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Hey SU crew, long time member first time posting in grass roots. I'm a hobby rod builder and occasionally sell built out rods or take custom orders. I'll always entertain trades for baits, lefty reels and other cool swimbait stuff. Attached are a few of my recent builds. Gonna post a few rods I have for sale on the grass roots exchange here in a few

No order Deps 250 316 workhorse 316 koke glide Sly guy replica trout Hinkle trout

Another amazing night of fishing with a 5-9 and 5-2 back to back to start the night and a 4-11 to end it

That Crappie fire!!! fresh out the mailbox

Hey SU, I have the following three rods available for purchase. I built these over the last couple months in the hopes of thinning out some of the blanks and parts I have compiled throughout the process of learning to build rods. Feel free to hit me up wit any questions. Prices are TYD shipped USPS with insurance for full value paid. PayPal F&F or add 4% for fees The rods top to bottom are as follows: 1. (Top) Perfectionist nightmare – 350 This rod was built with heavy duty use in mind. It feels heavy in hand but is perfectly balanced with my Ryoga 2020 on it. I use this blank for my single hook bottom contact baits up to an 8” hudd. Will work great for anything in the 3-6 oz range (I know the blank is only rated to 5 but I’ve pushed it and it’s fine) a. Blank = Phenix Ultra Swimbait Classic 7’11” MH 1-5 oz b. Butt cap = Matagi weight adjustable butt cap system c. Grip = 13.75 from butt cap to base of reel seat - Carbon fiber to eva with soft touch heat shrink (this is where the perfectionists nightmare comes in: the eva I used was a piece of black/grey glued foam and during application the black and grey must have separated slightly at one joint under the heat shrink. You can feel the raised bump where the separation occurred and I guess kind of see it. The grip integrity is 100% solid I tried to separate it further and squeezed the hell out of it, it’s solid. Honestly it won’t impact a damn thing on the rod, but I can feel it and couldn’t sell it without disclosing the blemish). Okay, moving on. d. Reel seat = Alps aluminum single trigger dual locking nut e. Foregrip = Eva tapered f. Hook keeper = traditional double foot “large” g. Aluminum trim throughout (mostly matagi trim) h. Guides = Fuji K frame black alconite double foot all the way up: guide sizes 12, 10, and then 8’s th rest of the way, - Spiraled RIGHT i. Tip = Fuji MNT black alconite 8 j. Total weight = 12.4 oz k. Note: if it weren’t for the blemish mentioned above in ‘c’ I would be selling this rod for 450. 2. (middle) Black and Blue – 350 This rod will be great for small glides, middle range topwaters, and bigger a-rigs. I’ve thrown up to a 6” punker on this blank and loved it. I really like it for rats. It can handle more than 2 oz for sure (I’ve thrown a workhorse on it before when I didn’t have a larger rod with me, though I did underhand lob it, lol). This rod is slightly tip heavy because of the ultra classic blank and adding more weighted discs to the butt cap was just too much; when I say slightly, I mean very slightly. Most probably wouldn’t feel it, but again I’d rather disclose what I feel than hold it back. a. Blank = Phenix ultra swimbait classic 7’11” ML 1-2 oz b. Butt cap = Matagi weight adjustable butt cap system c. Grip = 13.5” from butt cap to base of reel seat - dual contoured eva split grip d. Reel seat = Alps tex touch soft touch with locking nut e. Foregrip = EVA tapered f. Hook keeper = American tackle extra large (this is a big hook keeper as you can see, I personally love it and use it on all my swimbait rods) g. Aluminum trim throughout (mostly matagi trim) h. Guides = Fuji K frame black alconite double foot for the spiral 12, 10, 8, 8; single foot 8 runners – Spiraled RIGHT i. Tip = Fuji MNT black alconite 8 j. Total weight = 8.2 oz 3. (bottom) Black and silver – 275 This rod is super light for a swimbait rod, even with the larger guides on it. I haven’t fished this blank a lot except for a production model. I’ve heard it’s excellent for topwaters, A-rigs etc… in hand, I think it would be perfect for small weedless soft baits like a hudd 68 or mag-draft on a beast hook. It feels pretty versatile, but I can’t speak a ton to it’s real wheelhouse because I don’t have the experience to back it up. Though I can say that after building it out, I plan on building myself one down the line for larger A-rigs smaller freestyle baits, anything that I’m chucking and winding a bunch. a. Blank = Phenix M1 Inshore 7’11” 1-3 oz b. Butt cap = Matagi weight adjustable butt cap system c. Grip = 13.25” from butt cap to base of reel seat - dual tapered eva split grip d. Reel seat = Alps tex touch (NOT soft touch) with locking nut e. Foregrip = EVA tapered f. Hook keeper = traditional double foot “large” g. Aluminum trim throughout (mostly matagi trim) h. Guides = Fuji K frame black alconite double foot for the spiral 12, 10, 8, 8; single foot 8 runners – Spiraled LEFT i. Tip = Fuji MNT black alconite 8 j. Total weight = 7.0 oz

