AKRods Custom 7-foot Medium Heavy, Fast Action Rod for Sale

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I have the following 100% custom, hand-built rod for sale by AKRods for $180.

This 7" Medium Heavy, Fast Action will be a terrific multi-purpose rod but would excel as a terrific jig rod. Pictures do not do this rod justice, especially on the handle's custom wrap. 

Please email me at best5zach@yahoo.com for more information.   

If you will recall, this is who I am now getting all of my rods from. Once you go with a hand-built, custom rod, you will never want anything else again. This has a lot of very high end components and each is built to maximize efficiency is all aspects of fishing, from casting, to sensitivity, to fighting the fish. I have half a dozen of these custom rods and you can read my review here.   

This starts out with a MudHole MHX MB843 7'MHF blank: The MHX series incorporates innovative designs of both traditional and progressive actions. The multi modulus materials allow us to utilize the correct material in each portion of the blank. An advanced production process that is second to none creates a series of blanks unparalleled in today's market place. The MHX series are as much as 40% lighter than comparable standard graphite models and incredibly more sensitive.

These lightweight, yet powerful rod blanks provide the professional custom builder and hobbyist a dependable rod blank they can rely on for years to come. 

AKRods used the following high-end components:

• Carbon grips
• 11 3/4" trigger to butt
• Fuji ECS reel seat
• Fuji Alconite micro guides
• Kigan hook keeper 

Product Review of AKRods Custom Magnum Crankbait Rod

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Every fisherman in the world has different ideas on how a rod should feel and act. That's why the average bass fisherman owns dozens of different rods. What works for one fisherman won't work for the next. The issue is, when fishermen go shopping, they are all shopping for the exact same rods though each man is different. 

Take me, for example. I am a very short guy with fairly short arms. I love to throw crankbaits, specifically those deep diving plugs. The mass produced options that I could find that would give me the balance of castability, retrievability, and fish-fighting power were far and few in between. For years I had relied on the Wright & McGill Skeet Reese magnum cranking rod. It could certainly cast those big cranks but I had some issues with it, namely that the butt length was too long for a short armed guy, the rod had no accuracy, and the weight was ridiculously high. After even 30 minutes of casting, my forearm would be burning. Furthermore, if I could make the exact cast I needed and could find the fish, my side would be rubbed raw from the butt. And, of course, yellow and black aren't my colors, but I digress. 

I wanted something that had the length I needed to make long casts yet had a versatile loading profile to allow me to make accurate short casts on top of those long ledge busting ones. In addition, I wanted a handle and a butt that fit me, not the average guy. Most importantly, I wanted the weight to be trimmed way down. Also, a little customization never hurt anyone, right? 

I contacted Anthony at AKRods, whom I had bought several custom rods from in the past. While he had built me custom, hand built rods with quality components, I had never special ordered a rod built to my specification. I told him what I wanted, everything from the handle and butt length to the quality of the components I wanted to the very colors of the wrappings. A month later, my custom cranking rod arrived. 

Here are the specifics on the rod:

• Mudhole MHX CB906 Crankbait blank
• 7'6" | 10-17 lb. | 3/8 - 1 1/4 oz. | Mod-Fast Action | Medium-Heavy Power | 1 Piece | 5.5 Tip | 0.573 Butt | Slate Finish
• Custom Orange and Blue wrappings
• Custom orange and blue EVA grips
• Fuji FCS reel seat
• Fuji Alconite micro guides

The rod weighed in at just 4.3 ounces, a ridiculously low weight for a rod meant for magnum crankbaits. I paired this with an Ardent Elite 5.3:1 reel. I was simply blown away with the low weight which made a day on the water a lot easier, especially for someone who relies on big cranks as much as I do. 

However, what I was truly blown away with was the loading of the rod. Unlike some of the other magnum cranking rods which would not load up unless you really heaved them, which made short accurate casting impossible, this rod would easily load for short, precise casts. Being able to roll cast to laydowns on bluff walls from 10 yards away was just as important as casting all of the line out to cover a ledge for me and this rod did that perfectly. 

When it came to needing to make those long casts, I didn't have to really exert a lot of force to make the rod load up, which is particularly important when casting into the wind. That prevented me from having the bird's nest or the associated snapping off of those expensive cranks. I could easily make those long casts thanks to the ease of loading of the rod. 

