Fishing_Rod

Greetings All, Scary situation! Glad it didn't get too serious. Most electronics have in line fuses to protect from such a situation. Better the fuse blow than everything else burning. Some MFRs incorporate the fuse at the connection point, also as part of the connector too. Like in the case of a 12 VDC utility plug (aka cigarette lighter plug). Please consider using some type of fuse protection for all the devices connected to any power source. As you saw how important it is to have those protections to prevent things from getting crazy in a very short time. Let's be careful out there! Be well and Cheers!

Greetings All, Just to add information on the Arizona theme. Jerry and many other top shooters do frequent AZ events. Also Jim Scoutten (Shooting USA and formerly American Shooter) used to be a news anchor for the PHX Station KTVK Channel 3 decades ago. Then of course there is "The Great One", Rob Leatham, along with many other noteable shooting sports figures. Angling and action shooting, no wonder I need to retire and have more goof off time! Be well and Cheers!

Greetings All, Jerry is a true gentleman. He used to frequently visit and compete here in AZ. I had the pleasure of meeting and talking with him at Mystery Mountain 3 Gun along with the USPSA Area 2 Championship matches. Even when his equipment broke, he maintained his composure knowing the championship was his to loose. No explatives, just "my equipment won't play...". I also got to spend time with him during several of the Dust Devil Classic hosted in TUS. As the event was sponsored by S&W, Jerry was there to show us some "fancy shooting". Yes, the cabbage was disintegrated gracefully using the S&W X frame wheelie gun. Somehow with my luck I was squadded with Jerry for the opening stage. The combination of jet lag, travel exhaustion from time zone changes, a few mis-steps, and a couple of reload fumbles, provided just the opportunity for my score to top his on that opening stage by a mere 0.01 seconds. Jerry recovered his winning performance after that opening stage and completely smoked everyone at the match. He also gracefully withdrew so his scores would not tally giving the locals opportunities at the prizes. It was great to be able to shoot with one of the best there is. It was also interesting to see his approach at the stage runs while keeping a very aggressive shooting posture always working the trigger and targets with minimal delay. A fun time for sure. Jerry, Kay, and Lena spend a lot of time shooting. More importantly they are constantly learning how to do it better. Yeah, you don't realize just how much shooting is done until you see that they have a fleet of concrete mixers running just to clean all the brass for reloading. As Jerry would often say, "Bonzai! or Get Some!". A great shooter, an icon of a gentleman, and a great guy! I understand he and family occasionally show up to the events in PHX. I unfortunately have not had as much time to participate in the shooting sports as I used to. I'm hoping that sometime in the near future I'll be able to get back to working the triggers on the bottom feeders and wheelies seeking those double alphas! Be well and Cheers!

Greetings @Darth-Baiter and @WRB my fellow desert dwellers! I hope each of you are well. Yes, the question posed has been pondered for some time. Especially since recent technoloy has provided some tempting options with great utility. Heck the battery options alone bring plenty of possibilities. Unfortunately for me I can't see that with my budget. Most of those bits and pieces are more than I'm comfortable investing in. Sure I can use it but I'm not sure I'll get the amount of use out of it to justify the investment. Of course your mileage can vary, as you've got a different environment. You're CA Delta along with the other sizeable waters presents a compelling reason to add some propulsion power to the kit. You'll still need that backup propulsion for safety purposes. I see more and more folks in kayaks simply sitting there with remote control in hand powering about the small waters here. I have to wonder if I would spend too much time with that remote in hand rather than my fishing pole in hand? My answer remains to keep thing simple for me, fewer things to muck with, that way I can keep focused on catching. Over years, I have managed to avoid the fear of missing out by not being an early or late adopter but by keeping in mind what my principle objectives are. That is to enjoy catching fish. I just don't want to work too hard at recreating. Yeah, keeping it simple also means I don't have to register the watercraft here in AZ. Just an other budget and fuss aspect to keep in mind. I would love to hear what you end up doing! Also I'll be keeping an eye open for those Delta catching reports too! I'm with you guys on finding those limited access areas to find fish. Wishing both of you well and continue to have those great angling adventures! I will continue to paddle on those occasions when the AZ wind is not too crazy because I would rather do more fishing than paddling. Cheers!

