PGA Dropout

I like junebug or bama bug patterns more (and gill patterns more than those), but black and blue swim jigs certainly work.

If it's the pitchyflippy Elite, that spool is on the faster side. I blew that reel up good a couple times trying to get 'er dialed in. It also doesn't seem to love lighter lures. However your reel doesn't sound like its functioning properly. Pop the spool out and exercise the inductor by moving it out gently a couple of times. Sticky inductors happen. You get a reeeeeeally good backlash when you cast a reel with a stuck inductor. Lastly, HOT TAKE: if your spool stops automatically upon the bait hitting the water, you're overbraked and leaving performance on the table.

MH power and Fast action is your traditional do it all rod. You can throw cranks. It won't be ideal but it works.

803/4 or 843/4? Your title and post contradict. Which rod series?

The entire month of April, I hammered fish on a Texas rigged creature with a light weight. If they didn't immediately chow down on a swim jig, the Texan got called in. Jerkbait, hard or soft, is another good idea.

Pretty reasonable. Couple years ago someone on here posted a map of my home lake (popular lake, lots of pressure and recreational traffic) with markers for all the spots he'd seen people fishing around the lake, which put a few of my "secret spots" on blast. I was less than thrilled. With social media and all that I keep things off the internet. Only share the juice with your friends and kindly request they don't hammer your spots.

6'10 Fenwick ET Smallmouth. Wish I would have held onto that one longer. Sweet rod series. Pretty chill with everything else I've gotten rid of over the years. Reels, though... Now there's a bunch of seller's remorse.

Open hook? Beast hook? Something in between? I'd be looking at the Expride in that price range. Lovely rods for the money.

894 likely if you want to go NRX. I've had the 853 for several years and it's probably just about the meanest 5" Senko rod around. I do not love it for jigs. 3/8 oz jigs are "fine" but I tend to stay at 1/4 oz and throw 3/8+ on a different rod. However I have read that the 893 has a smidge more power than the 853 so that may be an option.

Try setting the spool tension to where it just removes the side to side play. Then turn the brakes up and work your way down. Certain reels or spools like a little more brake.

Yeah more seven foot rods would be cool.

Depends on time of year, but hollow body frog or Texas rigged creature. Honorable mention to a swim jig.

Second the magic erasers. Cleans cork up good.

Put me in the "sometimes, yeah" camp. I think some fish in certain situations may be line shy. Does it matter all that much? Probably not. Do I run straight fluorocarbon unless I'm frogging or in veg? Probably yes. Can fish see 17-20 lb fluorocarbon as well as say 50 lb dark green braid? Maybe? Paging WRB. Also put me in the "run a leader with braid when possible" camp. Breaking off a snag is gnarly otherwise.

Honestly new reels are so good out of the box these days that I'm not super excited about messing around with spool swaps to create monsters anymore and I've ceased to recommend it to others. Last year a Bantam replaced my SV103 and now my PG spool is homeless. The new Tatula SV made me retire an Alphas R that was a monster in its own right. Yeah, the new reels need I-shape knobs and would love an RCS handle, but doesn't everything? At 20% off, the new Tatula SV is a stupidly good buy. The Elite may be even stupider; I don't have the long cast version to compare.

Neat. Today I Learned.

Pitzen. San Diego Jam but fewer steps.

Some folks swear a magnesium reel gives them a little extra sensitivity. However literally no way you can go wrong with the new Met. I'm really excited to see what magnesium does with the two piece frame. I flip half ounce jigs on the 7'2" H Expride. Feels good. It's also fine with 3/8 and a beaver. I would go Braillist though if I could manage a 7'5 rod regularly (shorebound and buskwhackin). Honestly I would spend less on the reel and more on the rod. The Tatula Elite is an excellent jig reel for around $250 and that leftover scratch will get you a lot more from the rod than the reel. You do you though; if you want the Met, buy the Met.

Sniper is also pretty stretchy. Definitely will take some getting used to swapping from braid.

843 MBR, new Tatula SV, 12 lb Assassin. I don't really have a favorite; anything with a bullet head and a good hook in a bluegill pattern. Favorite trailer is a Little Dipper.

Have one. Smooth and quiet. Good distance. Nice reel for throwing baits that go stupid mid cast (looking at you spinnerbaits).

Bantam on a Megabass Power Versatile or Tatula Elite on an NRX. Diminishing returns in reels kicks in a lot sooner than in rods. Not a lot of reasons to go above $250 these days. Midrange reels are getting pretty good. Plenty of reasons to own a high end Loomis, St Croix, or custom rod though.

Yeah respool that braid tight. Toight like a toiger. I've gone low as 10 lb braid on casters without issues. Well other than cutting both hand and leader knot.

Squarebills work on a lot of rods. Lure weight, line type, cover, how you like to fight fish, what you had for lunch, etc are all variables in the equation. If what you have works, don't change. I like a moderate rod with fluoro or copoly in more open water and something stouter with braid if I am trying to rip grass or need to get fish out of junk in a jiffy. As long as you're able to keep pressure on the fish without your rod unloading you'll be aight.

I have a friend who makes his money on a chatterbait and he throws them on a 736 glass with 20 lb fluoro. I, a filthy casual, do not throw a chatterbait. I threw a Siebert Fogy once on a 7'1 MH brand I'm not allowed to mention. It was alright.