Delaware Valley Tackle

Mechanically, they are almost identical and both will last if cared for. The Revo has a better drag material and I think is a little lighter. The PQ has dual braking if that's important to you. The PQ on sale is a huge bang for the buck. There is no clear cut winner between the two. It comes down to personal preference.

I loved the Lindners since they had In-Fisherman Magazine before they were on TV. Seem like just good people and super knowledgeable about all sorts of fishing.

Skip the swivel unless you're fishing a double fluke, inline spinner or something else notorious for twisting line. Lean the Albright knot and tie line to line.

It's really difficult to diagnose sight unseen. If you'd like to send it in be sure to note your BassResource.com screen name and I'll apply a 10% discount.

Gear does not make the fisherman, but it needs to perform and be reliable and costs something. You get what you pay for up to a point, but there is a point of diminishing returns on your investment as well.

Spool bearings are #1. Bearings on the pinion and both ends of the drive shaft (Shimano's new X-ship) make for a nice feeling reel and should enhance longevity as well. Daiwa has been doing this for a while. In a non-disengaging level wind, bearings there help casting otherwise level-wind bearings don't add much. Handle bearings are next to meaningless to me.

Don't get into rod building to save money. It is a rewarding craft but there is a learning curve. Your first one would likely be fishable, but if you you stuck with it, some day you'll look at it and think "What the hell was I doing?'lol

The new brake system is just more fine tunable. No reel with an out of balance spool would last long in the super competitive $100> reel market. A lighter spool will start up easier to make casting lighter weights easier and a heavier spool will store more energy and spin longer making it a better choice for distance casting. The rod is the biggest piece of the equation.

X2 Dead on.

Believe it or not, the size of the drop of oil can make a difference in casting, mostly initially. Any roughness in cranking wouldn't be attributed to spool bearings anyway. You can try loosening the cast control cap and remove the spool and reinstall it then readjust the tension cap. If it's too tight sometimes the spool will bind a little and not seat correctly. What is louder, the spool spinning in free-spool? It doesn't take much lint or grit to contaminate a tight tolerance. You can try cleaning out the frame with a swab again. This is really all just conjecture though. It's impossible to diagnose the issue sight-unseen. My offer stands to look it over for you if you'd like.

Off the top of my head, I can't think of anything you could have done that would cause line stacking issues. If the level wind is bad you would have already had problems. I always replace worm gears and pawls as a set if/when the time comes too. No need to junk the reel by any means. If you'd like to send it in I'll go thru it and see if I can tell where you went wrong. I can usually help you cheaper and quicker than Outdoor World. If the pawl weren't seated the level wind would grind and you'd know it right away. Are you re-spooling the reel with fresh line? There may be an issue with the spooling technique. Let me know if I can help.

You' re ok short term, as in using it the rest of the day is there is no obvious grit or noise but it should be deep cleaned (stripped to the frame, degreased and relubed) at your earliest convenience.

I'm right handed and use left hand cranking reels almost exclusively. I'll swap hands on a cranking rod or something that's not as likely to get bit as soon as it hits the water.

The puzzling thing here is that one bait casts fine the next doesn't. A jig should cast at least as well as other baits of similar weight. I'd check the line again and make sure it is thru all the guides. I've gotten them thru the frame and wrapped around the rod and missed it at first glance.

Drop shot is a terminal rig that be fished in a number scenarios. Weight of the bait and cover conditions will dictate the proper rod. In the contemporary sense of finesse vertical jigging with electronics, a 6'9" ML/XF is what I sell a lot of.

The round reels are durable, powerful, capable of high line capacity and are just plain fishing machines. Some every bit as refined as their low profile brothers.

Bearing upgrades are largely an enthusiast activity. If they wear out and need replacing anyway, you can get better bearings at better prices from an after market source. The first step I recommend is to flush the stockers and lube them with a light oil. Remove the bearings from the reel and soak them is a small jar of solvent. Naptha will work but acetone woks better, dries quicker and smells less. In the shop I'm using Perfect Solution degreaser from Lowes. Soak in 50/50 mix with hot water, rinse with hot water, dry and final rinse in either denatured alcohol or acetone. Dry completely and spin test checking for noise and roughness. Add one small drop of light oil like the Bantam that comes with a Shimano. Ultra sonics are over kill in a DIY scenario and I avoid spinning a dry a bearing by mechanical means.

Flipping switches are gimmicky IMO. They tend to be a weak link mechanically too especially on entry level reels. Mitch has the right idea above: a clearance model or PQ on sale is a much bigger bang for your buck.

I agree that the line is the issue. I use braid on my spinning reels for just this reason. You still don't want to over-spool but won't have to under-spool either. A full spool of light braid casts a mile.

Among the major manufacturers at the $150> Retail price point the competition is fierce and results in pretty much all good products. Let features, feel, and the deal decide for you.

What is the purpose of this? Does it really improve the performance of the reel? The purpose is to remove excess lube the factories add to compensate for lack of maintenance and sometimes to mask loose tolerances and make a reel feel smoother. On a mid to upper level reel proper cleaning and lube will improve performance especially in the spool bearings. What is involved in this procedure. How difficult is it; and Is it a wise thing to do? Done properly, the reel is stripped to the frame, cleaned, degreased and re-lubed. It's not rocket science, but I receive more than a few "bags -o-parts" from folks who thought it would be easier than it turned out. My advice is to fish a new reel hard right out of the box for a season and then have it serviced. The cost /time involved is a bargain and more than pays for itself over the life of a reel.

It makes me cringe to say this, lol but a ugly stick might fit the bill for your circumstance. There are 4 pc glass flyrods so the need for ferrules that can handle the rods bend is no problem, just finding a production rod to fit such a niche is the kicker. St Croix has a line of nice travel rods, you might check there.

There is no "right" way to balance a rod/reel combo. It's 100% personal preference and in many cases is obsessed over too much. Whatever feels good to you is "right".

I can't see enough detail to confirm whether or not they are a "tangle free" guide but it looks like that's the natural pitch of the guides, nothing to worry about.

Plastic isn't such a dirty word word any more. There has been a lot of advancement in materials technology that has helped achieve the light weights we all like. I see a lot of reels and each manufacturer has features I like that would make the ultimate hybrid if it were possible to mix them together. You almost can't go wrong at the $150>price point. The Curado (including the G) is a work horse reel that performs well and best of all IMO is the simple Shimano design and user friendliness.