bulldog1935

and another from Texas

vacation kitty in the Texas tropics

both my daughters are natural fishers - they took to it, and fish completely without anxiety and klutz, which only women can do. My older daughter fished one fly for two years on our tailwater (not one pattern, one fly) My younger daughter, though, her favorite part of fishing was always the fillet table.

USPS has been messed up since April, recovered a bit, and got messed up again for Christmas packages. Japan Post didn't even try, they just shut down in April - current status is running domestically, but not shipping EMS to international hubs because of dependence on airline routes. In April, I had an Express Mail package get routed from Chicago ISC into Canada and delivered 6 weeks later. I think the point is buy from the big brick and mortar shops in Japan. They all scrambled to work out shipping with DHL, UPS and Fed-Ex (none go through Chicago or LA ISC, but Anchorage and Cincinnati ISC). DHL and Fed-Ex deliver from Japan in in 3 or 4 days - UPS a little longer, because they shut down on weekends and holidays. Buy enough to make $25 shipping worth your while - and especially Asian Portal, if they have what you want in stock, $100 purchase gets free DHL Express, and with their already discounted prices. My last Japan Tackle purchase was shipped on a Friday and delivered on Monday - DHL - I was floored. Anything from random ebay vendors, you're taking a gamble, but a friend on FFR recently bought two Japan rods on ebay and had 2-week delivery.

I just mentioned this on another thread. My discontinued Cabelas Salt Striker 3-pc travel rod is definitely made on the TFO Traveler blank. Might be worth looking into https://tforods.com/conventional-fishing/

Sorry I can't say anything about Triza rods - looked them up and they look like high grade rods, which today means thinner-wall, light-in-hand rods made with helical graphite layers (Toray graphite). I have a couple of Toray graphite rods, and both are shocking for their light weight. You probably want to match them with your lightest reel. I carry 3-pc spinning and casting back-up rods in my kayak hold (fly rods in there, also), but mine are basic. I picked up my casting backup rod on a great-buy Cabelas closeout - it's built on the same blank that's used on the TFO Traveler - basic stiff-tip MHF. It saved me on one trip where a 1-pc Toray graphite broke (warranty replacement) - it did great there, and on another trip where I rigged a second lure the day before, then fished it all day the next (18-kt wind and we caught nice reds). It also goes out every time I rig a fly rod first, and just about always gets used. Tackle Direct sells very nice house-brand rods. I have two of their Platinum Hook offshore rods, and both are excellent. My back-up 3-pc spinning rod is their IM6 travel rod, and pretty blue blank. I also loan these rods when friends join us on a trip, and one of us loans them a kayak, as well. In spite of the marked lures, it throws 1/4-oz quite well.

yeah, I know it's weird to quote yourself... Showing this again, because since the first photo, I swapped the reel on the NS Black Hole rockfish - this is the UL rod that I'm confident to take out on the kayak. In March, took out my new Vanquish, was imitating glass minnows and caught specs, then thought better about taking that reel out on the kayak. Moved the Vanquish to a nicer rod (Yamga Blanks TZ Nano 83), bought a JDM Stradic C2000SHG (equivalent to FL1000, but $60 less from Asian Portal), and pimped out the new reel a bit with Livre handle. This is now the reel I match on the NS Black Hole rockfish. I've upgraded the line to YGK X-braid, a whopping 14-lb test in PE#0.6 (v. 6-lb in Sufix 832). We could start a whole thread on reel pimp with a functional purpose, but I love spinning reels with either double or counter-balanced handles - they make a difference in feeling light lure action and light takes. They also keep the bail from rotating under gravity if you're fishing a rig and your line length is critical. Since I brought it up, here's the YB 8'3" Nano - incredibly light rod, especially matched with the Vanquish. and I've really pimped out the Vanquish since then, doubling spool capacity, etc. At Arroyo dock fishing last month I was able to cast the YB/Vanquish combo into the dark past the neighbor's dock light, and my buddy Lou noted I was consistently taking fish there that he couldn't reach on his 7'6" Major Craft. Between the Black Hole and Yamaga Blanks combos, I caught 5 doubles on tandem 2" swim shad rigs, including a redfish+ladyfish double on the YB. I have a really big Frabill telescoping net just for dock fishing.

answering out of turn, those are Winn grips sleeves http://www.winngripsfishing.com/search/?q=spinning+rod

salty UL for seatrout, 8' NS Black Hole rockfish rod from Korea ML for 1/8 oz lures, 7'1" 13Fishing Omen Green MM for most everything else, 7' Crowder E-series Lite (IM6)

