Eyefull

Todd, I may be at Birch Run with the Streak booth. I won't most likely have any rods though, just helping out. Most of my wire rods do break the bank, sorry. The components are all very expensive to do it right. Torpedo tips from Calumet Marine, guys we need to talk!

Sounds good, I'll let you know when I can get over there to pick up the Eyefull2.

I haven't tried the rods. I can say that you will be much happier putting the Torpedo Tip on your rods instead of the Aftco. It has a small SIC ringed guide on the incoming side of the roller, it keeps the wire centered in the roller no matter what angle the swivel tip is at. The aftco doesn't have this feature and will run you about $25 more per tip. Try and find a US distributer because the shipping charges from Ontario sucks. I have no affiliation with Torpedo, I just use them off and on again when the situation calls for a swivel roller tip.

Shane, I will have to pick up my new to me boat in Muskegon in a couple two or three weeks. We can meet someplace and make the hand off then?

They work nice for copper as well. They are softer/slower action, so they bend a little more than other copper rods out there. They have plenty of power in the bottom end. I think shane has spoken for them, I'll confirm it with him.

Sorry, I have to work the whole weekend, so I can't attend the show this year. Just let me know and they are yours also. I have them in the shop, so all the rods are ready.

Thanks. I haven't slept much the last two nights, just thinking and planning:rolleyes:

Mark, I actually did buy this one. Put deposit on her Wednesday. It also has a great location for one of your famous Braveheart moments LOL!

I have two like new leadcore rods for sale. They are 9' two piece, built on Rainshadow blanks. They are Blood Run color schemed (dark burghandy wraps, and burghandy aluminum seat). Oversized boat rod guides for passing knots, full aluminum reel seat with dual knurled locking rings, bullet proof grips. These were used for part of last season and are still in mint condition, full warranty applies. $100 each or both for $180. They sell for $150 each today new.

Check with Bob Keitzman (Geteway on several boards) in Bay City. He builds/fabricates some of the nicest custom arches I have seen, and he is very competitive price wise as well. Sorry, don't have his number handy, maybe someone will help out here.

By the looks of things, I almost made a horrible mistake:eek:

LOL! 20 yard spitballs, thats funny stuff right there. Making a 3 hour drive tomorrow to have a look at her.

You guys are going to have to beat me two out of three at thumbwrestling for it:lol:

Both the Jk's and Big Weenies are the same Mag head. In my opinion, the BW's have better, more attractive color work. BW's rigs also don't have any crimps to slip either. A full blown Pig Rig is tough to beat.

That sounds right to me Adam.

I am not for or against slot limits. I just haven't seen anything in this thread that connects the dots with Asian carp management. Slot limits are used to increase trophy fish and boost spawning efforts. Neither of those things are lacking on Saginaw Bay. The Bay is full of walleye now, granted mostly 13-22 inch variety, but all sizes are out there including state record size fish. There are plenty of walleye to eat any new bait, including asian carp. If you think that only trophy fish eat bait, then why do I have to beat away the 13" eyes from biting a Reef Runner 800 in the spring, or a Streak Standard all summer long? Like I said, I am always open to the idea of slots for the right reason. Lets keep the two issues seperate like they should be. Fighting Asian Carp is seperate from slot limits on walleye in Saginaw Bay. Saginaw Bay has no shortage of predators, it does have a shortage of baitfish. Fighting Asian Carp is a very important issue, all will agree on that front. I just don't see any evidence to convince me that slot limits on walleye will do anything for that in Saginaw Bay.

