Delaware Valley Tackle

Line twist raises heck with these same as spinning reels only worse. Tie a swivel on and Tie off the swivel to a stationary object. Walk off 2 casts worth of line and put a stretch into the line. Unhook the swivel and rewind the line holding some pressure on it. If you can treat the line with line conditioner while you spool it back on. This should help a lot. If you've retied a lot and line level is rally low respool with new line then follow above steps.

I believe the nail knot style stopper is what the OP was referring to and yes, they need to made with braid. Mono etc is too stiff and will not tighten down properly. You're not likely making max distance casts with this rig so the rubber stops should work fine too if want try them.

A given company's reputation and QC are what they are regardless of where the labor is acquired. Design feature wise the new Stradic seems like a step up. I have a Ci4 that I like very much.

Location, depth, presentation, action, color is the way I prioritize the search for fish. Structure, cover, weather (past and current), water clarity and anticipated mood of the fish all factor into what baits to choose. If you can supply some scenarios you've run across it would be easier to suggest ways to approach it.

If you used the right size bearings in place of bushings there shouldn't be any need for spacers. I've had luck at Sears HW finding small hardware. I'd look for the thinnest copper spacers I could find.

You went wrong by pulling on it first. That tightens the knots and loops. Once fluoro is kinked like that it's junk. Bite the bullet and cut it off. When you re-spool, pull off 1 1/2 casts worth of line and run a strip of electrical tape around the spool. That will keep any inevitable backlashes from getting too deep.

I wouldn't be surprised if the makers of L&L made a packaging agreement with BPS. It's done all the time, but I don't like when staff sell an off brand as "the same as...." even if it is. "As good as..." "Similar to..." should suffice as they have to way of knowing for certain.

Eye protection is right up there with a PFD IMO and is standard equipment. As for braid and hooksets etc. I hate to see eye crossing, lip ripping hooksets. It's totally unnecessary and is disrespectful to the fish that are the core of the sport.

What size line and reel are you using? I try to keep mono and fluoro under 10# on spinning tackle. Over filled spools tend to birds-nest more easily. Close the bail by hand to help avoid line twist, treat with KVD L&L use swivels where necessary. Trolling out the line after every trip (or as necessary)helps too. I prefer the line management, sensitivity and casting of braid but that's another post.

Yes. They usually go for around $55-$60 so even if the rod's not great, it's cheap enough to be worth a try or keep as a back up

If misery loves company, a customer told me about his father in law accidentally kicking an NRX Loomis and Daiwa Steez over board never to be seen again. You not first or last to lose tackle this way.

It depends on the combo. Sometimes You get what amounts to a free rod with a good reel. In other cases the combo might be two mediocre pieces.

If it's new and broken, return it.

One is a front drag model with the drag washers and adjustment on the spool. The other is a rear drag with a knob on the back. One works as well as the other. Arguments can be made one way or the other but can't be substantiated beyond personal experience/opinion. I hate the trigger operated bail. They can get to be an issue over time. IMO there are better reels at that price point, Pflueger President for one.

Here ya go http://www.mikesreelrepair.com/schematics/albums/daiwa/Daiwa_SS1300.pdf See what if anything is missing or misassembled. Clean the drag and grease with some Cals or Shimano drag grease. Call or email if you need help.

The flooded roads make good travel lanes for migrations and provide lots of edges/breaklines where the bottom contour changes. Those can be good spots on a res.

I fish flukes a lot like a senko, thrown to targets and let sink horizontally on semi slack line. Fish them all the way back with a jerk bait cadence twitch twitch pause. They are also good over slightly submerged grass beds. If cover allows nose hook them with a circle hook for a little different action and solid hook ups.

I can help you with a rod build. PM or email me if you want to discuss the process.

You can get by with all spinning or casting but being proficient with both (as well as other) types of tackle opens up options and IMO enhances the over all fishing experience. I prefer casting tackle for heavy tackle (baits 1/2> and line 12#>)I prefer spinning for finesse fishing and skipping under cover (docks, over hangs etc.

I've fished a lot of the Pure Fishing models but haven't owned any upper end Quantums. My comments were more directed toward what I see during servicing. I agree that the upper end reels can feel smooth and free. Some of the issues I see are poor finish (blistering etc), hard to open (and replace) side plates, poorly threaded screws, grindy gears in the Smokes. A lot of the bearings I flush don't spin especially well, but admittedly still produce good spool speeds in some cases. This may sound like nit-picking and maybe it is, but they're up against some stiff competition.

Any from the President and up are good. The President should be on anyone's bang-for-the buck list of spinning reels.

Generally speaking, yes. Modern blanks tend to have faster actions and be crisper or faster recovery. To see what I mean shake an older rod and watch how long the tip oscillates before coming to rest. Usually much longer than the newer materials. A fair number of fly fishermen search out older rods for the softer actions. Bass casting/spinning not so much. Again though it really needs to be looked at on a case by case basis.

Taking some excessive grease out isn't a bad idea. I usually use a really thin film of grease on the shims as it stays put better. Just using a light film of either is ok though.

They're not bad at all. Compare it feature for feature with the Pflueger models (another Pure Fishing brand) and you'll likely find one similar enough at a better price

I'm not quite as down on Quantum as some are. They have some nice design features that I would include on an "Ultimate Hybrid" reel if that were possible. My problem with them is that the QC and consistency are just lacking enough to put them behind the other big brands over all. Experimenting is part of the fun in fishing at least for me. If you're in a position to try something new without it putting a crimp in your style if it doesn't work out, by all means go for it.