Probably, your star drag was too loose - I fish mine inshore and work them over frequently. You bought a sweet reel. I think every thread should have a photo - here's mine with the inexpensive but nifty EVA knobs from Ukraine. Just finished rebuilding it with new spool bearings, new line and, especially a good cleaning. Since it spends some time as backup in a kayak lap hatch, also got it a Pelican box Lew's and I go back to BB1-N, fished a BB-25SW for a long time before retiring it. Now I have four, two LFS, Super Duty G and the reel above; two BPS, Custom Inshore and a new SP. The reel above and the SP both have S2 pinion, and it does make for a stronger drive. Also, the drive side pinion bearing isn't involved with the spool, so you can put low-inertia bearings on the spool and keep a stronger shielded bearing on the drive. Of the four I own, Custom Inshore is my least favorite, doesn't seem as strong as the others, and doesn't lay line evenly across spool width - like it needs a spool shim. ________________________________________________________ Seriously Dash, you probably hadn't turned the drag star far enough to allow drag washers to overcome the freespool latch friction, and drag was letting the handle turn free. I've noticed, in particular when I didn't have a spool in the frame, it's a really strange feeling when you push up on the thumb-bar and the drive engages in reverse. If you took it down far enough to remove the thumb bar, you have to get the thumb bar aligned in its slots in the clutch plates, but I don't think you were there

key lime with a glass of iced tea in August

22" endemic Guadalupe bass hen - 15" in our fast hill country limestone is a lunker - we call these Texas brook trout. I caught her at a bat cave vent, and she got this big eating baby bats that fell in. This is the only bass species that can retreat into the aquifer to survive our droughts. There were no C&R records in 2005, and submitting a record for this species then would require killing her for a liver biopsy due to genetic dilution by introduced smallmouth. However, her blue sheen (v. copper) is pretty good indication she's all Guad. I released her and told her to go breed. for comparison, this pup is from one of two remaining A-strains of endemic bass, protected from smallmouth genetics by an aquifer recharge barrier (the creek disappears underground). here's where they live this one is clearly a smallie hybrid

my favorite St. Croix is 7'2" MM Legend Glass - my go-to inshore spinning rod. Remarkably light in hand for S-glass, and crisp moderate action. Here starting the morning at a tide pass (stacked with bait) using a wake bait. It also gives just the right action to TSL grasswalker, which is basically a neutral-density, subsurface, dog-walking jerk bait that gets right in the zone in shallow grass. I'll normally fish my MM baitcaster drift fishing a kayak with the wind behind me, but you can count on spinning tackle to be little affected by the wind...

White bass is the freshwater meat fish. Especially on fly fishing forums, you hear people talking about C&R with them - Why? They are fecund, the females laying 200,000 - 500,000 eggs. They live 3 years, and where feral, are found impossible to eradicate. They deplete the forage base for other species. These are all 2-y-o males caught on fly rod in a spring spawning run - I released everything else. Been doing this since I was 12-y-o. Finished my bag limit while I was letting my friends fillet from my stringer. From the coast, I'll add to this that me and my friends would rather eat speckled trout than just about any other fish.

It's not really about effort, it's about jerk - the time derivative of acceleration (2nd time derivative of velocity). Any jerk (engineering term) put into your cast is backlash. I wrote this to a salt-fishing buddy to explain how I could cast 20-lb braid on a Super Duty - he said he was limited to 17-lb fluoro on his Super Duty to prevent backlash: what can I say, I'm an engineer...

The differences between Vanford and Stradic FL - internally, they're identical. The Vanford has composite frame and shares low-inertia rotor with the Japan market magnesium-bodied and benchmade Vanquish. Where Vanford's qualities shine are in UL sizes for feeling the action of light lures and detecting light takes. However, since Vanford is very new, it may be easier to find stock. (Vanford is just a new name for the new version of Stradic CI4+) Twin Power is the Stradic upgraded with metal rotor, and also bench-made in Japan (parts-matching for extra smoothness) The labyrinth seals of "X-protect" are all you need for inshore fishing, unless you plan on dunking your reel. Full seals matter in the surf, where your reel is constantly being washed in sand slurry.

before this thread drops off into infinity, a few select reel porn photos: The ivory grasp on my Talbot Niangua Meek, Talbot, and Jack Welch Heddons share this U-spring clicker design, and these phosphor bronze springs often fatigue at the sweated block. Here's the repair on my Talbot (before cutting my fabricated spring to final length) Since I mentioned Jack Welch Heddons, a 3-15. Jack Welch began at Talbot, and brought his bench skills to Dowagiac, where he built reels of equal quality, in great demand to collectors. Note the main gear oil port and spool spindle oil reservoirs. Meek No. 3 after they were bought by Horton and moved to Bristol, Conn I mentioned the good bushings on early Shakespeare NLW reels. Even this blue-eyed low-grade Leader casts great. Probably the oldest bait reel I own, another quality, though low-grade Shakespeare, the Alamo A very pretty ebonite and nickel silver Abbey reel - this beauty was too easy to sell, but I have the photos This isn't my reel, but a reel I was hired to clean up - rare and pretty valuable - the Redifor X winding plate multiplier - aluminum frame and spool from a time aluminum cost the same as silver. Not very valuable, but kind of cool, a Pflueger trade reel marked Revonoc, one of the house brands of HSB&Co hardware stores (later True Value). Next to it, an HSB&Co Diamond brand pocket knife. I also have Revonoc nesting camp cups. Saw a new thread on DC reels - finally going to say it - if you can cast and especially fish any of these, you will become better with all of your modern baitcasters.

