Rods built to fish Lake erie western basin
Walleye spinning rods
Walleye spinning rods
Walleye spinning rods
Tossing hair jigs or vibration lures on the reefs to spawning walleye in early spring offers some fast and productive fishing from March to May.
Casting worm harnesses and weight forwards spinners during the summer months is what we all grew up with and it's still just as productive if not more so than it ever was.
Even on a good day you'll
Tossing hair jigs or vibration lures on the reefs to spawning walleye in early spring offers some fast and productive fishing from March to May.
Casting worm harnesses and weight forwards spinners during the summer months is what we all grew up with and it's still just as productive if not more so than it ever was.
Even on a good day you'll make lots of casts, a lighter rod that's more comfortable in your hand will make this task easier, and a sensitive, purpose built rod will make you more productive.
Perch jigging rods
Walleye spinning rods
Walleye spinning rods
Jigging up a Yellow Perch with an Emerald Shiner in the Western Basin is a favorite of many anglers. On a good day they are plentiful and easy to catch.
Whether it's a good or bad day you'll feel and catch more perch on a rod that's lighter and more sensitive than the one your using.
Walleye trolling rods
Walleye spinning rods
Walleye trolling rods
This method seems to get more popular every year. No question the majority of the walleye caught are harvested by trolling.
There are a bunch of rods marketed to walleye anglers that were built for pulling deep running lures and reel in salmon Mine is built starting with the blank to catch Walleye, I start with a near indestructible soli
This method seems to get more popular every year. No question the majority of the walleye caught are harvested by trolling.
There are a bunch of rods marketed to walleye anglers that were built for pulling deep running lures and reel in salmon Mine is built starting with the blank to catch Walleye, I start with a near indestructible solid fiber glass blank, with the right power and action to work a crank bait or harness behind big boards or individual small planer boards. These rods have enough flex to fight the fish properly, and reduce the chance of a pulled hook. The guides are plentiful and spaced accordingly on the blank so as the rod flexes your line never contacts the blank while it's under load.
Why buy a custom rod
The first thing
Identifying the characteristics of the blank and setting the guide spacing
Building to the spine
The first thing everybody that picks up one of my rods says is they "can't believe how light it is". Quality freshwater medium to ultra-light rod blanks weigh between 1 and 1.8 oz. Using properly fitted, quality components and an absolute minimum of epoxies a finished rod should be surprisingly light. All more weight does is deaden sensitivity, and waste energy using it.
Building to the spine
Identifying the characteristics of the blank and setting the guide spacing
Building to the spine
Every fishing rod has a spine. This is created by the splice of the sheet of fiber glass or graphite wrapped around the mandrel in rod construction. If the reel seat and guides aren't lined up with the spine the rod will deflect to the side while under load. Most mass produced rods skip this process while manufacturing their product.
Identifying the characteristics of the blank and setting the guide spacing
Identifying the characteristics of the blank and setting the guide spacing
Identifying the characteristics of the blank and setting the guide spacing
Static deflection is the process of suspending a weight from the tip of a rod to flex a 90 degree bend in the blank. This tells me 3 important pieces of information about the blank.
First the power of the blank measured by how many ounces of weight it takes to bring it o 90 degrees. Heavier weights are needed to accomplish this as the bla
Static deflection is the process of suspending a weight from the tip of a rod to flex a 90 degree bend in the blank. This tells me 3 important pieces of information about the blank.
First the power of the blank measured by how many ounces of weight it takes to bring it o 90 degrees. Heavier weights are needed to accomplish this as the blank goes from ultra-light, to light, to medium light, to medium power.
Second I can determine the action of the blank by how far the 90 degree bend occurs from the tip. The closer to the tip the faster the action.
Finally I determine the number of guides to use and their spacing by using straight lines between the guides wile it is under load to make sure they are not contacting the blank and that he angle they approach and depart the guides are as shallow as possible.
Components and labor
Decent quality inexpensive reels
Identifying the characteristics of the blank and setting the guide spacing
I don't know of any rod manufacturers that make all their own components, so big and small we all have to source most if not all our components. For most manufacturers their products will have to sit on a rack beside a myriad of others at Walmart or a sporting good store and try to get attention. Which usually means they have to compete a
I don't know of any rod manufacturers that make all their own components, so big and small we all have to source most if not all our components. For most manufacturers their products will have to sit on a rack beside a myriad of others at Walmart or a sporting good store and try to get attention. Which usually means they have to compete at a certain price level. Since their labor costs are fixed the price is dramatically effected by what they spend on components. I choose only the best based on what they will be used for.
