Conference wahoo::fishing

    If you want a crankin rod  A RICKY CLUNN is cheap and was the first
    crankin rod!!
    Bassin Bob
    

    Hi,   Has anyone heard of, or have anything to say about the
    	ABU GARCIA  "ABUMATIC" ??
    
    	I am new, very new at fishing.. (first year!)
    	and recently bought an ABU GARCIA , because it looked good!!
    
    	Thanks
    _o_u_l_d_n_t_K_n_o_w_I_f_I_t_W_a_s_a_B_a_s_s-!!!

    All-Stars are quite nice, but I haven't been able to convince myself
    that they are worth twice as much as some of $50 range rods out
    there.  
    
    Never heard of an ABUMATIC, maybe BASS-O-MATIC can help ya on that
    one...
    
    donmac - who has been quite happy with rods in the $50 range 

    I'm in search of a bait casting setup myself seeing as
    I've been moved from Burlington Vt down to Marlboro for
    a temporary assignment. Figured I'd do more bass fishing
    this year instead of trout, salmon and walleye's. Anyway's,
    I've spent some time looking through this file and in general
    it seems there are lot's of negative comments on Abu Garcia baitcasting
    reels, so I made up my mind to stay away from them...not to
    discourage you or anything...I almost bought a setup at spags
    yesterday, but wanted to check at a kmart to compare prices first.
    I had a shimano reel, think it was called a black magnum or something
    like that (55.95...is this a good price???) and an ugly stick
    rod in hand and dug down and found the fortitude to put em back
    until I shopped around some more!!! It was tough...I have a question
    for anyone who shops spags. It seems they write the price of a rod
    on the handles in large numbers...it looks like hell, and a
    quick rub with a little spit didn't  make a dent as the material is
    kind of pourous in nature. Does this stuff come off? I asked and
    the guy didn't seem to know, but did think it was a magic marker...
    So, now I need to find somewhere else to compare prices...isn't
    there a kmart anywhere's near MRO1??? They've stuck me in an
    apartment in Worcester when I'm not working and I haven't come across
    one in that area either...Also, does this sound like a good
    combination? I'm partial to ugly sticks as of late as I've broken
    a fair number of tips over the past few years and like the durability
    of them...I can live with their sensitivity...it's a comprimise.
    Is a six foot medium action rod a good all around choice? I could
    go with the daiwa reel (35$) and a 15 dollar basic rod (I forget
    the brands, but you know the standard types), but am wondering what
    kind of performance I would get with the cheaper setup...
    
    Marty

     WD-40 or Nail polish remover will take off the price markings.
    
    --TSB
    

    Re .4
    
    There's a Kmart in Lincoln Plaza, Worcester. Just off I290 on Lincoln
    St. which is also Route 70 if I'm not mistaken. It's about one mile
    west of the 290 bridge on Lake Quinsigamond.
    
    Jerry
    

    re.6 - I know there is a Zayre's and Caldors in Lincoln plaza, but
    I don't think there is a K-Mart, unless they just built it! Let
    me know if I'm wrong, because K-Mart is famous for fishin' equipment.
    
    --TSB
    

    Your right about there not being a kmart at Lincoln Plaza.
    I drove over there last night and it's a Zayre's. Are there
    any other places in the Marlboro-Worcester area that sell
    discount fishing equipment? How about a service merchandise
    store? Seems they use to carry lots of equipment at a store
    in the Methuen area...
    
    Marty
    

    The only K-mart I remember is in leominster in the shopping mall
    there.  I believe it's at the junction of 2 and 2A where you'd turn
    off to go to whalom park.
    
    Service Merchandise is across from the Mauburn All (Auburn Mall).
    Take 290 to the Mall exit.  It's right across the street from the
    Mall next to a supermarket (Iandoli's?).
    
    You might try: Bob's tackle on Grafton street.  Get on Grafton street
    and go towards Grafton past Mcdonald's.  There's a major intersection
    that'll come up (sorry, can't remember the name of the road).  The
    tackle shop is there.  Great selection and good prices with a
    knowlegeable staff.  They're the only ones I've found that stock
    bail springs for most reels as well!
    
    Happy Hunting!
    Ken

     I think you mean "Dick's Tackle", which is on Grafton St. (Rte
    122), and if you are coming from Worcester it is on the left, across
    from a liquor store. Excellent place, as is Fin n' Feather Sports
    in Upton ma. on rte 140.
     there is a K-Mart in Fitchburg - take rte 2 West and take the Merriam
    ave exit (the exit after rte 12, but it's marked), and KM is in
    the big shopping center across from the top of the ramp.
     By the way, Dick Pleska, who owned Dick's Tackle died recently,
    so Who knows if it's still open or for how long...
    
