MickD

Use the sleeves you have, then cobble up a pad to go over the rods right at that rear cross member that accepts the butts of the rods. Then, if it does not compress when you close the locker cover, find a piece of compressible packing material to put on top of your pad, thickness as needed to provide compression when the locker is closed, and before closing the locker, put these two pieces on top of the rods right at the cross member. They will provide adequate force to keep the rods stable while travelling. When you open the locker, simply place the pieces under the rods until you pack up to leave. Very simple, effective, free. I used a camping sleeping pad piece and a piece of the blue compressible packing material that comes with electronics. Make sure no rod tip is bottomed out in the rod slots. If it is, that rod will likely break no matter what else you try to protect it.

Does it make the sound when reeled without the spool on? If no then there is some kind of contact between the spool and the rotor. You said the noise was there when the spool rotated, you mean the rotor, right? As in simply reeling in.

Understanding your question to be about smaller swim-baits, your rod should work fine, maybe a little overpowered. I say maybe overpowered based on my experience with 4 " swim-baits on 3/8 oz darter head jigs. My best technique for these on both LM and SM bass in MI is to drop them to the bottom, then get into a cadence of twitching them off the bottom, sometimes aggressively, sometimes more subtle. Sometimes even just nudging them along. Stiffer rods make it harder to get the right twitch, often leaving too much slack as I reel down after the twitch. With a slower action, lighter power, I can get a little more progressive, less aggressive, twitch that often works, and it keeps me in better contact with the lure on the drop. If the fish want a steady retrieve, any rod will work fine if it casts them well. I use white almost exclusively simply because it seems to work well on all waters and clarities.

Here is a good read that will help prevent failures, no matter what the material is. http://www.rodbuilding.org/library/rodusage.pdf

I strongly recommend going much longer on your next rod. Longer rods generally cast farther, but the biggest advantage is a much better hook set. A very versatile rod is a 7 foot medium power moderate or moderate/fast action rated for lures between 1/4 and about 5/8 or 3/4. It will work well enough with just about all techniques, and much better than your current rig. What reel? Whatever you like-there are lots of good, smooth, reliable reels out there. Pick a size between about 2500 and 3500, look for sales and step up to the next level. Changes from year to year on most reels are not compelling, and a past year reel can be a real bargain. About 40-50% off list.

Don't overlook American Tackle Bushido fresh water blanks. Very nice blanks at very attractive pricing.

I'm not an expert southern fisherman, but if one expects one technique to be successful 365 in the north, I think they will be disappointed. One unmentioned technique that can be very good under the right conditions, and can turn a day from bad to good, is the effective use of blade baits. Do it right and all is well; do it a little differently and you might as well go home.

Regarding your knot question, I don't believe there is any significant difference in diameters of FC or monos of the same test. Minor, yes, but significant, no. FC's are slightly smaller than equal test monos. So the issue is moot with regard to your selection of lines/leaders. Knots which work on one will work with the other. Just remember to wet the knots as you seat them. For what you are trying to do, I would make the heavy or metal leader short enough so it doesn't enter the tiptop.

I don't think there is single correct answer to the question of minimum pound test to prevent loss of lures to pike. Everything is a trade-off. The higher the pound test the higher the visibility and the more resistant to teeth. I would try one of two things, or both. One would be tieable titanium leader of about 20 pound test. It's pretty fine and not that visible. The other would be a 12 inch heavy flouro leader on the end of the regular leader-I would think about 40 pounds test would make a big difference, but it is not absolutely bite proof and is certainly not invisible. Buy leader material; it's supposed to be tougher than flouro designed to be line. There is also saltwater hard mono leader material that sure feels tough.

Most who use braid on a baitcaster find that 50 pound braid is about right for best casting performance. The biggest difference between braid and mono is that braid has no stretch, so it makes the system much stiffer, much more sensitive. You may find it too stiff for cranks. Since I have individual setups for most techniques, I have mono on my crank rods. I like braid for all other techniques. One way to soften it up a little is to use mono or floro leaders, just shorter than the length of the rod. Then you have a leader to line knot to consider, and with 50 braid and a 20 or so leader, a double uni will most likely not go through the micro guides well, if you have a rod with micros. Your normal terminal knots may not work well for braids, too, but there are knots that work.

Fishing from shore would lead me to a 7' 3" to 7' 6" length to maximize casting distance. Action would be medium fast to fast, not Xfast since you'll want to use it for cranks, which usually calls for moderate action. Power would be matched to the weight of the lures. For example, if I were planning to cast lures to 5/8, I would buy a rod with about that for the high end of its lure recommended weight. It will then cast from about 1/4 to 3/4 fairly well. This recommendation is predicated on having single rod that will do most things well, as you stated in your question.

I agree with Andy's point about your limiting the use of the rod if you go too small. Keep in mind that the reduction train is much less important to sensitivity since it is closer to the grip. I use KLH for all my spin builds now and if I know I'll never go beyond 15 pound test, I'll start with a KLH 16. For most, in the interest of versatility , I use a 20. I really don't think most people can tell the difference in sensitivity. I don't think I could, but have never done a back to back. For runners I think going below a size 5 is counterproductive. Doing so complicates the line to line knot and any fuzz on the water can be a problem. Earlier icing, too. By using a 16 or 20 with size 5 runners you will be building a very versatile rod that will cast so far with light braid that you will be amazed. And it will pass most of the easier to tie knots if using leaders below about 15 pound test. When micros first came in everyone, myself included, went nutso trying to do the smallest guides. Now we are getting smarter. And the rods work fine.

