Gaerith

Of the two I would go tourney pro 7.1:1. It's just so versatile and a proven platform whereas I feel the bb1 is more geared for cranking. For rods, I would use the champ line for bottom contacts for better sensitivity and use the savvy for spinners and frogs. 7.1 on champ, 6.3 on SS. I'm not the best with pairing multiple combos tho, so someone else will probably have a better idea.

I've used 12# yo zuri and was really happy with it. I have some p line cxx on my cranking rod I plan on trying this season, but I have yet to fish it so can't comment. My only complaint about yo zuri is that I have yet to see it in a store locally...

MH should be fine unless you are putting it into really thick stuff. I think the Abu rods run a little stiff too, so a heavy might be overkill for that lure weight. If you're open to other rods, I would recommend trying a ***. They normally go for 100, some gander mtns have them 20% off right now. 7'1" MH would be perfect IMO.

Give dad a pair and keep a pair. Give them a try and if you don't like them, sell em. You're already way ahead on the deal, so might as well give them a try.

I'm rooting for Martens or Brandon.

I have found that I can put in 4 3601 Plano boxes and a 3500 speed bag holding soft plastics inside a milk crate and still have lots of wiggle room for extras and maneuvering. The 3601s fit just about everything, they're just not as fat as the 3700s.

I think it's just a great bang for the buck. Also, it's a copoly, so it's not 100% just mono. I don't like the memory and stretch of mono and although it doesn't solve those problems entirely, it gets pretty close.

Welcome to the boards! Try a little bit of everything out if you're new and then work on what you find most fun/interesting. That's the most important aspect - always remember to have fun! If I had to pick 2 though I would say spinnerbaits and soft plastics, such as Texas and Carolina rigs. Good luck!

Berkeley power worms are my back ups to senkos. Finesse worms and roboworms for dropshots. Have you ever tried splitting the end of a senko? 1/2s or 1/4s. Gives it an interesting flutter in the tip, and works good in conjunction with dye IMO.

A lot of the cheaper reels are just in plastic whereas the pricier ones tend to come in boxes. It probably has to do with cost

I would go Dobyns first - 735 split grip? If that wasn't an option I would go LTB or give a 13 *** a try (just because I'm curious if its worth the 2.5x price tag of the ***).

One last question - do you oil or grease the one way clutch? It's part #53 on the lew's TP schematic..the spot that the sleeve goes in and has all those rollers in it. Really appreciate all the help!

Thank you for the replies. I was a bit worried it would affect performance. Oddly enough, I tore it down and cleaned it tonight and although it's performing a lot better now, it doesn't outspin the cleaned bps pq. I'm getting 4ish seconds of spin (handle) on the lews tp and 6 on my PQ (2 second diff on free spool as well). Still a lot better than the 3 or so rotations I was getting uncleaned!

How long does it take to mod one of these? I can't really afford a bass boat but I've been toying with the idea of doing this for a while. I have a feeling I'd never finish it though.

Ha I did the same thing. Got myself a 705cb glass and got my dad a 705cb + speed spool. Its hard to resist that team pro on tw for 200. I would go 704 unless you already have a few rods in that power.

Wow I wonder how much that all cost him. looks nice!

No I don't think I can feel it while reeling.

Here's a pic of the spool.

Hi folks, Just did my first tear down of a reel and I had a few questions before I start in on my nicer reel. I took my bps pq completely apart, cleaned every single piece with simple green and a toothbrush, then soak/rinsed in 70% alcohol like others have mentioned here. There was grease EVERYWHERE. I got it all out, greased gears, oiled bearings, put some oil on edges of thumb plate, and oiled my worm gear. First off, does tearing it down completely at least once help at all? Are there any other parts that should be lubed besides above mentioned (besides drag washers, waiting on drag grease for that)? There was grease literally everywhere inside and now it's just so....dry. Also I don't see much of an improvement. The only thing I noticed is the spool spins a bit better with line on it. My last question is about the spool on my lews tp. I got a nasty backlash on it this fall and had to cut it out. I got a minor knick in the side of the spool. Should I do anything about it? Its really hard to see, but I can feel it when I run my finger along the spools edge.

How important is it to use drag grease on the drag instead of normal grease? I cannot find it locally anywhere.

I have the 6'9" MH BC rod. It's no way near as sensitive as my other rods (*** and Fenwick Elite Tech), so I don't think it's ideal for bottom contacts. Would make a decent spinner or frog rod, though. That being said it's well built...I was fishing with it in my kayak and wasn't paying attention to where I was going while snagged and ran right into a tree. That rod bent at like a 90 degree angle and didn't snap or anything. I was really surprised, thought it was about to snap for sure. Initially I had bought it instead of spending the extra to get an ***, hoping to save a few bucks. Kind of regret trying to be cheap, but I guess I can use it for frogs instead.

If you can get a Fenwick Elite Tech and a lew's TP (I would just get a speed spool, but if weight is paramount then get a TP) on sale you can come in under budget and have a pretty lightweight setup. Imo don't go all out on your first BC - you may not like it. One thing I like about rolling with both Spinning and baitcasting is that if you use all RH models, the types of rods are held in opposite hands. That might help with your elbow problems.

https://www.hawgtech.com// Another BR sponser that has bearings.

Spinning works fine, but then you don't get the benefit of using 60# braid when you have to pull them out of the slop.

Feeling the bite on a jig is tough, many times when a fish picks up your jig you won't feel it. It is really helpful to watch your line for bites. It would also help if you could share with us how you fish your jigs, what trailer, colors, water clarity etc. Also, remember that when you reel in a jig it is still an effective lure. Keep working the jig like you would a spinner while reeling it in and you can get bites then too. I think that is helpful to remember...I too am still pretty green with fishing jigs and swimming the jig back in has got me fish, which keeps the frustration factor down so that I'll keep at it.