No one has invented a machine to glue on grips and seats, or wind on guides, it's all hand work. To keep their assembly costs down they use pre fitted one size fits all grips and seats filled with fast drying epoxy to fill the gaps. The problem with fast drying epoxy on components and guide thread is that it has no elasticity. They are gluing a flexible grip and seat to a bendable rod blank with fast dry epoxy that hardens like a rock as it dries. If this doesn't crack with use, it certainly deadens the sensitivity of the rod.
Hand fitting these components takes time but insures tight tolerances, minimizes bonding issues. Excess epoxy used because of poorly fitted components adds weight and deadens sensitivity in your rod. The grip and seat epoxy I use takes 10 hours to set and 48 hours to dry, leaving it extremely flexible.
The epoxy I use on the guide wraps has to rotate on a drying rotisserie for 12 hours to set for each of the 3 coats applied. Then stand for 48 hours to cure, ensuring it won't crack or peel for a lifetime.
It usually takes from 2 to 4 hours labor to fit and assemble a rod.
Cost
Decent quality inexpensive reels
Decent quality inexpensive reels
Spinning rods will run between $100.00 and $250.00. depending on the blank and components used.
Trolling rods are $110.00
Decent quality inexpensive reels
Decent quality inexpensive reels
Decent quality inexpensive reels
15 years ago I bought a $485.00 Shimano Stella reel that I assumed would last a lifetime. I meticulously cleaned and lubed it every winter according to manufacturers specifications. 4 years ago I sent it to a Shimano service center for some repair, and was informed the parts had been discontinued for some time and were no longer availabl
15 years ago I bought a $485.00 Shimano Stella reel that I assumed would last a lifetime. I meticulously cleaned and lubed it every winter according to manufacturers specifications. 4 years ago I sent it to a Shimano service center for some repair, and was informed the parts had been discontinued for some time and were no longer available. So much for a lifetime investment.
I fish 4 to 7 days a week spring, summer, and fall. For years I used mid price range American and Japanese spinning reels ($100 to $200.00).
I tried a bunch of the Chinese imports and either gave them away or threw them in the trash, until I finally found a good one.
I was so impressed I contacted the manufacturer in Beijing and found that if I imported a large enough quantity I could get a really decent price on them. I have been using and selling them for a while now, and have been very happy with their performance.
I sell the 2000 series for $40.00
500 & 1000 series for $30.00
Components
Blank construction
Grips and real seats
Grips and real seats
Blanks are constructed with graphite, fiberglass, or a combination of fiberglass and graphite.
Graphite construction is measured in modulus count, the higher the modulus count the greater the sensitivity. Higher modulus count means smaller diameter, thinner walls, and less weight. That being said higher modulus count doesn't always mea
Blanks are constructed with graphite, fiberglass, or a combination of fiberglass and graphite.
Graphite construction is measured in modulus count, the higher the modulus count the greater the sensitivity. Higher modulus count means smaller diameter, thinner walls, and less weight. That being said higher modulus count doesn't always mean better. It also means higher price and more important lower survivability in fishing conditions. If you have ever slapped the cabin or gunwale of a boat when casting, or set the hook really hard on a rock or stump, you probably would have cracked a high modulus rod.
Rod blanks are rated in power and action.
Action refers to the rod's flex when under strain. The closer to the rod tip this occurs the faster the action.
Power refers to the rod's resistance when being flexed, the more it flexes with a given weight the lighter the power. This information is written above the handle on most blanks. There is no standard for these ratings so they are whatever the manufacturer thinks they should be. Since they are arbitrary I don't write them on the blank. You should by a rod that feels right for what you are fishing for.
Every thing written on a rod blank decal is the truth, or not, or both.
Grips and real seats
Grips and real seats
Grips and real seats
Grips are a personal choice. Cork, EVA, and carbon fiber, in split and Full length.
For comfort while casting all day nothing beats a palm swell on your reel seat. It raises your hand slightly while conforming to the contour of your palm, giving you more leverage while casting, and a firmer grip while retrieving.
Guides
Grips and real seats
Guides
Your choice of guide inserts are stainless steel or ceramic, with stainless steel stands.
Something new I am offering this year are the American Tackle Microwave Guide systems.