Delaware Valley Tackle

One of the nicest things about these crafts is that you can beach launch them. I wouldn't get too hung up on a trailer. I picked up one of the light utility trailers from Lowes on sale and built a dolly for when I can't get to the water's edge with a vehicle. These float in just inches of water so only have to get to the waterline. I can see where a boat trailer would be handy when there is a ramp as it saves you loading all your gear after it's launched.

Well said. If you want to get into technique specific tackle down the road, a frog rod has a little more tip than a jig rod to improve distance casting of the frog.

Casting light baits with a baitcaster is an expensive proposition with no real advantage. I think you'll be frustrated trying to cast such light baits with an entry level reel. Light tackle calls for spinning gear, unless you're a baitcasting enthusiast.

On the PQ you need to do all 3 spool support bearings to get the full benefit. On a cost/benefit basis I suggest you proceed this way: 1. Deep Cleaning which includes flushing and re-oiling of stock bearings $22 2. Super Tune includes above plus fine polishing of spool friction surfaces $34 3. Spool bearing upgrade ABEC5 Boca Lightning $27.95 (3pc kit) I extend a 10% discount off these prices to BassResource.com members. Let me know if I can help.

Quantum has some really nice design features as do each of the other name brands. The upper end reels seem smooth and free. The problem, in my experience, is that QC is lacking compared to the others. The finish is sometimes an issue, the Smoke gears get a little rough after relatively short for example. Other issues you wouldn't see or necessarily be a problem unless you work on the reel. The ones with the latch up by the level wind can be a bear to get the side plate off and are unessarily difficult to disassemble. Sometimes poor fit of parts makes reassembley harder than it should be. None of these are huge, but the market is terribly competetive with so many great reels they just miss the mark by a little bit. I kind of see them as the "worst of the best" so to speak. Every brand has fans and haters rightfully or not. If you like Quantums (or whatever) , buy and enjoy.

I go out of my way to be a contributing member of the forum community and not be seen as simply trolling for sales even though I pay for a sponsorship. RM, JF, Averry, myself and others share a lot of free advice and when we do get paying jobs, make little over minimum wage after overhead. No one's getting rich off the services we offer. By all rights, I probably should pitch my services more and not feel guilty about it. I never oversell and readily advise against customers spending money that's not in their best interest. Sorry if this comes off as a rant Thanks everyone. Mike

It really depends on use and conditions. I see some reels every other year that look hardly touched and some after 6 months that look like they've been torture tested. I recommend annual deep cleaning with good interim service like you do on an as needed basis.

That's right. The main thing is that the parts are being cleaned. There's no magic in the lube market any more than there's a bait that catches everything, all the time. If I were doing a reel or two of my own I wouldn't go buy a whole quart of anything. Some 30wt lawnmower oil could be substituted, what ever you have around that isn't contra-indicated for some reason will work fine.

How many.......? Depends who you're asking: Wife = -0- Forum Buddies = More

If you have to reevaluate that, the Mrs. is probably right. You spend too much time here.

You have to watch it and babysit it. That's the point in learning how epoxy behaves. You'll turn it every few seconds at first, then every few minutes, then every 15 ......

Unless the IPT is noticeably different, ratio is pure hype, similar to bearing count. The diameter of the spool determines the max amount of line that can be taken in on a single rotation. The handle turns the crank which drives the main gear. The main gear drives the pinion which in turn rotates the spool. Either a Larger main gear or smaller pinion increases the ratio. IPT increases if the spool diameter remains unchanged. A longer handle gives a little more leverage for cranking. This probably gives the feeling of more power. Increasing the diameter of both the pinion and main gear combined with better machining of gears makes them feel stronger too. I don't think newer reels necessarily put out more measurable power or torque though. The rod should be what moves the fish anyway. All a reel needs to do is hold the line and allow casting.

Piece of junk these 2speed reels were. If Shimano had hung their hat on those things the competitive landscape would look much different today I can tell ya that.

Throw it where there are fish. Kidding aside, I don't linger in a spot too long if stuff like the fluke and senko aren't getting any attention. You may need to switch up baits depending on the cover you're fishing. My favorite spots for flukes are over the tops of submerged weeds and shallow rocky banks. Throw it right on the bank and inch it into the water. I've had smallies come up into water that didn't cover their back to hit them.

A similar knot, the "fishin' fool" is even simpler: twice through the eye and then a regular uni. Works well for braid too. The double loop gives it some bite to prevent slipping.

Remember to keep IPT and ratio in perspective. A high ratio doesn't necessarily guarantee higher IPT. When the Revo MGX came out touting the high ratio first thing I noticed was same IPT as pre-existing Revos. The rod and drag have more to do with controlling and landing fish but I do like the ability to take up slack quickly before they can dig in.

If you can see the fish, they can see you. I've caught cruising fish by throwing something in front of them, but an inactive fish just sitting there (not on a bed) is a losing proposition. This makes me think just how many fish we don't see that ignore out offering. I was strongly anti bed-fishing at one point but have seen enough research to sway me the other way IF done right. Unless you quit fishing until the spawn is over, I think a good number of the fish you catch came off a bed whether you saw it or not. I think this is especially true of smallmouths. They are so much more aggressive on the bed.

The AR in most of the ABUs are press fit and not replaceable. If you're comfortable taking the reel apart, flush the AR with Simple Green or Perfect Solution and rinse with hot water ad let dry completely. Swab a light coat of thin oil on the AR sleeve and see what that does. You ca also be sure the worm gear for the levelwind is free of debris and gunk.

You have varying features due to the difference in price but over all quality wise, they are comparable if not identical. It looks like the Pflueger's lost some fat over the older model too.

Those reels are tanks and perfectly fishable if cared for at all. Probably a little overkill for bass fishing but would make good swimbait, muskie or salt water reels. If you decide to pull the trigger and want them checked out mechanically you can save a step and some $ by shipping them here and forward to you after.

Those reels are tanks and perfectly fishable if they've been cared for. They may be a little overkill for bass but make good swimbait or muskie reels. You can check the auction site for completed sales to see what others a re actually paying. If you decide to pull the trigger and want them checked out mechanically, you can have them shipped to me and then forwarded to you.

The power of a C-rig rod should be matched to cover conditions and bait weight like any other. For me, that's usually a Heavy/Fast. Be aware of the hookset and be sure you're not high-sticking the rod. It often won't take much force to bend the tip over if the rod tip is real high.

This looks like one of the special store models sold by BPS in 2001 or so. They were $44.95 then. They do not show as a Quantum model on their parts/schematic site. Parts are going to be unavailable for the most part. About the best that can be done is a bath in WD-40, Break Free, or CLR and hope you can free up the parts enough to work. You may be better off to just wipe it off and display it on a shelf if it has sentimental value.

These aren't warranties per say, but rather replacement programs. The guide high-sticked your rod and broke it. He owes you a new rod, not St Croix. If this had proven to be a defect in material or workmanship I'm sure the resolution would have been different. There is no need to perform any movement that flexes a rod tip beyond 90* to the butt. You actually lose mechanical advantage in those situations. I say it all the time: I'd rather pay a fair price for a product on its own merits than to pay built in expense for a service I'll likely never use.

There is no vs. They're different tools for different jobs. Each shines in certain situations and there is a good amount of overlap. You can get by with all one or the other. Being proficient with both helps fine tune presentations and enhances the overall fishing experience IMO. I also use fly and center-pin tackle for largely the same reason.