One of the most common things that people bring to my shop for repair is broken or loose tip top guides. The tip top guide is the guide that gets the most stress and strain day in and day out of any on the entire rod. Because of that, along with the fact that factory rods use hot melt adhesive to secure the tips, they are the ones that fail or fall off most often. Here is a quick how to that will save you some coin instead of having someone like me repair/replace the tip, or worse yet, trash the rod altogether. Step 1: Most rods have epoxy finish and thread covering part of the tip top guides tube. The first step is to carefully remove the epoxy and thread using a sharp utility knife or exacto type tool. Carefully, very carefully, start slicing layers of epoxy off the area in a linear direction with the blank. As you get deeper, you will see the threads, then stop when you start to scrape the paint off the blank. At this point you should be able to use your fingernail to get under the thread wrap and epoxy, removing it completely from the blank and tip top. It will peal peal off in big pieces. If there is no epoxy and thread over the tube of the tip top, you won’t need this step. Step 2: Use a Bic lighter or similar tool to heat the tip top tube. Be very careful not to over heat. It only has to be hot enough to warm the hot melt glue. Too much heat will char or melt the rod blank underneath. Have a pair of needlenose pliers ready to grab the ring of the guide and pull the tip top right off the blank. If it won’t go, try a little more heat until it does. Don’t twist, just pull straight off. Step 4: Once the old tip top guide is removed, use your exacto knife to carefully clean all remaining glue and epoxy from the area. Wipe the blank clean with denatured alchohol or Acetone. Step 5: If your guide just simply came loose, you can just reuse it. Clean it out with a tiny file and you are good to go. If the guide is worn out or missing its ring, a new one is in order. Most good tackle stores carry Tip Top guides and will often size it for you by placing different size tops to your rod that you brought with you to the store. Your tip top guides ring should be the same size ID as your last running guide, but it is not critical either way. No need to pick up any “tip top adhesiveâ€, as we aren’t going to use that, it is what made it come loose in the first place. Step 6: Now that you have your tip top guide, and your blank is clean and ready for it, the rest is quick and simple. For adhesive you can use any good two part epoxy, or any good superglue. Both will work better than the hot melt stuff. The only downside is that if you ever have to remove it again, it will take more heat and maybe some French words. Simply use a toothpick to apply adhesive to the rod blank and inside of the tip top tube both. Carefully twist the tip top onto the blank in a steady circular motion, trying to keep as much adhesive in the bond area as possible. Some of the adhesive will naturally end up oozing out at the base of the tube and even sometimes out the closed end of the tube near the ring. Use the denatured alchohol or Acetone to quickly clean up any adhesive that gets away. At this point you have to make sure that the tip top is aligned perfectly before the adhesive sets. If you used two part, no hurry. If you used superglue, you better get it right quick! Step 7: This step would be to replace the thread wrap that we tore off in step 1. That is another whole tutorial in itself. Don’t sweat it, the wrap doesn’t have any use other than looks. Not replacing the thread wrap is perfectly fine and won’t have any effect on the strength or longevity of the repair. There are lots of quick repair and even some more involved repairs (broken rods), that I would be happy to do articles on if there is any interest. Just let me know, I am happy to do this kind of article.

1.8-2.2 GPS. I adjust for current and upwind vs. downwind.

Blue or green filleted in strips, or Red whole.

I am a believer in the Fuji Silicon NitrideII rings. They are the only guide ring specifically designed for wire line usage. I have rods aboard charter boats in their 5th season of usage, still no guide ring erosion! You won't save any cash using these guides as they are expensive just like rollers. What you will end up with is a rod that performs at a higher level, without all of the inherant problems associated with rollers.

I love to fish the meat. Mostly herring with BW rigs and flashers, a few CJ 10" flashers left also that seem to work well off divers. I mostly fish Ludington, so when the morning bite dies or the fish are deep, that is when the meat is right in its wheelhouse. For an easy bite, I'll keep it in the cooler, but when it slows or the fish are deep, nothing works better. It also seems to put bigger fish on average in the box, usually the biggest fish come on the meat if I'm mixing programs.

I am all for doing what is necessary to stop the spread of asian carp. That being said, I don't see a reasonable connection between a slot limit on walleye and accomplishing that end. If your trying to push for a slot limit, and I have also thought about it as well, then do it on its own merits, seperate from the asian carp issue. A slot limit would keep larger fish in the system longer, maybe resulting in more trophy fish caught down the road. The walleye fishery on Saginaw Bay/Lake Huron is already a formidable predator status, a slot won't do much to change that either way. The asian carp problem, and any initiative to go to a slot system are two seperate issues.

I agree with Don. Blood and gore are all part of hunting and fishing. What are we supposed to do, ask them to go in the cabin if there is any blood when a fish comes in the boat? I haven't seen anything on any of these boards that kids won't see on any boat or hunting trip. If we have to censure a natural part of our sport, I won't be on any of these boards any longer. Having said that, people should try to not go out of their way to make things look bloodier than necessary, there isn't any reason for that either. As long as respect for the prey is given, no issue with me.

The Kato was good for me off Ludington as well, I almost tore my boat apart trying to find a couple more last July! Frank, I find the UV Streak Jr's and Minis outfish the standard colors on the Bay. With the shallow water (<40), they work in high sun, or cloudy days, doesn't seem to matter on the Bay. I do have a couple of favorite non UV colors, but always have the UV stuff in the water also. My R.I.P. rigs(Colorado blades) that CJ Baker painted UV for me get real good reviews and reorders vs. the standard color patterns as well.

Like everyone has said, it is a very personal thing. It has much to do with your spread and how you fish. One thing that shorter rods will also do for you is give you more power and control over the fish at the back of the boat. Typically your rigger fish are on the shortest leashes and come to the boat sometimes too fast and green. A little power advantage is always good for rigger rods in that scenerio.