Delaware Valley Tackle

It's just a tighter tolerance. Pull straight up while working the gear side to side, it will come.

Any decent reel will handle braid just be sure to use backing or tape the braid down so it doesn't slip on the spool.

This is one of the most common breaks in modern rods and is caused by high sticking or other wise bending the tip beyond 90* to the blank. If it were a defect it would have broken on the first use. At any rate retailers and manufacturers are both generally eager to please so I'm sure you'll make out fine. Going forward, continue handling your rods with care but also be extra aware of your technique and be sure to never bend a rod beyond 90*. It not only jeopardizes the blank but actually loses mechanical advantage over the fish.

I'm a Boca dealer and extend a 10% discount to members. If you want a set, email me and I'll send a paypal link and get them mailed out.

The PQ is a fine reel especially at the price point

Definitely repair as suggested. It can be DIY but the kits may not have the right size top. Most are too large. The tube should slide over the tip easily but not slop around. Guides are sized by the ring size in mm and the tube size in 64ths of an inch, sometimes with a mm equiv.

A real low ratio/IPT reel is helpful when deep cranking or throwing really big deep spinners with a lot of resistance. Otherwise the everyday reels mentioned work fine.

On a cost/benefit basis my recommendations for a Citica would be: 1. Clean/Lube/Bearing flush - $22 2a. Carbontex Drag - $8 2b. Crank shaft bearing - $7.50 3. Super Tune - $34 (includes cleaning 4. Upgraded spool bearings ABEC7 preferably ceramic hybrid - $29.95/pair for Bocas Forum members get 10% off listed prices PM, email or call with questions.

x2 Well stated

As stated, you can pitch and flip with any rod. A tip that will load makes pitching more effective and the longer length aids pitching as well but really helps when flipping due to the static length of line out.

Not bad, you're at a good price point to get quality gear. I'd suggest the Revo S for beginning casters as I feel the centrifugal brakes are more use friendly.

Simple Green or Dawn and hot water for all but the bearings and acetone with an alcohol rinse for those.

x2 Annually at least, more often if conditions or symptoms indicate

Capt. is right in that WD has no business being sprayed into a reel. We don't spray anything into a reel because it's impossible to direct and limit where the spray goes or doesn't. In addition, lots of folks are unaware of the degreasing affect WD and other spray lubes have. It's due to the distillates used to make it spray-able. Using some as a soak isn't going to hurt, but whether or not it will help depends on the circumstances and is debatable.

I have to agree^^^. If you don't have the budget for reel service and maintenance you don't have the budget for mistakes either. Flushing and properly lubing the spool bearings is probably the easiest and most beneficial DIY thing you can do. Even then I discourage folks from messing with the spool mounted bearings. do the best you can leaving them mounted to the shaft. Again, with out the proper tools you're asking for a dinged up spool.

To improve your fishing success, spend as much as possible on your rod and just a little more on a reel. $120 +/- will get a Citica, Revo S, PQ, Lews, Pflueger... All good quality reels that are user friendly but not quickly outgrown as your casting ability grows. $150 will get a St Croix Rage or an Avid on sale or second hand. The high modulus and thus lighter weight of these will take your presentation and strike detection to a new level.

They sure do! The Chronarch is a more refined reel, but that's reflected in the price. The PQ is a very good value and they go on sale regularly. IMO the Revo S is more on par with a Curado than Citica. I haven't seen any real mechanical problems on new Revos yet. I think the weight reduction gives them a little more sound as a trade off and the lighter weight can be misinterpreted as "cheap" feel

I'm not all that familiar with the ***, but the St Croix is light years ahead of the Ugly Stick as far as sensitivity.

Make sure your hooks are sharp too. Not all moderate action rods are whippy either. You can try braid to offset it if need be.

Traditionally "Super Tuning" focuses on the spool friction points. The Infini-spool full floating design eliminates the friction points making super tuning ineffective on these models and in this regard. Metal drag washers and cent. brake drums can be polished for improvements but those are secondary in Super Tuning. Bearing upgrades can have benefits in some cases. On reels with solid spool shafts properly executed Super Tuning does improve performance as R.M. suggests.

A lighter spool will start up easier which what makes them better for light lures. On the other side a heavier spool will spin longer since it carries more inertia. This gets longer casts with heavier baits.

Using both split rings lets the bait move more freely

I agree cranking is probably the next technique rod you'd want. 7' MH/Mod. I like glass myself. a low ratio 5.x:1 (20 IPT +/-) reel for deep cranking.

As a general rule: shorter = more accurate; Longer = longer casts. There's nothing wrong with a <7' jig rod especially in those tight quarters situations mentioned above.

You've taken the first step by setting a budget. At the price point you're shopping the reels should all be of good quality so you can concentrate on the features that are important to you such as brakes, weight, gear ratio/IPT, left or right hand, maybe even color and of course price. These are all personal preference points. You can expand your options even further if you'll consider second hand. For me, I'd be looking at centrifugal brakes/left hand retrieve/high gear ratio. I'd make a list of models that fill the need and shop for the best deal I can find. Checking here for feedback on a model wont hurt, but in the end you need to decide for yourself.