That didn't come at a cost to fish fighting, either. I really put this rod through its paces in its first tournament. Our biggest fish of the day came off this rod including some nice magnum spots on Smith Lake. 

Obviously the customization is important to most people, whether that is color matching it to your boat or to your own body, but the ability to have high end components shouldn't be overlooked, nor should the benefits of a hand-built rod be ignored. For example, each hand-built rod has its spine identified, marked, and incorporated so that it  maximizes its internal strength. 

I am incredibly happy with this rod and the fact that it is customized to my demands makes it even better. It isn't a $75 rod that you went to your local sports store and bought. This is a $300 dollar rod that took a month to build and, as such, I received a far, far superior product than I could go to any store and purchase. I am typically a very cheap guy, but these rods, which have specific uses, are worth every penny. 

Not only do I highly recommend AKRods, but I would highly recommend this particular rods as good crankbait rods are all but impossible to find. Contact me for more information at best5zach@yahoo.com 

Build Your Own Battle Ax

There are few things more useful in the EOTWAWKI than a good ax. But, just having a multi-purpose ax isn't any fun. What you really want is a battle ax. After all, in the zombie apocalypse, what finer weapon could you ask for? It's been the melee weapon of choice for thousands of years.

OK. So I don't' REALLY think we will have a zombie apocalypse. But I do recognize that the ax is a great multi-purpose weapon and tool. It's great for busting wood, breaking into things you can't open, using the head to start fires, as well as being a terrific silent and deadly weapon. It won't ever run out of ammo. It will never jam. And, it doesn't matter where you hit someone, they won't walk away from it. Additionally, there is something terribly frightening about ANYONE charging at you with one of these.

My wife's grandfather died almost 3 years ago and I inherited a lot of older tools. One such tool was this old ax. It was old and really worn. Additionally, I didn't quite trust it because the handle was split right below the head. These days, you can buy a composite handle ax for less than I could buy a new oak handle for, so I didn't really think that it had any use other than nostalgia. It sat around around in the garage until the government furlough. One day, I was pretty bored and I decided how cool it would be to design and build a battle ax. Of course, I would have to do a little work on the handle, but that wasn't a big deal. I have a lot of experience in composites manufacturing. Not only did I know that I could easily fix the handle, I could make it even better than it was. There are few things better than an old oak handle and new composite handles aren't exactly impact resistant. So, if I could reinforce the hand while fixing it, I could have a pretty reliable handle. After all, the weakest point of the ax is normally the area right under the head. It is the spot that takes the most abuse because of short hits. But, what if I took it further? Suddenly I had all kinds of interesting ideas to make an unique tool for the EOTWAWKI.

Here is what the handle looked like beforehand. Notice the cracks.

Here is the handle cleaned and prepped. I sanded it,, used compressed air to remove particles, and finally rubbed it down with alcohol. Then, I used masking tape to limit resin flow.

First, I applied a coating of resin, specifically into the existing cracks. This would help prevent further cracking of the handle. I used worm drive clamps to  then put the cracked handle into compression. This would assure that  I would achieve the maximum strength of the over composite stricture after the cure. After cutting strips that were 3 inches wide and about 12 inches long, I bathed them in resin and allowed them to become saturated, then wrapped the handle with the strips. I used both helical and hoop wraps and I also varied the angle of the plys during layup to ensure I had a good multi-directional strength.  I made a 3 ply weave on the handle and allowed it to cure, then sanded it first with 80 grit, then 200 grit, and finally 400 grit sandpaper to achieve a nice finish. Then I applied a very fine finishing epoxy coat to which I resanded in the same manner previously mentioned.. This assured that there were no dry surface fibers as well as the best possible finish.  I applied a rubberized over coating on the fiberglass reinforcement. This would give a good forward grip for carrying or for pre-swing.  Additionally, I bought a roll of camo tape for about $2 to wrap the entirety of the handle.

Now, I started to really think about the functionality of the ax. Namely, what were the potential problems that one might have in using the ax.

The first things I thought of were how hard it is just carry an ax around. You don't think about it because when you get done with your ax, you lay it in the shed. But what if you had to carry it on your person at all times? What if you had to climb a tree? Additionally, if you were using it in battle, what happens if you sling it by accident? So, I figured out a solution. I bought a set of rifle sling mounts and installed them with a combination wrist strap and single point break-away sling. While it isn't a rifle, I followed the steps listed on the mounts to prevent any cracking. I already had the sling and the mounts ran me $8. **Update** As pointed out by a reader, make sure you epoxy the sling mounts, if you go this route. You are threading the fastener into the grain as opposed to perpendicular to the grains, which is far easier to strip out. I did do this, just forgot to add that step. Thanks to our reader!

