Tywithay

I preferred everything about the Extreme as well, except the handle. I like a longer handle and the taper felt funky. Also wish St Croix would trim the threads above the locking nut. Makes it look a lot cleaner.

The GLX has K-series Ti-SiC guides, the NRX has a mix with a couple SIC and mostly recoils. GLX has a proprietary seat similar to the Fuji ECS, NRX has a skeleton seat....they're hardly the same.

I use mostly Shooter and Tatsu; it's far from casting a slinky. 15lb Tatsu is every bit as manageable, if not more so, than most 15lb nylon lines. I'd much rather use it over Trilene XL, Big Game, etc. Granted, it's not cheap...but I only have to respool once every couple of seasons too because it lasts a lot longer.

Manageability isn't as much of an issue with the premium fluorocarbons.

I use 8lb straight fluoro on all my 2500 reels, 4lb straight fluoro on my 500/1000 reels. Don't care for braid, personally. Hate leaders even more.

Painting a blank adds weight and can potentially hurt sensitivity slightly. I prefer a raw sanded blank, myself.

I use the same knot "that doesn't work" on every single reel I own (more than 10). It's operator error.

I do an improved clinch knot, but I only use 3 twists to keep it slim. Wouldn't recommend it if you're using fairly heavy line though. I rarely use over 15lb.

Could give two squirts of duck poo whether or not it clicks. My main concern is that it turns fluidly, so that I can set it without having to strain just to turn the thing.

Most prefer a longer rod to move more line when you raise the tip and set the hook.

It's only $174 for a couple more days.

With Shimano grips, sunscreens and GULP products can eat the material. I don't know about Lew's, but it's a possibility that you had some form of chemical from a bait, or otherwise, that's tearing it up.

I seal all my cork handles before they ever get to the water.

Not all fluorocarbons are created equal. The more manageable and limp the line, the more likely it will be stretchy. Invizx for example, very stretchy, easy to cast. Other lines like Shooter offer great abrasion resistance, little to no stretch, but it's difficult to handle because it is so stiff. It's not necessarily a myth, but it's not really true that fluoro has "no" stretch. Stretching fluoro can indeed damage the line if you go too far. It will not bounce back to its original shape like mono lines will. Even with mono though, once you get past a certain point, it will weaken the line.

Modulus essentially means nothing. There's no industry standard. One company may call it 30 million and another 80 million. It's just a marketing term.

What lb is the line? Anything over 8lb is too stiff for a spinning reel. If it's less than 8lb, you either spooled it backward or overfilled it.

Red label isn't the most manageable fluoro. You also need heavier braking than braid because fluoro is very dense, it weighs a pretty significant amount more; ie. It makes the spool spin too fast.

I'd look around for a Stradic FJ. If you're committed to that list, definitely the Saros.

If I were you, I'd spend an extra $30-$40 and get the SV spool over the RCS1016. The 1016 is a sweet spool, but the SV is incredible.

I don't think you'll see a big gain in overall distance, unless you're using under 3/8oz. The 1016 is a fantastic spool though. People put the rcs1016 in their Steez to improve casting, if that tells you anything.

I'd definitely get the ***. You can save a few bucks during a sale to get under $100 pretty easily. For a reel, I recommend the Daiwa Tatula. You can find them for right around $100 and nothing else comes close at that price point.

KLX

I have a 7'6" heavy for flipping and small swimbaits. Have a 7'4" heavy for 3/4oz jigs and Carolina rigs.

Edge 705, or a St Croix Avid 70mlf spinning rod for lighter offerings.

Casting - 7' Spinning - 5'4"