Hi Tom, From a boat. I've never fished for them before, but my friend wants to fish for sturgeon while we throw plugs for schoolie stripers. Thanks, Ken
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Thinking about building a rod for California delta sturgeon. Any suggestions?
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Thanks Russ, Which st. Croix series 3 would you recommend? Ken
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He said he was in a boat, deeper water. Thanks a lot, Ken
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Thanks, what's the typical bait rig like for barracuda?
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Hello, A good friend is retiring and moving back to Florida, and I'd like to make a rod for him. He used to live there decades ago, and he told me his favorite fishing out there is bait fishing for barracuda from a boat. I live in Cali, so no experience fishing for cudas...what blank do you guys from there recommend? Probably 2 piece, I know they are fast, but can't imagine they need a pool c
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Nope, I'm an Air Traffic Controller in Cali...
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Thanks!
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No real problems, just a thought experiment to see if I can make what I'm doing better...I still have plenty of the devcon to use up...
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I had an idea pop into my head about epoxying grips and reel seats. I use devcon epoxies, the five min and 2ton when I epoxy grips and seats to rods. I like the quickness of the 5min, but it is not as strong or as water proof as the 2ton. So what about putting the 2ton epoxy on the ares that will come into contact with water, and the 5min in the central areas that will not be exposed to water?
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Just wondering if anyone has used these and what their experience was. Thanks, Ken
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No problem.
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I bought some of both styles, and found it very hard to prep the feet of the TiCH guides...the files I use on chrome and stainless had a difficult time even getting through the finish...I had to go to a diamond sharpening stone to prep the feet easily...so they are a lot harder than the chrome finish, at least in my experience.
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Thanks for the info!
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I built two of the new HM MHX blanks, a drop shot and popping blank, and am thoroughly impressed...wondering if there will be fly versions soon?
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The past three rods I made using micros for bass and it was quite a learning curve, as I started out making fly rods. When I started a fly rod build I had put off, I noticed how much faster I was at wrapping the fly guides...it seems like I'm three or four times faster at the fly rod builds now. So if you haven't given micros a try, here's one more excuse to build another rod: they'll make you
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Thanks Trung, I also live in SJC. Where do you get those blanks? How often you go fishing? Ken
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I'm not against micros, I've built a few bass rods with micros, and they were excellent rods. Any other input on the guide materials? Do you use underwraps? Any other suggestions?
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I'm considering building a surf rod for northern California stripers (mostly near Monterey). I typically fish for black bass in lakes and trout in rivers, so this is outside of the norm for me. I've only ever built fly rods and light baitcasters/spinning rods for bass. It would be a spinning rod. I'd like to use large plugs and poppers, will probably use braid, and that's all I know so far.
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I just built a HM-MHX-DS822, and it is a sweet blank. It is light, fast, and sensitive. I would take this blank over my friend's factory GLX drop shot rod any day...
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I've noticed that on my iPhone as well. It seems to be only on threads with Billy Vivona's signature...Just an observation...
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I once built an rx8+ 9' 5wt. It was heavier than a Sage 6wt zaxis, and when I put a 5wt line on it, I felt it the line was too light...I kept going up line weights until I put my 8wt line on it, where for me, it felt like the rod was finally fully loaded, and I could cast into the backing with ease...I used to cast at the Oakland casting ponds weekly bass bug tournaments, and it easily threw a b
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How long does rod bond take to set?
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Alright, it does stretch, thank you!
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If a section of preformed eva has a tenon, and I need to stretch the eva to fit a grip, how much will the tenon stretch? The difference in diameter is .582" OD on the blank, the eva has a .5" ID. Will it need to be refit? Thanks.
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Didn't see it in their catalog...the cork I saw online did have some for spinning handles, but that is not the right diameter and it is not mortised like the struble or bellinger reel seats...
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No lathe or router...I don't build enough to justify those tools...
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Looking for a nice cork insert for a 2 wt fly rod for a bellinger or struble downlocking slide band reel seat. Anyone know where to get one? Thanks, Ken
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I used the red abalone veneer from mudhole on a St croix ultra light today using the mudhole method...it worked...but it took way longer than their video...but it's probably just because the blank diameter is so tiny that to get the veneer soft enough to roll nicely, it takes time...I couldn't get as clean a line as they get in their video by scraping where the edges meet once it's done, but that
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I followed the steps for both...38.1mm x 27 = 40.5" from the reel face. That's 30.5" from the tip of a 7' blank, first guide from the tip 4.5" (moved from 4" based on static), four more guides @ 5" intervals based on static(they all moved down .5"), 6" to the choker; to make that straight line between center of reel and choker, I have the a butt guide 5" a
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