Delaware Valley Tackle

Especially since it hit bottom and laid there I'd tear it down.

Same here. My other thought is that it may be easier and cheaper to just trade or sell the reel for the one you want. I don't usually mess with gear changes unless it's build something custom that's not readily available on the open market. For example, putting Core 50 gears in a 50E.

I've never used any baitcaster that required no thumb control at all, and not sure I'd want to due to the drastically lowered performance.

They may very well cover it, but in all honesty, any manufacturing defect will show the first couple times the rod gets a good bend in it. You have to be conscious of the rod tip's attitude all the time with these newer rods. It won't take a lot of force if the tip is bent beyond 90* to the butt.

Tournament fishermen are just people like all the rest of us. And have varying opinions on stuff as well. Keeping an open mind is good but don't go off the rails second guessing all your own decisions and preferences every time some interview or tv coverage pops up.

If anything was "slipping" inside a reel you'd know it and it would not be usable. If the drag is slipping, that's what they're designed to do, so unless it has lost power there's nothing to worry about there.

I prefer centrifugal brakes over all, but have a few mag only reels that work fine especially in pitch/flip applications. The S is a fine reel. If you want to jump up I'd go straight to the STX.

The right way to fit a top is to remove any residue and choose a tube size that slips on easily but is not sloppy. If you measure 1/8" from the tip you should get a good fit. The Fuji kits come with 3 sizes and are pretty inexpensive.

No, that's not right. Tip top tube sizes are 64ths of an inch. They sometimes list a mm equivalent but that would be closer to 2mm

The AR roller clutch should be lightly oiled with a swab. If you're packing it with grease that's most likely your problem.

This myth has been debunked numerous times already. Fuoro stretches as much or more than other mono-filaments but is not as elastic. If line stretch is the main concern the best option is braid, or maybe a heavier line. What is the main concern you want to address by changing lines?

Casting reels are just different, not complicated at all. Read up here and take your time. It will be worth the effort. Here's few thoughts: Spool up with something soft and inexpensive like Trilene XL 12# to 1/8" from top of spool Walk off 150 feet of line and run a strip of electrical tape around the spool and wind back over it. This will limit the severity of the inevitable backlash tie on a 3/4 oz weight, set the brake dial at 0 and tighten the spool tension knob by the drag star until the weight will just barely fall when you disengage the spool. Practice nice easy casts keeping some thumb pressure on the spool all the time & stop the spool before the weight hits when casting. Just like throwing a ball, accuracy is all about the release point and looking where you want the bait to go. When you do get a backlash, lock down the drag, mash down on the spool with your thumb and crank the handle. Disengage and pull out any loose line. Repeat as necessary to clear the backlash. As you learn resist the urge to bomb casts. Use a fluid stroke and let the rod do the work. Good luck and have fun.

A slight amount of back play (.5-1mm) in the spool and in/out on the drive shaft are normal. The redundant AR can be adjusted and greased to run silently but I don't understand how anything can click if nothing is turning. What exactly did you do inside the reel? How did you lubricate the AR roller clutch? Smooth means different things to different people. What are you seeing that causes concern?

Those few cork rings won't weigh anywhere near what was added. Another way to do it is a 1" rubber chair leg cap with quarters or fender washers stuffed inside slipped over the end of the cork.

The Gloomis blanks are undeniably high quality, but in your opinion, is there really nothing comparable out there? St Croix LTB, NFC, Phenix K2, Eternity2,.... just to name a few?

Your observation that Reel Magic, WD-40 etc. are all silicone prays. The petroleum distil lent actually partially breaks down the line making it softer. KVD L&L is completely different. It's a polymer I believe and coats the line. It works and is much gentler on the environment.

Using the reel seat to judge scale, the handle is a tad short, something I'd put on a 7' build. That rod could be built to achieve the feel desired without the need to add weight to a light weight blank you paid a premium for. If you plan to add counter balance weight to achieve the "illusion of weightlessness" why not do it on a $75 rod?

Actually, the same principles can be applied to ponds. Just think in relative terms: Deep may mean 8' instead of 20' and drop off might be 1' instead of 3-4' etc. Look in the water and be observant. Most ponds around here hold bluegill, but may have other bait species added. Bass will bite craw imitations whether the pond has a population or not. While waiting for the water to warm up, throw small slow moving baits out to deeper spots. Check south facing bank in the afternoon for fish sunning in the warmer water. Inlets and spillways often have some current that will attract fish.

Yup, Mend-It and forget it.

One the great things about these baits is the versatility, but I like the action with them on a lead head 1/8-1/4 slow rolled near the bottom on M/F spinning tackle. If conditions call for a heavier head or cover I'll throw them on a MH/F casting setup. Braid in either case, leader added if conditions indicate.

I find myself leaning more and more toward ML power spinning rods. I'll fish them with small plastics on the outside of lily pads. The right blank will toss small baits but have some surprising power in the butt. I've had to in after a few here or there but I've had that happen with MH tackle too. I'm all about the right tool for the job, but don't take a lot of satisfaction plucking 2# fish with tackle built for 20#'ers.

I have to agree that the pinion in the shimano design is almost completely supported by the frame, contact with the main gear, support bearing, spool shaft and AR assembly. I don't think lack of support is the problem. In fact if the top bearing were removed in the other example, my guess would be that the less substantial AR assembly would suffer the most. I think spinning reels tend to be neglected in a lot of cases since the casting is not mechanical. And once they start to go bad, they sometimes aren't ever quite right again barring a complete rebuild. Lack of maintenance apparently isn't the case here and I haven't experienced abnormal wear rates in Stradics or comparable reels that have been cared for. I can't speak to the deformation of rotors, but it seems like a stretch.

The hot sauce grease guns up way too much. The oil works but the dye is a deal breaker for me. Cal's for everything makes sense especially for just doing a few of your own. The Tsi 321 is thin but is supposed to last well. Only time will tell on that one. There is some inevitable compromise between ultimate spool speed and longer lasting intervals. It's so easy to add a drop to the spool bearings though, I go as light as possible on the oil. Which brings me to another point: one drop is plenty and even the size of that one drop can make a difference in how the spool spins. This is way over thought too though. Just don't go nuts.

Props for being an involved and nurturing step-parent, an often thankless and under-appreciated role. It's never a bad thing for a kid to have an extra adult that cares about them in their life.

That confidence is where the real difference lies imo. The anecdotal stories about swapping from braid to fluoro and getting bit all of a sudden just don't account for all the variables. How do you know you didn't just finally find them? Or the bite turned on for natural reasons? My personal experience just hasn't supported the line shyness of bass. When I first tried bed fishing, what struck me was just how fast a bass can take, move and spit a bait without you feeling a thing despite seeing it all play out. I started paying more attention to looking for lateral movement of my line, and irregularities in the drop by watching where the line meets the water. I don't keeps stats, but I definitely am getting more hookups now. This all fishing straight braid 90% of the time. If the water is gin clear I may throw on a leader for a little insurance but I don't loose sleep over it. Trout fishing clear shallow streams is another story. There I'll use the lightest, clearest line I can get away with. Again, based on personal experience.