Keith Ritter's Comments

yes It was and also Dances with wolves starting Kevin Cosner was flim near here in Spearfish.

Thanks for the welcome message.

I live on Center Hill Lake and I have had some good success on bluegill and red ears this spring. My goal now is figure out where they go during the summer months.

Sorry for the "double post". The first 'disappeared' from my screen caused by reasons I neither know nor care about. So I began the second. Each, however, expresses my point including the one about 'brain overload'. If you just keep getting up every morning you ,too, will 'get there'!!

Very good advice, Keith, particularly as relates to my wishes/needs. I have several interest which I want to spend time pursuing ... blue gill fishing is a rather late interest so I am in a place where I need to learn... starting with the equipment. Reality is that I don't need to get in the "weeds" trying to select fly gear, pole set ups and spinning gear. Some of that will go under used just because of devoting time to other interests.

 The idea of the Tenaka equipment would seem to offer in a single item which would allow least two methods of fishing the conditions. As  you suggest, select line , hooks, floats and a small selection of artificial lures and dry flies AND HAVE AT IT WITHOUT "CLUTTERING-UP" THE MIND OF AN 80 YEAR OLD JUST LOOKIJN FOR SOME SIMPLE FUN!

Very good advice ,Keith, especially since I have a number of interest to which I enjoy devoting time. Bluegill fishing is a recent but serious interest, however, I need to avoid getting onto "the weeds" with decisions about fly gear, set-ups for pole fishing  and spinning rod/reel combos, each with somewhat different needs for lines, lures, hooks ect.

The idea of a Tenkra rod would seem to offer at least two different techniques of fishing bluegill with one primary piece of equipment. Floats, line size and hook size= one method while line and a small selection of the correct size lures and dry flies would provide the other . Each would offer a different method but without "cluttering" with information overload the brain of an 80 year old.. a feat which is becoming easier to do!

Again, thank you for reducing my search to a manageable and useable level.

Appreciate it, Keith.  Choosing gear is like most decisions today. A dizzying array of choices, but a search for moderately priced choices narrows it down some. In your photo I see you like a closed rather than open face bail which was another option I have been pondering.  The Shimano Syncopate has, what the Company, calls the 'Quick Fire System"  which appears to have a off-set trigger which, with your thumb, closes the bail for one hand casting. There were a number of positive reviews on the feature. I assume that any of the four reels mentioned in my post to you would mate- up well with a 6' light spinning rod.  Thanks again for your input.

Hi Keith, I understand that you have experience with eagle claw rods. I have ben looking at modestly priced spinning rod/reels and came across an Eagle Claw Featherweight rod in 5',  5.6'   6'  and  6.6' lengths. Most of my fishing is off of creek and pond banks so I'm not sure of the best length. Anyway, wondering what you have to say about eagle claw, and in particular your thoughts on the one mentioned. Also, I have a few reels in the $30.00 range as 'starters' including Shimano Sienna and Syncopate models, plus Cabela's Fish Eagle and Abu Garcia Cardinal S. Are you familiar with any of these and if they would be good companion reels for a light rod as named above.

Thanks for your help.

Best,

Ben

Hey Keith, Brodie fished the whole time with a Beetle Spin below his float - ended up having to change the lure out twice due to the BG destroying them. 

Wow awesome Keith such great work. I usually don't fish floats but I can see the trend to catching more fish is with a float and I thank you so much. I hope I can get out to use them soon but regardless when I do I'll get back with you and give you my honest opinion but looking at then I can't see how they wouldn't work great again they look awesome.

I sent you a friend request........thought we were already......Thanks

Wow...can't believe we weren't friends already!

Neighbor!

Thank you for all the hospitality and bump'n us around the lake!!! That was much-appreciated.

It was very nice meeting you and hanging out - we will do it again. Your floats are beautiful and I will be displaying them in a shadow box! I love the cob, the reed and the goldenrod float is amazing.

Kind Regards Neighbor !

Maybe that'll work ,thanks Keith.

Suzanne;; those grub worms in the golden rods;; never get real big.  I have used them; many times; when I was a kid;;  and they work real good!!

About those goldenrod galls- funny thing, I've seen tons of them in western NY...never though of using them for anything but they have such an interesting form, almost look man-made. I've opened a few green ones, I guess in the summer the grub is far too small for bait.