Delaware Valley Tackle

You can go heavier with a C-rig weight than what you'd use for a jig without affecting your bait's action and keep constant contact with the bottom. 1/2-1oz should be plenty in most cases. I like floating lizards, Ikas, and flukes but the sky's the limit if you want to experiment.

Ya 8-10 fow weightless and shallower if the drift or current is too fast. Also can be a good C-rig bait

These are the "Senko" of hard baits.

X2 This works!!

I prefer the faster reel myself but it's all personal preference between those two. A low ratio/IPT reel provides a substantial mechanical advantage for deep cranking, but beyond that the difference is more subtle.

Anything except a shallow spool reel will work. Line ranges on a reel are just to show capacity.

Did you call and talk to anyone? They may have a new part# that will work. The president is a current model and hasn't changed significantly.

You need some backing or tape the braid so it doesn't slip which gives the illusion of the drag slipping. There's no need to fill a spool with expensive braid that will never see the light of day imo but it's your choice.

Feeling the vibration from a crankbait can get you significantly more hookups. Some sensitivity is important, this doesn't necessarily rule out glass rods though. For shallow square bills and ripping traps through grass I prefer a graphite Mod-fast action. Med and deep cranks I like a good glass rod. I'm not familiar with the Dobyns specifically so I can't speak to that part of it.

I've got my first set of Torzite K's on order. Have you used them before? These will be for a High Mod Med/F spinning setup.

I think you mean "more gooder" you're welcome

Just because a baitcast reel is capable of winching fish in doesn't mean you have to. The rod should always be the primary fish fighting piece of equipment. Overly heavy tackle for any target species takes some of the fun and sport out of catching whether it's casting, spinning or fly tackle

When you order the new cap be sure and order all the spacers as well. Not much you can do in the mean time. I wouldn't fish it too hard with the spool slopping back and forth.

Does that spiral on the fall like an insert jig head?

There's a good amount of funny business in the bearing market. I'm skeptical that what you were sold are true ABEC9 bearings, the cost would be prohibitive. The only way to get a real comparison is to swap bearings in the same reel on the same rod, line and bait. A dry ABEC5 bearing in a clean quality reel will spin a very long time. A bait of a given weight and profile is only capable of flying just so far no matter how the bearings spin or the rod loads. An easy start up for accurate casts are what will put fish in the boat.

Reel makers pushing the "More is better" marketing lead to this line of thought. Locking down a drag puts undue stress on rod, reel and line. If you don't care about maximizing the life of your equipment or being sporting at all to the fish then I guess it doesn't matter. 7# of drag would be the standard setting for 20# line, more than adequate for any kind of bass fishing.

Ya, I've come to the same conclusion. The ABEC rating is what drives the price too. An ABEC5 ceramic hybrid is so close in speed you can't tell the difference between them and the 7's and at just over 1/2 the price.

I wouldn't be surprised if they the part free, but you never know. If you'd like the reel gone through ($19.80 for members here) there's no additional labor replacing the part.

I prefer a reel with centrifugal brakes and think they are easier to learn on. I'm not sure what exact reel is on that combo though. Spool it up with some soft 12# mono like Trilene XL. Fill the spool to just below the bevel on the spool rim. Peel off about 125' of line put a strip of electrical tape around the spool. This will limit how deep any inevitable backlash will get. Read the articles about reel setup and the "thumb trick" for removing backlashes. Practice with a weight in the upper 1/2 of the rods lure weight range and do nice easy casts. The distance will come but you want to be smooth and accurate first and foremost.

I'd look for a 7'> rod in a power appropriate for the bait weight and cover, likely MH or Hvy. Fast action, XF for light bites and/or deep water. I prefer braid for all jig fishing. A leader can be added for abrasion resistance or confidence in clear water. It takes pretty solid hookset to penetrate a heavy jig hook and clear the brush guard. The braid helps here as well as with sensitivity.

x2 at this price point you'd almost have to try to go wrong. It comes down to features, personal preference and of course the deal.

Sounds like it might be overspooled. Try peeling off a few yards just below the bevel on the spool lip. You can also try some line conditioner or possibly run a braid.

If anyone suggested such a thing to me they better end with a chuckle so I know they're kidding or else expect a good swift kick in jewels.

Those look nice. Sunnies vary so much in colorization you could drive yourself nuts trying for an exact match. lol I'd definitely swim that around the edge of a bed colony.

This is another example of what I said above. The tip may be soft without necessarily being a slow action. The resonance you're seeing is what we refer to in custom rod circles as the rod's speed ( separate from action). A rod with a faster resonance (as in returning to still after being put in motion sooner than another) will be more sensitive and crisp. All these aspects are measurable with the system called CCS. This being used more widely in fly fishing circles but I don't see any traction among OTC rod manufacturers. Trial and error and posting for other's experiences as you've done are your best bet to find what you're looking for. Unfortunately it won't be directly related to any labeled spec.