Bravo! Well Done! I can only imagine the experience. Thank You for sharing and congratulations! Time for more fishing, right? I'm sure that one in the photo had friends. Cheers!

Greetings All, Well, after forcing the browser cache clearing and reload of the web page, it may be a setting in your computer's security profile that is not permitting the web page to properly load. Note: In the case of firefox and other browsers, you can hold the shift button then click reload to accomplished a forced complete reload. Depending on your security concerns with consideration for web page function, you may choose to adjust the security settings to determine if your system is too protective in prohibiting the menu operations. There are many cases where the competing qualities of a high security computer profile negatively affects the look and function of some web sites. Usually there are warnings that the higher security settings does tend to break many functions. I hope this adds clarity to assist with this situation. Be well and cheers!

Greetings All, I had a wonderful experience continuing to catch fish after the curly tail portion of the grub separated from the body. The bite was on, so I just continued using it successfully. Interesting enough, without the tail casting was easier and bit more consistent. I also noticed that using just the grub body there was very little damage catching fish after fish. It was great catching fish all afternoon on the same bait. Keep on catching! Be well and cheers!

Greetings All, Bait cast reels, (looking downward and turning head from side to side in frustration) I am doing what I can to learn how to better use them. Very different from my comfort zone of ultra lite spinning gear. I am making progress, I think... It has been a learning experience for me that continues. Funny moment to share, mainly cause I've been there and had a similar experience. I was working the opposite shoreline on a sizable cove from a fella who made a spectacular cast with a moment of thumb indiscretion at the conclusion and it resulted in a massive backlash. I heard both the reel and him when it happened. He was so frustrated with it all, he simply tossed the rig down on the ground and had to have a moment to sort it all out. Just then his buddy noticed the rod sliding down towards the water and raised the alert. He gathered it up just before it got wet. He was still fixated on the reel not being function and then loss tension on the line. He thought he had lost the fish. He was still struggling with the reel when the line tightened up and almost yanked the rig out of his hand. He didn't seem to want to change his focus as he kept fussing with the backlash. I suggested he either walk backwards and or hand line the fish in. He did a bit of both and managed to find a nice 2 pound bass causing all the excitement. Yup, I have been there and done that! I suppose that could be considered a virtue of bait casting reels compelling you to slow down and let the bait settle before imparting any action. It is because you've got to clear out the line, right? Be well and cheers!

Greetings All, Typically I am not one to start conversation. I keep a low profile when I'm out angling as it is a recreational endeavor so I appreciate the my time taunting fish. I am open to conversation and will share general information to help get someone get on fish. I will share and show them what is working for me. My goal is to help them out as they were the ones asking for assistance. The goal is to improve their experience. However, I am not a guide, so the information is at the friendly advise context. This has been successful in getting a few grandparents and grand kids to a better day of catching rather than just casting. It is all about the smiles, right. Most of my conversations are when I'm at the boat launch, either getting ready to go out or to conclude for the day. My friends that do go fishing are usually asking for assistance. So in the sense of this thread topic, they are one way types. They want to know what is working and I'm good with sharing that.. I suspect since my angling perspective is just for recreation, so I'm not expecting a free flow information exchange. I would welcome it but I just don't expect it. Till that time when I make that acquaintance I'll just continue here on BassResource. I greatly appreciate the dialogs that I've shared in the short time I have been affiliated. Nice to be able to share information and gain perspectives on different approaches to catching fish. Yes, good to be on-line, right? Be well and cheers!

