Delaware Valley Tackle

1/3 of the line's (or weakest link in the setup's) breaking strength is a good rule of thumb. For braid set it at 1/3 the mono equivalent diameter. When testing though, set up the test or scale so the line is pulling straight off the reel not hanging off the rod tip. Locking down the drag is unnecessarily hard on the reel, rod and fish. Once you get the feel for it you can dispense with the scale test.

It's almost impossible to tell for sure without seeing it. If it's fairly new and you have concerns, Lew's may replace it. In the meantime just look it over and be sure the thumb bar is unobstructed. Maybe try a drop of oil where the thumb bar slides on the frame.

If you're asking because you're in it to make money, you might want to just get a second job. With a few rare exceptions most are lucky to break even in the long haul.

Either will work fine and on top of that the descriptions are subjective so there may be no real difference between two rods even though they are labeled differently. I like and recommend extra fast actions for vertical jigging, finesse and light bite situations.

Pull the plug from the grips and see if they're screwed on or riveted. That will tell you if they are replaceable. Some of the round reels should have longer handles. Someone here that has one will chime in.

Graphite isn't brittle per say, the rods just aren't designed to be tip flexed much beyond 90* to the butt. You actually lose mechanical advantage over the fish that way anyhow. Avoid damaging the fibers, high-sticking and swinging fish and a graphite rod will last as long as you want it.

Ya it look as though the two pieces of the split seat are too far apart. That's a manufacturing error that I'm sure Fenwick will correct.

For the biggest bang for your buck, pass on the bearings and have the reel Super Tuned and the drag upgraded and add a drive shaft bearing. You're looking at about $50 bucks all together. As for the handle, any other Shimano handle should fit. The HawgTech handles are sweet, but cost almost what the whole reel is worth in this case.

Don't feel bad, my Spanish is limited to whatever is on the menu I'm reading. Back to fishing though, I'd go with a Daiwa Certate on a ML/XF custom, Torzite Guides, Carbon fiber grip

X2 The Lexa or 300 Curado are low profile options but the round reels are perfectly capable.

The way a lever works, a longer rod tip actually gives the fish more leverage. A longer rod has a little more reach like JF said and takes up line a little faster on a hookset.

Even Pulaski isn't what it usually is by now with the low water etc.

90-100 feet (35 yards +/-) can be considered a long cast as far as practical fishing goes. There are all kinds of factors that affect the maximum possible distance. The golf analogy of "Drive for show, putt for dough" applies here. Accuracy trumps distance 99% of the time.

My only fishing goal is to go more often.

As far as the pay=service idea goes everyone should be doing the job they want, not the job they've got. Employees with the "Minimum wage gets minimum effort" mentality are doomed to be minimum wage forever or, if they work for me "looking for something that makes them happy". If a customer service person doesn't know the answer to a question they should know how to get the answer, like Hootie did.

If you don't have a lens cloth handy, coffee filters and plain newsprint are safe for lenses and won't leave streaks.

The cashier should have been more careful granted, but if that damaged a guide it would have probably done the same thing first time a swivel or weight was wound into it accidently. ABU did good by you replacing the whole rod when a $2 tip top would have sufficed. If you still have the old one put a new tip on and use it.

I'm having a little trouble picturing your problem. Not sure what you mean by, " It's contacting the inside of the cork foregrip, and it started to separate from the locking nut. " In the pics I pulled up the fore-grip is the locking nut. Has the cork come loose? Did you accidently unscrew the hood from the body completely? If so, there is a tab inside the nut that needs to be aligned with a groove in the thread body.

Graphite is much less apt to take a set especially if not subjected to high heat. Space the pieces to eliminate or minimize any sag and you should be fine. Vertical is not mandatory but is my preference for both care of the rods and utilization of space.

The blank, grip length and composition, your own grip, guides all affect the balance and feel of a rod. It's impossible for anyone else to really help with something like this. Hope your choice works out for you

Kidding aside, a floating aquarium thermometer is a nice cheat if you don't have electronics

X2 dead on as usual.

No credibility - no loan for you

Is there any model designation at all, ever so slight, as to be able to identify them once the "combo" is separated? This almost smacks of false advertising. Not sure why I even care about this, just bugs me I guess that people even have to think about this kind of stuff that goes on.

Wow. So much for common sense prevailing. lol I guess this kind of stuff is why Caveat Emptier is important.