    --The Skoal Bandit
    

There is a very well equiped fishing dept in the Acton K-Mart.  Intersection
of 27 and 111 behind McDonalds.   Also a Nimrod Sporting goods store 
just across the road on rt 27.

>     there is a K-Mart in Fitchburg - take rte 2 West and take the Merriam
>    ave exit (the exit after rte 12, but it's marked), and KM is in

It's actually called the South street exit.  Merriam Ave takes you toward
Leominster center.  However, you can't miss it.  You can see it from route 2
before you get to the exit (going west that is).  Twin City Plaza is the 
area it's in.

Mike_L

       Ah, the old Merriam ave. South St. Exit mix-up! If you're coming
    from Rte 2 West, it's marked Merriam Ave. If you're coming from
    the East, it's marked South St. That's because the Exit ramps come
    out on that particular street.
                                            Denny

     This topic started out as an attempt to help me decide on a crankin'
    rod. Except for Bassin' Bob and DonMac, all the rest of you Bozos
    want to do (and I even got involved too) is give directions to K-Marts
    (and nobody mentioned the one off 495 in Milford, Ma.). How can
    I spend my hard earned money if nobody helps ? C'mon guys, you're
    holdin' up the cash flow at Northern Bass and BassPro!!
    
    --The Confused Skoal Bandit

    Bandit, the Rick Clunn model is nice, I have it for the past year.
    For $44 at NBS I did not think I could go wrong. Why didn't I buy
    the All-Star? Had some other goodies I wanted and had to trade-off.
    
    I have had those All-Stars in my hand and I really like the balance
    and feel. Can I justify the cost? Probably not, but the same goes
    for the weekend golfer who buys a $500-$600 set of clubs. 
    
    I do believe in the mental part of it. Although not everybody does.
    I know you can catch fish on a hand line. But it isn't as much fun.
    Also, I like to maximize my chances as I am not out there all the
    time. I want a good shot at each fish. The tackle I use makes me
    feel more confident. Although I may not be a great fisherman, I
    want to improve, especially the strategy part of the sport, and put all
    I can into it when I am out there.
    
    I think you have to answer the question is this particular rod going
    to make me think I am a better fisherman. If so it probably will.
    
    I like the "feel" of the ALL-STAR better than the Clunn model. 
    But there are some other great crank'en rods out there to look at
    too. Another thing, I think some of this crank'en stuff is great
    for Clunn and the gang, but I have not noticed any difference with
    the fiberglass tip.    
    
    Enough rationalization! Oh hell, just go for it. You won't be dissatified.  
    I still think half the fun is trying to decide what to buy.               
    
    Finally, Hole Shot is the only one in the file I know who has an
    ALL-Star rod. I recall he bought a worm rod last year. Maybe you
    should get his FWIW.
    
    Good Luck
    
    Ed

Bandit,

   Such-a-deal-I-have-for-you-as-never-before-have-you-seen-in-your-life.

The only K-Mart you should be lookin' for to get your All-Star 'anything' is
the one just up the street from Roland Martins Marina). If you're drivin' I'll
be happy to navigate.. 

Great selection and real close to some great fishing.  Maybe you should
catch Ranger Ron before he leaves;-);-);-)...

Al

    Hey, that's the place I bought the hardware to repair my deck last
    year -- geez, I just realized, a year ago this week I was at Okeecobee
    myself... 8^(
    
    donmac - green with envy
    

Yup, I LOVE MY ALL STAR!!

Although it was expensive, it was worth every penny I paid for it!  It is 
light weight, well balanced, and because of it's backbone yet sensitive tip, 
has increased my hook-ups AND hooksetting power tremendously.

I also said that I WASN'T GONNA BUY ANOTHER ROD THIS YEAR!!

So what happens Friday?  I found this 6'6" Lamiglass Graphite rod at Zyla's 
that just fit the bill for crankbaits and gitzit/grub fishing (medium 
action, fast tip) and I bought it!  Damn... I just don't know when to stop!

Oh well...

-HSJ-

  This seems like a good place for this...


  I just received a Shimmanno TX120Q as a gift.  I need to pick up a new 
rod for it.  The Shimmanno catalog lists the rods that are 'matched' to 
the different reels.  My questions are - 

	o Do they REALLY make special rods to match the reels?
	o If it doesn't make a big difference what would be a good rod to 
		fit my 120 on?