So now that people are getting them in person. Post some pics of your Crappie! Didnt get a chance to really look at all the colors durn the drop. Was rushing just to snag one lol

I really enjoyed this post! Made my morning coffee poop the most enjoyable in a while! Lol

Finally stuck a solid fish this season, between covid having us working 6-7 day weeks and limited time off its been a slowwwwwww season for me. Pretty funny story about this bait and fish, saturday late afternoon we headed out on my buddies tracker, find a nice wind blown cove, im telling him why i picked this color bait, bright top so i can see it, the clear wonderbread sides, the bright orange belly all cause i have confidence in all these colors, all my confidence colors in fresh and salt so i can throw it to stripers too. he replied "so it checked all the boxes?" me "yup now just needs to stick a fish" 3 seconds later, this fish t bones and explodes out of the water, set the hook, grind it in, buddy nets it, were having a good time just laughing about the timing of the whole thing. he gets a bunch of pics while im unhooking it, we start talking about the weight, scale says 4.15...............................again. buts thats another post in the main forum ill make. we just start cracking up that its not a 5. oh well. this was the first fish on the ldc xxh, first fish on the megadog and first fish on the new daiwa lexa 300 i got in that morning. love that topwater explosion. had 3 other fish throughout the night, all dinks 2 on the toxic whippersnapper 2.0 and 1 on the 9" white slammer

Islide 185. Has many cool rb trout patterns too. Wish they had a true suspender tho. Large Swaver (assuming you find a true suspender from batch) Hiroshima customs. (Don't own one but saw a fish caught on one). P.S. 1 Haven't gotten a fish on a depps or workhorse yet so they don't post yet for me. I think the depps 250 is the single most overrated bait of all time. Yeah so Butch says gotta downsize line to get hits. Time to buy Butch version yada yada. Already spent over $300 on depps and traded and sold some. That's alot of effort for a bite. Don't consider myself a newbie either. Great action tho. P.S. 2 As far as workhorse goes, wake jr. Trout is clearly the superior bait from same maker fishing same upper area of water column.

My Butch Brown 250 , I lost the tail section today after hooking up a striper, bait was fairly new( first fish ever hooked on it,) any insight as to why this could happen

Deps 250 Sly 12.5" Sly 9" Hiro 10" Rafa 11"

Looks like it was a boot tail on a jig head y'all. Here is a video.

What? You mean we're actually supposed to "catch fish"?

I am definitely not a swimbait expert (or bass at all for that matter), but I’ve began to realize that in certain spots, typically larger lakes with lots of boat traffic and anglers, I’ve had a fair amount of success coming from a bank approach instead of a boat. Maybe it’s because you’re forced to pick a spot apart, but I would love to think that it would have something more on the approach and the retrieve. Instead of casting to the bank and retrieving out to deep water, you’re having to do the complete opposite. Most people don’t seem to want to fish the bank on these larger lakes because of all the walking you have to do in order to find fish. In some instances you’ll be able to catch a fish by changing your swimbait(or lure in general) and be able to catch a fish you saw or are targeting within the first couple casts because it’s different. Take that same principle and apply it to a completely different approach, cast, and retrieve. I like to think of bank fishing as an advantage sometimes and this is a main reason I believe so. again, I am not an expert at all I just wanted to see what some of you veterans have to say about this idea. I look forward to what y’all have to say!

If anyone got a gold one in slow sink and wants to trade for other baits let me know what you are looking for.

1. Rm Mother 2. Mattlures Surface Glide (Modified) 3. Any Deps Slide Swimmer 4. 316 8" Real Deal 5. Roman Made Negotiator

More great fish

I guess it depends on what kind of swimbaits youre throwing. When I'm throwing smaller 5-6 inch swimbaits then 2-3 is a pretty good day but if I'm throwing something like a 250 then 1 fish is a really good day. I also consider big followers great days because they give me the info needed to come back the next day/week and try to catch them.

Hey that's so cool that you knew someone that knew him - small world/community, crazy. Thanks for putting up the link. I've never caught one over 10 but we used to fish in a power plant lake and below Newburgh, KY, and Barkley Dams and catch 5-8lb Wipers regularly with some larger Stripers and the fight was CRAZY in the current - could not imagine a 21lber!!! We used weighted big Jerkbaits redfins/long As, and old school bucktails with Lunker City Fin S Fish & Shads.

We’re supposed to catch something?

