On 3/31/2023 at 2:12 PM, Alpster said:

Getting organized in my new shop.....

 

 

Nice.  Having your sheet organized feels tremendous.  

On 4/2/2023 at 9:09 PM, jejenkyns said:

How are you liking the Blackjack? Do you own "The Sensor" as well? I'm currently debating between these two rods ?

Have you seen the new steez line?

 

https://www.daiwa.com/jp/fishing/item/rod/bass_rd/steez_rc/index.html

22 hours ago, KP Duty said:

Nice.  Having your sheet organized feels tremendous.  

Have you seen the new steez line?

 

https://www.daiwa.com/jp/fishing/item/rod/bass_rd/steez_rc/index.html

I did yes, I'm unsure as of yet. Not enough rods released and doesn't seem to be any new tech unless I missed something. There are so many amazing looking, and unique rods in the '21 JDM Steez ags line though. I've been drooling over quite a few of them.

On 4/2/2023 at 7:09 PM, jejenkyns said:

How are you liking the Blackjack? Do you own "The Sensor" as well? I'm currently debating between these two rods ?

Sorry i don't own the Sensor. Black Jack is a really nice med size softbait stick. I use it mainly for 3/16-1/4 oz texas rig, free rig and weightless baits like D Shad, dolive stick fat. It has fast to slow dual taper found on many JDM sticks. 

Ready to head out Monday morning, I'm fishing all week. 

 

7 hours ago, swhit140 said:

Ready to head out Monday morning, I'm fishing all week. 

 

Goodluck. Bring back some big girl pics.

22 hours ago, swhit140 said:

Ready to head out Monday morning, I'm fishing all week. 

 

What are the reels with the red handle knobs?   Tatula SV?

8 hours ago, MiceNReets said:

What are the reels with the red handle knobs?   Tatula SV?

Daiwa Tatula SV CS Red Spider, import model. 

On 4/6/2023 at 1:35 PM, swhit140 said:

Ready to head out Monday morning, I'm fishing all week. 

 

Are you using clear line on tip-up baits because it's more visible? That's my deal...green line is definitely harder to see.  

1 hour ago, KP Duty said:

Are you using clear line on tip-up baits because it's more visible? That's my deal...green line is definitely harder to see.  

I mainly didn't realize I was low on line, so I just had to pickup a small spool for the time being. Normally I have a couple bulk spools around, obviously I didn't remember to order line last fall sale. 

I mainly use Copolymer line on my rods except for my one frog setup.

Wanted another pitching setup that was shorter than my current ones so got the Champ 684c paired with Curado 200 7.4. 
 

Sold a head Turner before and it’s truly the only rod I’ve ever regretted getting rid of. So got another one for spinnerbaits. Paired with Curado 150mgl 6.2

Haven't been able to try out my new Bantam and LTB rod much till yesterday.  No Bass with frogs but I caught a 2.5 to 3 ft longnose gar and a fresh water drum. Good to know if I want to take this set up inshore fishing it'll handle reds.  

On 4/9/2023 at 10:26 PM, msgf91 said:

Haven't been able to try out my new Bantam and LTB rod much till yesterday.  No Bass with frogs but I caught 2.5 to 3 ft longnose gar and a fresh water drum. Good know if I want to take this set up inshore fishing it'll handle reds.  

Nice.  I didn't know until recently that Redfish were drum.

11 hours ago, KP Duty said:

Nice.  I didn't know until recently that Redfish were drum.

Sure are. Redfish are such a blast. 

@KP Duty 2/3 of inshore species around the world are scienids, in the Croaker and Drum family.  

Croaker, whiting, red drum, black drum, corbina, seatrout.  

2 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

@KP Duty 2/3 of inshore species around the world are scienids, in the Croaker and Drum family.  

Croaker, whiting, red drum, black drum, corbina, seatrout.  

Now I need to pick up a Medium LTB for some gators 

On 4/5/2023 at 10:46 PM, 4g63power said:

Sorry i don't own the Sensor. Black Jack is a really nice med size softbait stick. I use it mainly for 3/16-1/4 oz texas rig, free rig and weightless baits like D Shad, dolive stick fat. It has fast to slow dual taper found on many JDM sticks. 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I ended up getting the Sensor, arrived yesterday. Limited experience with it obviously but I'm really very stoked on it right now, i think it was the right choice ?

 

Maybe the blackjack will be my next one, who knows! Enjoy yours!

This just off the bench.  Custom Ambassadeur 6500CS Rocket built on Akios barstock LW frame.  Finding this new-stock UK frame on Japan Yahoo was kismet.  The limited run sold out in a month in Apr '21, and nobody is letting them go.  They were only made in 6500 width.  

    

It has Avail mag brake and my favorite 2-6-pt centrifugal.  RocketReelCo stainless ball bearing drive.  Fourteen ball bearings total, including 5 on the spool, and 4 on the LW.  The handle is Whiplash Factory, and matches the silver-blue side plates exactly.  Avail trim.  Valleyhill B-trap drag washers.  

