A few weeks ago, my entire company was on the chopping block to head over to Iraq in support of the CinC's "Surge". As the mission particulars started to "gel", it became apparent that my company will be used as backfillers for other units.

My best NCO got tapped. He is the glue that holds my company together and his deployment will represent a severe decrease in my readiness. Additionally, he is a close friend, confident, and wall upon which I test my command ideas, schemes, and decisions. His counsel has kept me from making some potentially bad decisions.

So, in honor of all this, I want to make a custom rod for him. When I posed this question to him: "Sunday afternoon, 12 pack of beer, you're fishing for what?" He responded "Catfish on Lake Anna, but I want to learn how to take some of those smallmouths and rocks (striped bass)".

Great. I make fly rods.

I don't know the first thing about the bait-chucking rod he needs. I would love to hear ideas from all of you how I should fashion (components, techniques, etc) a rod for this tremendous friend, soldier, and American.

Brian

Here's an idea --- contact Reggie Kalous at AllAroundFishing@aim.com
He is deployed to Iraq now and should be able to fill you in on what kind of fishing they're doing over there. I know that there is at least one
fishing club in Baghdad ---- they've even posted photos of their "competitions" fishing for what look like snook or a perch variant.

I would recommend a multi-piece rod, it will come in handy throughout his life - but especially during deployment. Batson has a pretty extensive selection that would work well for you.

Hi Brian
You have to remember one important thing, the most times he fishes will be from the bank, so don't make the rod to short, the longer the rod will be the more applications are allowed for him to use it.
Best Regards Mark Crouse
www.munichrodmansrodshop.com or on the left " The Rod Shop"
To support your friend, who is fighting for our Country I will grant you 30 % discount for this project and all the help you need.

I live very close to Lake Anna, most fishing is done from boats some does happen from the banks but the vast majority that is not someones yard is wooded banks or very steep banks so a long rod might not be the ticket. The strippers that are mostly caught are in the 6-12 lb range with some upto or just over 20. I have caught more Largemouth Bass over 8lbs out of the lake than I have Stripers over 8. If he is also going to target smallies then he may be fishing the very upper reaches of the lake mainly the 2 rivers that form the lake. I would say that any 6'6"-7'6" med heavy to heavy action rod would work. Casting weights do vary but alot of the guys that fish for strippers throw 1/2-3/4 oz bucktails,storms,redfins,flukes,etc, or they live bait shad for them. The catfish part might be the hard part as I don't hear a whole lot about them being caught I know they are I've caught them but what size does he usually catch? if he is after Channel's then the same rod could work, if he is after Blue's or Flathead's might go a little heavier.

Go with a multi-piece. I take my one piecer's with me underway, but I have the space to do that. In my junior years I didn't, either slept with them along my rack or stashed somewhere that they ended up confiscated half the time.

When I was in Qatar, I met up with my cousin who was in the National Guard on R&R from Iraq. We picked up a couple cheapo telescoping rods and went fishing. Multi-piece would have been great. We didn't catch a lot, but it was a memorable experience to say the least. 7' is a pretty decent all-round length, especially if he is chucking bait. You can go with three piece and it not be so long it's not transportable.

Phil

Brian, I was in Iraq for 9 months, please e-mail me and we can discuss your options. wolverine1js@hotmail.com

Okay, I am a little confused by this thread. Does the gentleman want a rod to take to Iraq? Or, does he want a rod to fish for smallmouth bass and stripers in Virginia? If the latter, then a fly rod is still a good choice. While there are precious few (none of which I am aware) smallies in Lake Anna, the surrounding river systems (James, Rivanna, Rappahannock, Rapadan, Shennendoah, Potomac, and a few I won't mention on a public forum) hold plenty of smallies. All, or most, depending on his location, are easily accessible for anyone who fishes Lake Anna. In addition, stripers make spring pilgrimages up both the James and Rappahannock to habitat emminently suited to the long rod, and we haven't even mentioned American Shad runs. If he doesn't fly fish, then a 6'6" MH spinning rod with a fast to extra fast action can be used for both species discussed (in the river systems). I canoe the James quite a bit, and use a 9' seven weight for fly fishing smallies (and shad and stripers), and 6' to 6'6" spinning rods from L to MH, depending on the lure I'm throwing. Email me if you have questions.
Tight lines,
Hunter

From ghoulies and ghosties,
and long leggedy beasties,
and things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord deliver us!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2007 06:36PM by Hunter Armstrong.