The next one was that, without gloves, one might get blisters with the current grip. I know I get them anytime I used a hard wooden grip. Additionally, handles can become slippery real easy. So, I bought some Lizard Skin grip wrap and some Adidas bat tape from Amazon. That cost an additional $15. It is a superb grip. Very comfortable and slip resistant.The last thing I did was to sharpen it up and treat it with Metalloid's Metcor to clean it and prevent surface rust. Metcor is the perfect cleaner and rust preventer I have used. Check out my review on it! 

So, the final product? Well, check it out!

I had many of the items needed sitting around. Most hunters and handy men will also have many of the items needed. Again, I don't expect to ever use this ax as a weapon, but it was awfully fun to apply some NASA engineering and ingenuity to build something unique. I am not a very creative person, so I am sure that there are a ton of things I could have done to make it better. If you can think of them, I would love to hear about it!

Don't forget to check out my other cool builds and EOTWAWKI posts! 

We will be finishing the Ruger 10/22 Build very soon and starting an AR15 build!

Spending the Winter Downtime Wisely: Repairing Busted Rods

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I have been accused of being hard on a lot of my things and there is a lot of truth to it. But, despite being the quintessential "bull in the china shop", I have to be fair to myself and say that I do a good job and fixing my screwups. Many of you have read about my exploits in keeping my cars and boat running. But, today I want to talk about fishing rods.

How many dollars do you think you have wrapped up in your rods? No, that's a serious question. If I do my math correctly, in the rods that I commonly use, I have:

• 3 custom rods (1 of which is down)
• 1 St. Croix Premier (which is down)
• 1 St. Croix Triumph
• 2 Wright&McGill Skeet Reese Rods
• 3 Dick's Sporting Goods house brand rods
• 1 Quantum Guide Series
• 1 Boyd Duckett
• 1 BPS

I don't know how much is invested in those rods, but it's a lot. It's a sizeable investment. Now, as you can see, I have listed that I have at least 2 rods that are down for the count. Of the 13 other rods listed, at least two of these have been repaired before.

Now, is it that I have been too hard on my stuff? Maybe. In the last year, I have lost 1 additional Duckett and 1 Dick's Sporting Goods house brand. So, that certainly the case. Additionally, I am fortunate enough to fish back boat with a lot of people pretty often. Which means that I have to ferry my stuff back and forth and while I try to use my BPS Rod Caddys, it isn't always possible to avoid slapping and banging them around.

But, I have a sneaking suspicion that many of you are the same way. It doesn't take much to destroy a rod. Close it in a rod locker, step on it, etc. But, what about the most common of problems? Even if you don't loose it and break it in half, normal wear and tear will happen. What am I talking about? How about rod tips that fall off, guides that come unraveled, or simply have the teflon inserts fall out. These things happen to everyone at some point.

Doesn't it always seem to happen right after the warranty expires? And even if it hasn't, most places can be a hassle to deal with. Or, they want you to send the rod off and be repaired, which commonly takes a lot of time. If you are like me, you have special rod and reel combos that do very specific things and being without them makes your fishing feel vulnerable. I know that sounds silly, but...in the case of the St. Croix Premier...it's the only 6'6'' MHF I have. It is and incredible Pop-R/Sammy top water rod and jig rod. Really, it's the only one that I use anymore for those two things. Now, if you buy those store warranty plans, you can just take it to the store and swap it out. But only for the 1st 90 days. After that, you have to send it off.

So, I avoid having to send it off if at all possible.

What then? Well, you have a few options.

• Send it off and be without it for who knows how long
• Trash it
• Pay someone else to repair it
• Repair it yourself

All of these options have validity to them. If you are fortunate to have a lot of rods, sending it off may not be a problem. If you have a lot of money, trashing it may be perfectly acceptable. You may also be fortunate enough to know someone that repairs them. But, that can cost both money and time.

So, let's discuss the last option. Believe it or not, repairing rods isn't that hard. I won't lie to you, though. It requires some upfront cash, some reading, fine eye and hand coordination, some free room and time, and a lot of patients.

