Delaware Valley Tackle

An on sale or second hand PQ.

Drop shot is the one technique where you can over weight the rod a little without losing contact with the bait or load for long casts. A lighter power lets me work the bait subtly and feel light bites. A med power can help another site from deep water without over playing them. You’re not at any disadvantage from a landing standpoint.

I’d throw on a short leader of stiff 10#. This will help prevent fouling the hooks.

I like braid for line handling and bite detection first, and the added strength in the situations calling for it. In my experience, bass are not line shy, ymmv.

Action is where the rod INITIALLY bends as load is applied. Any rod will bend into the handle is enough force is applied. How easily the rod bends is Power. Lure Weight Range is a function of power. One misconception is that a slower action equals a softer tip. A softer (less powerful) blank with a slower action often work well in conjunction but they are not mutually exclusive. Soft is another subjective term we use. Soft tip can be a mod fast popping/live bait rod or an extra fast drop shot rod that loads easily but rapidly gets into a powerful butt section.

What about the course thread screws that go from the back into the side plate?

How light? Properly prepped and setup I don’t see either being a problem. The rod choice is more critical.

This exactly how I feel about Daiwa. They went from a bulletproof lineup where each model was a definite step up to a race with Lews to see who can put out the most redundant variants.

I prefer not to use rods at the lowest end of their casting range. The sweet spot is usually near the mid range with extremes especially the lower, just something you can get away with in a pinch.

Sounds like a good cleaning or at least bearing flush is in order. Check for line digging in and that the rod is appropriate for the weight casting

I don’t think you need a technique specific setup for what you’re doing here. A good all around bass rig should work fine. If/when you start punching slop with 1.5 oz> it’s another story

Fuego is great value. T wing is just another thing for me to work around.

Agreed. The sweet spot is usually near the mid range of the spec. Also keep in mind that rods cast. All reels do is feed and retrieve line and can impede or assist casting at best.

It’s more involved than just material. There are different types, grades and manufacturing of each. There are junk poured aluminum and there are rigid graphites. Try to shop in the $100> msrp range and quality is much less of a worry. You almost can’t go wrong among the major brands. Use the rod to fight the fish as intended and avoid just winching them in on a locked drag.

You didn’t tear it all the way down if the worm gear assembly wasn’t taken apart and cleaned. The exposed nature of the worm gear makes it more critical to service than anything you have to split the cases to reach.

Red is visible to bass but disappears quickly in low light then appearing black. I can see it being attractive in shallow clear water where bass congregate in spring.

Split grips originated with custom builders like a lot of innovations. If memory serves around early 90s and credited to Dale Clemons. The intent was to aid two hand casting with a better , more consistent grip on the bottom. In modern production rods I argue the motivation is saving money on grip materials especially cork regardless of the marketing claims. Style always plays a role in design too.

If they’re inside in a warm dry spot they’ll be fine. If they’re in a shop or garage that will see fluctuations in temp and humidity oil them for sure.

They do with lure weight rating.

They do. You can get them smaller than you’ve ever seen

Modern braid and modern guides play well together. It’s never been actual braid that damaged guides but the gritty contamination.

I think St Croix used/uses them. I use them on float rods that have constant line going in and out with no issues. They are super light and tough. They can make a harmonic buzz with course braid running through.

If it works I wouldn’t worry too much. It’s rather common for identical reels to feel a little differently. Lube it up and just keep an eye on it.

Ya, not a fan either. I love Perfect Solution also but for a few DIY reels, Simple Green concentrate and acetone are plenty good and readily available.

I used to get bites hitting the backside of targets as we passed by. If he’s moving fast you might need a heavier weight to get the bait down quickly or leave the bail open so there’s slack and doesn’t pull the bait away as the boat moves along. Also, don’t be afraid to throw up real shallow while he’s hitting the deep pilings.