J Francho

Yes, and yes. Would you only fish in a boat using the outboard?

Paddled around 7 different models regularly (tried many more) from the early 2000s. Two summers ago, I got a Hobie Compass. There are times when positioning is easier with a paddle. Getting from spot to spot is much nier using the Mirage Drive.

This is great news!

Tom, I don't have any words for you. I'm so, so sorry for your loss. It's terrible.

In NY, you can have 6 in the boat, if you are culling. Otherwise, it's 5 in possession.

Pink IS your signature color.

I fished for a dozen years without a drive system. It's a different set of challenges, but it's pretty much how many of us started. Many do not like drive systems as well.

Get two!

Wow! I'm glad you're doing better and have a path to treatment. I'll say for myself, I'd take my 'beetus over seizures any day. But, if I could take a pill to get rid of it, I'd go that route. Really good to hear the news!

This affects you personally, how? You seem overly invested. Maybe time to take a step back.

I was once told by my manager that this was the ONLY way to get a raise. I work for another company now. They poached me I guess, since they offered better pay, benefits, a path to grow and move up, a nicer office, and other perks.

It doesn't really bother me as much as a reel that doesn't have enough. Nothing worse than a squealing reel two hours into using it new. Too much doesn't really hurt, and protects the metal when it's sitting on a shelf. Cleaning them after a year worth of fishing, well that can be messy. Good degreaser helps, but it's a pain, so I'm with you there. A lot less is a lot more when relubing a degreased reel

Perhaps in the nearly six years since he posted he's gotten off the bank?

It would be nice if they offered a retrofit kit, huh?

Yep!

You can crank the reel several times, and any excess grease will not be left on the teeth. No reason to open a reel up or stick anything inside. The grease that remains fills in the space between the gear teeth tolerances, and keeps the meshing of the two gears smooth and prevents wear.

I wouldn't pick that for a DS bait, but go for it. Gulp! leeches work well for brown fish up here.

The Berley Pro is an ideal solution, if the arm is gonna bug you. Been using my arm since three boats ago, so I'm used to it. I really dig Hobie's new retractable TD housing. Next boat...

You're old, I was a kid back then!

I have this same rod - love it. Try it for light spoons or even inline spinners. Works well with any small hook, moving bait. Even caught some pretty big (10# or better) steelhead with it, casting to them in shallow water.

If I had to service a brand new ANYTHING, I would return it. Straight out of the box, yes. Otherwise.... Oiling to spool shaft has zero impact on smoothness of retrieve on a spinning reel, and does not affect retrieve in any way. I would not add any oil to a shaft since it could get into the drag stack and affect drag performance. Not sure what you think you accomplished here. Not sure to what part you are referring here. The crown gear? A President does not have a worm gear, only a crown and pinion. At any rate, terminology aside, gears like this get grease, not oil. I would not expect current performance to hold up, and I would be worried about them wearing out prematurely. As far as grease getting gunky, or drying out, not sure what this means. Grease is oil with detergent added. What would dry out? I mean, I've seen grease get old, and oxidized in VERY old reels, but this takes decades. A new reel, not so much. At the very worst, I've seen reels come from the factory with too much grease on them, or what could also be called more grease than needed. What happens is the gears shed this excess to where it doesn't effect the reel at all. This takes only a few minutes of use to happen. It's not as big a deal as the internet makes out. Again, gritty feeling when new out of the box - something is not right. If something is not right with brand new, return it. In practice and actual on the water use, this practice results in MORE maintenance and ROUGHER operation. His videos go in depth, but his logic is often questionable, and I'm not sure I've ever seen him fishing. Granted, I'm not a fan, be he sure sounds like he knows what he's talking about though.

Now, Sportsman's Warehouse, locally, which is accross the parking lot from the DSG in the mall, touted as an "anchor store" along with JCPenny. Anyone remember Galyon's? That's what the DSG used to be, years ago.

They haven't been relevant in years, in this area.

Yep, from YakAttack.

So, pretty much everyone poaches. Got it. Thanks.