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Striped Bass Mortality 2026: Three Things the Circle Hook Rule Doesn't Cover
Atlantic striped bass are released by the millions and die by the hundreds of thousands. The rule built to prevent it — a coastwide circle hook mandate — is under new scrutiny, and even the baseline mortality rate everyone cites is being revisited. Here's where the science and the management actually stand in 2026.
From 1909 to 2026: The Spiral Wrap's Conventional-Only Century
The history of spiral guide wrapping and where things stand today.
How to Set Up a Rod Building Bench on a Budget: What to Buy, DIY, and Source Used
Start simple: a compact hand wrapper, a clean surface, and controlled thread tension will get most builders farther than an overbuilt bench
San Francisco Salmon 2026: Short Windows, Quota Clocks, and How to Build for This Fishery
San Francisco is fishing salmon again in 2026 — but it's a controlled, quota-driven fishery with a closed zone through May 15 and windows that can shut in weeks. Here's the full season structure and what it actually means for how you build.
Rod Building Tools and Equipment: What You Actually Need to Start
New rod builders get buried in gear lists that read like a wish catalog. Here's an honest breakdown of what you actually need on day one — and what can wait until you've built your second rod.
Rod Action vs Power Explained: How to Choose the Right Blank
Picking your first rod blank is one of the most exciting moments in custom rod building — and one of the most confusing. You pull up a supplier catalog, start reading specs, and immediately hit two te