5bites

Freaking WOW!

Wow that's a long sucker!

No not at all. I've just been getting slowly more and more curious about it. I know this site is loaded with Ned info. I see what you are saying about hang ups. That makes sense. I also kinda thought it might let it stand better by putting a wider footprint on the bottom. Maybe not. I keep aiming to buy enough to get me started but I've yet to find the right plastics close to home. I'll just have to order it probably.

Will do. Thanks for the reply.

Is one head design that much better than the other? For example mushroom vs ball?

I've thought about using the knife myself but just haven't tried it yet. I also do the wicking thing especially on the guides closer to the tip! The less weight out there the better! Another reason I love micro guides. Since a dropshot rod is what we are talking about I've got an idea I've wanted to try. Maybe you guys can tell me if it's dumb or not. My dropshotting is always vertical. A rod for dropping a dropshot and a rod for casting one are two different critters. Anyway since it's a vertical presentation why not forgo the heavy spinning guides altogether and just use lighter casting guides? Or maybe start with much smaller spinning guides and transition into micros? Casting distance is not an issue for this and I doubt the smaller guides would slow the drop down any at all. So you'd end up with a lighter better balanced rod for when you are looking at them on the graph and dropping to them. Also I've mentioned before (a while back) my general dislike for recoil guides. I've built with them and my favorite jig rod has them but I prefer ceramic. Anyway this dropshot rod I described above seems like a perfect candidate for for the single wire recoils. Any thoughts?

That's also a big part of the plan! The bluegill get big and mean there. Thanks for the heads up!

Right on. I may snag some this weekend. I'm taking my boys to Lamar lake this weekend. Maybe we can put a cat in the boat.

^That^ Also eBay has carbon fiber tubing. I plan on buying some filament wound tubing sometime for a different look. Swampland is another great place to buy from. Shipping cost is what eats you up in rod building unless you order from one place. Mudhole knows this.

How much are they?

Just to add and be clear I am in no way saying rps is wrong. At all. So please don't read it that way.

Mine and rps' method differs some. I use brushes. If you let the finish work for you by leveling itself brushes are fine. Also, and I know rps knows this, if you waited 10 minutes to turn the rod when you first apply the finish you'll end up with finish on your counter. You have to watch for sags then rotate. I do half turns. My method (everyone's is different) is as follows: Mix finish for 2.5-3 minutes Apply finish to the guides. First coat is thin and is basically just to soak into the thread. Usually I don't worry about getting it to overlap onto the blank on the first coat. I move to the logo area if that rod has one. I apply finish the length of the area just as I would if it had thread not caring how even it is. Then I make length wise strokes to level it out some. I touch up any dry areas and fill holes that are around the guide feet. You can do this on the second coat if you want. I also use this time to apply heat to areas (via alcohol lamp) that may have bubbles. Then I let the rod sit still so the finish starts to sag. Rotate half way. Let it sag slightly again. Rotate half way again. I just do this by feel. It will level everything out nicely. When I'm satisfied I slap it in my 9rpm flexcoat drier. Let it set at least 3 hours before applying another coat. Now for rotating the rod by hand while applying the finish is just fine. Rest your hand on something to steady it. I use a turned over coffee mug. I have a 20rpmish rotisseri motor that I use while applying finish then move to the 9r motor for it to dry. A faster motor lets you get more even lines at the end of your finish. I've actually been aiming to buy a better setup than my home made contraption but haven't. Anyway right or wrong this is my method. Everyone else on here does it different from me I'm sure and likely different than eachother. I've got some refining to do and things to buy but no more than I've built the last few years I don't worry about it much. Another option to consider is to just have what you have in mind made. Spend the money you'd spend on equipment on a rod built by another builder. I've thought more than once that may have been a better solution. Though I'll add it is satisfying to see your finished product, your creativity and design, then apply it. You can create your own actions by extending or shortening blanks. That opens a new window that others won't know about unless you tell them. It allows you to really build a technique specific rod.

I'll be curious of your opinion on the flex coat drill. I've used just a drill with all thread before. It worked but there are better ways.

One way to cut costs on your very first rod is to take a rod you kinda like, strip it down, and make it better. I did this for my first. I'd be glad to help but Carthage is a haul for you.

That's a lot of truth. I'll add, and I'm sure you already have it in mind obviously, but if I was prefishing, a good portion would be spent cranking main and secondary points, and banks in between. That and a black buzzbait since the perch are spawning like crazy right now. I say that knowing dang good and well I'd fish docks too lol. It's a sickness that I can't help. I keep thinking about heading down there myself Saturday but can't decide.

I'm just slow enough it might be necessary ha ha!

Well that's honestly a loaded question. It would be easy to drop a grand before even ordering a rod. Or you could spend under $50 easily. It just depends how much you plan on being involved. The quality of premade grips out now helps a lot! Turning your own can add up to a lot of cash if you let it.

Red I didn't catch that but I'm pretty green here. Knowing when some people are joking isn't alway easy in the net lol.

Wow that's funny, but very gross!

Wow that is very strange. I assume its because that water is basically dedicated to trout?

Cool deal. I've never done that but would like to on my own personal stuff. It seems like perma gloss would be perfect for that.

Right on. Thank for the compliment. I've got one shot with these ornery rats so I try to spend what time I can with them. My youngest has really got interested this year. He always fished but now he's getting full on ate up with it like his brother and I. He spent 2-2.5hrs I. The yard Tuesday night learning to cast a baitcaster. Yesterday I came home to one of those physics defying backlashes lol. He'll get it. He's working hard at it. He's actually got a jar dedicated to saving up for his first baitcaster. A friend and I went last Friday evening for a few hours. We put in at elk river. It's kind of a mess around there with the new bridge going in. You really have to crowd that center line if you cross the makeshift bridge now. Anyway we caught fish about like how you'd expect. Points and the first half of coves. I'd be more specific but I can't really. We wasn't in full serious mode so it's not like we really dialed them in lol. My friend caught one at 4lbs in some shallow cover, just inside the mouth of a cove between docks, but it wasn't on the bank. Another friend of my friend caught a 4+ in front of a dock on gravel using a shaky head so I know there are some quality fish up shallow around spawning areas but it appears to be main lake or not that far back. Near as I could tell anyway. I know this doesn't help really but it's something I guess. Grand is a cool lake though. I always say fish act like fish there. Sometimes it's practically like pond fishing. It's a junk fishermans dream lake. Good luck this weekend. I look forward to the report.

Very cool. Is that a single coat of epoxy?

Really? I wonder why there's a difference on the same body of water?

Wow that's quite a system. What foam do you fill them with? Exandable foam?