Delaware Valley Tackle

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There is no hard and fast rule as to how much farther a longer rod will cast, but all else being equal, 6" added length will produce a noticeably longer cast. This not only allows deep cranks to reach their potential, but keeps the bait in the strike zone longer. My personal crankin' rod is custom built on a 7'6" Lamiglass blank used on their SR765.

One coat should suffice in most cases. It depends on which finish you got. You can put it on thick enough to cover, just watch that it doesn't sag. Turn it often and you should be fine. You can contact me off-line if you need a hand.

John, It's a little involved to get into here, but here's the general idea. Warm the epoxy lightly with hair drier. Use a razor blade to scrape the epoxy and thread from the guide foot only. The rest should peel right off. Any residue can be scraped off with a plastic putty knife, old credit card etc. Clean up can be done with denatured alcohol. You'll need masking tape, razor blades, size A rod wrapping thread, 2 part epoxy finish. A cardboard box with V notches cut in the ends can serve as a wrapping stand. Running the thread through a heavy book will keep tension on the thread. Check out Mud Hole Custom Tackle for supplies and some how-to videos. Feel free to contact me off-line if you need a hand.

The guide placement and sizing is specific to the intended use of he rod. The spinning guides will not be conducive to casting with a bait cast reel. This may cause added frustration in learning to use your new reel. My suggestion would be to look for a used or cheap bait casting rod. With said, many fish have been caught with twine tied on the end of a cane pole. Anything is possible. Good luck.

You have a prime spot for jigs, tubes and weighted plastics if you want to learn to use them. Deep cranks have produced for me at canal lock spillways.

It is the slower action that is preferable for fishing treble lures. This is available in both glass and graphite rods. Fiberglass is heavier than graphite which accounts for less sensitivity. Glass also is more flexible and thus forgiving when a fish makes a last run right at the boat for example. The SR705 is the best of both worlds IMO.

Micro guides are like everything else, they have their place but are by no means a fix-all or inherently superior overall. Any weight that can be saved in the tip section of a rod will improve sensitivity. The micros also shoot line straighter which can improve casting distance and accuracy. There are various sizes of guides classified as micro, so line size, leader, knots etc that need to pass through the guides all needs to be considered. Braid with leader tied with an Albright knot should pass through a Fuji 3.5 guide with no problem. I wouldn't go smaller in this case.

I psoted some comments here earlier: http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1283566518/15#15 Mike

We service all brands and extend a 10% discount to BassResource.com members. Visit us at www.delawarevalleytackle.com, or PM or email any questions. Mike

David, I concur with RM, if the reel's under warranty, Shimano should make it right. I'm also not sure that the noise and marks in your photo are related. No way to tell really without seeing the whole reel.

As to the OP, the benefits derived form upgrading bearings depends on the age and condition of the reel in question as well as the casting skill level of the user. Generally, I recommend upgrades if the stock are worn out and replacing anyway. Bearing upgrades are also a main component in super-tuning, which I'll say now is largely for enthusiasts and not "Needed" to catch fish. I'm a Boca Bearing Dealer and extend a 10% discount off retail to BassResource.com members.

When the levelwind system is binding up would be a good time But I'm one of those guys that takes apart a brand-new reel to see how it's built, and see's if there's anything I can do to make it "better" Your reel should be cleaned and lubed at least once a year, possibly more often depending on use and conditions. Since it's used you don't know what has/has not been done. Since your level wind issue is intermittent, I would suspect dirt rather than wear, but only an inspection will tell for sure. I'll be happy to go through it and get it up to snuff if you'd like. If you want to tackle it yourself, PM or email me and I'll try to help you out. Mike

Nate, You have a PM Mike

Be really careful. it is very easy to bend the spool shaft or damage the spool itself. On the positive side, in my experience, the Shimano pin is much easier to deal with than the Revo.

From the way you describe the washer I think you have it backwards. The flat outside edge should be against the fibre washer underneath.

You're on the right track. The Citica has a centrifugal braking system. Access the brake through the right side case. Put 3 on and 3 off as the manual shows, alternating them. Unlike a spin cast reel all the thumbar does is release the spool. You must release the spool from your thumb. Generally you'll need to keep varying amounts of pressure on the spool with your thumb (feathering). Learning how much pressure to use for each circumstance is acquiring an "educated" thumb.

Modern day guides and braided lines are compatible for the most part. The dirt, algae etc. that builds up on the line can be abrasive. Keep the line as clean as possible and treat with KVD to help.

The drag can be run dry or with a light coat of a drag specific grease (Cal's, Shimano...). If the drag is jerky or starts hard, add the grease. The spring washers should be installed like this: (). The teeth of the brass main gear should be greased with a quality multi-purpose water resistant grease (Super Lube...)

If you're mashing the drag down and especially if you're storing it that way, you may have weakened the spring washers. That's not to say that you don't have sufficient drag to land any bass. IMO locking down the drag defeats it's purpose.

The centrifugal brake will help manage the spool's speed so you don't get backlash on the initial cast. The magnetic brake will come into play as the spool slows to minimize over run once the bait hits the water. Both brakes and the spool tension knob on the crank side should all be used in conjunction with one another for maximum control and casting. Start with 3 pins on and 3 off on the cent. brake. Set the magnetic brake dial to -0- and adjust the spool tension so that when the thumb bar is released, the bait you want to cast falls slowly and the spool stops when the bait hits the ground. You can then set the mag brake 3-5, test cast and fine tune as conditions call for. With practice, your thumb will become "educated" and you'll find yourself relying less on the brakes.

The Bandit 200 weighs 1/4 oz which is on the low end of the Med rod's rating. The Med-Lt would probably cast better and have plenty of backbone to fish open water. If you'll mostly be making short casts in more cover, the Med might be the way to go.

I use some Power Pro braid and it is noisy, especially when new. That could be your issue especially if the reel still feels smooth when retrieving. I request that line be removed or taped over during servicing.

If you have reason to believe the reel has a defective part use the warranty to have it replaced. If you think it is just fouled have it professionally cleaned and re-lubed. ABU reels respond especially well to a thorough cleaning, even out of the box.

I sometimes put a wrap of teflon tape around the threads of a seat to keep it from backing off.