Delaware Valley Tackle

I'm a Boca Bearing dealer and readily admit that there are cheaper products out there choose to be affiliated with top service and guaranteed quality. Larry is a good guy. I disagree on the point of braid causing roller bearing problems though.

I doubt they'd undermine successful model names that way. These might be replacing the C3, C4 designations? Time will tell soon enough.

The dead lift capacity of rods is surorisingly high IF the rod is kept parallel to the ground which almost no one does as in the example. Never do anything to flex a rod tip past 90* to the butt and the chance of this happening to you is almost zero.

^^^^^X2 No schematic= trouble

When it comes to finesse fishing I believe it's the line diameter not the material that makes a difference. I live in the north where there are no 10lbrs to be caught on any size line but have caught 5+ lbrs on straight braid.

Anyone insight into where BPS rods are made and what blanks are used? I need to match as closely as possible a CSX 46 DR.

Makes sense, thanks. I'm doing more and more multi species fishing and always looking for tricks and tips in that regard.

x2 - exactly. I also feel that becoming proficient with different styles of tackle enhances your overall fishing experience.

I take your word for this completely, but why do you think this is the case? On the surface it seems 3 sharp points would be better than one.

We use loop to loop leader connections sometimes in fly fishing but Don't think that's ideal hear due to the differences in material, diameter and strength. Are you changing the length and test of your leaders often? If so, to what end?

x2 These things skip well and flat out catch fish.

Yup they're built like a tank and user friendly. Line cap. is more than you need to bass fish but won't hurt a thing.

Reel Magic, WD 40 etc have no place near the internals of a reel. They actually degrease parts they come in contact with. For line management KVD L&L is the way to go. For the reel itself a rinse in fresh water and air dry before storing will keep you in good shapre between regular cleanings.

JF is right on when referring to harnessing the speed. A faster car doesn't necessarily mean it will win a race without the right driver input. Casting distance is way over rated IMO. The biggest advantage to a tuned reel with faster spool is easy start up and better accuracy. You wont get wild backlashes if you pay any attention to what you're doing. The car analogy works here too. A 400 HP car won't spin out of control unless you're careless with it. A lot of tuning and upgrade of reels is an enthusiast issue. Some stuff is just cool to have without there necessarily being an immediate tangible benefit.

Flipping switches are a hassle to work on and the cost of shipping and service may not be cost effective given the cost of the reel. WD 40 has no place anywhere near the internals of a reel either. Honestly I'd either return the reel or just not use the flipping switch.

Being shore-bound on top of fishing heavy cover does present some challenges and targeting big fish to boot. I'd step up to a MH/F or at least a M/F that leans toward the heavier side like St Croix models. Spooling with braid will give you strength, 0 stretch and better line management. Just don't high stick your rod thinking you're going to lift a bass' head at a distance. You're just asking for a broken rod that way.

If the initial goal is just to catch some trout concentrate on the wet flies / nymphs. The top water bite is similar to bass in that it comes and goes with the bait / hatch. First thing to upgrade will probably be your line, don't cheap out on that when the time comes. I can't see an expensive fly reel either. All it does is hold the line.

Cottonwood, filimentous algae and ice are the main situations where I avoid "micro" guides. Outside of that I use the smallest guide that will pass the line and connections. A #4 micro will work fine. My favorite way to build jigging rods is spiral wrapped micros. This keeps the tip as light as possible and makes for a well balanced sensitive rod.

Epoxying the entire length of a rod will add a lot of weight and deaden the action. If you want to paint an inexpensive blank the Krylon Fusion color and clear coat will work. Some guys have them shot with automotive bumper paint by a bodyshop but that costs. Any paint job relies on proper prep for good results.

Keep in mind that the ratings on rods are all subjective. The sweet spot usually lies somewhere near the middle of the advertised range. Your bait might be too light for that particular rod yet be fine on another MH.

A window seat is sized to fit tight at a determined spot on the blank so it has to be installed from the tip which would require stripping the rod. If it's just a matter of removing the trigger they can be ground down, but I'd lean in R.M.'s direction of starting from scratch. I seldom recommend rebuilding on a blank unless it's for sentimental reasons. The work to strip a blank often offsets the cost of replacement.

As for the OP, the "effective rod length" is from the middle of the reel seat to the tip. In general longer rods cast further and shorter are more accurate up close. Over all length and grip length need to be experimented with to get the right mix and desired result. There is a point of diminishing returns in both grip length and overall length. As stated above there are considerations besides casting distance that affect what rod is chosen for a particular situation.

The differences between the E series Curado and Citica were pretty much the same. Whether the subtle refinements make the Curado worth the extra $ is a personal preference.

Yup the Ci4 plenty strong. I thought the Core line was being discontinued. If that's the case I'd load up when the clearance sales start.

On fresh water rods the line class rating is irrelevant for the most part. On salt water rods it is related to the power of the rod. Use whatever line gives you the presentation you want and set the drag accordingly (light enough to protect the setup).