the spools I listed as prime are 1520, which is 200 m 30-lb braid Borrowed these photos from Hedgehog to show you 3000XG spool (equivalent to Stradic FL3000) This is a 1520 spool, but on the mid frame reel. 4000 MHG spool (1520), which is the exact same capacity for large frame reel 2020 spool that is standard size on FL4000 (320 yds 30-lb braid)

Especially for inshore, Stradic FL is the baseline workhorse reel. There's something to be said for metal frames. The FL 4000 has a deep spool, and not the best choice for braid (5000 is the 4000 with even deeper spool). The FL 3000 has a much better braid spool, and the same drag as the 4000 and 5000. https://fish.shimano.com/content/fish/northamerica/us/en/homepage/Shimano_Product_Page.P-STRADIC_FL.html Or if you want to shop in Japan, they offer the 4000MHG with the big frame and shallow braid spool. https://www.jpfishingtacklenews.com/shimano-stradic-19/

@CountryboyinDC Just about every day out is 8 miles - we have friends fishing Perception Stealth, Emotion Fisherman, and yes, many Hobies. Fast (distance) wind-slick boats still have a place on the salt flats. Here's a day on Estes with SW wind - big Aransas Bay on the right. and a different day, coming home on an E wind. riding out a 35-kt gale when a wall cloud squall hit - of course my drift sock is deployed by trolley to stern, which makes this possible, and actually kind of fun. My buddy in his Hobie Revo 16 had just lifted his sock, instant windcock and turtle, and of course, the water is 2-3' deep. yes, I can turn around, sideways with both legs over one side of the boat - the Tarpon is really stable. If I tried that in the Kestrel, it would squirt out from under me. One day, NWS gave us a total lame hourly weather prediction when two fronts reinforced each other. We launched at 16-kt NNE expecting the wind to shift to 10-kt E in 2 hours - never happened all day, and we had to paddle home across 28-kt NE. My buddy's Revo would not let him steer upwind, and he turtled once again on a gust and wave. My T160, and other buddy's Emotion Fisherman, would let us tack and nose upwind to address waves and got us home dry. The Texas coast is lined with barrier islands, and there are 15,000 sq-mi less than 2' deep. Something else nice about kayaks - you can usually afford a different boat for river, lake and salt.

My T160, fishing the salt flats 12 years now. Still considered by salt anglers to be the best compromise between speed (read distance), wind-slick, and good manners in bad blows. Main use is drift fishing the flats with a drift sock. When 8 of us launched for buddy Josh's redfish rodeo in Oct, five of the boats were Tarpons. kevlar Kestrel, 39 lbs - fast taxi to wading water. Can't balance (or turn) this boat without thigh straps, but 5 kts is effortless, glide is infinite even upwind, and it's just plain fun.

The US has no import fees for shipments less than $4000 value - Canada would be a different story.

dealing with surf and sand slurry, part of it is just practical, but I got in my classic with modified Abu CT reels. I began with two 1995 Blue Yonder 6500 C3CT made them light and slick with Akios barstock frames (v. chromed brass), converting one to 5500 width, raced out bearings (all new stainless drives), lighter alloy handles and drag stars (v. steel) and Avail shallow braid spools (200 yd and 300 yd 30-lb braid). The spools make an amazing weight and inertia difference compared to 250 and 400 yds 15-lb mono on deep-flange spools. and Avail internally adjustable mag that matches the spools (spool cog is also BB) I've fished the 5500 on the 8' rod and it more than doubles any of my other baitcasters with the same lure weight. Lawn casting 1/4-oz lure the first time, accidentally put it in my neighbor's back acre. When I began, set out to make a better Talbot...

If you noted in my OP, the very first rod I posted, FE Thomas Mahogany grade bait, doesn't have trigger. Many rods then did have a trigger brazed to either the reel seat insert or the sliding band. all I can say is you may get used to it. My recent surf rod, 8' for lures, came from Rich Hedenberg with a split-seat trigger. In this case it makes sense, because it's really a one-hand rod. But I'm planning to follow up with an 11'er for two hands and spider weights, and trying to decide whether I want the low-profile trigger, or none.

Venison backstrap and shoulders venison backstrap venison backstrap breakfast taco