For me, getting out and putting in a good shift counts as a good day (or, more frequently, a good night) - like Chef Chris said, if I leave the water with a smile on my face, I'm happy. If I manage to catch a fish, that makes it better, and if that fish happens to be of decent size (regardless of whether it's a bass or walleye or northern or...) then that's better still. Throw in multiple fish and things get even better and the smile gets bigger. If it is one of those rare outings where I get multiple big fish, then not only am I smiling, I'm singing (and any one in earshot is running for their earplugs). But, in the end, if I can get out and execute a plan, even if I don't catch fish, it's still a good trip.

The 300 luna is a beast reel, I had one but wasn't fond of the brake system wish it was the same as the brake on the 253.

Nice! That'll build confidence in a bait How did the next casts go?

1-100 It varies. But a good day depends on many variables. No fish day can be good. But one or more makes the day great.

This one is fun in saltwater.

LDC 79MH is the perfect smaller treble hook rod and has enough backbone for the 6” weedless baits as well.

Been seeing people posting Tiny Bullshooters on here no price. When asking for a price it's $100 plus. These are coming from newer members trying to FLIP! Buy 2 for the price of one if you really need to spend that $100! Please go to eBay and pay $60ish. Don't pay a flipper price for a readily available bait. Thanks @bassbass and @Swimbaitlife. Just looking out for guys like they did for me!

Nothing big but nice to get one on the DS rat. It ate it right at the bank lol.

I use the Daiwa Lexa 300 for hinkle trout and 316 Beast. I’m all about trying to keep the lure looking natural as possible. 17# to 20# fluorocarbon.

IMHO Dobyns 795/806. GREAT treble bait rods, readily available, decent price ($260), and easy warranty. The 795 is 1-5oz and the 806 is 2-6. 806 might be a little overkill for a 168, but like thedonnguyen said, you'll probably be throwing bigger baits soon

LDC white label H or XH...i'd opt for the XH, as most people eventually move up to baits up to 6 oz

Once I got blown perfectly to the bank between two large pressured laydowns everybody fishes. Parallel shore cast is what triggered that fish. So yes shore fishing can have it's advantages.....I also think standing in a bass boat can spook fish and my best sb bass have been caught fishing when seated in my johnboat... Also radar esp side imaging spooks fish. I have a portable fishing buddy with si feature that allows you to point it in a direction and it reports distance where fish is located. Every time it finds a fish it disappears, no joke. It wont hold the reading.

I bass fished from various boats from 1991 to 2016, only started throwing swimbaits in 2010. I've spent a lot of time fishing uphill, prior to learning swimbaits and after. My largest bass, 11-4, came at night working a c-rig worm uphill on a point. I sold my last boat in 2016 and didn't fish at all for the past 3 years. Now that I'm getting back into it I am committed to staying boatless and learning how to fish more effectively from the shore. I am using the same approach from the shoreline as I did when fishing from a boat and that is studying maps and aerial images to locate potential key spots. I wouldn't have much success fishing from a boat if i just launched and started fishing down the shorelines, so I'm not going to do that when I am further restricted to being on foot. I use Navionics chart viewer combined with Google earth historical aerial images of when the lake level was several feet below pool. From those tools I can pick the high percentage spots that I want to fish and skip all the rest. I will pick an area that is a) reasonably accessible, and b) has multiple key features within a half mile distance of each other. I try to find these with a primary type of spot and then something more subtle that could get overlooked by boat fishermen. Keeping in mind that a key spot on a shoreline is probably known to local anglers. But something subtle nearby could be the ticket when the key spot gets pressured or you're not the first one there. Fishing a bait uphill is a very good presentation with any bait except a deep diving crank bait (most of the time) and is exceptionally good with big baits. There are a number of scholarly articles / books on why this works so i won't rehash that but know from personal experience that it does, don't really care why!

Congrats dude. Im considering about registrating for that tourney too. Throw a deps buster K lol.

“Sad but true”. It’s just as bad as these knuckleheads “Robbin in the hood” right now, stealing from their own community. I’ll go ahead and move and get out the way, some of these prices are just ”lootercris” see what I did there?? Lol

Best glide for the spots has been the BGC Gen2 8" glide and Gancraft 178f in matte trout. I fish the same retrieve as if I'm fishing for largies.

Lighter rod with lots of taper. If not they’ll pull off a lot. They tend to swipe at it a lot and follow up with aggressive runs that will pull trebles

Good luck buddy, I really hope you crush that state record! My state record is 21lb, something oz. Itll be a while till it's broken, but you'll never know.

what state you in? I take it, its not southern florida. The issue with the state record here in RI is you must kill the fish for it to be weighed, no transporting live fish. it was broken a couple years back, it was 10lbs 8oz for like 30 plus years and now its 11lbs 3oz.