kemper

Not looking to buy, I haven't purchased a factory rod since I started building my own 3 years ago. Thanks for the feedback guys, I'm thinking the bait casters are going to be full cork with one micro guides and one traditional guides. I'm also gonna do two spinning rods, split grip with cork instead of foam.

Pretty common, the new test was not well thought out. Some manufacturers are even having trouble with brand new cars. All systems need to be in ready-mode, regardless of what is actually coming out the pipe (which, for most cars on the road isn't even tested anymore)

Awesome!

After having three Okuma reels explode on me all with under a week fishing time on them ill never buy another product. Unfair maybe, but when you pay $200 for a reel its supposed to last more than a week. I can't speak for their rods, as I've only ever owned an older Okuma float rod. It was an awful, horrible thing but I've heard they have improved since.

Agreed Chris - just wanted to ask the jury what they thought of the foam. Personally, I can't stand it!

I've purchased a whole lot of cork lately, and I can see why rod companies have moved away from it. Even low grade cork is insanely expensive - unless you are ordering mass quantities you can expect anywhere between $0.85 and $2.00 per ring (thats half an inch worth of handle). Any thoughts on microguides guys?

Looks wicked, too bad I tip pretty much every canoe I step foot in. Apparently my centre of gravity isn't great...must be the tall/lanky thing

All great suggestions, I'm glad I'm not the only one who still wants a full cork grip. That whole "lighter and better feel" thing is just rod company speak for it costs a whole lot less than cork.

Hey OFC, I'm looking to restock my bass rod selection for this summer. I'll be building the rods myself, but I'm looking for features that are "must haves" on your rods. I've been so caught up in the steelhead thing for the past few years I haven't really kept up with the new innovations in bassin'. I'm going to start with a flipping stick, and a 7' utility stick for spinnerbaits/cranks etc. Split grip/no split grip? Micro guides? Cork or EVA? Specific actions you like? Reel seat style? I'm open to any and all suggestions - slate is blank right now. Thanks!

I have a whole box of spooks in various sizes, none of them are rusted at all and I don't do anything special with them. They get used hard and chucked back into the box after use with no special treatment.

I guess I should expand my answer - while I think most spots are not really "secret", I don't think spilling the beans on any media outlet is a good idea. Those of us who fish the East lake O tribs (though I haven't in a while...) know that pressure has increased lately. There was a small creek that I used to go to with my old man, and on a busy weekend we might run into 3 other guys - the same three guys. It was a well kept secret for a long time, until I assume the use of google earth made it easy for all to find. One report on this board, by a member who will remain unnamed (I don't think he's active here any longer) that included backgrounds and the next weekend I pulled up to see over 20 cars. Those who know what I'm talking about, know what I'm talking about. I did make the mistake of introducing a couple friends to the creek, and I can only hope that they didn't contribute to the madness. Now you are lucky to fish it with less than 20 others, and on such a small system with so many bagged fish I don't imagine it will be around for too long.

Great story! Most of my best fishin' memories are with the old man as well. The bass in the picture I posted was taken on the last day of a very tough week. On the water for 5 days in the worst weather imaginable, catching small bass here and there and freezing to the bone. The last day the weather finally broke, and that one took a white spinnerbait crashed into the shore in about 1FOW. It was on my line, but I think my old man might have been more excited than I was...

Very cool, I'm going to have a coffee and a peek. I see a blog coming down the pipe...

Something about staring down a small hole in the ice doesn't do much for me. That said, I'm going to entertain myself with some perch on Sunday and Simcoe lakers on monday

My card needed renewal too. Last time I renewed online I got a yellow paper tag in the mail, you are saying they are expecting us to carry the actual computer printout around all year? I can't imagine that's the case...

Sorry ice guys, this weather is killing me. Anyone else dying for bass season... Let's see 'em. Nothing like Lady Buckhorn in the evening

I've seen some reels with an angled foot, specific for ice fishing. Can't seem to remember the brand...

Well I guess I'll have to start calling around and see what's up. Or photocopy the paper one a thousand times and put each one in a baggy in something that I take fishing...

Seen those a few times, REALLY cool. I want one, big time.

Cool work, but I have to be honest...I can't imagine any reason I would want a bear rug on my floor.

Unless you fish some lake that you need to hike through 30km of snake infested marsh are anyone's spots really secret? Most of my best producing spots in the Kawarthas are well-known, and I won't even start on the river situation...

Thanks for the quick feedback, I'll explore all those suggestions. We can both hold our own when it comes to bass fishing, but having never done it "under the gun" who knows what might happen. At the very least an exciting new challenge.

Hey guys, A fishin' buddy and I are looking for some smaller or local bass tournaments to enter this year. Will be fishing from a 17' boat (50hp) so for the most part lake size isn't a huge issue, but a long run to prime grounds might be pushing it. Does anyone have input on good/bad tournaments? I should mention this is simply for fun & entertainment - max awesomeness is the goal. Thanks,

The gas tax in NYS in ~$0.18/L, and we pay double that at around $0.36/L. Assuming the USD/CAD at par this accounts for a lot of the difference in price. Today's price in Niagara, NY is on average about $3.90/gal or somewhere in the neighbourhood of $1.03/L. In Guelph right now the price is $1.27/L - a $0.24 per litre difference. By my math, that's only $0.06 difference that's not explained by the taxes. Sure, it's not quite that simple but considering we pay more for almost everything here and we have much higher taxes it does make sense. As for the volatile prices, well that's just plain annoying (and probably bordering on illegal)

Does anyone fish carp from a boat? About the only time I fish for carp is in the spring when there isn't much open and the bows aren't co-operation. Fun on the fly and the 'pin, but even then I get bored with the bulldog battle pretty quickly...