Chris Catignani

The fish are gonna be OK. Those large expanses of grass flats will have fish that will never even see a lure. Same goes for all that shallow water in the backs of coves and creeks. When you spend $$$ for a boat...you get scared to scratch the gel coat.?

I remember getting that book years ago...its a tough read at times.

Excerpt from Fish Tales by Joe Brown. Two fishermen are fishing in a boat under a bridge. One looks up and sees a funeral procession starting across the bridge. He stands up, takes off his cap, and bows his head. The procession crosses the bridge, and the man puts on his cap, picks up his rod and reel, and continues fishing. The other guy says, "That was touching. I didn't know you had it in you." The first guy responds, "Well, I guess it was the thing to do - after all, I was married to her for forty years.

Welcome aboard.

I would have a Slider and a 300 series Bandit...maybe a "Bee". Use with caution:

Way up some cut on the Cumberland. @Blue Raider Bob

Looks amazing @Logan S You're on your way.

I really got a lot of good info from Denny Brauer's Jig Fishing. Some great insight on different lines...you would be surprised.

That looks like a minimalist wrapping on the guides...or is it an optical illusion?

Welcome back to BR.

The part about using less guides has to do with the guides under the blank. You would need more on top to keep it off the blank when bent. If you have the first guide at 5°...then it will always come into the pawl guide (on the reel) at 5°. I used this thing to help line up the guides. I will say this...I made a few rods like this and there OK. I dont make em like that any more. I dont think it helps in any way, form or fashion. Guides on the top sit better on the boat deck and in the rod locker. I think the guides under do have a place where you fighting BIG fish and have a lot of torque on a rod.

That would work...I have one that way. I also have one thats 0,60,120,180. The guides that rotate are a little closer together. You could take your standard spacing and just put in an extra guide where there rotating.

Its just a way to come up with a whole number vs something like 0.0859375".

The butt measurement is the diameter in inches. The tip measurement is in 64th's of an inch. Tip top guides have two measurements...one is the actual guide ring and the other is the barrel that goes on the blank.

I use a pen called Gelly Roll #8 in white. The 8 stands for .8mm...they also have #3 and #10. The #8 is medium. Epoxy will not cause it to run.

I just need a net man...?

@Blue Raider Bob Looks like weights in that one Kentucky. Headed to Priest in a few...holler if your out.

You can just redo a set of guides on a rod you already have... Check out the FlexCoat channel: Flex Coat - YouTube There are seceral ways people shape the cork for a handle: 1: Glue up the cork on a mandrel and turn it on a lathe. 2: Glue up the cork on the rod and turn it on a rod lathe. You can also shape the cork without a lathe by using a cabinet makers file and sand paper...on the mandrel or on the blank. ...or you can just buy it already assembled.

If you were willing to go to as far as Dale Hollow...then I would go to Pickwick. Percy Priest is very close and would probably be good. Center Hill is also a good lake thats close....and Tims Ford. Tennessee has an 18inch limit on smallies and there has been a resurgence on almost all the lakes because of this.

Here's a video on the process. I personally dont heat the epoxy...I just cut the thread off on the top of the guide foot.

I love those Rapala's...they work well all over.

A take out from the Nitty Gritty with Bobby Banas.

Love this old song...but this dance track is....uh....I'm at a lose for words.

There have been a bunch of 10's from below the tailrace at Wheeler (technically Wilson). You can definitely see a HUGE transition in many northern fisheries. Glad to see it.