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JimB

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  1. Glad you understood the intent of my post. I know this isn't StriperSurf, but I have to admit that before I found your site Tim, I spent a lot of time there. This site pulled me away from that one. Thanks for considering my post. I just want to see this site continue to thrive. Sorry I couldn't respond sooner - busy weekend.
  2. I'd love to see a forum dedicated to equipment reviews. Absolutely wide open - everyones opinion counts, with one caveat...I realize this would limit some of the knowledge shared, but if you've got a vested interest in the sale of the product, it's tough to be objective. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE OFFENSE TO THIS SUGGESTION! I wouldn't have posted it if I didn't think you guys were fair in the first place!
  3. I'd like to say congrats and thanks as well Ditch. You held my hand in the beginning and still follow up to this day. One of the best! As always, good luck with the upcoming season!
  4. JimB

    Ditch safety

    You might want to consider some fingerless gloves, getting low and close to the rocks usually involves one hand in the weed or on the stone. You might avoid the big fall, but come up with some shreded palms once you get down to that "magic" spot. Also, more than a few glass bottles have been smashed by the knuckleheads over those rocks for many years, so be aware of that danger. Learned the hard way last year, so the gloves are gonna get a shot this year. Good luck and good fishing to all involved!
  5. Sorry guys...dissenting opinion. As a relative surf fishing newbie, take this for what it's worth, but I love my factory Loomis 1266C. I only own two rods, and my other one is a custom Lami XRA 132-2. That's right, it's a factory rod (the Loomis) and not only that, it's a two piece! The only thing I don't like about it is that the Fuji reel seat doesn't have a trigger. Had huge reservations about buying this rod when I picked it up at the shop. As I said, it was a two piece, I wanted a single stick. It had "little" Pac Bay guides, compared to my Lami XRA 132-2 custom with "big" fuji hardaloy rings. The tip looked way too thin to toss anything over 2oz. and it was an expensive rod. However, I gave it try and have been very happy with it. Let me back up a bit, I bought the Loomis because my Lami had snapped at the tip (bad run at Lami a few years ago I guess), and I didn't want to miss the remainder of the fall run. Note: I never meant for the Loomis to replace the the Lami. The Loomis fills a niche slightly below what I was doing with the Lami 132-2, as far a lure size and distance go. That said, I've found it to be very capable at tossing the big plugs (within reason 3.5oz) as well as the little stuff that I would have a hell of a time trying to throw with the Lami. The tip of the Loomis is absolutely alive, it works a pencil popper like you dream about. Casting distance is not as good as the Lami, but it thows surprisingly far and with confidence. To me the Loomis is light as a feather. Can't comment on the spinning version, but it weighs much less than my custom Lami. Easy to carry all night matched to a Abu 6500 Mag Elite. Lastly as far as the warranty goes, here's my experience. I had trouble with Lami due mainly (I believe) to the shop I was working with. That's why I had to get the Loomis in the first place. The Loomis wasn't perfect. I had the Pac Bay tip top break after some time. The ring separated from it's brace, not a problem with the Loomis blank. Called the company and they said they would repair it if I shipped it to their shop in Washington and waited for the return (probably a couple of weeks?) or they would ship me a new 1266C (which now is built with Fuji components - at least mine is) within two days for $45 as long as I sent my broken rod back to them in the same