Can't believe it's been 25 years...and can't imagine building rods without RodMaker Magazine. Congratulations, Tom - and THANKS!
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Can't wait!
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So...after having not shipped a surf rod in a long time I am attempting to ship a 8'10" Thrasher 8106 from Birmingham, AL to Camden, NC. The tube is 110" in length packed. I am shocked at the current shipping prices. I have historically shipped rods like this from my local post office, but they are no longer accepting - at any price - items over 8' in length. UPS is quoting $185
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Chris - Yes you can use that guide for that application. While it seems high, you need a high first guide to keep the line of the tip end of your fore grip under heavy load with a parabolic jigging rod. I actually have used and really like the CLCSG20 or BLCAG20...this is a low rider surf style guide you can reverse with the single foot facing the reel. This guide is even higher than the R
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I might be mistaken but pretty sure Ernie Horvath and his son both worked for Cape Fear for a time. You can track Ernie down on Facebook...I bet he could tell you more. Hope this helps.
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Really excited to see some Slow Pitch Blanks! Mine are already on order.
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I LOVED the Shikari blanks. Built a bunch of them. Thrasher Rods and their factory in Woodland, WA has purchased all the old Shikari blanks and tapers/mandrels. Happy to get you in touch with them as new old Shikari product is coming available now.
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I am really interested in all things carbon fiber and build a lot of rods with carbon fiber grips. Theoretically, I understand exactly the concerns everyone is expressing above. In my actual experience I have had zero such failures on heavy duty spiral wrapped rods utilizing carbon fiber grips for the last 10 years. These rods have landed grouper over 46#, Amerberjack over 80#, and YFT up to 1
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Thanks Gabriel. One question - normally I use an assist line with a fluorocarbon core for slow pitch jigging...stiffer than hollow core but not as stiff as metal core. Is your PES core the equivalent? Or what would be most like a fluoro-cored assist line in your products? Thanks! Bill Falconer Falconer Custom Rods
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Okay - good thinking. Not sure if I can get used to the control knob vs. the foot pedal but I'm going to try it. Thanks!
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Hello All - Happy Monday. Well after 18 years the foot pedal that came with my original Renzetti lathe (before they were solid state) has bit the dust. As much as I've loved the snap crackle and pop over the years I want to replace it with a solid state pedal and be done. This particular lathe is set up in my dirty area and is used only for turning. I do not wrap under power so fine
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Knew this day would come but still a sad day. Ralph was a unique guy...old school. He made a significant contribution to this country long before he contributed so significantly to our craft. I was fortunate to meet Ralph as a young, wide-eyed rod builder. He could obviously see I had a lot to learn and Ralph set about teaching me. He taught me an awful lot of what I know about epoxy, adh
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Ian, Ernie Horvath (and his son I think?) used to do work for Cape Fear. I'm with you...awesome blanks. Sorry they never took off. You probably won't have any luck but Ernie would be your best best IMHO. Think he is on here as Ernest Horvath. Good luck!
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Hey Robert - Thanks for the help. There was actually subsequent article specifically about color tinting carbon skins. I found it - Volume 17 #5. Hope this helps. Bill
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The CRB Tuna Popper blanks are very durable and meet your budget criteria. They are also very heavy. I can't throw one all day for YFT out of Venice. So I went looking for other options. So far my very favorite rod for this application is a Black Hole Challenger 801M or 801H. Very reasonable compared to Synit or CTS blanks and they will put 100# YFT on the deck (with the right reel and l
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I use ToroTamer hollow core white braid in 20# and 30# for my tie off loops. They have no coating or wax or color and do NOT contaminate threads. They flatten out and minimize the 'footprint' of your tie off loop and pull thru. They do not cut any threads of any size I have ever used. Also as far as I know they are indestructible. I have never had one wear out in 5 years of using them. Prob
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Larry - You can also go the route of coating the grip with finish / epoxy that you have tinted with a powdered pigment. This does not require any special paints, spraying equipment, etc. I wrote an article for RodMaker - apologies can't remember the Volume and Issue number - on how to do this. It is really pretty simple. You are limited only by the number of pigments available and the real
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For what it's worth...6s are too small for me in this application. For line weights #9 or above I go up to 7s for the runner and tip top based on my personal experience. As Tom noted, it's all about passing your knots (hopefully outbound and at speed hooked up to something big!).
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David - I do a BUNCH of this kind of fishing these days down in South Louisiana. The best I have ever found are the Point Blank PB731MHXF, PB731MHF and the PB701MHF. They are perfect and durable enough for kayak fishing. Hope this helps. Good luck! Bill
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Gervais - I get down there and get after the YFT out of Venice a few times a year. I have to confess a huge bias for catching them on either vertical/flat fall jigs or poppers, but as you know some days it's livies, some days you gotta chunk, if we're lucky we toss bycatch behind a shrimp boat - whatever it takes. I realize this is not what most people would tell you, but a Black Hole C
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Eddie, this is one of my favorite ways to fish and I get down to Venice, LA every chance I get to get after YFT. I prefer to throw poppers but we have had lots of success dropping vertical jigs from the front of the boat while the guys in the back are chunking or fishing live baits. We also bottom fish this way out of Orange Beach, AL and Fort Morgan, AL. I have learned a lot in three years o
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Hello Bill - Sorry you are having trouble. Not sure what is going on - have heard from a few others. falconerb is the username and it is a yahoo.com address. If you'd like to PM me yours I'd be happy to contact you directly. Thanks! Bill
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Agree with Sergeant Butters on the MHX EPS78MLF. If you want this to be really special, the Point Blank PB661MLXF is off the charts. You pay more but it is definitely worth it in my opinion.
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Thank you so much for sharing, Doc. You have taught us all so much...I'm grateful!
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Kudos...I've never regretted doing it right. The expedient, easy way on the other hand - I'd definitely do a bunch of those over.
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I think the cosmetics matter, as well. A well executed, well formed carbon fiber grip is very appealing to many anglers. This one especially!
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Captain Craig - Like Tom I have made them the way you are describing. Most specifically, I have made several over EVA when using Fuji IPS and VSS seats and integrating the seat and grip into one carbon skinned unit. They are heavier and less sensitive with an EVA or cork core than they are with the foam core. At least to my hands...which I acknowledge is not terribly scientific but is very
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Sorry Adam - that may not have been clear enough. I mean I heat the end of the FC ever so gently (while pinching all the rest of the line / knot in my fingers to protect it) to ball the end just a bit. Specifically, I tie the knot in this sequence: 1) complete all of your wraps to build the FG knot (usually 20) and cinch them tightly and compress them together lengthwise 2) two alternatin
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I do the same - I ball the FC as well as singe the end of the braid after my final serve or closing knot. I have never had an FG fail, but I have had the half hitches and final serve come loose after hard use if I don't singe it.
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I have had really good luck with the Gelly Rollers in Metallic Silver, Metallic Gold, White and black. I am using a size Medium tip - not sure if they make others. I have not read the GFF article but I have been doing it the same way with no problems for the better part of ten years. So take it for what it is worth. Typically I do a butt wrap / tiger wrap and put a coat of finish over that
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