So I was looking at the Sabre 1088 from Mike's shop. I just don't have the time for making it though. Anyone know of an affordable rod that is like the Sabre 1088? This is a conventional. Most probably a souped up 6500 Mag levelwind.

Thanks.

Sometimes Mike has pre-owned rods, like a 1088, that you could pick up. His price for a new 1088 is pretty good too... Most of the shelf rods for less money just won't be as good or will be a good rod with a lousy handle configuration. You would be better to get the 1088 from Mike and a 6500C3 levelwind, which after the rebate, will more than make up the difference. Then you get the Mag next year...when YOU GET A JOB!!!! Or in 4 yrs when your out of school <img src="/Images/Tounge_Wink_Face.gif"><!--e5-->

John,

The reel is payment for chores around the house. I stripped off all the wall paper in the kitchen, along with all of the wallpaper on the upper half in the living room and bathroom. Then on the bottom half of the living room, the paint started to chip so I have to take that down to a paintable level. Then I get to replace the wall paper and re-do the paint without a mess. That's a lot of work for people I barely like(kidding kidding<img src="/Images/TooHappy.gif"><!--e13-->). I would probably do it for free but my parents believe in payment for services but since they are willing to pay... A reel that is going to wind up around 200 bucks is a good pay-off when you consider those painters will charge you 400 bucks a room. I'm doing 3 rooms wallpapering and painting for 200. Not bad. Plus most of my money is going into it too.

Oh God, don't start with the school/job thing. School's not going to happen. A job, I doubt it now. I need to get my stomach under control. Something has been plaguing it for 6 years(that's a third of my life when you think about it) and doctors don't really want to find out what. I've been to shrinks and GI specialists but ever notice how their advice JUST isn't practical? They wanted me to cut dairy, soy, fried foods, spicey foods, and onions out of my diet. Just cutting out soy would be hard enough. I think it is nerves but who knows. Anyways, my parents told me that they might be selling the house within a year so why bother get a job with any sort of a future? It is impossible to live here on your own. &lt;shrugs&gt;

(Long, drawn-out sigh....<img src="/Images/Happy_Face.gif"><!--e1--> ) Some things just never change--just when you thought it was safe to read a Patrick post again.....

LOL Mike your so right <img src="/Images/Happy_Face.gif"><!--e1--> Start the violins for poor guy.....guess you will just sit around sponging off mom and dad, what a waste <img src="/Images/Sad.gif"><!--e2-->

What an overwhelmingly stressful life today's youth have. How do they ever survive from day to day?

" 32 years old, can stand to lose a few pounds, honest, likes to fish, fairly good with 'puters, listens to Pink Floyd, has great wife and baby on the way, will attempt to be a role model if necessary"... Anyone looking to adopt me????

Patrick, reach out for that golden ring or at least do something!!! You are in a great time in your life, don't miss the boat!!! Hope the doctors figure out the other stuff...

Well, thank you all for your concerns about my stomach. Maybe some day I can get it going right. Other than that, I need a job. When I get some money I'm going for the XS10MHC lamiglas rod. This is for 3-8 oz. More of a bait heaver if you ask me. I much rather get the 9 footer or the 10 foot 1 piece lamiglas that is 2-5 oz but 1 piece just isn't good for me. Anyone know about this rod? Would it work for eels?
My criteria for a rod is this.
It needs to be at least 8.5 but less than 11.
It must be 2 pieces.
It must be a quality manufacturer.
And it must be a conventional. A trigger grip would be nice.
And it must be suitable for eels.


Because I don't have much of a future to save for, might as well get what I want now. Never know when you are going to step out in front of a bus(or pushed for that matter <img src="/Images/TooHappy.gif"><!--e13-->)

Patrick

Patrick, If I were you I would seriously consider John's offer. Do you realize that 90% of what we believe about ourselves we can change by simply telling ourselves over and over again, unfortunately it works in both directions...