I was kidding. Plenty of colors, and still more. Looks good. I like the 4" Strike King KVD swimin' caffeine shad in pearl up here for smallies, snapped off bottom aggressively. But only 10 other colors.

Need more colors.

How do you know it's like many others unless you see it? I love to see what other custom builders are doing, might see something I want to try. This rod, for example, is probably different than all other rods and has a couple features others may be interested in. For example, stuck with using downloading seats? Uploading allows the hood rather than the threads to be under the fingers. Smoother, more comfortable. Turn the ramp to be just smaller than the ramp and the hand moves seamlessly between them. Cover the burl cork with wrap epoxy then Perma-gloss for an outstanding look. Too slippery? Not so, try it and see. It's the shape that's most important to grip and comfort.

One can use a black sharpie to mottle the last couple feet of braid to make it look more natural, less obtrusive. I use leaders with braid for confidence that I have the least visible terminal rig and to not lose braid when retying many times.

I find the jigs generally of great quality except for that Dredge hook, the Owner Deep Throat jig hook that is not a round bend. I found that hook sets were a problem because it appeared that the "corner" on the hook would contact the roof of the fish's mouth allowing the jig to skid out on the set without the barb getting a good bite. I rebent the hook on one to a round configuration and got much better percentage of sets. I know others have not had this problem, and I don't know why I did, but I did. And solved it with a rework to round. I recommend the other series that don't have the Owner Deep Throat jig hook. Great colors, so many that I cannot recommend specifics. I like to have some with blue, some with black, of course dark green, and some with chartreuse. For our lakes with bluegills, ones that match that hatch are good.

When the water gets down to about 50 many options mentioned will not work as well as a blade bait, a 4 inch swim bait on a darter head jig, or a spoon, all fished by letting them sink to the bottom, then getting into a cadence the fish prefer of jerking/snapping/twitching off the bottom. At this time you might not think there are any fish there until you try this technique.

The best indicator of sensitivity is weight. Especially in the tip area. So how do you weigh the tip area? You don't, so look for short wraps, small guides, and low total weight. the lightest rod that will cast the weight you want to cast most likely will be the most sensitive. The highest lure weight spec on the rod, while not totally objective, is about the best indicator there is of power. There is an objective test procedure that gives reliable data on power and action, called CCS. If you're interested, http://www.common-cents.info/

Boy, don't know where to start with these comments. I think you need to find a good dealer and go with them. There is a lot of misinformation on here, IMHO. I'll give you my opinions and you can evaluate them along with the others. Water pump impellers seals are not the seal that causes trouble with lower units. The reason for changing LU lube annually is to let you see if there is any water in it, which can happen if the PROP seal is damaged by fishing line. Also, you then will be confident that it's full. But when you drain the oil, if it shows water in it, the prop seal can then be changed to prevent water from entering in the future. And the LU lube can be replaced with new. No need to leave the lower unit empty. I think that's a bad idea-you might forget it's empty and run without lube. If the engine is stored vertically, there will not be enough water in it to damage anything at any temperature. This assumes no water, or not much, in the LU. It is likely that your new engine is fine. I have always fogged mine, but many dealers do not, especially the four strokes. I change plugs annually, but many do not. Again, it gives me a chance (and will give the dealer a chance if they do it) to see if they look normal. A lot can be determined by the appearance of the plugs. If you are not handy, let the dealer do it. The most likely problem with changing plugs is starting the new plug cross threaded, thus failing the head. This is easy to do with aluminum threads in the head. Very expensive. The fact that your engine is so new makes potential problems a pretty rare possibility. If it were my engine I would use it until I wanted to store it, I'd fog it, and that would be it. (Keep adding gas treatment with any added fuel) But why believe another poster on the forum like me? Get a trustworthy dealer to guide you.

Regarding retrieve, just about like silver buddy. Let fall to find the bottom and get into a cadence that works, snapping it up from near the bottom. Sometimes they want it aggressive, sometimes more subtle.

Certainly worth a try to glue it. If it works, you're done. If it doesn't, then a re-wrap is the next step.

Making one's own cores is a big pain, so I buy the cores and turn my own cores to shape. A drill press can be used with the addition of a base with a cheap ball bearing sized to a rod on which the core material is mounted and turned. Clamp the base to the bed of the drill press to provide stability at the lower end, the rod goes from the chuck to the bearing. I use 60 grit sandpaper, and the material is removed very quickly, so be careful not to take too much off. For detailed directions consult this site: https://rileyrods.com/home/composite-grip-store/how-tos/ I have purchased my cores from Riley, and admit that while I've never had troubles with them, others have found them "gone" at times. there are other sources for the cores, but these directions are very good. Suggest calling Riley if planning to purchase from them and find out if all is OK. If you want the lightest, most sensitive grips possible, foam core is the way to go. They also are striking in appearance, especially in the sun if finished smooth and glossy. If you do like I do and have a butt knob, a front ramp, and a rear ramp, all three may be formed onto a single core, the cloth installed all at once, and then separated for use after finishing. You will need to design the transitions properly with plenty of space between each element.

It's a great reel. Bought my first as a past model about a year ago, and it's very nice in all aspects of performance.

What you get when you go above the approx $100 range are durability, smo-o-o-th, better drags, and better bails. But. . . I have found Daiwas, even in the $100 range (old Cabelas reels), to be very durable. I still use a couple that are about 10 years old. Still smooth, bails still work fine.