Delaware Valley Tackle

My guess would be a Revo handle but why not contact Hawgtech directly?

There's a mechanical advantage in using a low ratio/IPT reel for deep cranking, beyond that it's really personal preference. A 6.x:1 is fine for square bills.

X2 Couldn't agree more.

Yup, the 50E is about as good as you'll get at your budget. The aftermarket spools are expensive and the potential advantage is limited. Personally, I don't have the urge to invest in finesse casting when quality spinning tackle is so readily available and arguably does a better job of the task.

The line numbers on a reel are just to show you spool capacity. You can fish any line you want, within reason, and your examples fit the bill from that perspective. Line choice is one of the most debated topics on the forum. Read up and experiment to find what works for you.

The A/R assembly is identical in both Stradics so any difference in feel is unique to that particular reel and not the model as a whole. I have a Ci4 and love it. Some folks don't like the lighter weight saying it "feels cheap". You hear the same about Gen 3 Revos. It's hard to achieve the light weights without the perception of inferior materials. I don't feel that the quality is any less in these examples, the value/price decision is mostly preference.

When I lived down there we always looked forward to the jerkbait bite on the 'Pack. That lake gets really tough later on though.

Make sure the levelwind pawl cap is tight. If it is, send the reel for repair or return to ABU/retailer for replacement depending on warranty status.

This is common in these reels. Replacing the gears will only be a short term fix. It won't hurt anything including scaring fish underwater. With a whole tx season on it the reel could probably benefit from a deep cleaning. If you want to send it I'll check everything out.

The two piece shaft that holds the side plate & the two small screws in the top of the nose piece that have to come out to get the crank side plate and the Calcutta style thumb bar attachment just make these not as simple as the Curados etc. I didn't mean to overstate the issue I just never saw the logic in why they are the way they are compared to the other Shimanos.

Felix77, on 04 Feb 2014 - 09:48, said: Best answer. Exactly. I'll go one step further and take the reference to bass out completely. Rod length should match the presentation & comfort regardless of the species that might bite.

I talked to a guide on the Upper Delaware that claims to do pretty well on the smallmouth with a spinnerbait along the banks when the water is high. I don't think high water affects their mood the way a cold front will. It must make it harder for them to eat though with the decreased visibility.

If I glued it up I'd say crank it down, but who knows what goes on in these factories. Try a wrap of plumbers teflon tape around the threads. That should help hold without getting too aggressive with the cranking.

The Calais is a smooth, nice casting reel. They are on the heavy side by todays standards and if you're one who likes to tinker or DIY service avoid this model. They are unnecessarily difficult to work on.

That's a sweet blank. Mixing and matching the guides is a good way to save some money and still save weight in the critical tip section. One suggestion: If you go with a Tennessee handle maybe leave it just a little longer in case you change reels and want to move it around.

No rod rating can be dead on due to the subjective nature of the terms. APRW1's comments regarding the weights that cast well are more meaningful.

Th degree of difficulty in rod building depends somewhat on your aptitude for working with your hands. There is a definite learning curve. You can build a better rod than you can buy off the shelf but don't get into it just to save money. Mudhole has a good selection and service, as good a place to start as any.

It depends on the system. The PQ is a dry system I believe.

Next time take the tension off the springs before taking the screws out and put the tension back on the springs last. For grease I use marine grease, Super Lube synthetic or Cal's Universal Drag Grease. Drag grease can go on gears but don't put regular grease on drag parts. Use oil on sliding parts like the clutch. I use 80w-140 gear oil on frame bearings and the level wind.

Main thing is to manage expectation. The A-rig is a specific presentation for specific circumstances. Spring and Fall when bass are chasing schools of baitfish like RW said are ideal. While doubles and triples are possible it's not a guarantee or the main purpose for throwing the rig. Rules vary by state so check the regs. where you live regarding number of hooks etc.

Those videos are better than nothing but still only a half-fast (pun intended) cleaning. The clutch mechanism he say's "there's not much too" is one of the problem areas for that reel design. A Pro Cleaning, done right strips every part to the bare frame. The Hot Sauce oil is OK but the grease is horrible. It gums up and makes the next cleaning harder than it need to be. I'm not discouraging DIY altogether, just take the stuff on the internet or other unknown sources with a grain of salt.

Good points. Horsing a cast with any reel is the surest way to make a mess of things, maybe even more so with mag only brakes.

Email me what you want and I'll send a Paypal invoice.

With experimenting and new baits and techniques emerging regularly what I think is perfect today I may not even use down the road so I wouldn't load up myself. I get your point though. There are a number of one time favorite blanks that are no longer available to build on. It takes some looking but I almost always find something comparable if not better at the end of the day.

How big is the boat? In NY under 14' has no title