Delaware Valley Tackle

All those parts do is make the drag star click when you adjust it. The reel is perfectly fishable. As for not taking up line, are you running braid? If so did you use backing?

The Minnima4 guides are actually not bad at all. Don't let the lack of a ceramic ring throw you for a loop. They are a good choice for keeping both expense and weight at a minimum. A number of reputable custom builders are using the Minnima4's with very good results.

Also, you have to keep expectations within reason. Adding $100 worth of bearings, grips etc to a $100 reel doesn't buy you a $200 reel necessarily

The orange seals are supposedly "non-contact" but in reality they aren't, especially after being removed and reinstalled. An open bearing runs better and is easier to service. I run them open whenever I can. I agree that ABEC7's are over kill. It is the ABEC rating that mostly drives the price up as well. Swapping out bearings is largely and enthusiast endeavor anyway, so I still sell a fair amount of ABEC 7 OSC's but I'm sure to discuss what the customer's objective is.

Shimano uses decent bearings. I suggest flushing them before replacing. A Super Tune and Carbontex drag and a bearing in place of the bushing at the base of the crank shaft are good bang for the buck performance improvements for that reel.

Sounds like the side plate release thumb screw.

St Croix rods tend to fish a little heavier power wise than similarly rated competitors. A Med St Croix is pretty stout, but then <3/8 is spinning tackle territory for me.

One of the advantage of ceramics is the ability to run them dry. I expect anything that's faster to produce more sound, but I don't find ceramics noisy to the point of distraction.

Once you get a little line twist you'll likely have coils ballooning off the spool as it sits now. I'd strip it back to right where the spool rim is beveled. On the flip side, when it gets too low, casting will suffer.

The point has been made that no one rod will do everything, so you need to compromise. Which way to go depends on the techniques, baits and cover you fish MOST often. If you do more finesse and open water/light cover I'd lean toward a Med/F spinning. On the heavier side, a MH/F casting setup is pretty versatile. I find it easier and less expensive to throw heavier tackle on spinning rigs than to go too light with casting tackle.

x2 Lots of good options @$200

36 IPT is pretty fast. Probably not to helpful for moving baits, but you'd have to be the judge of that for your style of fishing. Longevity is not affected by ratio.

Before upgrading bearings, have the reel deep cleaned and Super Tuned. If you decide you want bearings too ABEC 5 ceramic hybrids are the best bang for the buck. I can help with any or all, let me know.

Seeing as it's worse when retrieving and under pressure I'd look at the rotor. Make sure it is clean inside, securely bolted and has a light film of grease on the rim. Look for any wear spots where it mat be rubbing. This is all shots in the dark, but without seeing it...

A couple of things: if the rod was bent enough to crack the epoxy, keep a close eye on the blank the next couple of time you load it up good. Water can penetrate and degrade the wrap. There are different was to address the repair depending on how important cosmetics are to you and how bad the damage is. 5 min epoxy won't flow and level properly. You'll need a repair kit with rod builder's finish epoxy. You can scuff the remaining epoxy a little bit with 250 sandpaper and re-coat. For a perfect job, the guide would be rewrapped and coated. The down and dirty fix is to just seal it up with some clear nail polish (Sally Hansen Hard as Nails).

I'd start on the outside edge focusing on inside and outside turns and transitions to other weed types with spinnerbait, soft swimbait/jig and senko or other plastic. Second probe just inside the edge, then inside line and third work progressively deeper into the pads. depending on how thick the pads are I'll pitch to the openings using enough weight to be sure the bait reaches bottom. Try a lizard or other creature with a 1/8-1/4 weight across the pads letting it drop into holes. The sam ca be done with a weedless spoon with or without a trailer.

Zach, just snug is all you need. If you want to send it in I'll be glad to take care of whatever you need. Include your BassResource.com screen name and I'll apply a members discount

<8' Yamamoto Fat Ika rigged "backwards" 4/0 EWG hook >8' Shakey Head - stand up football jig head with either a pin tail finesse worm or a small floating lizard Drop shot 3" wacky worm

Make sure the pawl cap is tight and that the worm gear was reinstalled correctly with all spacers etc in place. Since the issue cropped up after disassembly I doubt whether wear has anything to do with it but If the reel was cranked with sand in the level wind it's possible that either or both took damage. My preference is to replace the worm gear and pawl as a set anyway. If one is worn to that extent the other piece is likely showing signs as well.

Down the road a spinning reel is more user friendly with better drag, and over all quality and usefulness. The spincast like you have can get away with heavier line than with a spinning reel. 10# is probably a good compromise but 12, 14 even 15 will work if cover conditions call for that.

They're both well built reels, neither is head and shoulders above the other. The T wing works fine but is a gimmick with no real world advantage or disadvantage for that matter.

Not a chance. (no pun intended)

That's JDM does not mean made in Japan, and regardless of where the labor is sourced, the home company regulates specs, materials and QC. The Revo, Lews, Pfluegers, BPS, JM and some others are built on the same platform in the same factory.

Brakes are just an aid in casting, not a replacement for thumb control and casting ability. There are so many other variables between reels, not to mention baits, lines, rods and conditions, the presence and style of braking is just one piece of how a setup casts. At the end of the day it boils down to pure preference.

I don't. TT begs for sarcasm.