Delaware Valley Tackle

A pitch cast can be use with whatever rod is in your hands at the time. I'd match a rod more to the presentation, bait and cover. I don't like a broom stick for anything really. I like the St Croix line, especially in Avid and up for off the shelf rods. A Mod-fast action makes sense in the heaviest bass rods but I'd pass on a crankin stick.

This might sound silly, but I had a similar experience out on the water witha a new reel. It would cast ok but felt labored on the retrieve. I finally figured out that I ( like an idiot) had missed one of the line guides when I threaded the line. lol I'd look for some kind of interference like that.

Thanks for the kind words Joe. I'm glad you were pleased and appreciate you taking the time to share. I look forward to working with you some more. Now get the rest of your club on board! lol

My understanding of the Rage rods is that they use the same blank compsition as the Avid. They are built in Mexico and without cork which lowers the price point a little. There's no excuse for loose grips etc that's just poor QC. As for the blanks braking I think that's a combination of rough handling during production and shipping along with some possible inadvertent user error. Over all St Croix has one the most robust lines of rods and excellent quality especially from the Avid and up.

The standard formula for rod building is one guide for each foot plus one not counting the tip. Most builders would count a 6-6 as a 7 footer and start with 8 guides. Static testing tells us where to move, add or subtract guides for best performance. The end result may be more or fewer guides. Line touching the blank is no problem but falling below puts undue stress on the blank. It's hard to say without seeing the test just how bad it is. If the line goes just below in the deepest bend you may likely never encounter that fishing. For $30 if you liked the feel I'd say just fish it and see what happens. A lost fish isn't the end of the world unless you fish for a living in which case we wouldn't even be having this discussion.

Where icing and/or fouling is a concern size 6 guides may be necessay. In those cases I often use one of the ringless guides like Minimas or Recoils. They save weight, and I haven't had any groving problems with modern lines.

Good report Goose. I work with data and can appreciate the work that goes into gathering it. It's kinda too bad though that so much work is necessary to prove what should be a self evident point. Some folks will be impossible to sway from their pre-conceived notions but just as many look forward to your reports. Thanks & good luck.

The older glass blanks were more apt to take a set and even then it would take some time. In a temperature controlled enevironment you have even less to worry about. If they are properly supported as suggested above you have nothing at all to worry about. There is another thread abaout DIY rod racks. Some of them are clever and might be worth checking out just to maximize space if nothing else.

You answered your own question with "I know that a lot of sensitivity is lost vs. a one piece,...." but this is an unfortunate misconception. Modern manufacturing processes build ferrules as part of the blank when it's rolled. The result is a near perfect fit with very little added weight to dampen vibration. There are high quality blanks available in 2piece models. If you can't find what you're looking for off the rack it can be built for a reasonable price. Let me know if I can help.

Stripping the old guides is labor intensive and must be done carefully. Personally I can't see the point in going through the effort of building or re-wrapping a rod just to use the factory guide placement for a "good enough" result. Whether it's worth the expense and/effort would depend on the specifics like the blank, what guides are on it, what they will be changed to and often it boils down to sentimental value. Replacing a guide or two is one thing, but unless you want to get into rodbuilding longer term, I'd pass or get a quote from a builder.

Just to be clear, when Ronnie says apply steady pressure, it means NO TWISTING. Replacing the guide or tip is always the correct fix for a missing insert.

The weight savings, especially as a percentage over standard guides is significant. Less weight , especially in the tip section allows the blank to retain more of it's original design properties. The correct guide is the smallest and lightest that will do the job in a given application. It must pass knots and not connections needed and not foul in cases of ice, filimentous algae etc. "Micro" covers a range of guide sizes and I expect over time the term will become obsolete. Jigging and other contact bait presentations are one app. where they shine.

Technique specific labels are almost purely marketing. "Swimbait" and "A-Rig" rods should be interchangeable as long as the total weight is within a given range.

The global economy is here to stay. All we can do is keep in mind that with each purchase made here we are supporting US workers that market, ship, sell and support the products. I could go on but that would just result in the thread being locked.

The Zillions are very well built and refined reels. Despite the ratio difference the IPT of the Daiwa is identical to the Revo Winch.

If the Curado is an E series a comparable new reel is the chronarch which goes for $200. The G series retails for less. $100 for a new Patriarch is a good deal. Both are well built and will last if cared for. Take a rod and mount each reel and see which one feels best and choose based on that.

Ninja's on the right track. Inspect the handle & drag assembly to be sure everything is present, installed and seated correctly. As silly a this might sound, be sure the cast control cap is tightened enough to not interfere with the drag star when you crank. Let me know if you need more help. No need to be hasty in disposing of this reel.

Weight is where it's at right now, almost to the point of diminishing returns. A Curado or Chronarch 200 are not heavy by any means and have a pretty slim profile, but many still like to go as light as possible. If that's what feels good to you, line capacity is of little concern for bass fishing as you said. I agree with RW too where max drag is concerned.

It's not so much vs. as it is when, where and why to use one over the other. You can certainly get by with all one or the other but IMO mastering both spinning and casting (and for that matter fly & float tackle) you open up options and get greater satisfaction from the overall fishing experience.

It depends on the bait's details. A 1oz with colorado blades fished deep, probably a cranking reel in 5:1. The rest of the time I don't have much of a preference unless it's a buzzbait then I like a fater reel to get it up on plane quick.

The redundant AR is where I'd look first as well. It's a nice feature but not critical if you decide to run without it. As suggested pinching the tabs slightly and packing the gap with some grease usually quiets them down. If the problem persists let me know and I'll see if I help you figure it out.

While there are subtle differences between reel seats, LMG is correct in that the hight of the reel is due to the reel profile and there's no way around it that makes sense. The TE is a great reel. I'm sure you'll adjust and like it.

Shimano has a cool feature on their site where you can compare models side by side for specs and features. There are enough subtle differences to justify the price difference but performance wise you'll catch just as many fish with either one. It only really matters if the extra $ is worth it to YOU.

They are the same size (3x10x4mm) and I'm almost positive they are the same source and specs.

As mentioned, the Revo S is a more direct comparison with the Citica. The SX is a good reel but takes a little getting used to. Quantum has some design/construction features that I really like, their only problem is spotty QC. You won't go horribly wrong with any of those choices at the price point.