First off, go and buy some literature on the subject. Here is a list from Amazon. Personally, I own and use "Advanced Custom Rod Building" by Clemens. It's a good book and covers enough beginner material to get you started.

Next, you will need a rod wrapper. Though it's not necessary, I would make a good argument that it is. Mudhole has a list of some, which you can find here. Now, I admit that I cheaped out and bought one off of eBay. It looked good in pictures, but it was an absolute travesty of manufacturing. I paid $100 for it and would give anything to have that money towards a real one. So, buy wisely.

Of course, you will need supplies. I use Mudhole almost exclusively for both buying parts to build new rods and for repairing old ones. Though, if I am in a hurry, places like Gander Mountain frequently have repair kits. While not perfect, it can get you back to working quickly. For a order for basic repairs, you will need thread...black is always a good one, rod tip glue, and epoxy. I would go ahead and buy several rod tips in different sizes and guides in various sizes.

When you receive the rod wrapper, you will notice that you will need a lot of space. Now, back when I had just 1 kid, this wasn't a big deal. Now, it is. you will need at least 8 horizontal feet. At least. Make it 10, really. You will need a table to sit the wrapper on and a chair to sit in.

When you decide to repair your rod, you will need at least an hour of your own time and the rod will need at least 24 hours for the rod to cure, depending on the work you are doing.

So, let's talk about a real example. About a week ago, I was throwing a jig with my St. Croix Premier. I noticed that one of the guides was missing a teflon insert, which was shredding my line. Now, in the past, I have simply cut off that guide entirely and go about my trip. But, the busted guide was right in front of another guide that I had cut off. Meaning, there was 8 inches of rod without a guide.

So, I found myself with a little time on Saturday with some spare time and space, since I recently cleaned up and started organizing better. After all, with 3 kids, space is at a premium in our little house and rod repair doesn't have much weight.

I moved some stuff off the table and set up the wrapper and chalked the Premier up. I used black thread, which is what comes on it. I admit that I didn't tie a very tight wrap on the guides. It's one of those things that you have to practice and learn...and stay in practice....and remember all the little tricks. So, I say to you, READ UP and PRACTICE!

I have built a few rods and repaired even more, and it took me 3 times to wrap those guides. Why? Well, those little tricks.

1. I didn't clean off the old wrap and epoxy very well and it makes it difficult to make uniform wraps
2. I forgot how to start the wrap. There is a special way of starting a wrap, which I forgot. So, after I was done wrapping, the beginning came unraveled.
3. I forgot to "bury" a piece of fishing line under the wrap so that I can pull the tag in through to tie off the end. Again, had to redo it all. Ugh.

So, I wrapped the guides and applied flex coat. I turned the rotisserie on and let it cure. 24 hours later, the rod is back in action.

I won't lie to you all and tell you it's easy and quick. But, it's a valuable skill to have and can prolong the life of your rods. I don't have to tell you how much time and money you can save. I hope you all attempt to repair rather than trash. And if you decide to trash, send it to me :0)

Some great deals this week

Thought I would share a few deals I ran across this week:
First off, Dick's Sporting Goods on University is doing half off selected Wright and McGill "Skeet Reese" rods. That's right. $49.00

Also, Bass Pro Shops Redhead Bone Dry Big Horn boots are half off. That's 800 grams of insulation, 9'' boot, for $60!

 http://www.basspro.com/RedHead-BoneDry-Big-Horn-9-Insulated-Waterproof-Hunting-Boots-for-Men/product/80959/

That's a HECK of a deal.

Softball+Soccer+CFB+Flag football+Fishing

I have always said that I would rather be busy than not. In fact, I am a firm believer that I am more efficient when I have a lot to do.

Plus, I have really found a new love for participating in sports. Not only do I love to play, I am a decent athlete, and it helps me stay in shape. Of course, as I get older, I have more aches and pains.

So, how far back do I go to start the weekend? Well, even though we had soccer practice Thursday night, where 8 8 and under girls run me to death, I doubt yall want to hear about that (though you prob don't care anyway, since it doesn't involve fishing, zombies, or both).

As a UAH graduate, I still qualify to play in their intramural sports. Now, when I was at UAH, intramural sports was something reserved mostly for the fraternities. As the school grows, the desire to participate in school sanctioned events increases. So, although I had played flag football for years, it's only been in the last few years that it was more than just a "eh, I don't have anything better to do". In fact, the last two years, we have had a decent team. We hold practices, etc.

