OnthePotomac

Many years ago my wife gave me a tiny (4" dia) food strainer wire basket with a handle on it and I put my bearings in it, step outdoors and blast them through the inserted red tube with either CRC Electronic cleaner, or Brake Kleen and either cleans my bearing fast and thoroughly. I have purchased a lot of Shimanos over the years and the only bearing I have ever found packed with grease is the pinion bearing and my procedure has eliminated the grease pronto. I then follow with a short lighter bath and they are good to go. Once I degrease them I simply dip them in TSI 301 and no longer pack them.

Everyone who has gotten into cleaning their own reels has a favorite for oils and grease. Mine is: Yellow Rocket Fuel on SS spool bearings and handle bearings ReelX on the worm gear Shimano ACE2 (or Cal's) drag grease on drags and gears (I have also used Super Lube and Yamaha Blue Marine on gears in the past) Pinion, drive shaft and Xship bearings dipped in TSI301

Hey Toxic, can trade ins be made at Cabelas also?

I remember reading years ago where Denny Brauer had gone to using the same speed reels and just concentrated on retrieving lures accordingly. Daiwa was his sponsor at the time.

I have using BPS Green Excel for 18 years in 8, 14 and 20lb. Years ago if you bought two large spools the second one was 50% off.

I am inclined to agree on the similarity in performance. I have both and enjoy both, but in a reel to reel performance analysis it would be splitting hairs. But then at my age my sensitivity factors may be failing. LOL.

That micro gear requires a really heavy grease and Shimano recommends their ACE2 drag grease. Cal's is the same thing.

Lovin' my two Curado 100B's and three 200E7' s. One of my E's, will empty the spool down the backing if I let it with a KVD caffeine shad and 15lb Invizx. Strange how that happens with one of three.

My favorite is the trade in program. I have, over the years, been able to upgrade equipment on the trade in allowance. They do not care how cheap your trade in rod or reel is as long as it is not broken. The trade in stuff goes to youth fishing programs. I believe the trade in allowance amounts are available about a week before the sale starts. I know it is in the sale flyers they publish a week or so in advance.

My brother in Michigan gifted me with a 7'6" Guide series ultra light spinning rod, aka noodle rod, (he was a big pan fish and walleye guy) and I was messing around one day with a shad dart and 6lb mono on it fishing a near by tidal tributary to the Potomac for perch and ended up with a 5lb striper on. That was an interesting fish landing exercise. I did eventually get it in. It just sits in the rack now.

Yellow Rocket Fuel on the SS bearings for 16 years and now use TSI on the pinion, Xship and crank shaft bearings. ReelX on worm gears (I don't have any bearings on my worm gears) and handle bearings. In the past, I have used Super Lube and Yamaha Blue Marine on my gears with excellent results, but now use only Shimano ACE2, or Cal's (drag grease) on gears. Yes, I like to tinker. Everyone will have their favorites. Strangest thing I ever read on a bass site though was a fellow who said, "My granddad dipped his reels in a bucket of kerosene to clean and lube them". I would not recommend that?

Fortunately I have a Ranger, because my boat has to be kept in the state park storage yard (Homeowners Assn will not allow boats or trailers outside the garage), so when I go out my rods with reels covered go in the bed like this X.

Another product question which is a function of individual preference. I also used the 10lb Red label for quite a while before I began buying their Invizx in bulk. I thought it was great line and it sure took a beating on the grass beds of the tidal Potomac.

Mine was a year ago this month and as I said just keep watch because they come and go. This a really good deal and beats $79 I saw on the Walmart last summer.

I agree with A-Jay. Last year I hit the jackpot on Amazon with a 1000 YD spool of Invizx for $89 and it was level wound. You have to keep watch though because the deals come and go.

I shoot for about 45yds of braid and use my line counter.

6.2:1, or 6.3:1 and you are good to go. My Curado 100B reels I bought 12 years ago were only in 6.2:1 and I used them for every technique under the sun. Still use them constantly.

And engineering design. Which is why Shimano is not big on lots of bearings, just good design.

I keep mentioning on here that if you own a Shimano with micro gears they need to be lubed with a heavy grease and Shimano recommends their ACE2 drag grease for this (Cal's is the same). Having dealt with new Shimano reels with micro gears I have followed this practice for micro gear reels (which I learned from guys like DVT). Out of the box I remove the micro gears, clean them well and lube with ACE2 or Cal's drag grease. Out of the box remove the spool bearings, clean them thoroughly and lube with a tiny drop of quality reel oil, which in my case is Yellow Rocket Fuel (avoid Mobil 10W-30 LOL). Shimano tends to over lube bearings with oil (some think that it is grease, but Shimano says no grease, just heavily oiled). All I can add is I do this to my new micro gear reels and they are very smooth. Love my micro gears.

Each has a favorite and my MGL 8.1:1 is on a 7' MH, fast tip BPS Carbonlite 2.0 for plastics fishing and mostly worms..

There are several good rods in your stated price range and my favorite has been the BPS Carbonlites for several years, all of which I purchased for $100 on sale, or less. The newest Carbonlite has the Winn gripes and are super comfortable with which to fish. In the end every one has a favorite.

Chronarch MGL is a very smooth reel with the micro gears. Mine are set with two brakes on and the outside dial on 2, or 3 depending on the lure weight. It is spooled with 15 lb Invizx as are some of my other reels. The key to smoothness is a heavy grease on the micro gears and Shimano recommends their ACT2 drag grease for this. Cal's is the same thing. I fish mostly heavy plastics with mine.

OutKast Actual, you hang there marine because there is light at the end of the tunnel. I hear you with two years in Vietnam dating back to 1965 and 31 years in uniform (yes I was a lifer). I am just an old bass duffer, but recommend you contact a local bass club and explain your situation. A good chance you will find vets in the club, and even if not, these club guys not only like to fish, but they also love to tinker with boats and would no doubt greet you with open arms. If I lived even remotely close to you I would be knocking on your door to help with the boat. God bless you son and do not, do not ever give up. Semper Fi from U.S. Army retired P.S. You are not an outkast marine

Nothing fancy here for jigs. Mine go on a 7' MH fast tip BPS Carbonlite with 15lb Invizx on a Curado 200IHG. I like my jigs to stay with in 20-30 yds of me.

I made a simple table in Word which lists my reels, the line on them, date spooled and date cleaned.