Buy the paint gun from Ace Hardware – if anything goes wrong with it they replace them for free… I’ve used one for powder paint for many years… just put the jig in a forceps and wave it over the top for 3 or 4 passes and it’s good to go. The paint gun rests on the bottom with the nozzle facing up making it all work slick. Don’t hold it over the top for long – the lead will melt into the gun and lock it up! Been there!!! Also – tap the jig head on the edge of the container holding your powder paint after dipping it to knock off any excess. When done with the heat gun turn it off but leave it facing up for 10-15 minutes to cool and it will help it last longer.
Enjoy!

Update! The tournament this year will also feature some public programs from 2-4 pm. During this time you can learn about how trout are spawned at the hatchery, learn about raising trout with a hatchery tour, you can practice casting a fly rod with instructions and you can watch and learn how to tie flies for catching more fish! We hope you’ll stop out to join us on Saturday, October 5 at the Manchester Fish Hatchery!

From 9 am to 4 pm.

Shoe goo will work fine – am guessing that’s the same as the Sportsmans goop you refer to. When the package is new it is lower viscocity and works better… I often lay down a thin layer of the goo first – let it dry most of the way and way a patch of light fabric over it. Then once all dry give it a second coat. That seals the leak and it holds u very well. I have a pair of neoprene chest waders from the early 90’s that have been patched many times from duck hunting mishaps. The patches are tougher than the original material even.

The place you’re talking about in Bellevue is Clark Boats – they make some beautiful creations too… they had a website if you do a search – build boats for Fish and Wildlife agencies all over the country too.

*friends page that is!

I’m afraid I’m not a trout angler. I am involved with the committee because I know how to promote such events and because I believe in the cause – trying to get youth out fishing in any way, shape or form is good enough for me. But the folks I know who do trout fish do enjoy the streams in the area to be sure… I’m too in love with walleyes and smallmouth to give up my limited time to start new addictions! Please spread the word though – and like our firends page if you have the chance – that helps us spread the word as well…

and that chartreuse around the orange core has black and gold glitter…

I realize this contest is all over – but the color I have to have is called green tomato. It is an orange core with a darker chartreuse pepper over the outside. BEAUTIFUL… -in a ringworm… shhhhh! AND BRING BACK CHARTREUSE PEPPER SUPERDOOS – please, please, please!…

Palo Outdoors is a good solution for you like Luke said… we don’t stock every color in every plastic they make but have lots of the favorites… plus a variety of jigs – and if you need shimano reels those are in stock as well.

They should hold up very well. As with any metal guide I advice checking them for nicks and scratches that could affect the line – for use in ice fishing I would think it would take a lifetime to wear them out. They are very light – but the pricetag is high as you say. If having lightweight guides is key to your approach then go for it! You won’t be disappointed!

The biggest issue with cold season fishing is the guide filling with ice. So yes – a person can build a stick with larger diameter guides – and it does help some. I think one of the most important things for you to do is to only reel in when it is necessary – fireline seems to hold water better than other lines as you are reeling in – making the guides ice up worse with it than it does with mono. It also helps to reel in slowly I feel to reduce the water that is carried up the line to the guides where it deposits onto the guides. I’ve made it a habit to thump the blank several times after reeling up to knock off whatecver water I am able too… It’s a mess to be sure. Some have claimed that Reel Magic spray, chapstick and such items help too…

Absolutely. I keep thinking we need to develop a guide that will maintain 33 degrees and the problem would be solved though… where are you located?

It is a good time – I’ve built three so far…

Today is the deadline to sign up – the class is a go, so contact us if you have any interest in joining us!

I should edit that to say that I am putting together a presentation on blank actions rather than me being involved with Chads program.

This just in – we will have a few additions to the line-up… Chuck Ungs and Chad Huderle will also be presenting. We will be adding a session on Making Custom Labels. We also have added several exhibitors – these currently include Paul Rohrbacher and Midwest Rod and Reel. If some of you are thinking about traveling over from Rochester, Twin Cities, Chicago, western Iowa or Des Moines I can guarantee you’ll be glad you made the trip!