Ok, I am getting a little ahead of myself. One of the recent developments is that they have added a softball league. It isn't big. In fact, there are only 2 co-ed teams. But, with the NASA league done for the year, and being a few months from a new Sportsplex season, it couldn't hurt to play. Especially when it's free! So, Alyse and I joined up.

I explained the the team captain that we were decent players, we played a lot, and we were dedicated. So, he was happy to have us.

Now, can you imagine the faces of these....well, I will call it like it is....kids. Imagine their faces when we roll up and file out with 3 kids, a babysitter, and grandparents to watch. In fact, other than the UAH staff, we were the ONLY people to bring someone to the game.

Imagine our faces as we listened to the dugout conversations. Hey, I was there once...but man, was it an eye opener to gain an ensite into the lives of the modern freshman/sophomore.

Anyway, I led off with a double. Took a walk my next at bat, and flyed out my 3rd at bat. Alyse didn't do much better. But, we played well. No errors. Alyse played fairly great at 1st base. I didn't have a ball hit to me all night.

Before we knew it, the game was over. Ended in a 4-8 loss. Just like that, we were packing all the kids. Now, I found out there was also a men's league that plays after the co-ed. Since the same guys we played with also play that league, and since it is such a hassle to load up and get out there, I let them know I would play if they needed a player. The obliged.

Saturday morning, Aubree had a soccer game. This year has been very rough for me as a coach. I have spent considerable effort developing players. Not necessarily developing a winning team. Big difference. So, you can imagine how frustrating it is to get beat by teams who just want to win. Even at the cost of developing their players. Well, finally I started to see the light. My team played terrific, finally picking up the things we had really been preaching. Things like, don't bunch up, play on your side of the field, don't miss free kicks. We finally "won" (since you don't win in AYSO).

Fox picked up the Auburn game (gasp) against LA-Monroe. After watching them dismantle Arkansas, I had already conceded a loss. I really question OC Loeffler's play calling so far. There is never a reason to throw on 1st down. When you have a QB that has thrown more picks than completions, that should seal the deal. Despite doing everything they could to loose the game, AU came away with a win. So, Zach is happy. Sorta. Not really. So, after the game, I watched Tennessee (the Vols are back, yall!) prove that they are, in fact, not back. They were so terrible in the late stages of the game that THIS happened:

I improved to 10-2 in Fantasy football, including another 200+ point game. Whoot! Man, I love those boys from West Virginia(Stepman Bailey, Geno Smith, Tavon Austin) . My one loss this week came on the team where I started Matt Barkley, Silas Redd, and Robert Woods from USC, who fell apart against Stanford. Again. That's like 6 out of 8 years, folks. Jokers. The downside is that two of my favorite players have become utterly useless. Auburn's Emory Blake and Philip Lutzenkirchen. Seriously, the league has this to say about them:

Emory Blake: Quarterback Kiehl Frazier is really killing Emory Blake's fantasy value, to the point that he isn't worth owning outside of SEC-only leagues.

Lutzy: Quarterback Kiehl Frazier has Philip Lutzenkirchen's fantasy value tanked quite badly right now. He's probably not worth owning in any scenario.

Common denominator? Hmmm.

So, Sunday rolled around and we went to Church. Had a great lunch with my Church Family at the Madison COC.

And then....flag football time at UAH. Been looking forward to it forever, as had many of my friends. We have a core team of 6-7 guys, but you have to have more like 12-14 dependable guys. So, we picked up a few free agents. One in particular caught our eyes. Guy named Ethan. Looked like the QB we needed after losing our QB last year in the first game. I did my best last year, but at 5 foot 3, I am limited in seeing the receivers. Or the tops of the grass. Sigh.

So, for once, we have enough players to play a full offense and defense. Since we concentrate on D, I and my friend Nick, whom played football with me in HS, make up the defensive backfield and I call the plays for the O.

We went on defense first and forced a punt right off the bat. The O quickly went 3 and out as well. We worked the ball to midfield by calling some short plays. Finally, I spotted their corners stepping up closer to the line. Called the airstrike up. Outside receiver ran a deep post, slot ran a deep corner. Boom. 6 points.

