Delaware Valley Tackle

No cutting. Gentle heat to soften the glue and pull the old tip straight off, do not twist.

M,MH, Hvy are actually Power ratings. Actions are rated Slow, Mod, Fast..There is no industry standard for rod ratings so it vayies from brand to brand. Try to stay within the lure wt ratings of the rod and look for the sweet spot. In general, a Med power might be a spinning rod for wts <1/2 oz, MH for typical T-rigs, jigs and cranks and Hvy for a flippin' stick.

A damaged spool lip will affect casting. and may damage line if there is a sharp edge or burr. Smooth it off as best you can with an emory cloth etc and give it a try. You should be able to tell if you want a new spool. As for lubing, a quick dunk may not be an immediate issue if the water was relatively clean. oil all the obvious pivots and line roller and be sure to have it serviced thoroughly over the winter. If it acts up at all end it in and I'll tear it down and relube if you'd like.

Green Pumpkin, Watermelon Red, Black, white and Chartreuse cover pretty much all the colors I use for anything. Bubble Gum flukes seem to get a little extra attention in the Spring but that's about it. Location, depth, presentation and profile all trump color IMO. I pick color based on water clarity.

I havn't seen any quality concerns either in comparing the Shimano series'. I find that to some extent each individual reel has a personality of it's own and even identical models can feel slightly different from each other. Maitenance and use variations just add to this. It's probably not definitive to randomly compare one sample from each and draw meaningful conclusions about the series model. JF's comparison to the Curado B is a good one. I have lot's of customers that still swear by them.

A 15 yr old's definition of "very careful" is probably different than mine. Broken rings and blanks are signs of mishandling 99% of the time. Balance is subjective depending on the technique used how the rod is gripped. It boils down to personal preference.

Likely braid slipping. Watch the spool rim as you peel off line. If the spool is not turning, the braid is slipping. Not loosening the drag between trips will not cause sudden failure. If you've had the reel apart, something may be mis-assembled.

The invasive algae known as Didymo or Rock Snot has been discovered in a 60 mile stretch of the upper Delaware. I've looked into this a little bit and read that the infestation can have a negative affect on fish numbers by smothering the native algae and insects thus disrupting the food chain. Anyone else dealing with this in your waters? How severe has the impact been? If nothing else it makes fishing kinda miserable by clogging up the baits, hooks...

Welcome! I live in PA but fish NJ lakes in the Sussex County area as well as the Delaware. I'm a little worried about the river, they just found Didymo (Rock Snot) algae up through the Water Gap.

The MHX blanks compare favorably to any of the commercially available rods regardless of price. As a point of reference here are the wts of 7' MH/F blanks: MHX = 2.45oz HM MHX = 1.95oz St Croix SCV (Legend Extrenme) = 2.1oz St Croix SCIII (Avid) = 2.3 The HM is 20% lighter than the standard MHX. IMO that's worth the price difference for jig/worm/drop shot fishing. FWIW, almost all of my personal rods are on MHX blanks.

At least you didn't get trebel hooked in the back side. Nothing is funnier to a kid than Dad wincing in pain Ex: stubbed toe, hammered thumb, T-ball in the sweets.....

x3 I also read the reviews but strictly for entertainment and put zero stock in them. One the reviews quoted was by a guy disappointed that he had to stop the spool with his thumb. If that's the sign of a bad reel I've got one expensive junk collection.

I agree 100% and have posted similar comments in the past.

If you end up having to buy some PVC, I've been using 2"vacuum tubing and 3"conduit. They're lighter and less expensive than the schedule 40 and have held up fine.

S= Centrifugal SX=Mag Brake STX/Premier = Dual Brakes MGX = externally adjustable Cent brake

Leave the shields and soak them in an acetone bath. Rinse and repeat until the solvent stays clear. Let them dry on a paper towel and spin test them. I think you'll be amazed at the improvement.

He was clearing the bed of the debris (weight). When drop-shotting a bed use a longer leader and pitch past the bed, then drag the weight just close enough so the actual bait is on the bed but the weight isn't. Your solution was creative though.

Usinga scent of somekind probably helps by keeping the fish hanhing on a touch longer to get a set on them but I doubt they bite over the other based on scent/taste etc.

Just as a casual observation It seems like those reels are on sale almost perpetually. Often enough to not pay full price anyway. With that said, they are not a bad deal at the retail price

I routinely run open bearings with no ill effect. They are actually easier to clean without the shields and ceramics do not require much if any lube. If you want Bocas in the future I extend a 10% discount to members here which would make the pair about $2 more than what you paid. The Revos come with pretty good bearings. Did you flush and and oil the stock ones prior to swapping?

We strive to provide top notch service and forum members get a 10% discount off our already low rates and non-OEM parts. A clean/lube is $18 before discount. Shipping is extra and based on actual return postage. PM, email or call if I can help. Mike

I don't disagree with you point about investing too much in an inexpensive reel and $50 is pretty near the tipping point. I help you if I can but before tossing it, look t it this way: for <$30 you'll have a better than new $50 reel. The first step in any reel repair is to obtain a schematic if you haven't already.Tear the reel down to the frame looking for obvious wear and replace anything suspicious. Lube liberally including the junction of the mainshaft and pinion. Good luck. Let meknow if I can help

I've seen "clumsy" trout fishermen "accidentally" drop 1/2 a container of eggs into the water. Good thing they didn't spill all because they were lighting them up shortly there after.

Click my banner to go to the website and print out a work order form. Pack the reel securely ina small box and mail to the address on the form. I use Priority Mail. It's quick and cheap enough. I'll confirm receipt when the reel gets to me and email a paypal invoice when done. You can pay there or send a check or MO if you'd rather. PM, email or call if you have any questions. Mike

My recomemndation is to have the Citica deep cleaned including thorough flushing of the stock bearings and upgrade the drag with Carbontex washers. The crankshaft bearing swap is optional Clean/Lube = $18 Drag kit = $8 Bearing = $7.95 If you want to go all out I'll polish the spool shaft etc for and extra $10 Members get 10% off, shipping is extra.