J Francho

No, I whale on mine, like I'm trying to chuck a DD22 across the lake, LOL.

That is a nice pile by your dad - pretty markings and silly fat. Nice father son day.

About even, though the Mag-v brake suits my snap cast machine gun style better.

Out of the box, Sol.

Using hot sauce will give you thin skin, lol. Like I said, if you like it then use it. NOTHING will change my mind about that junk. And if you look real hard, you might even find some initial positive reviews from yours truly. Not any more. Sorry if you don't agree.

I don't know what you guys are worried about having 10 lbs. or more fish on your line... Up here, we run into some big fish that actually put up a fight while bass fishing. My little Pinnacle Perfecta "fairy wand" had no issue handling a couple kings that went 25-30 lbs. From what I've been told by my friend that has won a couple of events throwing an A-rig, there isn't much fight when there is a double or triple. Most everyone I've talked to uses a swimbait or heavy jig rod. A few have said, like Fluke, that a moderate taper works better with the open hook jigs.

So, hand scrubbing and then an ultra sonic bath isn't enough? What sort clean were you referring to? Dude, the stuff is terrible. You're fighting an uphill battle here advocating its use. Yeah, it's slick, fast, and easy to buy and apply, but it doesn't hold up to rigorous use. Heck, even Quantum doesn't use it as OEM in their reels. I have over 300 reels pass by my bench each season, in addition to my own collection of 40 or so reels that I maintain. I think I have a little experience with this stuff than you. I tried to be nice, but twice you've impugned my credibility, and insulted me as well. You are recommending a product that not too many fisherman here will agree with.

You should talk to shfishinsticks about some nifty knobs for that Calcutta....he can turn that foam into cork.

Yep, same for Ontario...gotta love it when they are shallow!

So they aren't running a anchor or nav lights in the dark?

There is no right and wrong, only best practices when considering the application. Is that Alphas Ito Ai going to get used lightly, and sit on a display, or is it going to be subjected to living in a rod locker and fished in 20 tournaments? Because the setup is different. Add in whether it's for light finesse, or heavy cover, or even used with moving baits, and the solution becomes complicated. There are also personal preferences, like whether to use slow grease in knob bearings or fast oil. Each has their own set of pros and cons. Minty fresh Ito for display? Or tear down for HD use? Either way, it catches!

I don't mark gears either. I suppose that would be more critical with low end gear. Wider tolerances would attribute to uneven wear.

That would be awesome, LOL.

Or just stop fishing them altogether? Find a different trail, if that's the case. Or learn how to beat them.

Remove some ot the material at the base of the tail. Be sure it's a mirror image on both sides, and take a TINY bit away each time.

I thought I'd show you guys something HS related. This is a TD-Z Big Bait Special,, previously lubed with HS. Click the image for a full res version, and use the scroll bars to center on the main gear. What you are seeing is staining. After the the lube has been in the reel, it breaks down. It eventually ends up tacky, and mud brown to black. What it leaves behind on metal parts is almost impossible to get rid of without some serious chemicals. Coincidentally, this reel also comes with a perfect example of why folks in the biz, like DVT Mike and myself hesitate to just let anyone open their reels and do the work themselves. Here, the last person before me to open this reel stripped the screw head. It's a common blunder, but this was a pro. Normally, I would extract it and replace the screw with one of the many I have on hand, but I wasn't willing to risk it with the magnesium framed reel. There is access to lube the bearing from the other side. Just one of the MANY things that can go wrong. As with Mike, I am always here to help you guys out, especially if your favorite reel is in parts. But don't sit there and tell I don't know what I'm talking about just because my experience differs with your opinion.

Greece is like another planet. They've had more than one episode of Cops filmed there.

I've fished Lake Ontario and Erie out of a 12' kayak. Pick your days, and find a launch point with a protected bay.

Nice, subtle upgrade. Did you put a Carbontex washer in that baby too? The handle bearing thing is a real head scratcher. All I can figure is they want certain reels to have a certain bearing count. I like bearings in my handles, here's my Calcutta on my small swimbait rig.

Yeah but...that gathering ring looks too small for any reel above a 1000 size. Maybe I'm wrong - I've never built a rod.

Although, the impression that I got from talking to Boyd himself was that it was meant to be a TV product, not to compete with the Elite series. Like the UMF TV show.

It must be the way I clean my reels. Good luck with yours.

If Major Laegue Bass Fishing does well, they may have to.

I'm sure someone will be along shortly to tout the merits of it. Not going to change my mind about it. Ever.

Worst crap ever. If you like cleaning your gear after every three or four outings, then go ahead. Cal's Lighter Grade Reel Grease and Shimano Bantam Oil are good general purpose lubes.