The frame lowers the spool 8 mm closer to the rod, but the real beauty is the thumb access.  

Avail 5-mm-deep spool, I plan to load it with 200 yds PE#2 braid, 36 lb.  

Here's my family of custom Ambassadeurs

4500CT, 5500CT, 6500CT, 6500CS Rocket

4600 Express, 4500C, 1500CI.  

50 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

This just off the bench.  Custom Ambassadeur 6500CS Rocket built on Akios barstock LW frame.  Finding this new-stock UK frame on Japan Yahoo was kismet.  The limited run sold out in a month in Apr '21, and nobody is letting them go.  They were only made in 6500 width.  

 

 

It has Avail mag brake and my favorite 2-6-pt centrifugal.  RocketReelCo stainless ball bearing drive.  Fourteen ball bearings total, including 5 on the spool, and 4 on the LW.  The handle is Whiplash Factory, and matches the silver-blue side plates exactly.  Avail trim.  Valleyhill B-trap drag washers.  

The frame lowers the spool 8 mm closer to the rod, but the real beauty is the thumb access.  

Avail 5-mm-deep spool, I plan to load it with 200 yds PE#2 braid, 36 lb.  

Here's my family of custom Ambassadeurs

4500CT, 5500CT, 6500CT, 6500CS Rocket

4600 Express, 4500C, 1500CI.  

She's a beauty. 

1 hour ago, bulldog1935 said:

They were only made in 6500 width.  

I remember back about 5 or 6 years ago they had 5500 LW frames and I went to place an order and they were sold out.  I inquired about a restock and was told they would have more at some point, but the time never came.  That 6500CS is a beauty!

Love It!

23 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

This just off the bench.  Custom Ambassadeur 6500CS Rocket built on Akios barstock LW frame.  Finding this new-stock UK frame on Japan Yahoo was kismet.  The limited run sold out in a month in Apr '21, and nobody is letting them go.  They were only made in 6500 width.  

 

 

It has Avail mag brake and my favorite 2-6-pt centrifugal.  RocketReelCo stainless ball bearing drive.  Fourteen ball bearings total, including 5 on the spool, and 4 on the LW.  The handle is Whiplash Factory, and matches the silver-blue side plates exactly.  Avail trim.  Valleyhill B-trap drag washers.  

The frame lowers the spool 8 mm closer to the rod, but the real beauty is the thumb access.  

Avail 5-mm-deep spool, I plan to load it with 200 yds PE#2 braid, 36 lb.  

Here's my family of custom Ambassadeurs

4500CT, 5500CT, 6500CT, 6500CS Rocket

4600 Express, 4500C, 1500CI.  

What about the amo frames?  Are those worth messing with?

@Tatulatard This is a 6500C mid-frame Ambassadeur going on a custom 8' two-hand surf-lure rod, casting 1/4 to 1 oz into next week.  

Akios made their mark on barstock frames for NLW CT Ambassadeurs for surf and tournament casting, then building their own CT reels in England based on Ambassadeur.  Finding the Akios LW frame is a coup.  

  

 

AMO offers their copy of Avail's frame for the mini-Ambassadeurs, 1500C and 2500C.  I have the Avail frame on my 1500CI, and it's excellent for using the reel on a stream rod with a straight reel seat, bringing the spool 7.5 mm closer to the rod. It also instantly removes an ounce from the reel (you get another ounce and more with a spool upgrade, alloy brake and palm plates - all the brass, chrome and stainless you can replace with anodized alloy peels away weight - in the spool and LW, it peels away inertia).  

 

We'd all be happy campers if Avail or AMO offered 4500 and 5500 frames.

The 2500C with Avail or AMO frame would pair nicely with a bass BFS rod.  

Neither AMO nor Avail frames are machined from barstock, but assembled from pressed alloy plates, pillars and screws.  I wouldn't expect them to have the rigidity (or open air) of an Akios frame, but the Avail frames are perfect for their application.  

I've never tried the AMO frame (I like their spools), maybe @redmeansdistortion has tried one - he has a cache of 2500C.  

On 3/12/2023 at 11:01 PM, msgf91 said:

Added another St. Croix rod,  Avid Walleye 6'8 M XF with a Tatula LT 2500 Shallow Spool.  I like shorter M power rods for drop shot so I'll be trying it out for that.  

 

 

This rod series looks awesome. How does it fish and do you like the stainless guides?

1 hour ago, thunderblack said:

 

This rod series looks awesome. How does it fish and do you like the stainless guides?

Everything has been great with it so far. It casts well and the guides have been nice. My favorite part is how soft the cork is. It's been a little weird getting used to how light it is and how it balances because of how light the tatula is. I've only caught a few dinks on a drop shot and Ned rig so far so haven't been able to see how it handles the bigger bass. I'll report back once I catch some more fish with it. 

Ready for two tournaments this weekend!