the 6.5, I want to check out the 5.3 boosa and 6.3 divine SH. Even if the 6.5 only lasts a couple fish, its not a big deal to me. @$.50 per bait, they're comparatively cheap to many other options I use.

There are several options. You can go with an additional keeper, as in a toothpick or purpose made wire harness. You can try to find screw lock heads. They can be a pain to work with at times, but as far as fish per bait, they're probably the best stock keeper you can get. Add a very small drop or 2 to the jigheads keeper or. I found cone keepers like that of Smeltinator or Berkley's swimjig heads work the best. If your using lead collar keepers, twist the head the bait 45* to the left or right as you push it over the keeper. Once flush with the jighead, twist the head back to its normal position. That prevents the barbs from channeling out the plastic of the entire head section. When you turn it back straight, the keeper has more undamaged plastic to bite into and hold the bait on the shank. Note that this method does not work with most cone style keepers that have 360* coverage. Try tying your own keeper. I like tying my own keepers on certain jigheads. For softer baits I like to use heavy FC or Mono for softer baits, as opposed to wire. All you need is some thread, heavy line and some type of adhesive. I use UV resin because I have it, but you can use clear nail polish or some kind of gel glue. If you really want to get fancy you can use shrink tubing under and or over the thread, so that the thread bites onto the shank easily and over the thread for a clean and streamlined look.

For sure. I found that walking the weave down by pulling the tag and main alternately, until it gets int the correct positions then tightening it, works best for me. The actual PE and leader material makes a difference as well. Newer coated lines, like 832 can be slick and tighten very well initially. Once that coating wears, you have to be careful, especially with softer FCs. I like to use Yo Zuris' HD Carbon. The outer layer is very soft for a FC leader material. If you tighten the weave too early with uncoated braid it can bite into and peel that soft outer layer off the leader. More isn't better. Try putting 8 turns on an improved clinch with 20lb FC, it's too many twists than the knot can't lock properly.

Oh no, I completely understood you the first time, other than then thinking you had the 6'11. I probably just glanced it over, I was had a bunch of pages open looking at falcons lineups and what not. I have a sophomoric understanding of rod building. I've dabbled a little, but building rods is an art, and I'm no artist. I know an outstanding builder, who almost knows what I want better than I do. As far as I know the major difference between casting and spinning rods comes down to standoff distance between the blank and line, and the number of guides takes in which to maintain that. The "BFS" Cara (1/16-5/16 2-8lb) came from the 7'2 ML MF (1/8-5/8 6-12lb) spinning blank. When you add guides to a blank, you're adding anchor points. It can change the way the blank loads, depending on spacing, but it doesn't really affect the power in a negative way. Casting or spinning it doesn't matter, but just as a kind of general guideline, it's really hard to increase the number of guides over 30% on the same blank and lose 50% of the power of the rod. Thats what puzzled me. I know now that Falcon didn't change the power of the blank at all. With the right reel, you can cast 1/16-5/8. I guess they chose 5/16 as the top end for marketing purposes. Like I said I'm interested in Falcon. They don't sell the blanks, do they?

I can tie an FG, but usually I run FC with casting gear so most of my leader knots are on light spinning gear. I think the PR is a better knot for light line when compared to FG. The problem is the time it takes. Realistically I can tie a knot that I know will outlast my knot on the bait and tie it 3 or 4 times in the time it takes me to tie an FG or PR. The Alberto knot when tied well is as strong as you need it to be. I snagged an old mooring dragging metal for fluke with 8lb blue label and brand new 10lb TCS PE I thought I was going to break my rod. Had to wrap my hand up with a rag and break it. The Pitzen at the kastmaster broke first. Ive nearly straightened 2x Mustads with 15lbX9 to 12lb Premier. More than half of the How to videos on Albertos aren't good knots. They're seated to low, not tight enough, uneven or have way too much tag. When you properly seat an Alberto, the color of the PE line should darken. The leader tag is what causes issues if you have any. I think nail clippers are essential to having a good knot. As long as you have a steady hand and decent eyes, you can cut that leader tag just about flush with the knot. Ive seen guys use rizzuto finishes to lock it down, but I don't bother with it.

Oh, I thought you had the 7'2. I would 100% imagine they would roll the same blanks and just cut 3" off the butt and remove a guide to get a little more flex in the blank to keep the lower end the same. They have a ML 1/8-5/8 spinning rod, which is impressive at the PP of the Cara if it can really load on 1/8 and handle 5/8. I cant see the 10 and 11 guide train BFS and the 8 guide train ML Cara being the same blank. If that was the case the BFS would have as much or more. Falcons look nice, but no one carries them for over a hundred miles. A small shop and Cabelas used to carry some of the lower end models back in mid 2000s and I remember going to buy a Croix and being so close to buying the Falcon instead. They didn't sell well at the small tackle shop so Mike didn't replace them. I don't recall the line of rods, but it was the same price within $10 of the Croix which was $140. Croix was pretty much all I fished with then and I knew exactly what I needed, so I went with what I knew. I remember the balance of the Falcon was excellent as was the finish. I think in 07 they were still Made in USA?

32%! Figures, I just got a bunch of a world minnows and like them a lot. Still better than Daiwa. The Sol went from 360 to over 460-470. Makes the initial price seem like steal. They should have waited to launch Sol at iCast, it bet it would have won.

Thats really unexpected for 1/4-5/8 to be out powered by a 1/16-5/16 BFS. I can see the lighter tip with a faster action, in the small weight range, like an XF. Typically, with mid tier lighter blanks you pay for that super crisp tip short tip section with a small weight range and less power in the mid-section What line is it from? If I know that I can probably figure it out, unless its an older design.

In dirty water I like black/blue Clean water, either a brown base with some orange, blue or pink mixed in like molixs' spanish fly, Picassos molting craw, PBJ Bling, BCs elite craw, Queen tungsten's KJs camo or a green pumpkin/pumpkin base picassos green pumpkin tiger green pumkin glimmer, BCs stealth pumpkin, Molixs' blue craw, keitechs GP black Then there are oddball colors that don't look like anything to me, but have performed really well with the standout being Picassos Okeechobee craw which kind of looks like a bluegill pattern to me, but works well on the bottom, but Aarons Magic, which is like magic black, blue and brown is #1 by far. For whatever reason that color works in dirty and clean water. OK craw Aarons Magic If I could only have 1 color, it would be just straight black. I catch more fish on a GP base color, but I've found that a black jig consistently gets a better quality fish. Ive found that if I downsize the black jig, and use a small ball head or football head, I can match the numbers a bigger GP jig, but I still get good quality fish.

I've become fairly proficient with some baits, but I honestly can't pretend I've truly mastered anything. With baits that I lack confidence in or am unfamiliar with, I force myself to use them by bringing extremely limited tackle, just the bait(s) I'm working on and 1 or 2 other things. The rule is that I have to catch at least 1 bass or 3 pickerel on the bait I'm working on before I have the option of tying something else on. It may take a good deal of time, but generally I make progress if I have the opportunity to do so. When I dont have easy access to a fishery due to location thats when it becomes hard for me to become proficient at certain things when I have 5 or 6 days to do it once or twice a year. Nymphing would have to be the technique that i find most difficult. Like anyone else I prefer to catch trout on a dry, or even a streamer. When the fishing is tough, I don't think anything can beat a well-presented nymph. The sharpies on Penns creek almost exclusively nymph all the time and they catch fish when everyone struggles. I can bass fish a few hundred yards from my door, but I'm 4 hours away from good trout streams, which makes limits my time greatly.