As for the rod I have the Allstar 1265/2, it is a 2 piece 10 1/2 foot rod rated for 3/4 to 3. Mike T at CC Tackle built it for me and I love it. You will find it good for plugging and eeling and in those rare instances when you need to reach 100 yards you can do it.

Look on the bright side!!

I don't know about having a rod built for me. I think I'm more of an off the rack kind of guy. I have one rod that I built and I treat the thing with kid gloves. I am so worried about breaking it that I don't use it anywhere near its potential. Plus, I don't like putting anyone through the hassle of making a rod for me, even if it is his job. If he has one already to go, that would be great. Of course I would need it mailed because I can't get all the way up to the Cape. I've looked around the Capecodtackle.com site. Looks like he is a good competitor for the lowest prices.

I try to keep my spirits up. You know I had one stupid doctor tell me it was that I just don't like school? I get sick sometimes fishing, my true love. Why would I fake that?

Patrick

Patrick, you don't want to throw eels on a heaver rated 3-8 ounces, IMO you'll want a rod rated 1-5 max and 3/4-3 is probably ideal also, depending on what obstacles are in the areas you fish, you may want stay with the stiffer rod to be able to horse a fish around a little... Just try to keep things simple, especially whereas you are starting a different style of fishing....Don't try to reinvent the wheel...

look at the Loomis 1266. Its a nice rod rated 1-4 OZ. They do sell a factory made model but in all honesty you can probably get a custom one from Mike T for less. If its out of you price range , the sabre 1088 is a nice eeling rod too. For where you now fish (outside the marina) I think you will like the extra length of the 10.5 footer. Another excellent rod for you that is also available a s a factory built rod , look at the breakaway 1266/2. Its rated 2-5 but I know I could throw an eel with it no proble. strickly for eeling though , the Loomis 1266 would be great.

I would go see a psychiatrist then id worry about the fishing and the posting . You need to look at life slightly differant you have a whole life time in front of you . your what 18 enjoy each day , but remember you probably have a lot more coming even better . Life doesnt stop cause your tummy hurts , unless its cancer . So get on with it and enjoy I wish I was 18 again . Id do it all over again cause ive had a blast .

Hi Patrick,
I don't fish eels a whole lot (I usually flyfish) but here is an outfit which I see many commercial bass fishermen using in the Cape Cod surf.
Rod: 8' made by cutting from the butt section of a Lamiglas GSB108 1L or similar blank (a Sabre 1088 would probably work just fine).
Reel: Penn 5500SS (I don't like spinning tackle but they do for eels!!)
Line: 15# Big Game

This is a very light sensitive outfit that you can eel with all night. Longer rods will wear you out in short time and are unnecessary for catching. Some guys like this outfit so much that they carry 4 or 5 of them in their buggy. Are they effective? One guy I know landed a 54# striper this season with it (not to mention a 73# one a few years back).

Patrick, you know what I and other members have told you in this post and others about an eel rod. You can also take what MikeF just said to the bank about that spinning outfit as well. Let's say that that individual that caught those previously mentioned stripers is considered one of the ultimate sharpies on the east coast!!!!

Hard to argue about striperman's choice of rods but he fishes the beaches at the Cape. Around our area , you typically fish boulder fields with big 4 and 5 foot high rocks out there. A very typical scene is to hook the bass in the middle of the boulder field and then it takes off parralell to the coast (thats the way the currents often run around here and in the LI Sound). Next thing you know you have to reach over the boulders to clear the line. Anyway , if you fish in boulder fields , the extra length comes in handy.

Saltheart,

From what I saw about the area around Patrick, there are not that many boulders to contend with. I'm probably wrong but I didn't see much to worry about in that particular area. For the areas that you and I fish, I still think the 1088 (and rods like it) is the minimum price of admission to fish around the rocks. I also really like the 1089 I have, a little extra backbone. I think the original, plum 1088 may realy be somewhere between the current 1088s and 1089s in backbone...

BTW, I'm still (slowly) writing that document for the remote mail and I'll have it to you soon <img src="/Images/Happy_Face.gif"><!--e1-->...

