Delaware Valley Tackle

I second the Capt's opinion here. Oiling ceramic bearings is the equivalent to putting performance exhaust on a bike then adding a throttle stop. The smoother/harder surface of ceramics that gives them better speed also reduces wear. The metal races will probably wear first but won't be any time soon.

$8 - $12 depending on guide size plus parts and shipping if it applies. $20> is bit steep. If DIY is attempted remember that the thread is what holds the guide in place, the epoxy is there to protect the thread. The "threadless" wraps I'm familiar with are really white silk thread that goes translucent when the finish is applied giving the illusion of threadlessness. There are truly threadless systems being experimented with but I don't know that any have had great success yet.

The B series are workhorse reels and built like a tank. They can be tuned to cast as well as anything new. The D series was more refined and smoothest, quietest and possibly best casting of all, but they were heavy. The E series is probably the post popular currently. They were lighter, cast as well but were a littles less smooth on retrieve. You almost always sacrifice some smoothness in the quest for reduced weight. The G series returned the Curado to it's traditional workhorse, mid price status. Still a great performer, just not quite as refined. The refinements are still available but in the Chronarch models.

That's right^^, or at least it should be. Frogs often need to be cast long distances and a traditional flipping stick won't load as well as something with a softer tip. You may very well find this in something not labeled as a frog rod since labels are largely about marketing. I found an in-shore salt water blank that makes a great frog rod.

The list price on that reel was $199.95 when it came out in '04. given the age, It's probably worth $50-$75 depending on the condition. You can look some up on the auction site to see what they really bring.

For shallow to mid depth cranking a Mod-Fast or Mod graphite rod like the St Croix models work well. For deep cranking I really like the Lamiglas SR705.

The PQ a value at retail and even more so on sale. The materials and engineering are not sub-par at all.

Ideally the stripper guide of a spinning rod will be about 1/2 the diameter of the spool lip. This tames the coils without hindering line flow.

As long as the ceramic insert is undamaged the guide can be teprorarily tied on as suggested if you don't have time to have it repaired correctly. The purpose of guide spacing is to distribute the load evenly along the blank. You can use it as is and probably be ok for a day but don't horse it.

WD-40 and similar spray lubes contain solvents to make them sprayable. They actually act as a degreaser and have no business anywhere near the inside of a fishing reel. It's a short term band-aid at best. There is no magic in the lube area. The key is to clean and maintain regularly using appropriate lubes for the application.

Any action that bends a rod tip beyond 90* to the butt puts the blank in jeopardy. There's need to do so because you loose mechanical advantage in those situations. If a high modulus blank gets knocked around and the shell is nicked, dented or otherwise compromised, the chance of failure increases as well. If the blank was defective I believe you'd see more of a splintering as opposed to a clean break.

Up grading the drag washers to Carbontex from Smoooth Drag is an affordable and real improvement for drags. Polishing the metal washers will help as well but not nearly as much as the upgrade. As for polishing spool parts (Super Tuning) be sure you know what you're doing. For example, only the part of the shaft that rides in the pinion should be polished.

One brake is fine to use if it gives the results you want. When using more than one it's best to offset them equally around the spool.

The newer models are lighter and lower profile but the B series are absolute workhorse reels. $60 is fair price.

A more stout rod is in order for true mat punching as suggested above.

Replacement of the tip-top is the correct repair. I'm not aware or any place that sells inserts only. Even if they did, getting seated and mounted to last would be unlikely if not impossible.

I doubt that the bearing is corroded unless the rest of the reel shows signs, so WD etc won't do much if anything. Sometimes wedging a tooth pick into the bearing along with the bobby pin lets you get a better grip to pop them out.

Up until the Gen3 the STX was quite a bit heavier than the Premier but that's no longer as much of an issue. As for brakes, I think they're a personal preference. I lean toward standard cent brakes like Curado or Revo S uses. Not that other designs are inherently worse, just my preference.

Sometimes the bearing fits a little tight and you need to fashion a puller of some type. A bobby pin cut off right at the bend works well.

I like acetone- straight, not nail polish remover. Naptha (lighter fluid) works too but has more fumes.

I live on the upper Delaware in PA and haven't seen or heard reports of snakehead. Is it possible that bowfin are being mistaken for snakehead as they look quite similar? Bowfin are readily caught in the area here.

Ceramic bearings are a hot rod upgrade, so I run them open and dry for max performance. Lifespan (which has not been a problem) is a secondary concern, or should be if running hi-performance parts. Running an open bearing will not shorten life if anything close to regular maintenance is done. The seals are supposed to be non-contact but rarely are, especially after removing and replacing. When lubing an open bearing, use an even smaller drop of oil than usual since there are no shields to block penetration. I'm a Boca dealer and like the folks over there but don't necessarily agree with every recommendation like replacing seals to keep oil in. If the bearing balls are in a bath of oil they won't spin nearly as fast. You might as well leave the stock bearings with factory grease in them for life.

They may even comp it on a small part like that.

Micro guides come in different sizes. The actual size of the guide and the connections that need to pass should be considered. In general, a light spinning rod benefits greatly from the weight savings of micro guides.

I'd add to never twist on the top to remove it.