Delaware Valley Tackle

Farmer, nothing wrong with your suggestion. Playing with bearing oil viscosity and volume are a good way to fine-tune.

Check your schematic carefully and be sure there are no spacers missing. Check the spring washers and make sure they are oriented: ()

That would be fair guess, but we'll never know for sure. There are so many variations in graphite, scrims, adhesives... and everyone is understandably tight lipped about certain manufacturing details. At the end of the day, the blanks performance will speak for itself.

When you say the MXH are on the heavy side are talking power (which I can see) or actual weight? The MB843 spec weight is 2.45oz where as a St Croix 4C70MHXF is 2.7 and the 5C70 is at 2.4. The MHX is my favorite bang-for-the-buck blank.

Nice, clean looking design. Good job.

You can't go too far wrong with a 7' Med/F spinning rod for baits <1/2 oz. Especially if this will be your only spinning rig, you'll want some versatility.

This is a good point. You can get in the bad habit of muscling your casts with spinning tackle because you don't suffer the catastrophic backlashes. The rod should be doing most of the work and get you better results.

In a very general sense, spinning gear is better for lighter lines and baits and baitcasters for heavier lines and baits. Of course there are exceptions to every rule but you can come to your own conclusions as you learn and gain experience.

I started moving my hand forward on the rod for the exact reasons that you mentioned. It works quite well and does seem to increase the sensitivity I feel and reduce hand fatigue. As for the wide spool reels, I bought the US Reel 240XL...I don't see any difference in casting length at all. I bought mine cheap (but new) on ebay and figured, it has broad line thickness specs and can double as an inshore reel for back bay fishing in the salt. I also use it as a backup reel...casting-wise, I just haven't seen any difference. To gain casting distance from a wide-spool reel, you need to have the right guides and placement. This would mean a larger stripper guide, probably placed further out from he reel.

Like RM said, a thorough cleaning and lube is in order whether you DIY or send it out. adding oil to something that hasn't been cleaned can temporarily mask a problem or even compound it.

Welcome!

Welcome Sean! I here ya on Spring....

Welcome Rosewell! Can't help you with spots, but when it comes to the kids, keep it fun. Short trips with focus on THEM fishing. Good luck!

Welcome Ken! River fishing is awesome, you never know what's going to bite. I fish the upper reaches of the Delaware. There's some good muskie up here but I haven't got into'em yet. Maybe this year!

You can ask this question to 10 people and get 11 different answers. Each brand has its fans and haters. IMO it's hard to go wrong on a $100> baitcaster. If you have an idea what kind of baits and techniques you'll be fishing you might get more useful feedback. Certain models to excel in certain areas.

Dry wall screen works well for shaping. Go slow like RM said. Stop a little shy of desired size/shape and finish with 150/250/400 grit sand-paper. U40 will help preserve the cork and make it easier to clean. Some say they don't like the feel of the sealed cork but I don't find it that much different.

I prefer a longer rod for crankbait fishing to get longer casts. This keeps the bait in the strike zone longer. Beside the length, the power and action seem like a good match for the techniques you mentioned. I go with a Mod action to fish deeper.

By the time you order a new cap and spacers and pay the shipping on the parts you may not be all that far ahead especially on a low cost combo to begin with. I'd just shop elsewhere unless I was getting one-heck of a deal.

I'm going with option A. Francho's point is good as well.

No, adding a little weight to the butt will not ruin the rod by any means and in the hands of most, probably won't be noticeable. I guess my point is that it's personal preference, and mine is to not add weight unless absolutely necessary.

x2 Any good company will stand behind their product or not be around long. Get the highest quality rod you can afford and treat it right.

2500 class with 8lb braid and a fluoro leader

Unless you fish with a slack line, the tip will be heavier the minute you tie on a bait. My preference is to use the intended reel and placement on the blank and handle length to achieve the desired feel. Adding weight anywhere on the blank will affect its ability to transmit vibrations to some extent, but sometimes in necessary. If adding a minimal amount of weight to the very butt of a rod is needed to achieve the goal, the affect of the added weight is minimized. There really is no right or wrong here, personal preference is what a custom is all about.

A taller person can comfortably fish a longer rod in tip-down presentations like jerk-baits and top waters and maybe pitching. Beyond that, it's personal preference with longer generally providing longer casts and shorter being more accurate.

Welcome to THE forum.