No hurry on the mail thing John. Whenever its ready. Mike T set a plumb 1089 aside for me to replace the one I broke.
My assumption is that this reef is just Patrick's first place after leaving the marina , not his only one. I agree the Sabre 1088 would be a good rod for him too. I loved that 1089 and got that empty stomach feeling when I broke it! Oh well. I had no trouble throwing good size eels on it. I think a beginner would tend to rip some eels off on casts more than he would with the 1088 but eventualy he'd get it down.
I now have a 7 foot St Croix and a 9 foot 1089 for building projects over the winter. I've always used almost all black and maybe a little gold for my home made rods. Its hard to mess up all black! I might actually try a fancy wrap on one of them though. I would love to learn to make the diamond wrap Mike T puts on my rods and i'd also like to learn to do the chevron wrap Wayne did on the Breakaway I got from Tres. I heard that CMS actually holds classes over the winter for rod building. Something like 1 or 2 days a week for a month. Its a 45 minute ride but in the winter I seem to have more spare time. Wonder why? <img src="/Images/Happy_Face.gif"><!--e1-->

I really don't want another spinning rod. All of my rods so far have been spinning rods. I have a few boat conventional reels though. Time to try to tackle something new. I know one guy that uses conventional. He is getting phenomenal distances. He isn't using eels though.

So as it looks, the two rods I'm looking at are:
The Loomis 10.5 surf rod. The downside is the price.
The Sabre 1088. I don't any downsides of this.
The Sabre 1089. From what was said, I could rip off some eels.
Of course I could make a rod but if you couldn't tell, I'm pretty lazy. Ha ha.

Let me get some money first then I will decide. How quick does Mike usually work?

The chevron wrap isn't all that hard. I know how to do it but it is so hard to explain it. If you keep it neat and tight with a straight mind, it shouldn't be all that hard to do.

Thanks all

OK, just to confuse you a little more, Patrick, another rod to consider is the Loomis SWR 108-20C. Mike T also carries the blank, it makes a sweet eel stick. It has a nice soft tip so you won't tear an eel loose, but tons of backbone. It isn't the best rod for turning big fish in a heavy-duty current or rip, but it'll handle any fish you want from the beach. It only comes in 1 piece, but it's one of the few factory models that comes thru with a trigger seat.

If you want, that 10' Lami you have your eyes on also comes in 2 piece. The one rated 2-5 oz is the one to go with for eels.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, guys, but as someone who has both the "old" plum Sabre and a new one, they have changed the blank. The "new" plum is identical in length and action to the black. Mike let me keep the black Versatex blank and the plum direct from Pac Bay is the same length (about 9'2" rather than a flat 9') and bends exactly the same way.

Mike, I was lucky enough to come by an original "Plum" 1088 and will build it over the winter. Putting my black (not versatex) 1088 that I built (components from Mike) next to #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&s "Plum" 1088, there is a difference...

Saltheart, I'm highly interested in those classes at CMS. Let me know when you have more details, maybe we can car pool <img src="/Images/cool.gif"><!--e6-->...What town are you in???

Patrick, I do not have any advice on the rod but.....
You certainly want to get a diploma, no if, ands, or buts about it! I HATED school and it was such a drag but am happy I stuck with it. As for what you think may be nerves... I know it sounds crazy but I have been an emotional disaster since about 14 (I am now 25) and always joked that I needed help. Well I had some deeper medical problems come into the picture a few months back and the doctor put me on medication for anxiety, what a difference! <img src="/Images/Happy_Face.gif"><!--e1--> I cannot ever remember ever feeling like this! At first I thought it was all a load of bull...and was very sceptical, but guess what... I am nearly free of stress and I am enjoying life much more now. As for the problems I was expiriencing, almost all gone! <img src="/Images/Happy_Face.gif"><!--e1--> I know this isn't a medical advice board, and I am not a doctor but you may want to discuss it with your doctor. And PLEASE stay in school.

John , I know a guy who took the course. I'll try to get some details from him.