The extra point failed. Right back on defense we went. Their drive stalled on a 3rd and 9, but they went for it. For some reason, our other safety had started birdogging their short routes. And there it went. Right over his head. The other team hadn't gained 5 yards all day and they put 6 points on us. The extra point failed. Tied ball game.

Our offense initially made a good drive on their end of the field, but with a costly sack, we faced 4th and a good chunk. But, being on their end, we went for it and didn't get it.

I already knew that my receiver was getting anxious. I had been baiting him for awhile...trying to jump his short routes. So, I looked back at Nick and let him know the bomb was coming. The receiver made a double move, I went with him, and here came the pass. It floated just a bit and I nabbed it. Up the sideline I went until I ran out of bounds on the 10 going in.

We had one play before half so we dialed up a misdirection. We ran everyone right and snuck Josh out of the center spot into the left flat. It worked perfect. But, though he is a quick guy, he isn't as quick as the guy that walled him off at the 1 yard line. Half time.

We came out on offense and orchestrated a flawless drive. Bang them short. Bang them short. QB draw. Bomb. TD.

We went for 2 and Ethan slid across the goal line. The ref was right on top of it and called it good. But the other ref...across the field and between 6 other dudes...waved it off! WAVED IT OFF! We couldn't believe it! He had NO ANGLE! But, what can you do.

Back on Defense with 6 minutes to go. They figured out that they couldn't beat us long so they started hitting draw plays and slants. We were stringing them out to 3rd and long and 4th and short, but they always seemed to make the play. No matter. When we got the goal line, it would get a lot harder on them. But, once again, our safety got caught bird dogging for a deep ball. Sigh. They went for the extra point and brought their tallest guy to my side. Before I could swap with someone taller, they snapped the ball, tossed it to the moon and told him to go get it. And he did. 13-12 with 1 minute to go.

Going again with body blows, we moved the ball up the field. At midfield, we dropped a costly open ball. 2nd down, hit our TE in the left flat for a good gain to set up a 3rd down. Called up the quick slants, but they jumped them. Our RB, Andre, came streaking across the middle but Ethan's pass was high and went off his fingers. 4th and too many. But, we did what we had to do and called up a deep crossing route.

Receiver came across the field, Ethan let a perfect ball fly. Nate, the receiver, got his hands on it, but the defense came over his back and knocked it away.

So, we took a loss. But what a HECK of a game!

To make the day go a little sweeter, I did what I had promised the kids I would do. I took them fishing at the Publix land trust. We fished for one hour and caught 10 fish. They were just a biting a weightless Yum Dinger!

All new swimbaits!

Man, was I busy this weekend. Yep. Ball games on Friday and Saturday. Piano Recitals. Church. And yet, I still managed to make around 200 baits! And I am SO excited about the new swimbaits. Not only do I have new colors, I also have an all new 100% custom plastic formulation that combines the toughness of my old baits and the flexibility and softness you won't find anywhere else.

How did I do this? I combined the typical #502 plastic with a predetermined amount of #536. Then I added a specific amount of plastic softener. Man. Are these baits soft!

Sure, I made plenty of my usual colors (baby carp and silver minnow) but....I went above and beyond.


Here is my new Chartreuse bait

And...now I officially unveil the hottest bait I have made. I have been dreaming of making this bait for 6 months and could not figure out how to do it. And, no, the iPhone pictures do NOT do this bait justice. I do not know what to call this bait yet...so I think I will hold a contest!

New Batch of Swimbaits!

That's right! And...New and Improved!

As you may recall, I sold the last of my baits last week...only to have emails asking me to sell more. So, I put in an order for new plastic. However, I made a slight adjustment. Although my baits are very hearty...they also loose a good bit of flexibility. So, I now have a custom formulation plastic that will maximize bait longevity AND flexibility! I will be pouring the same colors, as usual.

If you are interested...please message me here, on facebook, or email zach.taylor@yahoo.com!

Well! Made it to 10,000 Hits!

That's awesome! I just wish everyone was actually reading it....HAHA!

If you were the 10,000 hit...PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I know who was 10,002. You have 24 hours to get with me before we go to the 10,001 hit, and so on. If you were close to this number (but after 10K) go ahead and email/message me. I want to give these away.

The good news is, I made the order for a big order of plastics. I will be telling you all about it...but trust me, you all will love it!

Free Swimbait contest!

That's right folks! FREE FREE FREE!

