Delaware Valley Tackle

By REAL do you mean STEEL? Maybe we can do something after the holidays. Thanks for the vote of confidence and ditto!

Any maintenance is better than none. Just don't underestimate what you're getting into is all. Every year I get a few bag-o-parts from casual DIYers that bit off more than they could chew and it often costs them more in the long run. Also, a pro service goes well beyond the basics. When we clean a reel it is stripped to the frame and every piece is closely inspected for wear or damage. If you have confidence and want to give it a try, here's a few tips: NEVER open a reel without a schematic in front of you Special drag grease must be used on drag washers Shimano or Cals (can be used on gears as well) Grease: gear teeth Oil: Bearings (light oil 1 drop)

A small amount of back play is normal but from what you describe there may be a problem. The cost of a service for members here is $16.20 ($18-10%) plus shipping and parts. If you'd like to send it in I'll clean/lube and inspect the whole thing.

You don't just need "A" screw driver. To do the job right You'll need: the right screw driver(s), handle nut wrench, c-clip removal tool of choice, forceps, bearing puller of some sort, spool pin removal pliers (on certain models), Simple Green, hot water, acetone, brake clean spray, small brush, swabs, craft brush, paper towels, tooth picks, work pad, lighting, schematics, Cal's Universal or equivalent Drag Grease, needle oiler, low viscosity bearing oil, anti corrosion oil, Smoooth Drag Carbontex Drag washers and for the inexperienced, 2 +/- hours per reel. For about the cost of two new reels, you could have 13 better than new ones by sending them out either as a batch or piece-meal. If you decide to DIY contact me here or directly and I'll help you if I can.

The Citica is a fine basic reel and will last. It and the Curado are very user friendly due to the brake design.

For a budget baitcast reel hold out for a Bass Pro Shops Pro Qualifier or the Prodigy above. They come in serveral versions including Lefty models. They go on sale regularly for just slightly more than what you're lloking at there. Also you could look for a second hand Shimano Citica or Curado. This isn't about gear snobbery, a lower end baitcaster will be harder to learn on and compound frustration possibly leading you to throw in the towel.

I prefer spinning tackle for lighter (<1/2)lures so for another baitcast rod I'd add a 7'6" MH/Mod or Mod Fast deep cranking stick (Lamiglass SR765). For lighter baits and drop shot 6'8" M/XF in spinning or casting works great.

The Revo system for centrifugal brakes is more encased and the pins are supported by springs. They basically work and are accessed the same way.

Since there is no stretch, braid has poor shock resistance. If you're doing a snap cast with heavy baits that may be the problem. 6# dia. line may get caught between the spool and frame. As suggested, 50-65# braid works well on a baitcaster.

If you do a seach there have been a couple recent threads about pitching reels. What model reel do you have? Servicing may bring it back to life or even better.

North Fork Composites is Gary Loomis' new company. Their blanks are high quality as one would expect. They have annonced a new line of production rods branded as Edge. If I remember correctly they are starting with some steelhead models with more to follow. There is a Gary Loomis signature series sold by TFO but I think that's as far as they go together.

It's hard to say without seeing it for myself. Whe you say "...under the wrap..." do you mean under the actual thread, or the epoxy coating? As long as the epoxy finish is not cracked or peeling and the guide seems sturdy this will likely remain a cosmetic issue. Just keep an eye on it. Regular inspection of rods is a good practice anyway and it sounds like you were doing just that. If the guide foot is rough or damaged where it rides on the blank then the blank may be compromised over time. Replacing the guide should cost <$20. I'm about 80 mi from you if you decide to replace it, I could meet half way.

I'm not a fan of lube ports. Throwing new lube over old is of little or no benefit and could do more harm than good. If you do decide to use the port, only use it in between regular service and not in place of.

Where the reel seat is mounted affects what I refer to as the effective length of the rod. Granted it's best to buy what you want in tyhe first place, but if you decide later on that a small adjustment is needed, trimming an inch or so off the butt won't hurt anything. If you want something that you just can't find off the rack you can always have it built.

Rod ratings are subjective on the part of the manufacturer. Exceeding the lure range rating by a reasonable amount is less likely to cause failure than poor performance. Th is provided you're not horsing it too much. In a pinch the scenario you descibe will work but for a steady diet of throwing 2 oz baits you'll be better off with a heavier rod.

I'm just a little further up river from you. Small paddletail swimbaits slow on the bottom, spoons and blade baits. small hair jigs all the way down to crappie size on the bottom or below a float (float&fly). Smallies and walleye been having a quick bite right at sundown.

Mud Hole Tackle has good service and prices: http://www.mudhole.com/

I apologize to anyone I may have inadvertantly offended this way. I use Bud and Buddy somewhat frequently, but certainly not in a pejorative manner. As far as fishing partners go, I enjoy my club txs because they have just enough competetiveness to make it interesting and not cut throat. Outside of a tx setting if you don't just enjoy each others company you may as well go alone. "Biggest fish buys drinks later" is about as competitive as I'd want to get outside a tx.

When I buy a car from a dealer, I try to figure out what they have into it and let them make $500-$750 or walk away.

A couple of things to be careful of: Warranty will likely be voided Trimming off the butt will alter balance The butt grip will need to be replaced. They are relatively inexpensive and available from any rod building supplier. Wrap tape around the blank and use a sharp blade to avoid splitting or splintering the blank.

Ya, well my Yorkie can beat up your Chihuahua

Look in the Pitching Reels thread below. There are some pictures of lefty daiwas with the release on the top of the reel. These are different than redundant/automatic/instagage.... designs which IMO are more trouble than they're worth.

$200 is just below the point of diminishing returns on a production rod which is around $250-$275. Each price point has its bang for the buck entries but a lot of it comes down to preference

The Daiwa design is the lesser of evils but over all I find flipping switches to be a weak link in other reels and more trouble than they're worth. Lefty is now a must for me though.

Baitcasting gear can be made to work for finnesse fishing up to a point, but there is no inherent advantage in using baitcasting for this. If anything the opposite is true. Rod components vary in quality and price. A split grip made of premium cork can cost more that a full grip of lesser quality cork. Guides vary widely in cost also. A well designed rod will have the minimum number of guides to get the job done. More components doesn't equal value. There are no industry standards for blanks and modulus of the graphite by itself does not equate to a better or more sensitive rod.