OnthePotomac

I settled long ago on BPS Carbonlite rods and on sale price ($100) I don't fish tournaments and these rods fill my needs nicely. I have an unfair advantage for reel buying because I have two adult daughters, who do well and so I get generous gift cards for special days. I only have one $270 reel though (Chronarch MGL). If not for gift cards I would not have that.

To each his own, but I will not allow any lubricant on my spool shafts, nor the inside of my pinion gears and even polish them with a Dremel buffer and rouge.

My K 8.5:1 with 15lb Invizx is on a Carbonlite 2.0 (4.5oz) 7' MH fast tip and is my plastics rig, mainly weightless worms. A great set up. I also have a Chronarch MGL 8.1:1 on a 7' Medium Carbonlite 2.0 (4.2oz) fast tip with the same line and also used for weightless plastics. Another really sweet combination. Love those new Winn grips.

If you decide to pull to either free up a bait, or break off don't use the rod to do it. Solution: Get a piece of 1" dowel, or broom stick cut to 6" long. Take a file and file a grove around the middle of the piece and when you want to pull, wrap the line around the wood piece on the groove off the end of your rod and save your rod.

As a tinkerer, when I retired and got into bass fishing it became obvious to me that I had better learn how to take down a bait cast reel and properly lubricate it and not wanting to pay for it, but no way was I going to just start opening the reels and feel my way. I wanted my reels to last forever. I lucked out and found a detailed video on what to do from A to Z produced by a reel repair service (now retired) for $20 and it was the smartest thing I could do. They also encouraged me to call if something stumped me and they walked me through it. That was 18 years ago. Then you learn that every one has their own preferences on how to clean bearings, reel frames and everything else. The extreme was a post by a fellow on another site discussing reel cleaning who said his granddad just put his reels in a bucket of kerosene and swished them around and that was good enough for him. I am sure DVT has seen some reels that came to him with similar logic.

It is not locking all the way because when you push the lock forward it is hanging up on the little lip on the reel frame into which the slide engages. Mine did it also, so after close examination I found a tiny burr on the edge of the little lip on the frame into which the lock slide engages, which I carefully filed down with a very tiny diamond file and bingo, the slide lock goes all the way to the lock position. It took me awhile to figure out what the heck was preventing the slide to go all the way and found the burr with a magnifying glass and really bright light. I mean the burr was really tiny, but stuck out enough to prevent the lock slide from engaging. Hope this helps.

Was on the big river yesterday and gave my Curado 70's and Curado K a work out and if there is anything wrong with either of those reel designs I sure as heck could not tell it. They were used in addition to my Curado 100B's and Curado 200 E7's, so I do have something to compare them to.

Traditionally, I believe Senkos are fished on spinning gear, but I have always used 7" MH BPS Carbonlites because of the heavy grass beds on the Potomac. All I can say is it has worked for me the last several years and I do no lose fish, even when I haul them out with 5lbs of grass hanging on them, or it is a 10lb snakehead, LOL. My go to line is 15lb Invizx. A fast reel.

I believe the Metanium 96MM handle fits the K nicely. I have not yet decided if I am going to put one on mine. That is also a popular switch for the Curado 70 handle.

I am a die hard Shimano fan, but had a proqualifier (great little reel in my opinion) the same speed on a frog rod for a couple of years and it performed flawlessly. Gift cards from family and the reel trade in program prompted me to trade it in for a $50 credit on a new Chronarch MGL.

I buy 15lb Invizx by the 1000 spools and have it on several reels for a variety of techniques. Maybe it is because I am used to it, but I really like it. With regard to pitching, I have found it is not the line type used, but a matter of setting up your reel correctly, lure weight and practice. No doubt heavier lures are easier to pitch than lighter lures.

I have a KVD 7' MH fast tip, 1/4-1 1/2 oz, 10-25lb line rating I use for C rigs and it works very well. A really husky rod also good for frogs.

I am a Shimano bait cast fan but three of my spinning reels are Diawa (all spooled with 8lb mono)and they came with a spare spool. I put different line on each and put them in the drawer of my fishing work bench and they have not been removed since. I just never have used them. No real reason I guess.

I can only comment on the Curado 70 XG's and I and have found no restrictions on how they can be used, although both are currently spooled with 15lb InvizX and used for a variety of plastics, worms and all. Wonderful little reels, smooth as can be and properly set up back lash free.

I won't knock Lews because I have never owned one, but that is an interesting story on Shimano parts I have never heard before. I have had Shimano reels for 18 years now and the only "parts" I have ever needed for older models are the tiny screws holding the handle cover on and they were sent using the part number for the respective model (Curado 100B in this case) and at no charge. I have also liked that many Shimano parts have been interchangeable on their other models. And yes, I have often heard of the 5 year parts availability after the model is discontinued. I hope DWT will comment on this.

I currently have a Curado 200IHG on my frog rod, but last year I used my Chronarch MGL 8.1:1 on it for a while and yes, yes, very, very smooth and effective. Love those micro gears.

I do not use XT, but I do use 17lb XL for my spinnerbaits and chatterbaits and I like it a lot on a bait cast reel.

Discussion on worm gear lubrication is like discussing if you like your eggs scrambled firm or soft. Three popular choices are: use oil only, use grease only, or use grease mixed with oil. Shimano's position is a very light coat of grease. Personally, all I have ever used is ReelX on my worm gears and it works for me.

Could we get some specifics on the dislike of 7' medium Carbonlite rods ? I have been using four of the 7' mediums for three years now on the Tidal Potomac and wonder if I am missing something.

I use a BPS 7' Medium fast Carbonlite for my chatterbaits and they really hook themselves on that rod. Besides, the rod is super light. I also use 17lb XL mono.

As far as just wet reels, think about how wet they can get laying on the deck in the rain. Granted you do not have the potential sand/dirt issue. Years ago I bought computer keyboard blower and it has been invaluable. It doesn't blow at hurricane speed, but does a nice job of blowing out water. I use it to blow my bearing dry after cleaning and reels at annual cleaning time.

With regard to rods you mentioned I have used the 7' Carbonlite MH fast for last several years for the baits you mention and grab them when they go on sale with $20 off. Very light and dependable. I only fish for fun..not competing.

Gear ratio and smoothness should be unrelated. There may be a difference in reel models, even in the same brand.

Back off drag and put on rod and reel covers and place gear in rod rack (They have to travel in the back of my truck since the boat is kept in the state park storage yard). Since the Potomac can be filthy, the next day I spray the spools with KVD, run a pipe cleaner through the line pawls and possibly line guides. Maybe retie depending on how much I fought the grass while out. So goes Potomac fishing.

Equal here also. 17 baitcast set ups and 4 spinning reel set ups. Only MH and medium baitcast rods. But this is 20 years of collecting.