Delaware Valley Tackle

x2 My favorite deep cranking blank is one used on the Lamiglas SR705 which is a Mod action.

I have bearings and Crbontex Drag kits in stock to fit the Citica. We can also Super Tune as well. How strongly I'd recommend changes depends on what you want to achieve.

Hot Melt glue is my preferred adhesive for tip tops. It bonds well and makes for easier removal for future repairs. Epoxy is second best. I'd only use super glue as a last resort. Another option is to use what was the first running guide as the new tip top. I often use micro running guides tied on the tip as a top guide. Trimming from the tip (or butt) of a blank makes the action slower, not faster, and of course the tip will be stiffer due to the blanks taper.

As suggested, stock bearings should be fine if you can get them free. If you have to buy replacement bearings ABEC7 ceramics hybrids are an upgrade.

The bite may very from day to day based on the mood of the fish too.

I'm not sure which brand and model guides they're using, but in general, micro guides are now my default starting point on bass rods. "Micro" covers a range of guide sizes usually <size5. Potential concerns would be icing in extreme cold and passing of leader knots. An Albright knot joining 65# braid and 17# mono should pass through a size 4 guide with no problem. What's your budget for a reel?

There's a lot of good info here already. Something to keep in mind though is that drop shot is a terninal rig that can be used whith a wide variety of weights and bait sizes. Just match everything up just like with other rigs.

"Frog" and "Flippin'" rods are typically similar in power and action. A "Frog" specific rod would likely have a softer (not necessarily slower) tip to aid in distance casting.

There are no industry standards for rod ratings. In general, I'd pick a rod with manufacturer lure weight ratings between which your baits weight would fall about in the middle. For example: Lure weight 1/2oz-1oz the sweet spot would be for a 3/4oz bait. It really boils down to trial and error though along with your preference. As far as frog baits specifically are concerned, they come in various styles and weights. Check ghe packaging or weight the bait yourself if ypu can't find anyone familiar with it.

As of today, turn around is about 3 days. If the washers are odd size that I have to order it would add 4-5 days.

7' MH/F is a good all around bass rod. Ratings on rods are subjective. On a bass rod, lure wt ratings are much more useful than line wt. Braid in the weights you mentioned should be no problem.

A 7' MH/F is the best choice for an all purpose bass rod. Compliment it with a 7' MH/Mod and a M/F spinning rod when you can, and you'll cover pretty much all the bases.

Sounds like more of a scale back than anything cutting edge. Here's a recent thread:

The Citica will work fine, especially since you already have it. If I was to buy a reel for this it would be a 7:1 lefty. The faster reel helps get line in for a quick next pitch. This comes in handy from the back of the boat where you don't have much to say about how fast you fish. It also takes up slack fast when they pick up and swim right at you. Bottom line is personal preference.

This would be way over-kill. Braid material and design has advanced to the point that all but the very cheapest guides can handle them. If they wore out, I'd go with a lighter guide and repalce as neeeded.

I can replace the drag washers with Smooth Drag Carbontex washers and polish the metal washers. I'm not sure if a Revo kit fits that reel but I can measure and order what is needed. Spring washer orientation should be checked as well. The reel would probably benefit from a cleaning and proper lube. It can all be done for $16.25 plus the drag kit ($8 +/-) and shipping.

Side Plate screws are normaly fairly easy to remove. They may have some corrosion or contamination. You can try a drop of Break Free or WD-40 if they don't come right out. Now that the heads are stripped, you may be out of options besides a drill or Easy Out. I wouldn't neglect the reel over this. It can be fixed for way less than the $150 to replace it.

Batson has a 7' 3pc blank that could be extended as part of a custom build. It's rated at 3/8-1 1/4 oz

Re-setting the thumb bar as suggested is a good starting point. Let me know if you need further assistance.

Good suggestion

A longer cast and lighter line will do more for depth control than the gear ratio. The advantage to lower gear ratio (inches per turn actually) is less fatigue for you and less stress on the reel.

Lubing alone will not likely solve this problem. It sounds as if the clutch is not engaging properly. A deep cleaning and proper lubing may correct the problem is no damage has been done. You did the right thing by putting it up until it gets checked out. If it's new enough to be under warranty, return it. If not, you can send it in and we'll diagnose for you if you'd like. I'd encourage you to stop the spool with your thumb and engage the reel quickly. Engaging the reel while the spool is spinning may have damaged the pinion/spool junction.

The "Right" way to fix this, as RM explained, is to sand and recoat. If the crack is very minor and you're not comfortable with the epoxy process, the clear nail polish is the next best. Super Glue will not last in this application.

Grease for gears preferably something that offers corrosion prevention. SuperLube Synthetic is a popular choice Oil for bearings and sliding clutch parts. Reel ex on the frame and Yellow Rocket Fuel in bearings I use a thin coat of gear oil on the levelwind worm gear.

The water around here (PA/NY/NJ border) is high and some of the beds I've seen are in less traditional spots and a little deeper making them harder to spot.