kemper

I just recognised where you are there. I spend many hours every week fishing that trib, mostly just south of where you are standing. There are lots of bows in right now in the 15-20" range. Try pink worms in the 2-3 foot fast runs, you will find them. Good luck man, see ya on the water!

Ya its supposed to be a rough night. Raining like hell here in guelph, of course its been raining since I got here two weeks ago... does it ever stop?

I once met one that I liked... It was dead.

as far as reels go I would steer clear of anything with Okuma written on it. I am the proud owner of a $200 + Okuma baitcaster that has been operational for a total of 7 days over the past 2 years, has been sent in for warrantee twice and not fixed and I am now continually being ignored by the Okuma customer service when I try to bring this to their attention.

Yes, I did spine it although from the sources I read it seemed about 50/50 as to whether it was necessary or not. Seemed more important for rods that involve alot of casting, and as a float guy in mainly smaller rivers casting distance really is not important to me.

I think I was 12 and was on the Fishin Canada site and there was NO traffic and I saw a post that said "everyone has left here, they are all over at OFC" So there I was, and there I went and I havent changed since. The only other board I visit is FF.net and that is not very often.

it was an after thought for me too...AFTER i epoxyed the first part of the handle! I think it will be fine...but if its not i guess i can make necessary repairs? What are the odds that it comes loose?

I think its a little different, the exposed blank is a look that I like. Some may not, but hey thats why im building it and not them! on a side note here is a big fat speed river smallie i caught last week..

Yep, thats how it starts. Next thing you know you are building a custom float rod...and you already have three. good fishin man!

Grips and reel seat installed, this is really going to a different rod and its cool to see it coming together. Ill get some pictures up later today I dont have my camera cables here but my girlfriend is bringing them up with her today

Well today I went to an awesome tackle shop in Guelph, and got great help from the guys there to start my project, a custom float rod! Walked out with a stealth black St.Croix blank, stealth black Fuji guides, polished silver Pac Bay reel seat and matching butt cap. Wrapping is going to be black with a subtle copper accent. Im going for a stealth theme, not an over the top custom but anyone who knows their rods will recognize that its no off the shelfer. Ill be throwing in a little style with a little custom grip action, 5 inches of forgrip, reelseat, 4 inches rear grip and then 9 or so inches of exposed blank to a very small cork section then butcap. It is something that I havent seen on a float rod until today when I was checking out some other customs. Just need to pick up something to ream the cork with, and some epoxy and Im golden. Ill post picture of the process until i am done, and I am expecting this to take a long time seeing as I have school to attend.

Oh man solo im so pumped you invited me to come on this epic trip with you..... Seriously, how much would it cost me..... like 3/4 coffees and we split gas? All kidding aside you are doing another one of my top trips. Actually I think you have done them all... Looks like an amazing report in the works! Oh and I think you need more Maxima leader material because you only seem to have 500 yards of it, wicked stuff isnt it?

Thanks everyone, I have found a place right in Guelph with everything I need thanks to OFC once again. Huge thanks to solo for getting me hooked up project: chrome thunder commences monday updates will be posted, steel will be slaughtered (and released of course)

a big thanks to all, especially solo who is pretty much a waterfall of rod building knowledge! im currently looking for a canadian distributor of rod blanks, or an american one that will let me ship by road and not plane (cost is too high) any ideas?

I was 11, sitting in a grade 5 classroom when the planes hit the towers. Strange, I cannot remember anything I learned that year, I actually had to think hard to remember my teacher's name but I can remember that day like it was yesterday. Nobody will ever forget September 11, 2001.

This is a general adress to anyone out there who has rod building experience. I am in the market for a new float rod, but I have decided that if I am going to spend the money I would rather build my own rod. How hard is the process of buying a spey blank (Im dreaming of 12'6", 7wt) and tying it up to be a float rod? Can I purchase the float rod accessory kit and tie it onto the spey blank? thanks

That police boat is EXACTLY where I was casting to, I was standing on the small ledge beside the wall..scary stuff.

I tried that, wasnt really sure how to fish the outflow though as it was a really heavy current. Im thinking maybe tossing senkos into the flow and letting to ride?

Cliff dont worry, Ill be back most weekends through brown/steelhead season this fall and in the spring. You didnt think a little school would keep me from slammin steel did you!?

Today I made my first trek to the speed river for some smallie fishin, and it was DEFINATELY worth it. Weather was terrible, rainy cold and windy. Water visibility was about nil and I was not expecting much but I wasnt about to give up. I hit the water right below the dam first and accomplished a big fat smelly skunk! Fishing the pond like area above the damn with a rapala gave me two small snot rocket pike, and a third fish that I will call the pike minnow. It was a pike, but was less than 5 inches long. I would have gotten a picture but I took a while unhooking it and just wanted to see it swim away. Also had a larger pike slam at my lure three times and miss it, but I know where she lives. Headed up river a little more and started tossing a cotton cordell deep diver in a deeper pocket and was quickly rewarded with a HOG 3lb smallie. Having never caught a river bass of this size I had no idea what to expect, but pound for pound it was the hardest fighting fish I have ever encountered. I have pictures but I do not have the camera cords with me here in rez so expect pics next week. I also noticed that right behind my big fish, was an even BIGGER smallie on the follow. My fish went 18" and this follower would have to have been in the 21" range. Ill get him too in time. Seems like a great little fishery, and I am VERY surprised with the size of the smallies in the system!

What is the max depth of the pond and the temperature? Trout are kinda fussy and dont really enjoy hot baths. If it is spring fed and relatively deep they are probably still alive, although if you have never seen one well maybe they are not.

I always tie on directly, I find snaps are just something else dangling in the fishes face that doesnt look quite right

Depends what size pike im expecting to trick. If its smaller pike then my 7 ft med heavy works well but if Im after early season bruisers I havent met one that could handle my 8'6" salmon rod with a baitcaster and 30 lb PP.

Awesome looking fish Cliff! Ill be standing right about where you are there friday evening and probably saturday morning as I am home from Guelph for the weekend to do some fishing!

Moosebunk you have just completed my number one dream fishing trip, one that is in the works for sometime in the next 5 years with my father. I could not have imagined a better plan then the one you have just reported. Unbelieveable trip, epic fishing and writing that puts me on the river with you. If its okay I will be contacting you when I decide I can escape for this trip myself.