Hi @WRB Tom, Thank You! I should ha ve guessed there was an established thread. Very interesting finds while reading through the initial group of pages. Wow, amazing the quantity and variety. Cheers!

Greetings All, Recently I've had good fortune in stumbling into opportunities while on my angling adventures. I'm typically picking up rubbish where I can to improve the places I go fishing. While there is mostly rubbish there are those occasions where it is salvage. Recently during a couple of my latest angling adventures I have managed to salvage a number of interesting lures. OK, interesting to me as I typically don't use these types of baits. While out on the kayak I noticed a bit of braid stuck in a tree limb. As I collected it I realized the other end had a chatter bait attached. The bait must have been recently lost as there were no indications of exposure on the hook or soft plastic portion which was the newer type of durable material. At one of the city park lakes during some high winds I noticed something floating along nearby. It was not quite within reach of my fishing rod. After a couple of well placed casts I managed to capture one of the hooks and drew the floating bait in. It was a short billed crank bait of sorts. Again in good shape. During the past weekend angling in the canal systems I was again making a cast in the windy conditions when I noticed something floating near by again. This time it was a top water bait. So I collected it. This time upon returning home I did some research and was astonished. A closer look at one of them. Doing a search, the results returned retail pricing around $26 for a new one. Golly! I had no idea regarding the value of some of these hard baits. I am astonished. Over the years I have collected a large number of hard baits. Most I have some intentions of trying, eventually. Some I have cleaned up and replaced the hooks, again with the intention of eventually using. The last time I even looked at the price of a hard bait it was sub $10. Wow, times have changed and I'm guessing the quality of the baits have too. While I'm excited to be able to try something different. I can only imagine the level of regret and loss of such an expensive bait. It appears these hard baits are in a similar price range as the large realistic swim baits that many tout virtues of using. I have much to learn and more fish to catch. Guess I'll have to try some hard baits and that chatter bait too. Have a good day! Cheers!

Greetings All, Back when I did use braid on my reels, I also identified it was slipping. The characteristics and results are similar to not having sufficient drag resistance. While applying a bit of tape to the core of the spool can improve the line to spool engagement. I found at line change time there was issue of the tape adhesive migration and residual shmutz. I attribute it to the high heat environment my gear is exposed to. Note: you don't need to fully wrap the spool core, just a bit piece of tape to alter that smooth surface is needed. Also I've tried different tapes too. The ones with the lower residual are the painter's type which is a lower adhesive tack masking tape. In some instances, I found by simply adding more contact area before fastening the cinching knot improves the line hold on the spool. Basically the addition of several wraps of line increases spool contact area, then apply the cinching knot to fasten the line. Handy for those times when tape is not convenient or available. This was desirable in that I'm preserving the spool's rotational balance on bait cast reels. It also doesn't significantly alter the line lay on some of the shallow spinning reel spools. Just $0.02 worth of observations to share. Hopefully some of these options can assist in your situation. Be well and cheers!

Hi @Darth-Baiter, Agreed with regards to a static analysis. My clarification for concern comes from the chugging along the highway and byways, I suspect the dynamic multi-axis loading might be "interesting". Just $0.02 worth of consideration. Personally, I'm glad I've got the old pickup truck for transporting those size objects. I really am grateful for not having a high lift involved as most of my adventures are solo runs. Besides, I just don't want to work too hard to recreate. Cheers!

Aah, enlightenment provided. THXs! It is possible for an old dog to learn. Cheers!

Hah! LoL! I sort of resemble that comment. I did notice over the years my Ozone layer is 'changing' and getting thinner. BTW, just over this past weekend I did seek out a nearby shade tree to administer to my bait cast reel due to a significant thumb indiscretion. I was distracted by nearby wildlife during a cast, while the bait had stopped moving my spool remained spinning, oh bother. I realized my patience is stretched pretty thin in the 114 F temperatures. Many colorful metaphors, spirited expletives, in multiple languages. So glad there was no audience, other than the ducks and other critters in the area. I was not a happy person for a bit. Fortunately, after getting it all sorted out and catching a few more bass in the area, my disposition improved significantly. I may eventually learn how to properly use this bait cast equipment. Cheers!

