Hi Paul! Glad you're enjoying the rod. Hope it catches you a lot of fish.

I PREFER Fireline on a spinning reel and Power Pro on a casting reel. They will work on the opposite reels though. I've got 11 spinning reels with Fireline, 4 casting reels with PowerPro and 2 casting reels with Spiderwire Stealth. But I know plenty of guys that prefer Power Pro on their spinning re...

My personal preferences... Muskie/Pike - 7'6" to 8' Largemouth/Smallmouth - 6' and 6'6" for topwaters, 6'6" for lighter jig/grub jig/tube combos, 7' for most everything else from big jigs to cranks to buzzbaits Walleye - 6'6" for jigging, 7' for some long distance jig swimming, 7'6" for rigging, 7'6...

Use 'em! The big Bass stuff like that are mostly copies or modifications of what Muskie fisherman throw anyway. Very similar stuff. I don't think the Rainbow color is going to hurt you. Many of the colors Muskie fisherman throw aren't terribly natural. Yes, the soft plastic stuff will get chewed. Bu...

I think your first problem here is your budget. Hard to get a QUALITY charger for $50. I've got a decent auto/marine charger that has multiple amp settings, will automatically reduce to trickle and finally shut off and that was nearly $80. It's not a high end unit by any means. But that's where the ...

I would agree with Doc. The best way I can describe it is to cast with authority. Quick snaps of the wrist. You need to generate tip speed which will aid the bait in loading the rod. I will also use a two-handed cast when I really need some distance. I place the butt of the rod in my left hand and d...

Thanks for the compliment.

St. Croix has one of the better selections of 2-piece rods. Although it is still limited for guys who want 2-piece options. A 1-piece rod can be made into a 2-piece. And if done well, won't affect the durability or life span of the rod. It takes a bit of craftsmanship to do that job and it isn't rea...

See my other post too... The Concept system is for real. I've noticed a very good impact in performance by using the system. More guides, but smaller and lower in overall weight, allow for better line control and better blank performance utilization. To be used to its fullest extent though, a custom...

The old theory of guide placement is referred to as the "cone of flight" theory where guides were sized in progressive increments from reel to tip. e.g. 30, 25, 20, 16, 10, 8, 7. The Concept theory, in a nutshell, is to use more, but smaller guides. And to get the line to the blank as quickly as pos...

In my opnion Fireline becomes even more supple than the braided lines. But I will say that I don't use Fireline in poundages over 14 and I don't use braided lines in poundages under 20. Well worn Fireline casts like sewing thread and is truly a joy to fish with.

There's a few...

Been very happy with my In-Fisherman glasses. Not the old big clunky stlye. I actually started using them because my buddy forgot his Costa Del Mar's on a fishing trip and picked up a pair of the IF glasses in a tackle shop. He wound up liking them nearly as much as his Costa's.

Balancing is a very personal issue. I can see how some of the guys that are using BPS, Berkley and other mass produced rods like some balancing. They are terribly heavy rods in comparison to what you or I would build. I do NOT balance my rods. After several attempts at balancing rods, a few of them ...

Fuji is a well known company, and for good reason. They make a quality product and they stand behind it. Many companies, these days, also make good reel seats. Fuji just has been doing it better for longer.