Delaware Valley Tackle

Cleaning is still <$20 for members here. ($22-10%). Even with shipping you're way under what a 10 minute oil change costs for a job that takes 60-90 minutes.

You don't need anything fancy or expensive but Vaseline and wd40 are not lubricants. On the cheap: sewing machine oil for spool bearings, marine grease for gears, gear oil for sliding parts, level wind and support bearings.

Brands may have certain models that stand out. Even when it comes to bare blanks I have favorites from different makers.

I have a 6' with a short grip and modern seat. I use it for flukes and small shallow cranks. I prefer the design over the old style pistol grip due to the little bit of grip to brace against my wrist/ forearm.

I've done some dual use rods. Inshore tackle and techniques are very similar to bass tackle. Biggest thing is use titanium frame guides for corrosion protection. Of course you want to choose the right blank power, action etc. What are you looking for?

Sorry if I sound like a broken record but it's more about the Rod than reel. You need a Rod of a length, power and action that will load appropriately to generate the tip speed needed to skip the bait. A 6'6" med or MH fast action paired with a reel setup to suit your personal style is a good starting point. For me, a med fast spinning Rod with A 2500 size reel loaded with 30# braid is the most effective and trouble free skipping setup.

The Rod plays a much bigger role in casting than the reel does. Get a Rod that will load and cast properly and match it with any shallow spool reel that is set up properly and you should be fine.

There's no problem there. When the reel is together the spool shaft helps keep the pinion in place. Spinning the handle fast isn't part of fishing so it doesn't tell you much as a test, especially with the spool pulled. Fish and enjoy your reel. If symptoms arise or performance suffers during normal fishing, give me a shout and I'll help you work it out.

By stick bait do you mean senkos etc or hard jerk baits? What swim baits are you throwing?

A quality glass glass Rod can be plenty sensitive for crank baits and have backbone to move fish. The now discontinued Lamiglas sr 705 is a prime example. I like graphite with a little faster action for ripping from grass .

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our family to yours. Thank you for another year of support, entertainment , education and enlightenment.

The revo may handle a little differently but is not a step backwards by any means.

A beefier butt would account for the higher power rating and may be matched with a little more tip allowing for the slightly lower end on the lure weight range. Keep in mind ratings are all subjective. Listed lure weights may or may not cast well.

sounds like you have it under control. The importance of keeping reels clean is hard to overstate.

Naphtha works but is highly carcinogenic. Acetone works well but if possible I use a degreaser like simple green followed by a hot water then denatured alcohol. You don't need to get crazy with the oil. 3in 1, Remoil or even sewing machine oil all work well. I keep some Tsi in the shop but it's pricey and a bottle would last 3 lifetimes just doing a few of your own.

Nice job. To borrow a phrase, it's about improvement, not perfection.

It depends on the details. Reel seat, forget about the reel seat unless it's broken. Fore grip is easy to remove harder to replace. Extending and/or replacing the rear grip is not too bad.

I can't add much without the build details. Even at wholesale I can't get components for a top quality build for even close to $120.

Pflueger spinning reels are great bang for the buck. Stradic are a very good reel too if you want to try something different.

Yes. They both contract with the same factory as do many others (pure fishing brands for example). Many of the main parts are interchangeable.

The PQ is s little heavier. It's just a matter of that and other model features. They're both built on the same platform.

Admittedly I haven't read the entire thread here but I wouldn't make a blanket statement that one brand is better built across the board. Each design has aspects that could be stolen to build the "ultimate " reel. As far as spinning reels go, shimanos AR is hands down the best, worm gear oscillators are nice (mid and up shimanos and other brand models), the Daiwa air bail is top notch, then there's a range of frame materials and weights. Just a few examples. IMO pflueger had some of the best spinners on a bang for the buck basis. If Lews sources spinning reels same way they do casting reels their spinners will share qualities with Pflueger. As far as I know the Daiwa mag seal oil is not available. Servicing without it won't hurt anything, it's just an added little feature that will be sacrificed making it no more or less vulnerable than reels without the oil.

The repair is about $30 depending on exact circumstances. Shipping is the killer (about $15 each way).

The repair would be visually noticeable, but not in an obtrusive way if done right. It should fish like new or very close.

The 50e is the best finesse casting reel you'll find without really opening your wallet.