My fishing club has gone to a spot on Lake Michigan the last couple of falls and done very well on big smallmouth. Last year, in one weekend over 20 taken were over 6 pounds, two over 7 pounds, honest! (nearly all C&R) One of the techniques used is to Lindy rig with 4-6" baby suckers and then dead stick a same sized minnow in a rod off the rod holder. Small split shot on the sucker is al
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I am looking for a good photo showing the guides as they wrap around the rod. I am not going to publish it. I just want to be able to email the photo while I am explaining the theory in the text message. I remember seeing some nice pics several years ago on some photo pages but i think it was even before this site was up and running. I tried search this photo site but no luck. Thanks Buzz
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green and black "classic twist" thread which I think RICE of Fish Hawk now produces. This color combo looks sharp on that blank Buzz
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Marc, get me at rodmaker@dotnet.com I still haven't figured this out yet
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I have no idea why I have hidden my email. How do I change that so I can list my email on this board? Confused in Wisconsin Buzz
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Good morning guys, I am looking for a specific style of blank at a reasonable price. Here is the application what it is used for. In the summer local anglers fish deep cribs (20 to 35 feet deep) for suspended bluegills and crappies. An ant fly, tipped with a wax worm is cast out about the same number of feet from the boat as the fish are suspended from the bottom. A small split shot is on th
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Tom, We will have a repeat of the very good seminar on choosing colors for rods? I forgot our presenters name. When I told my wife about this particular seminar, she was so interested she informed me that she wanted to go along this year so she could sit in on the same seminar. Thanks, Buzz
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Thanks to everyone. I am going to do some testing on some regular cork and burl mock ups. If they turn out decent I will try and post some photos. Buzz
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I build my grips from regular and burl cork on the blank and then turn the grips down on a rod lathe.. I do not build a grip on the mandrel and then transfer it to a rod. HOWEVER, I now have access to a laser engraver. Has anyone tried to put some laser engraving on cork? I am thinking regular cork may be too soft but burl cork with a couple of coats of rod finish might look cool. To fit in the m
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10 fly rods? That is a "starter set" dude.
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Got the address. thanks Bill and Tom
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It was tightline rods, thank you
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I lost the info sheet that they gave me. Who was it was selling the custom water slide decals? Thanks, Buzz
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Gavin, St. Croix blanks are very, very good blanks. I build a bunch of rods every year on the Avid (SCIII) blanks. Keep in mind when selecting lure ratings that the St. Croix's "feel a bit stiffer" than other brand of blanks with a similar lure rating. Pick the right SCIII blank and you/your customer will love it. Buzz
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Kevin, Please post a photo of your guide spacing uniform. I don't think we can get the full effect of your message from just. text. Buzz
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Peter, i agree with Jim Gamble. Have built many on those St. Croix blanks he mentioned, and everyone that has one, including me loves them.
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Jason, I don't use the plug. I mix some 5 minute epoxy wtih the same cork shavings that were reamed/drilled out. Make a slurry type paste and fill the hole in with the paste. When dry, touch it with a belt sander for a flush flat appearance. You can see the ring of the blank also, which in my opinion, looks pretty cool. Buzz
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Anyone have problems with damage that has been done to those hook keepers when they are wrapped with the first/largest guide? Does the usual knocking around the boat cause any problems? Do you have to put a new coat of finish that guide every couple of years due to wear and tear from hooks digging into the finish/thread on wraps? I like that idea. Buzz
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I build a LOT of smallie and walleye rods on St. Croix Legend (SCV and SCIV) spin rods both in the medum and medium light. Medium light lets you load and cast smaller jigs/lures. Customers love them. No complaints and a great warranty. Customer brought back a broken SCIV custom. Sent in the broken rod and got a new blank AND the broken rod back. Go with the St. Croix.
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Ken, Custom rods are up slightly from last year. I sell custom rods in Wisconsin and Florida. Repairs however are through the roof! People are saving money by spending $8.00 for a repair instead of $30.00 for the same factory rod new.
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Geez Mike, glad you are OK. Do you think you can give us a demonstration at next year's EXPO of how you crawled under the bench to pull the plug? We could do it in the seminar room or the bar later in the evening :) Buzz
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Tony, I hope you are able to convince him. It seems lately that the actual building of the custom rod isn't near as troublesome as "educating" the customer as to why method A works better than the traditional method B. Take, SIC guides and wire line, spiral wrap musky rods, etxc. What are the blank specs and make and model you are using? Thanks, Buzz
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Thanks guys, exactly the info I was looking for. Buzz
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I have started using the Maderia thread and love the extra colors that you get over the Gudebrod. I have a Custom Power Wrap that has a thread carriage on it (holds two spools at a time). When I have the Gudebrod or Fish Hawk thread the post that holds the thread spool has some friction which causes it to unwind nice and easy. However, when I use the Maderia, which has a spool hole size much larg
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Robbie, First off enjoyed talking to you at the Expo this year. I saw an earlier post where you were considering bringing back some of the popular variegated threads (orange and black, red and black) and I see you are offering those in silk thread. What is the word on offering those threads in Nylon for this next year. I am still getting a lot of requests for those types of thread in nylon. B
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Mike, when fighting a big fish, or repeated pulls of the rod when using jerkbait style lures, I am still of the opinion that a foregrip, even a small one is going to give you a better, less tiring grip then holding on to the reel. You don't have to go with a full blown foregrip. Mark where you would hold the rod for jerkbait fishing or lifting the rod when trying to pull the fish off the bottom a
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Mike, For several years I taught rod building classes to "at risk" high school students. I used Batson and Custom Tackle Supply to put together kits that were selected by the students, spin, fly, baitcast etc. They were very helpful in getting a large number of parts and supplies organized in a short amount of time, prices were very good too. Buzz Butters
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I am lucky enough to participate in putting some fishing gear together for some special campers at the Lions camp in Rosholt Wisconsin (http://www.wisconsinlionscamp.com/About%20Us.htm). There are about 1500 campers that go through the camp every year. They cater to the visual, and hearing impaired children as well as those with diabetes. There is a nice lake on site and the campers love to fish.
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Thanks John, you mean there are still some crappies left in your waters???????? Need help catching some?????????????????? :)
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I have to replace this MONSTER sized surf guide. I have smaller sizes off an old Fenwick surf rod that I can use but was wondering if they still make these guides so I can get the proper replacement size. Here is the photo. Thanks Buzz It is in the photo gallery under MISC
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