   I know that it is to any manufacturers advantage to sell 'matched' setups
to make more money....I just want to know how true the match is.



   Thanks,  Jim

     What's a TX1200 ? Is it spinning or bait casting? What's the line
    capacity (-yards of -pound test)? If you know the retrieve ratio,
    that'll help too.
    
    --TSB

Re:

>     What's a TX1200 ? Is it spinning or bait casting? What's the line
>    capacity (-yards of -pound test)? If you know the retrieve ratio,
>    that'll help too.
    


  The TX120Q (yes, that's a Q) is a spinning reel.  It holds 180 yds of 
10 lb line.  I can't think of the ratio off the top of my head, I'll check
on it tonight.
  Shimmanno says the TX line is its most popular selling line.


    Jim

     Next piece of info we need is - what kind of fishing do you want
    to do with it ? Something like this is designed for heavier stuff
    and larger and/or stiffer rods, normally. If you were going to use
    it in streams for trout, it would be colossally oversized, given
    the guide size on a typical rod. Probably a 6 1/2' 2 piece medium
    action rod of reputable manufacture would be o.k...
    
    --The Skoal Bandit (who probably wouldn't use 10# line)

  OK, here's some more info.  

	Shimano (I've got the correct spelling for a change :-)
	TX-120Q

	The gear ratio is 5.2:1 line capacity is
	6# - 180yds
	8# - 140yds
       10# - 105yds (I was off a little in my last reply)


   What kind of fishing do I want to do?  Well this will be used primarily
for bass.  I do go for trout occasionally on some of the local ponds 
(Fort pond in Leominster has treated me well) but that is the exception.  I
have 2 spools for the reel right now.  One has 6lb and the other has 12lb on
it (the 12 is for HEAVY cover).  I also have 2 other reels with 8lb on them.
  The last thing is that I don't want to go broke buying a rod.  The Shimano
catalog says the STX-2602 is 'matched' to this reel.  The only local place I
have seen it is at Hermans in Framingham for $50+.  

  
  Thanks for the help,

		Jim
   

     First off, I recommend that you use only 2 line sizes on this reel:
    -6# for grubs, gitzits, floating worms, small jigs, rapalas, etc.
    -8# for crankbaits, spinnerbaits, etc.
     The drag on a reel like this really isn't designed for 10#, and
    12# will snarl and "shut down" a lot when you cast - heavier line
    needs a bigger spool on spinning rods because it will kink.
     As for rods, a 6' one piece rod designed for 1/4-1/2 oz. baits
    would be best, although some in the 1/8-3/8 class are o.k. I love
    Shimano, but you don't have to "match" the reel to a Shimano rod
    - that's just a marketing ploy. Zyla's, for example, has rods under
    $30 which would be fine, like Quantum. Just make sure the rod flexes
    in the upper 1/3 or 1/4 of it's length as you move it sideways in
    your hand.
     Hope this helps.
    
    --The Skoal Bandit

  Thanks Mr. Bandit, that's exactly the info I was looking for!


     Jim

    Yo Bandito,
    
    Jes tought chew might won to know bout wot wun ob dem All Stars
    kin do.
    
    Las Saturdity on Lake Fork, A mon named Stan frum Rowlett, Texas
    wuz usin a 6 1/2 foots wun ob dem wit 25 pound test line an a blue
    an black lizard, name ob Jawtech. He wuz fishin in 8 feet ob clear
    water jes off de sprawlin beds an dis big bass jes sucked op de
    lizard.
    
    He fought it fo a wile an put it in his livewell an started to de
    scales. He wonted to gib it to de state fo sprawlin programs.
    
    How big wuz it?? Well it wus 28 inches long, 24 inch girth, an weighed
    17 pounds 10 1/4 ounces. De wurst part wuz it wuz 1/4 ounce short
    ob de state record an it died befor he cud gib it to de state.
    
    So Bandit, chew need to forget bout de reel an jes get 25 pound
    line, one ob dem lizards an de nex flight to Dallas!!
    
    Coonass
    
    I'm gonna sen Joe de newspaper artical...

>>   I'm gonna sen Joe de newspaper artical...

Hey, Coonass....

Go ahead and RUB IT IN!  Everytime you send me up those articles on them 
15-20 pound hawgs ... well, it ruins my day!

here I am planning to get my boat out this weekend to do some bassin and the 
weatherman is predicting chances of SNOW ... maybe 3-6" even!  Damn...it's 
April.  Doesn't he know when to give up?

-HSJ-

PS.  Don't stop sending the newspapers up, though.  One of these days I'll 
get back down there!