Delaware Valley Tackle

Graphite and carbon fiber are the same thing. The cabonlite may be a higher modulus graphite which reduces weight/stiffness. Any modern high modulus graphite rod blank has a level of brittleness as a trade-off for the reduced weight. If they are handled with a reasonable level of care they should hold up fine. Be aware of boat cleats and flopping jigs or weights that can dent or ding the surface. These compromised damaged spots are what lead to failures. As a rule avoid any motion with any rod that flexes the tip beyond 90* to the butt. This not only puts undue stress on the blank, you are losing a mechanical advantage over the fish.

Backbone is relative to power but not exactly the same thing. A rod described as having "a good backbone" would be your example of a softer tip but still heavy power. Basically a rod that would load and cast a relatively light bait but still allow you to fight a fish out of cover. This is what the term means to me and how I apply it in desiging and specing out a custom rod. Others may use the term differently.

Sounds good.

All I can add is another vote for the President (reel). They're hard to beat on a bang-for-your-buck basis.

Smooth Drag. I'm skeptical of such a wide price variance for what are supposed to be equivalent bearings offered at 83% off the competition. I just can't see any company leaving that money on the table.

I sell Boca Bearings for the same price less a 10% discount to BassResource.com members

Scott, It's hard to do justice to this topic in a forum post but I'll try. The real problem is taht there are no industry standards for rod specs. It's all subjective on the part of the manufacturer. Getting the vocabulary down is a good first step. Check out this if you haven't: http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/rod-actions-power.html. Power and Action are independent of one another. And Action and tip stiffness are independent of one another. A slower action is not the same as a soft tip. Taper is a term of its own and is a description of the relation of the tip to butt diameters over the length. The taper is one design element used to get the desired power/action combination desired. Any of the combinations you mentioned are possible up to a point. A "Fast taper" would have a larger diameter butt that tapers quickle to a relatively fine tip. This is conducive to a fast action but just how fast depends on other design elements.

I don't know about these specifically, but I have received warnings about couterfeit bearings so it does happen. If a price or products appears too good to be true it probably is.

Most casting rods with micros use a size 4 which will pass a well tied Albright joining 65# braid and 17# fluoro. Plus, leadrers aren't always necessary. Icing and floating debris are the other 2 factors in employing micro guides. FWIW I use them almost exclusively on the bass rods I build for my personal use.

I haven't fished one but from just handling they seem too whippy. Not all glass or glass composite rods are like that.

A modern rod that length will most likely be an ultra-light rod. That will be fine if you'll be fishing small baits for pan fish and small trout, even small bass. They should be readily available. Cabelas has a Pflueger combo for $60.

If it's not braid then either the drag is not adjusted properly or it is malfunctioning.

Welcome! I see you mentioned braid. If the reel you're having trouble with has braid it is likely slipping on the spool making the drag appear not to be working. Braid needs either tape or monon backing on the spool to give it some bite. To check, press down on gthe spool while cranking and watch the spool rim. If the spool is turning and no line is comong in, the braid is slipping. Also, there is a forum here dedicated to reel, lines and rods. You'll get more answers quicker if you post this type of question there.

There are too many variables and options to get a feel for what a build would cost based on someone else's. A custom built high permance rod is much more within reach than many people seem to think. I'm happy to discuss options and quote a build with no obligation. As an example, a MH/F 7' with Fuji alconite guides and seat, single color guide wrap with trim and personalized inscription all on a quality MHX blank goes for about $225. There are options above and below this point.

I have a Ci4 mounted on a custom ML rod that I use for the same applications. A great combo.

Flushing the bearings on the Winch helps a ton. They also respond well to Super Tuning.

Actually, the main gear in a 5:1 is smaller. It acts as the front sprocket would on a bike. The pinion gear is a 1:1 with the spool. I believe the winch gears are brass though making them heavier than the alloy I think is in the Premier. At the end of the day I think the result would be less than envisioned.

I just cracked one open last night that was tight enough that I don't think anyone else has been in it and it had an opaque grease in it. I haven't seen or heard anything official from Quantum but I suspect you are correct.

I here ya about your own stuff taking a back seat. At least I'm not alone there. It's like the old analogy of the shoe cobbler who's kids were barefoot.lol I agree too, that lubes can be used to really fine tune for conditions.

Don't be too quick to assume that the RX8 is inferior to an NFC blank. Also The RX8 should be compared to an SCIV or SCV for apples to apples comparison w/ St Croix.

The teeth on the drive gears of a spinning reel are much more course. I use a heavier grease and more liberal application there. I use a heavier oil or grease on spinning reel bearings since they don't spin fast. As far as only using certain brand lubes on certain reels, I'd pay no attention to that. Car manufacturers tried that in the 80's to dodge warranty issues and it didn't work out too well. Now if you put oil where a grease is called for etc that's another story.

All else being equal, a shorter rod will cast more accurately and a longer rod will cast further. 7' is the average right now but a 6'6" rod is perfectly usable.

That'll work, especially in semi-heavy cover. In the real slop I'd say step up to an 845 or 944. This will make a nice jig and t-rig rod as well. The Alconite line is probably the biggest value in guides. Sounds like you're on a good track. Good luck!

Personally I don't like the red dye all over everything. The Hot Sauce oil works well for bearings, but I don't like the grease at all. The is no secret, magic lube same as there is no magic lure. Keep stuff clean and lubed with something appropriate for the application and you'll be fine.

At its core a fishing rod is a tool. Form should follow function. The thing I don't care for in the Bucco is the moderate action rating. Fish can be caught with a cane pole and bailer twine but we're trying to stack the odds a little. IMO a rod for jigs and plastics is worthy of a little higher budget, for moving baits like cranks, not so much. The Lightning is a good budget rod, only you know if you can afford better. If spending the money is causing you anxiety, you probably shouldn't. Fish the Lightning and have fun. If you can swing a little higher end rod and feel good about it, your fishing experience will probably be enhanced. The point of diminishing returns on a factory rod is around $225 +/- IMO up to that point you get what you pay for to some extent.