Delaware Valley Tackle

"And I'm a tackle junkie. Lol" 'nuff said

St Croix Avid AVC70MHF lists for $190. The Avid line is a nice entre' into higher end rods.

If all was left alone the price of the Curado E7 would have gone up to $200 and after some grumbling it would be taken in stride. You still have the same fine reel with a new name plus the option to stay at or below the prior price point with a reel that is still high quality.

These two rods are built on different blanks and have different guides and I think reel seats.

G Loomis rods are built on quality blanks no doubt about it, but there are competetive blanks on the market available to custom builders. Performance wise there are several advantages to a quality custom build: 1. Components and design can be matched to specific applications. 2. Guides are placed to maximize the blanks effectiveness through Static Testing. This is important because each blank has it's own personality, even if they are the exact same make and model. This also allows for adjusting the number of guides needed which often saves weight. 3. Custom fit to the user includes handle length as well as grip shape, diameter and material. Proper ergonomics reduce fatigue and increase pleasure. 4. Balancing to the exact feel the user desires. 5. Custom styling can be done to match other rods, boat paint scheme or personal preference which may be a theme rod featuring school almamater, military, company... Basically, it boils down to attention to detail that just isn't possible in a mass production setting. Everything mass produced is aimed at the "Average" user and everyone is different. The last thing is that big companies have a lot of overhead such as marketing that needs to be covered. This includes replacement programs like Shimano's Expediter, which is paid for in the price of every rod they sell. I'm probably missing something but these are the main points.

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Are these both casting rods? If so, the Shimano Curado E50 is a good light bait reel and and Curado E7 would work on the heavy rod. Both can be found on sale in preparation for new models being released. If you can find older B series Curados for sale they are tanks and still perform well. For spinning reels, Pflueger President is a great reel for $60 +/-. The Trion is good as well for less frequent use.

There are variables to be considered along with personal preference. Continue developing your touch for baitcasting but don't be afraid to use the features of the reel to your advantage. This includes the spool tention and whatever breaking system you have. There's no shame in that.

If you're going to invest in decent equipment it definetely pays to go the extra mile to care for it. An impact like that may have caused damage to the rod that is not immediately visible. Be careful the next few times you load that rod.

You got a good reel at a decent price, however my advice would be to put more of your budget toward a quality rod, especially if you will be using contact baits like jigs and plastics. The rod is what lets you detect strikes and land the fish. The reel basically holds the line. You do need something decent that will be manageable and let you put the bait where you need it though. At least you can hit the water that's what really counts.

Swinging fish into the boat is a practice I discourage with my customers, especially with high modulus graphite rods, but if you feel like you have no choice, try to keep the rod as close as possible to parallel with the water so as to not flex the tip beyond 90* to the blank. The two rods you mentioned are pretty stout and should have decent deadlift capability.

Med or Med-Lite power depending on bait weight, Fast action, 7' length St Croix Avid line AVS70MLF for 1/8-3/8 AVS70MF for 3/16-5/8 MSRP $190

AS long as your rod has a trigger on the grip, there's no difference in a spin-casting vs bait-casting rod. Medium is a little over powered for bluegill fishing but ok for light bass fishing. Look for another Med-Lite/Fast action rod. The faster action won't feel whippy but will still throw light baits.

Ifg you want to do a DIY cleaning use the internet resources mentioned with the following advice: 1. have a schematic in front of you 2. keep in mind that the schematic does not necessarily show the oder of disassembly/reassembly. 3. take notes and pictures to refer back to as you go laying out parts in order 4. take your time and finish the project in one sitting As far as Super Tuning is concerned, the model and condition of tghe nreel will determine to potential advantage. Be Very careful if you attempt this on your own as it's easy to do more harm than good if you don't know what you're doing.

If you have the receipt and can return it, go that route. If that doesn't work out, send it in and we'll have a look.

Every time I see something about noodling, I can't help but picture Johnny Knoxville and the rest of the Jackass cast givin' it a go. lol I want to meet the guy that was sitting around one day and decided this would be a good idea. We could have the FBI profile the dude and see what's up there.

Carp bait = stale bread, kool aid mix, enough water to make dough balls

This is the difference between a DIY and a Pro service. I use Superlube grease in my service but another option you may around the garage already is Yamaha marine grease. I'm not crazy about the blue dye though.

Ya but they take up A LOT of room in the tackle bag. As a co-angler I'm limited to what I can carry. (Oh how soon they forget..)

What's everyone like for a swim-jig trailer?

I buy white Rage Toads and sometimes alter with JJ's or Sharpie markers.

See post #6 in this thread. Backbone refers to the power of the rod in relation to the tip. Has nothing to do with the spine phenomena.

This is probably nothing some break-in and a deep cleaning and proper lube won't take care of. Unless it actually feels like it's binding, you don't need to worry. On the opposite side, I service a lot of Daiwas that don't engage properly without an aggressive turn on the crank. Same solution.

One of those short rods with a pistol grip can make a neat little tool for in close spinnerbait work.

Hold out for something with added line capacity. A 300 size Curado, Calcutta or Ambassaduer...