Delaware Valley Tackle

If you do much steel head fishing this is a common scenario. Not an indication of a problem of any kind with the reel. If anything the drag may have been set too tight. I'm a believer in the carbontex drag.

It's not a clear cut decision. There are many factors that go into a blank besides base material: scrim, resin, mandrels, processes etc. one of the most intriguing parts of rod building is experimenting with different blanks. Granted not every builder has the time or budget for this on every build. Better to inquire about blanks for a specific application and weed through the responses.

Use the same power, action and length as you would for any other rig of the same weight in the same conditions. The drop shot terminal rig can be employed in a lot of ways. The real technique specific application is vertical jigging finesse baits in open water targeting fish seen on electronics. This is where the <7' MLXF spinning tackle shines.

Daiwa will be cheaper and quicker. The membership has pointed you in the right direction.

Mag brakes are not intended to contact any moving part. The magnetic field is what slows the spool. Don't believe everything you see on the internet. Except here of course. ?

Start slow. Rod building is an awesome craft but not for everyone. I recommend hand wrapping and hand drying the first couple. It's a little tedious but gives you great insight into how epoxy behaves as it sets.

I agree that there's no magic pill to make skipping with a casting reel trouble free. Everyone has their own setup and preferences. I'd practice with what you have. Buying any reel just to make skipping easier will lead to disappointment. Unless of course you need an excuse to buy another reel.

There's no right or wrong. It's 100% personal preference. Personally, it pains me add weight of any kind to a high end blank we pay dearly for due to its light weight. Since mine are all customs I can get a good feeling rod without resorting to added weight.

Your reels have spool mounted bearings. You'd need a special tool to remove the pin. In this case I'd recommend having them properly cleaned and lubricated and go from there.

I'd be skeptical of a lure weight range as wide as 1/4-1 1/2. Can anyone with hands on provide feedback in that regard?

Next time it's cleaner and easier to fit the extension inside the rod blank. Use tape arbors to account for taper. Good for you taking on the challenge!

Pflueger is a Pure Fishing brand. The parent company chooses to spend the promotional and R&D money under the Abu Garcia banner and reserve Pflueger as their value line with less overhead.

Use Marine grease on gears and gear oil bath for bearings and hinges. Grease the edge of the body plate before mating them together. You can dab grease in the screw holes if you want but no need to stress over it. Even with that level of use those gears should not have failed. Take a look st your practices to see if some sort of user error contributed.

If 10#> steelhead bending a ML rod in 10*< temps doesn't break anything your rod in the garage will be fine.

One of the main advantages of ceramic bearings is the ability to run them dry. Oiling them might extend life minimally but high performance almost always trumps longevity. It's all just enthusiast tinkering at the end of the day though.

There are parts distributors that have inventory after they go out of production. It doesn't take a specialist just a little leg work. Let me know if you need help.

The one offering unlimited equipment and paying me to use it. Kidding aside they all make good models.

You're safe.

Something is obviously wrong but without disassembly any diagnosis would be a guess. If it's new enough do a warranty claim. If you'd like to send it in remember to supply your screen name to receive a BassResource.com member discount.

Ya there's no magic in any of these lubricants. A quality product in the proper application on clean parts are all you need. Even if you could remove resistance 100%, which you obviously can't, a bait of a given mass and shape will only fly just so far. Then you have to able to set the hook. Don't overthink this stuff.

The Daiwa braking system is unique. The old Shimano brakes were set it and forget it I think the adjustment dial is overkill. Both perform well

Match the reel to the rod and line diameter regardless of the bait.

Two different animals in my book. What's your reasoning for combining those two apps?

Glad you figured it out. Enjoy your new acquisition.

What's your theory on guide placement? Especially the number of guides. 12 guides seems like a lot on a sub 7' rod. I'd likely use 8 or 9, whatever static testing indicated.