shipping tube within 14 days (no questions asked). Now you might say...ah-ha they sucked another $45 beans out of him for nothing!, but to me it was well worth the money. I got a brand new upgraded rod in less than three days and I was back on the beach in no time. That was absolutely not my experience with my Lami, although that worked out in time as well. I'd do it again (trade up for the "new" Loomis) in a minute. Anyway, in the end I'd have to say I love both of these sticks. I'm kind of surprised that no one else chimed in on the Loomis side. As much as I love the custom rods there's something to be said for the quick turnaround on a factory stick. IMHO Now, go easy on me, like I said I'm just a couple of years beyond being a rookie.
  6. I'm going with the pistol belt w/ plastic clip set up this year. Nice and wide. More secure than those "rubber bands" that come with most waders. One of the things I'd like to do is attach some type of water bottle holder to it. Don't use it for drinking water, but I use it all the time to wet the line on my conventional reel when it's getting sticky from the salt, get eel slime off my hands, rinse my gear when finished fishing, rinse the small cuts and scrapes I pick up along the way.
  7. I've got to say I thought the show was pretty good. Not as busy as last year, which I liked. I had a big smile on my face when I left Mike's booth from M&D's (Cape Cod Tackle), and especially the CMS booth, which had some hard to find items, nice custom rods and some outstanding Danny type lures which they have made for the shop. Deadly! Generally, the prices on most of the items at the show were more expensive than the prices you'd pay for items on this site, so I wouldn't call it a bargin hunting expo, but some of the custom/hard to find stuff made it worth the price of admission ($7), at least for me. The seminars can be pretty good too. Nice way to kick off the season.
  8. I gotta agree with Bill, Quest was a pitiful read. Very disappointing. Not even comparable to Frank D's stuff (gets me through the winter)which has it's own issues IMHO. Check out Farley Mowat's "Grey Seas Under" about an ocean going tug. Farley can write. It's not fishing, but at least you'll feel like your out on the seas.
  9. I bought a cheap pair of fingerless work gloves (padded leather palm and cotton back) at the Home Depot at the end of last season. Took a nasty fall on some slippery rip rap at the CC Canal last year, 2AM, and put a big gash below the thumb on my right hand. Par for the course, but this year I intend to be a little more prepared. These gloves may eventually carry some serious stink, but I don't think they'll interfere with the fishing at all. Also got a Boga grip to keep those trebles out of my fingers when releasing a fish. I'm leaving way too much of my blood down there, and who knows what kind of nasty microscopic critters are lying in wait (looking for a host) on those rocks. Learning my lessons. Getting wiser as I get older? I'd like to think so. As my older buddies at work love to say "You can't teach experience".
  10. I like the cone heads like the ones that Owner makes. Especially matched with a small squid plastic and pork rind. Very consistent producer. I've been disappointed with the Spro so far. Looks great but hasn't impressed me. I wonder if it's balanced correctly. Seems like the hook eye is set a little to far back on the jig head. I'm not a jig expert by any means, but I know at least one old timer on the CC Canal (Stan) who would tell you that the balance of the jig is very important to how it fishes. I'd be curious to hear some others opinions on the Spro jigs.
  11. J. Powers...Would that 10ft Breakaway be any good for slinging eels? I'm looking to set up an eel stick for the canal on spinning gear. Probably going with a Lami GSB120 1L cut down to 9'6", but I'll do 10' if it's a special rod. Appreciate your input.
  12. JimB