Wow, that is a bit of a load on the roof rack. I recall my Toyotas had a 110 ~ 120 lb limit for roof top stowage. We would often stow our deflated canoe in the travel bag up there. Well below the load limit. Although you could feel the handling change due to the extra weight up top. I'm guessing that really changes the wind loading with that additional cargo profile. I'm guessing those rotopacs (sp?), fuel containers, are for the additional fuel consumption due to excessive drag, right? Interesting for sure, a bit scary too. Thanks for sharing! Cheers!

Greetings All, Great question! My response is anytime it is safe. Gotta have a sound exit strategy if needed. Serious weather issue here in AZ is the lightning, you always want access to safe harbor quick. Winds at 15 mph or under are good for kayaking, aka yak attack. I want more catching than paddling. If the winds sustained winds are higher then it land based angling adventures. I have been angling 15 F - 118 F so as long as equipment and exit are good, I can be out there. AZ has elevations ranging from just over 800 feet above sea level all the way to 12k feet. So there is plenty of temperature variation involved. Goof off time is precious so I go when I'm able to. Due to my geographic location I do have some planing and travel involved. Generally there is at least an hour travel involved just to get somewhere where I can fish. So given that, I check the weather service along with aviation forecasts to provide wind analysis at the intended destinations. I do prefer being on-line catching fish! Key points are preparation with a plan, use good gear, be willing to adjust if needed. Tough conditions shouldn't be too challenging if you're setup for the elements, so let's be careful out there. The same goes for the angling too. Be well and cheers!

Greetings! Interesting observations regarding the reels. I am curious how you intend to proceed. Are you just going to use them as they are? I'm guessing there was no apparent defect, just different qualities between the models. Are you going to open them up and possibly inspect the internals and add some lubrication? That approach may alter the handling characteristics. Especially if during assembly there was a deficit of adequate lubrication or it simply migrated away from where it needs to be. I have found reels where there was plenty of lubrication, just not applied where it would be useful. Also out here in Southwest, the higher temperatures tend to facilitate grease migration, so there is that too. The environmental conditions may compel a use of a different lube. I have an appreciation for lower cost solutions that are of good quality, value. Your observations and opinions are noted. THXs! Be well and cheers!

Greetings All, My angling adventures typically have 1 to 4 rigs at easy reach. When using my kayak I'll have the 4 on board. Two in the vertical holders just aft of the seat back with the other 2 rods on deck. Now when on foot, I'll simplify to one or two rigs just to keep things easy for me. This simplifies the support equipment, tackle, load too. I prefer to carry less to enjoy more. These configurations are typical for me and I'm comfortable with that range of options. I will add, my recent canal fishing adventures, I focused on exploration of the area(s) and my bait cast configuration. As such, I used the a single rig to gain experience in developing proficiency. I do what I can to adapt to the situation in order to catch fish. Being a recreational angler, I'm focused on my fun factor for my goofing-off time. Your mileage may vary. Be well and cheers!

Greetings All, Bravo Glen and Thank You to all who contributed to the body of knowledge. As one who is beginning my bait cast journey, all of these points are well taken. So far I'm just getting comfortable with the basics and I'm working my way towards that minimal brake configuration. Wishing each of you well, Cheers!

Greetings All, Many of the regional waters are a bit of a drive to reach. Most have no services available either on-site or nearby, so yes, I bring food and plenty of drinking water. The ample water can be an Arizona thing. My typical preferred portable travel meal is a carne asada burrito. It is a grilled flank steak sliced up nicely with guacamole and fresh pico de gallo. Very tasty, very convenient, yummy for the tummy too. There are several places that are open on the early side to accommodate those departure times. Of course there is the always available fast food places too where you can find a solid breakfast. I usually grab something to go so as to not disturb my crew. The weekends are pretty special for all of us, we are crazy busy during the week. Oooh, typing this out is allowing my mind to wander off towards another weekend angling adventure. Be well and Cheers!