All you have to do is send me a screen shot of being the 10,000 hit on my blog, I will ship you 5 FREE CUSTOM POURED SWIMBAITS!
The 15,000 hit will get 10!
The 20,000 hit will get 15!

All you have to do is pay shipping!

Custom Poured Swimbaits Update

I have some good news and some bad news....but the bad news is kinda good news.


Most of you have seen my swimbaits:
http://best5zach.blogspot.com/p/zachs-custom-swim-baits.html

I usually pour swimbaits 1-2 times a year. Once you get everything setup, it just makes life easier. Well, back in January, I poured over 300 swimbaits. I gave a few away. I used maybe 5 of them (they are hardy baits). The rest, I sold. I got an email yesterday from a gentlemen from Columbus GA asking about buying some swimbaits. Well, I knew I was low. In fact, I knew I was down to my own personal stash....usually those that weren't judged as "perfect". But, I told him I wold look. Turns out, I had less than 20! He was happy to buy what I had. Well, I just shipped off the LAST of my baits.....in April! What a terrific feeling! Guess I will be ordering more plastic today.

If you have a need for swimbaits, let me know! Email me at :
zach.taylor@yahoo.com

Now taking orders for swimbaits!! Get yoursbefore they are gone!

I had some money stashed away and I kept recieving requests to make more swimbaits. So, I put in an order this morning for the material. By the end of this weekend, I will have around 100 or so swimbaits. I plan on making baby carp and silver minnow colored 3.25 inch swimbaits with and with out rattles. These come standard with red 3D eyes, hand painting, and double dip for the shiney luster! Please drop me a line if you are looking to purchase! See pictures on my other page.

New molds and designs

At the end of last year, I was finally making baits I was proud of. Unfortunately, I gave them all away. this year, I wanted to be able to make more complex baits. In this round of baits, I started with my favorite color, which is silver minnow. It was a silver base color with silver flake. I wanted chartreuse layers to it, which turned out to be QUITE the adventure to learn to do.

So, this round of baits are either 5 or 3 inches, have inserted rattles, chartreuse layer, hand painted gills, 3-D eyes and are double dipped. If you would like any of them, let me know. They are MUCH prettier in person! I will be adding a page to my blog with product information.

2010 Custom Rods

Thought I would share some info on my first crack at custom rods and lures. When I first started getting serious about bass fishing, I had a friend who made custom rods. These are customized in both aesthetic, ergonomic and in function. Let me tell you something, folks, if you have ever tried to use a rod for a method it isn't made for...you know what I am talking about. It won't cast right. It won't fight fish for you. The back bone isn't in the right place and causes it to fold up on hook sets. It isn't long enough. The list goes on and on. Have a rod made for you...to your specs....for your method...and you will know. When he quit making them for me, I started buying store bought rods. Part of me rejoiced, since the mid range of rods are about 120 dollars, which beats the price  I was paying for custom rods. However, I found that there were issues with store bought rods. They didn't last NEARLY as long. Now, they DID have a warranty, but its like any other warranty you've ever used. And, just because it says that it is a spinner bait rod, doesn't mean it works the way it should with your way of fishing your spinnerbait. I looked and looked. bought cheap rods and expensive rods, but I couldn't get them to do what I wanted them to do. So, what could I do? Could I build my own?

I admit that I am not an artsy guy. Handcrafting isn't my thing. Heck, I can't even draw! My dad is the wood worker and I just didn't get those genes. But, better to try and fail than to not try at all. So, I ordered equipment to make 3 rods. One 6 foot multipurpose rod for alyse, and two heavier rods. Both of the latter would be made with high end guides and reel seats. I wanted them to be pretty, functional, and say something about me. First one, the short 6 footer wasn't great. It works. It catches fish. But it isn't that pretty and I made a lot of mistakes. My finishing work sucked. But at least I showed some artistic ability.

I built the second one for my dad as a frog rod. It turned out about the same. same finishing problems, etc. I was about to give up, but I did some research and found that I just wasn't taking my time. So, on the third attempt, I showed GREAT improvement.

I currently use this as a swimbait rod. It is 7''6', med heavy. It has proper backbone placement, spiral wrapped guides. It cost about 150 dollars to build. Terrific rods. You will not find anything at a store that is comparable to a custom rod.

I ordered another batch of material to make fiberglass cranking rods.  I will post updates to that.

If you are interested in having one made, please contact me.