Delaware Valley Tackle

In general I don't believe bass are line shy. That's just been my experience. Other swear to the contrary. Nothing beats the handling of braid IMO. I use a leader in some instances but not due to line shyness.

Alps has something similar.

The advantage of s wide spool is that there is less difference in IPT between the full spool and with a long cast out. I'm not sure it's all that critical, but it's something .

Thanks Shane, for the compliments. A successful build is a team effort and you are a pleasure to deal with as well. Good fishing. Enjoy !

From a fish catching perspective my advice would be to skew the budget toward the Rod for bottom contact rigs especially finesse. For cranks and other moving baits you could make the argument for skewing in favor of the reel . This game is filled with all kinds of enthusiasts. Some like rods or reels or hard baits or..... To each his own. Find your own way and enjoy.

To me, the jig head or hook make more difference than tube itself. If the weight and line tie angle are giving the right action, lots of colors will get bit.

How heavy is "Heavy"? Depending on the lure weight range and action, it could be good for a number of apps.

Wouldn't be a bad idea to send it for a thorough inspection. Those rollers loose inside could have affected other parts. Send it along at your convenience and I'll get it asap.

If it came apart inside the reel it's done and there may be other issues. That's the anti reverse roller clutch. It may be available separately or you may have to buy a new side plate if it's press fit.

sealing cork is standard MO for me. I don't feel it affects the feel in any noticeable way and keeps the filler intact in addition to making cleaning easier. Pm sent

Fabricate one temporarily from a staple

Low profile reels cast better in great part due to the disengaging levelwind. Turning the extra parts saps energy from the cast.

Match the power to the cover and bait weight like anything else. Just remember the Rod you pitch 20 feet into the pads with might not be enough when a frog gets hit 90 feet out.

It's not enough weight to affect loading and too close for stress distribution. AJ s wind knot theory is as good as any since all we have is conjecture.

Faster and stiffer are two different things. I'd use which ever loads and casts the bait you choose the best.

It's not irrelevant but is way over hyped. Graphite modulus , scrim, resin , mandrels, design all come together to make a Rod blank what it is. At least modulus is a real thing. IM, SC, RX .... Are all subjective terms.

Stress test the blank before you build. If it works , warranty issue is moot.

Modulus alone does not make a good Rod. 80mm is way too high to be use 100% in a Rod. Just marketing.

All the spring does is click. There is z small carbon spacer in the middle of the cap. My guess is that's missing.

Good deal.

Is this a gen 3? One click spring goes in the cap with the little dimple facing up. The click washer goes in the frame by aligning the two leg tabs with the holes. I don't think the second click spring belongs there. Try it and see if that works

There's no need to replace a 6.4 with a 7.1:1. The difference isn't night and day. Your price point is more than sufficient for a quality reel from any of the major players. Pick the features you desire at the best price you can find.

I can follow that logic. I don't know that i agree with the trade off of tip weight though.

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This is the first I noticed it. I'd love to hear the logic behind it, if there is any. St Croix is usually pretty measured in their marketing compared to some others.