Wash the grips with comet and hot water and watch all the dirt that comes out of the grips. You can use your hands to wash. If you do get new grips. I always get 4 or 5 at a time. That way if the grips are too sticky, you can use the other 9 clubs.

Save your gift certificate for a good 7 ft. medium rod. Buy a used Curado c-200(old green machine) in 6/1. You can find them all day for $60-$80. Buy one in great shape, these reels will limit backlash and can be abused and the reel still looks like new. If you need one email me and I will sell you one for $75 shipped.

NHAMM, What kind of person are you ? Suggesting to Sell a truck to someone with a bad tranny . I think they should throw you off this site even for suggesting this scumbag behavior.

I would get the Falcon xg lowrider in 5 power. I would get the 6″10 eakins jig rod. This rod does it all.It has a nice tip and plenty of backbone. Great for pitchin, wormin, buzzbaits and spinnerbaits.I just found a great deal on Friday night on the Internet and got the 6″9″ and 6’10 Lowrider in 5 power. They go around $100 new.I traded one this Spring and missed not having 2 of these great bass rods in my boat.I find hardly any difference in the Lowrider and Cara which now I own both. Falconrods.com

I lost one last month when I was getting a snagged lure out of a tree a branch snapped back and threw one in the water. I quickly reached for it and found it floated.On good rods the tip of the butt usually sticks out of the water with the reel(casting) about 2-3 inches. I once was fishing a lake and saw a small branch in the water about 30 yrds ahead of me. I made a few repeated casts to the stick-up and no fish. When I was going past it.I looked to see how the branches layed in the water(4 next time)and saw it was a floating butt of a rod. I picked it up and it was a Falcon Flipping rod with a Shimano Curado.So next time it is raining and you are in shallow water, just check and see if your rods float. Mine have !