Add in oystershell, Stewarts problue, chartreuse pepper, catalapa chart. rings and the formerly available chart. pepper super doos (I bought a big stockpile a while back) to that list and you are getting near perfection. You really should just buy them all upfront – they should have that option when buying your first ringworms – you’ll wind up owning them all eventually anyhow ! And trust me when I say – each dog will have it’s day.

Now if we can only get them made in a green tomato color my tackle box would be complete… no wait – there are the discontinued ones from the past to acquire too… LOL

Your results may vary ~ Chuckles

OOPS – Dean was typing as I was…

We were short of enough registrations so planning to schedule a class later in the winter again… if interested contact me… Thanks, Chuck

Giant water bug is correct – aka toe biter. They have venom in the claws at the end of their front two legs that they use to inject their prey. Incidently – the venom disables their prey and digests it from the inside out – their mouth is like a straw that they insert into the prey and they eat the digested creature from the inside out – I tell the kids it’s like a creature malt. Fascinating water bugs to be sure – just handle with care.

The new rods are the walleye equivalent of the Mojo bass rods only in walleye actions. The Mojo and Eyecons are St. Croixs price point rods to compete for the around $100 imports so many other rod companies out there produce. They are built on SC2 blanks I believe and are built on blanks made in Park Falls the last I had heard. They should be a good answer for folks who desire a great quality rod at a less expensive price point than the upper grade rods in the St. Croix lineup. Try them out. You might like them!

Update – they are going to show the movie. Read this…
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/09/23/troubled-waters-screening/

Thanks for the endorsement Tom! It is a fun winter pastime and there really is a unique joy in catching a fish on something you made – be it a jig you tied/poured/painted or a fishing rod you built. Learning the skills involved presents a person with the chance to create something new that you have as a concept or allows one to specialize a fishing rod to improve it’s performance for an application or just to have it mean something more than just one off the shelf. I enjoy it greatly! And performance can be improved with a little thought and the right mix of materials.

And they can be some serious fish catching tools too. Getting down to show time – I need to know if folks are coming to plan for enough food – so if you plan to make it let me know with a call or e-mail – hope to see many folks there…

Folks – Mark is a master at building some very beautiful and innovative handles and is sharing with us some of his expertise once again. The rodbuilding community is very giving when it comes to how to build customs – and that makes these events great places to network with lots of innovative folks. We hope you can join us!
If you wish to see a way that Banksia nut handles look – see this…
http://www.rodbuilding.org/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/9139/limit/all/cat/507/page/1
Beautiful – and have seen them unfilled and it creates a very cool look too. Enjoy!

Pretty good numbers starting to be signed up now – close to 30 so far. FYI

Hopefully we can draw folks from 6 or 7 states once again for this event – it sure was a great time last fall – and I make my venison chili for the day… and if I do say so myself, it’s exceptionally good – and always draws rave reviews.

Hm – our households 3 combined Toyota vehicles currently have 525,000 miles on the three of them and the wifes corolla is the baby with only 50,000. The previous car was built by Suzuki and the wife made me let it go with 267,000 miles. I think it should serve you well – but check on the towing capacity to be sure. If it will meet your needs I think you’ll be happy. I know I am. Chuckles

You guys are referencing the 7’6 inch Tidemaster Medium moderate action, correct? They make it in a 7 footer also for those who cannot fit the greater length in the rod-locker… not sure that the action is exactly the same but I believe it’s pretty similar… Chuckles

As yellowdog said – clean lead will eliminate the drips in the Lee production pots. If you have some accumulation of slag in there (dripping) you may have to use the wire end of a bottom bouncer after the lead is melted to insert into the nozzle – and clean out the impurities. Then you can run the lead through until it will shut off after you release the handle. Occasionally even with clean lead you may have to run through this routine but not as often if you are always using all clean lead. Good luck – it is worth the effort!

Chuckles