TNBassin'

I had a 201E5 on order, and I chickened out and cancelled it because I wasn't sure if I could justify dropping $200 on another Chronarch and another $160 on another Crucial just for crank baits. I do throw deep cranks a bunch in the summer, but I throw more lipless cranks because I can count them down to the desired depth. I know a 5:5:1 reel would be great for deep cranks, but is that all it will be good for? Does anyone throw anything else on this gear ratio? If a 5:5:1 reel would work well with lipless cranks then I may re submit my order. I know I could go a much cheaper route for a cranking set up than a 201E5 and Crucial, but that's what I'm used to now so that's what I'm looking at.

Like the LCRs, the frogs look very similar to Spro frogs.

I'm married, it's just that she knows who her daddy is lol. All of the details concerning money, and who's it was and where it was going to was discussed thoroughly before I got hit with the ball and chain lol.

*** is coming out with a crank bait rod soon. Stetson Blaylock was spotted using one, and it's been dubbed the "Crankenstein" though I'm sure that's not the official name. Can't wait to see what they look like.

I was messing with them both again yesterday, and took all of the shimming out of the back part of the reel seat, and just put 2 pieces of cotton in the front of the seat and got the side plates to pop open pretty easily. Seems the front of the reel seat on the Crucials is where the problem lies, although it doesn't make contact with any part of the reel other than the reel foot. If it is the frame flexing, it sure isn't taking much to get it out of whack.

The LCR cranks look very similar to Spro Aruku shad.

They are killer rods. I like it better than my Crucial.

Lefty.

Walmart has a Frog Togs suit that the wife bought for $29. Very light weight and works well.

Nope. My money is MINE and her money is HER'S. No muss no fuss.

The H2o baits are great. All of them. Best value in fishing.

No. Nothing is rubbing or touching anything it shouldn't. You referring to spool tension knob? If so, I've tried loosening it up before opening the side plate. If you're talking about loosening the assembly that unlocks the sideplate then no I haven't tried that. I've literally got both cotton ends from a q tip stuffed in the front of the reel seat and have them working while snugged down on the rod.

Actually the the reel seems to bind up at themiddle/ front of the side plate. The back of the sideplate will show a gap when unlocked, but it seems the front is what is getting bound up. But I agree it has to be the rod's reel seat that is causing the issue. Swapped out the Chronarch I got at BPS for another and same issue without shimming the seat.

Just swapped a reel out and same deal. Shimmed the reel seat and side plate opens.

I may take one back to BPS tomorrow and see if that one will work without shimming the reel seat. Got them working fine as of now though, and have sent an e-mail to Shimano's customer service dept to see if they have any answers. As I said, they problem doesn't exist on my *** so it's gotta be an issue with the rods.

Blue/black jigs, black spinner bait, black worms have always gotten me bites at night time.

The reel seat is no where near the hinge pin. And after messing with it, I don't see how the frame would be flexing. The spool is smooth and quiet, and the handle has no added resistance. This is happening on 2 new Chronarchs and 2 new Crucials. All were bought at different places.

I shimmed the reel seat on the crucial with some pieces of cotton ball, and now it's working ok. I still have to pull or jiggle the latch a little but at least it's opening and closing with the reel tightened down. When it does open, sometimes it wants to bring the spool with it, so I have to be careful. I'm assuming the reel seat is too deep on my rods, so I'm having to crank down the reel tighter than it should be and it's stressing the frame. Seems to be a rod issue.

I'm gonna try some electrical tape on the reel foot and see what happens. If the frame is flexing then I have serious reservations about using the reels with these rods. I really don't think the frame is flexing though, because the reel still feels smooth and there's no rubbing sounds coming from the spool or brakes. Something isn't right though obviously.

Opens fine on my ***.

That's what I was thinking. I can mount the reel, tighten the seat, turn the latch to open, then loosen the reel seat and it will pop open at a certain point every time. Both Chronarchs, both Crucials.

Tonight while out on the water I wanted to deactivate a brake on my Chronarch, but I couldn't get the side plate off. I picked up my other Chronarch which also sits on a Crucial, and couldn't get that side plate off. So I try again when I get home and still couldn't get it to budge, so I decided to take the reels off the rods and see what was up. Off the rods they both open smoothly and quickly. ON the rods however, they won't pop loose so I can access the brakes. I mounted one of the reels on my ***, and it pops open fine but you can tell there is slight resistance. Does anyone know I don't understand is going on? One Crucial is a 7'MH Med Fast rod and the other is a 7'2 MH XF rod. Seems when the reel seat is tightened down is when the issue pops up, but I don't over tighten it at all. It's not a HUGE deal, but I would prefer to not loosen the reel seat up while out on the water just to make adjustments to my brakes.

This thread hasn't turned into that though.

Chronarch e6 on a crucial rod.

How did u secure the blade? Tubing or another method?