    Wader question

    I've asked these same questions myself a time or two. Still haven't bought them yet, but the best advise I've gotten, from more than a few boards, was to try and find the LL Bean Goretex/Kevlar stockingfoot waders at one of their discount stores (big money from the main store/catalog $400 - check 'em out at www.llbean.com). Then purchase some wading shoes, whatever your preference. I don't think the felt sole would work for me, more inclined to go with a relatively stiff sole and rubber tread (easier walking on a sandy beach). Might add Korkers if I need the extra grip on the rocks. Good luck.
  13. First fish... Scussett Beach, east end of the Cape Cod Canal, Mainland side. First time out in salt water. Fishing with a more experienced buddy from my new job on the Cape. Probably 35 guys on the beach, but they're all spread out so it's not too crowded. Night time with pogie chunks. 10ft Ugly Stick with Abu Garcia Cardinal spinning reel. Rod's in the spike and drag's as loose as can be. Suddenly, line starts creeping off the spool. Pick up the rod. Line is starting to fly off the spool. My buddy's screaming instructions. Tighten the drag! Lower the tip! Follow the swing of her run! Step back! I'm absolutely astonished by what's going on. I tightened the drag, but not enough. Reared back to set the hook and sent 20yds of slack line onto the beach. Step back! I told you to tighten the drag! Tighten it! Reel, reel! She's still there! Now I over tighten the drag and the rod is almost ripped from my hands. I'm running back toward the surf, rod pointed straight at the water, line tight as a drum. Set the hook! Line goes limp. I'm a nervous wreck, litteraly shaking like a leaf. That was an epiphany! Opened a whole new world to me. Unfortunately, the fish was long gone. I felt like I had let every fisherman on that beach down. Never got a fish that night. Next day, bought a Shimano Baitrunner and a couple of pogies. Hit the same spot an hour later than the previous night. My buddy couldn't make it so I was on my own. Absolutely determined. Sure enough after a couple of hours of wondering if I was "doing it right", the line started screaming out (off the second drag), I dropped the rod, reeled up some slack and set that hook! Awesome! Landed a beautiful 32" bass and have been hooked ever since. Kept it and ate it. Don't fish with chunk bait much anymore. Don't fish with the spinning gear much anymore. Wouldn't trade that experience for all the tea in China! I still get goosebumps thinking about it now. I have to thank a lot of you guys too, for cutting my striped bass fishing learning curve considerably. New ideas, new techniques, old ideas and old techniques. I can't get enough of it. These pages are best thing the internet has to offer. We're lucky to have it!
  14. Thanks for the follow-up post DJ. Like I said I love that rod, but I'm still pissed at that shop. Since then I've been in to visit Mike at M&D's a few times. Took me a while to find it since I'm more familiar with the towns on the East end of the Canal, but I'm sure glad I took the drive over. Great shop and great service. When I pull the trigger on the new eel stick (Lami GSB120 1L as you suggested) I'll be taking my business to Mike. No doubt Lami makes good stuff. I trust the opinions of the vets on these boards and very few seem to gripe about Lami.
  15. Let me say first this is not an anti-Lami posting, just venting over an experince I had. Perhaps another rookie can learn from it. Hate to say it, but I feel I got eaten alive when my Lami XRA 132-2 broke. It was my first custom rod and I was infatuated with it. Nearly cried when the tip snapped 6" down from the tip. Anyone who tells you those rods don't snap is full of it. Granted that may have been from a bad batch of blanks, and I haven't had any trouble with my new rod, but Lami had a legitimate problem with that blank for some time. The rod had been in use for about 4 months before it happened. Snapped under the weight of a clump of weed on my plug. I had been warned that this was a possibility with these rods and not to "high-stick" it, so it wasn't completely unexpected, but a huge bummer none the less. I bought the rod to FISH with, not to worry about. OK, that said I loved that rod and I love it's replacement now. My trouble was with the shop I had build it. The shop I went through dealt with Lami for me and got a replacement blank. However, and this is no fault of Lami, the experience wasn't positive. It took a long time to resolve, and the shop implied that Lami was responsible for holding things up. Wether that's true or not I'll never know. The thing I kick myself in the ass for is that I paid well over $300 for that original rod, and then had to pay another $100 for the rewrap on the replacement stick. Meanwhile, I missed using that stick on the fall run up here on the Cape. That was a lousy experience. Made me wish I had bought the factory model from the company, so that I could've dealt directly with Lami. I'm certain it would have been a better experience and a much quicker turn-around. Live and learn. I was absolutely clueless and I didn't realize at the time, how much more difficult replacing a custom rod is than a factory built. Like I said, I love that rod, but I don't hit that shop for anything anymore. Look closely at who builds your rod and what it takes to replace it if anything should happen. Since then, most people I've talked to have said that a shop will generally replace a rod (even a custom) for little or no charge if you have a problem with it within a year of the original purchase.
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