Delaware Valley Tackle

Yup, rise immediately after and include the reel as well. Air dry thoroughly before storing.

If you want to email me what part houses you've checked with I'll see if I can recommend any others.

The reel is likely in need of a deep cleaning. The kick lever may be worn down as well. I extend a 10% discount to members here making the cost of a clean/lube $19.80 plus shipping. I'm not sure what those reels are selling for, but if it makes sense economically send it in.

In short, avoid compromising the integrity of the blank with dings, dents and scratches; avoid any movement that flexes the tip beyond 90* to the butt (high sticking, boat flipping etc.) the deadlift capacity is much higher if the rod is held parallel to the ground. This is how guys get away with flipping fish up onto the piers. So called "Quality Warranties" are really a type of insurance or replacement program and add dramatically and unnecessarily to the cost. 90% of failures are the result of user error or mishandling by not following the precautions above.

For topwater rods I use a "popping" blank which has a fast, but softer tip. To slow of an action and you may find yourself moving the bait further with each twitch than you intend. The moderate action helps keep you hooked up but you have to get the bites first so I concentrate on the presenation.

Very nice. You might look to pick up some Husky Jerks too. They have a tighter wobble and more neutral buoyancy. This was key for me lately.

X2 We killed them last weekend on jerkbaits, but profile had to be right, neutral or slow sink buoyancy, and slooooow with looong pauses. In a few weeks throw some in Bubble Gum color (seems to work in the Spring for some reason) and later Albino Shad, white etc.

I fish a spinner bait a lot like a swim jig so I like a fast action. I suppose if you're burning it a slower action might keep you from pulling it away. Then again, there's the trailer hook.

Spinning helps dry them out I suppose but I don't like the idea spinning a dry bearing at high speed. I spin them with a flick of a finger and then lay them out on a paper towel. That will draw the moisture right out of them. I spin again by hand like you said to see if they run quiet and freely. I doubt what you hear is the bearings. If you cleaned the whole reel it's probably just freed up a bit.

Look at Perma Gloss from U-40. It's a one part urethane. Water clear and cures harder than epoxy.

You might want to reconsider this. If it's a spin cast reel the pick up pin can fray braid causing break-offs.

Pick up a nylon bolt and nut and just chuck the end into the Dremel. I've done this for really stubborn ones but 90% of the time a simple soak and rinse is all it takes. Good bearings are not loud when cleaned.

No one size fits all in fishing. Of course everyone has their preferences and new anglers will develop theirs as they gain experience. The suggestions made in threads on the forum are from experienced anglers and rod builders... do what you want with them. Experimenting and learning what's best for YOU is one of the great adventures in fishing imo.

Soaking more that 10 minutes or so at between a time won't help much if any. Repeated short treatments until the solvent stays clear works best. US cleaning won't hurt but isn't critical either. Some shields can be removed and some can't. The removable ones are help on with a wire clip. A dental pick etc. can be used to pry them off. The bearings can be cleaned sufficiently leaving them on. An open bearing will run a little faster. A properly cleaned bearing in good shape will spin silently and easily for several seconds. You won't see much if any difference between the shimano bearings and the Hedgehogs unless the new ones are Ceramic and run dry.

It's all about the release point, just like throwing a ball. If the rod will load with the bait weight and he reel is adjusted correctly very little force should be needed. Accuracy first distance second. Horsing a cast is the surest way to get the backlash from hell. If the rod handle is long a two handed grip may be more comfortable for an overhand cast, I use a roll cast, side arm or back cast 75% of the time. Flip/pitch a lot and occasionally bomb one out there (deep cranks).

Not yet. I even offered to do one free just to get a look. Offer stands by the way.

Start by determining the appropriate length, power, action and lure weight rating for the application. For jig/plastics rods budget for the lightest, most sensitive blank you can afford. Sensitivity is primarily a function of weight/stiffness and this accomplish a number of way so don't buy into modulus number hype. The smallest, lightest guides that will pass the line and connections and stand up to the demands will get the most from any blank they are on. If you're doing a custom, make sure guides are chosen and placed using Static Testing, 27x and other sound building techniques. This wont apply to production rods as it's just too time consuming in a mass production environment. Grip length, diameter and material along with the seat design should be comfortable in your hand. The fit and finish of all the components should be indicative of quality. Aesthetics of course come into play, but should be trumped by the performance aspects.

Wdy, Start by flushing the bearings and oil them with one small drop of light oil. One of the bearings is on the spool so you may not be comfortable tackling that yourself. I'd just fish it hard the way it is and send over when your ready.

Dry brakes can cause a squeal often misdiagnosed as bearing noise. Clacking noises are probably a little more involved but it's hard to say without seeing it. There's no harm in having a second hand reel gone through anyway. Email or call if you want to discuss other places to look for the noise.

To effectively cast weights covered by a ML you're looking at big bucks in the way of a reel. This is where spinning tackle is a must for me.

The fish or each other? Sorry, couldn't resist

Nice. The ice is finally off up here and I've got the itch baaaad. Scratched it a little last Sunday with a bunch of jerkbait fish.

My guess is that the marshals are under instruction to be low profile on camera and to keep the air of respectability to the contest. Over all I like the format a lot: every fish counts, penalties assessed for rough handling of fish, immediate weigh and release near zero mortality. Also the unknown waters. All makes for a good show IMO

I forget if it was Sportsmans or Outdoor Channel. They're next to each other on the grid so I flip back and forth. Sorry, I don't remember the episode title. I saw Big-O's name and tuned in. They fished canals that had bass in one end and brackish water in the other. Caught snook, reds and trout on the Bug. They mentioned catching bass but I don't remember seeing any. Big-O said they'd tested the heck out of it for bass but wanted to show what else it could do. The answer ended up being pretty much everything. lol

Is this due to your thoughts on semi-slack line sensitivity?