Greetings @Alex from GA I can empathize as I've had a few that required sitting down for a bit. I can say like most challenges having good tools handy helps. I find the old Swiss Army knife to be of great utility. The combination of straight pin, toothpick, and cork screw are invaluable in sorting out those professional over runs. Of course the last resort are the scissors, right? I may have to look into said reel. I was not aware of the availability. I may have get click happy. Thanks for the reference. An overall lighter weight package would be easier on me for those extended angling adventures. Also just have less to haul around is nice too. My $40 reels are on the heavier side, not too bad but no where near the BFS reel. Appreciate the info and consideration in adding to the body of knowledge. Cheers!

Good to know! THXs!

Greetings @WRB Tom, Yes, I saw Glen's new video post. I'll have a go at it shortly. I'm always seeking information on a better way to recreate. The roll cast with a more flexible rod has helped. Incorporating that rotational momentum and also trying to find the best length of bait dangle to use has been quite the learning. Yeah, I'm still sending baits everywhere with some occasionally hitting where I intended. This whole learning to use a bait cast reel has brought a new perspective to my angling. So far realizing the significance of that spool tension knob has been eye opening. The traditional slow fall setting is a great starting point. I believe I've gone beyond that point to where just a hint of spool tension is preferred. Finding that spot to work from has been huge for me in achieving those personal goals. I'm getting there bit by bit. The other evening I took that hint of spool tension setting set on the few bait cast reels I have. They each have different size lines 6 (BFS and Non BFS), and 10 pound mono. All on similar 5.5 foot rods and tied on the casting plug, just to see how they feel and determine the casting quality. I was astonished in a good way that with the minimal spool tension life was better in all cases for tossing the casting plug about. Better in that there was way less line flare, more control with not too much input effort. Yeah, I'm still trying to send it to the moon on occasions, oops. There is hope, old dogs can learn. While it is a challenge, it is that exploration of a new thing that does entice and adds more dimension to my recreational angling. It seems that I have passed the steep initial learning curve portion and I appear to be progressing in capability. Hey, just another way to catch fish, right?

Greetings All, Thank You to each of you for taking time to contribute to this thread. I'm continuing to learn more about how to better use bait cast gear. @roadwarrior I grew up using spinning gear which is why my preference for ultra lite configurations. This is a personal exploration to learn how to use bait cast reels and simply to see if I can do it well enough. Also to share my finding as I learn. Through many in this forum and other published information many have cited the ability to cast light weight baits without BFS gear or those type modifications. So I seek to understand how this can be done. @WRB Hi Tom, the casting technique is similar to that used by Japanese trout anglers in their stream pursuits with fiberglass rods. Instead of a direct acceleration towards the intended target you start the cast by swinging hard away in the opposite direction and then simply let the loaded rod rebound towards the target. I hope this clarifies things some. It is rather different for me using traditional angling gear. I have executed similar moves using fly fishing gear. @bulldog1935 Very interesting! Just build up enough rotational momentum and let'er rip. Much like watching those who do the hand casting with spooled up line in the static hand. Just be sure to get that release point done well or things will be interesting. Thanks for sharing that. I may need to try this, carefully. Just a quick update. I got in some casting and catching action over the weekend. Especially with the complicated weather system in the region. The winds were not friendly as the sustained winds were well over 15 mph and the gusts greater than that. At least the mostly overcast skies were comfortable as the temps were lower. My update is that by just eliminating the lateral spool play resulting in a very slight amount of spool tension my casting experience improved greatly. So I'll be working on more testing using that setting. Even with the winds I managed to get good cast performance. I was keeping things at a low side angle using both forehand and backhand motions. Good learning for sure. Be well and cheers!