MickD

Sounds to me like you're really trying to get some cork under your grip position which is up from the butt a little. One way is to cut the knob off and install a whole grip onto the blank. Buy an appropriate grip and cut it to proper length by cutting the front where it will join the reel seat. Easiest is a grip that will be bored through, then add a butt knob that you like. Shape the grip at the front as you wish to get the transition you want. Bore the grip so it will slip onto the the blank. This will leave the front and maybe the middle a little loose due to the taper of the blank. Build the front and maybe middle of the grip of the blank up with masking tape to get a good fit to the grip. When glueing the grip on with epoxy be sure to totally encapsulate the tape. This will be a little costly, in my opinion, but will accomplish what you want. If you don't mind mismatching materials you can put a section of EVA right above the existing knob. Get the piece you want, bore it to size, slice it longitudinally so it will slip over the blank (using epoxy on the blank), then glue the slit closed with contact cement. Slit positioned on the bottom. Or, get used to feeling the blank. I don't mind feeling that nice smooth blank instead of cork. This will allow you to fish just about any shape without a problem.

Double uni takes more than 3 wraps. I use 5 or 6. Make sure you lube it as you pull it tight. Alberto's last step is important. You have to put the tag through the "loop" in the right direction or it will fail. I really don't see how any method of tying the double uni will make it "compact." Alberto is much smaller. I like the FG, smallest and strongest, a little tough to learn to tie properly, but once you get it, you'll love it. Search for YouTube videos on how to tie it.

Micros vs larger guides: Some say micros cast farther, maybe, but most good rods with bigger guides will cast farther than necessary anyway. Difference will be minor, IMHO. They don't pass knots as well as bigger guides, sometimes not at all depending on the knot and the pound test of the leader. The biggest difference is that since they are lighter, the rod, any rod, will be more sensitive than if it had heavier guides. The lighter the guides, the more sensitive the rod will be. This can be very significant, easy to feel. The higher the modulus of the rod the greater the difference.

You NEVER EVER sell a rod. If it's a good rod, use it. It is not possible to have too many rods. If it's not so good, give it to a kid who needs one. That's my spin, anyway.

Don't trust off-brands and cheap braid. Loose weaves collect water which causes the line to jump off the spool just after the start of the cast. Anyone having trouble with casting with braid should compare how their outfit casts in the yard vs on the water. Buy a high quality name-brand that has a very tight and smooth weave, if you're going to buy braid. I recommend, like so many others, starting with pure mono, the softer the better, in 12-15 pound test. When you get that mastered, move on to braid if you want more sensitivity. Forget flouro, in my opinion. Finally, don't even try to cast spinnerbaits up wind for a while. Concentrate on easy to cast lures like spoons and lipless cranks, and stay away from lures less than half an ounce for a while.

All braids are not created equal. If your braid is sort of a soft, open, weave, it probably is getting too heavy from carrying water. I've found that premium braids, like Suffix Performance Braid at about 35 pound test cast the best. But look for a smooth, tight, weave in the braid so it will shed water instead of collect it. They also don't dig in like some others. If this is the issue you should find that your current setup casts better in the yard (dry) than it does in the lake (wet). All the other tips above are valid, too, so work with your reel and technique as recommended.

I suggest you look for the sales to allow you to get the best rod you can for the money you're willing to pay. True that most more expensive rods provide more feel. They are also more fragile, easier to break if you don't know how to handle a good rod. Try to get the rod that is the lightest for the power rating and you'll be getting the best. You also can help the feel situation a great deal by using braid line, which has no significant stretch. I think that may be a bigger factor than rod sensitivity. I like no heavier than about 15 pound on a spinning outfit. http://www.rodbuilding.org/library/rodusage.pdf

Sure would like to know the guy suggesting you steal one, so I could make sure he's not near my boat at the launch. I think the only reasonable chance for avoiding cost here is to see if one from your old reels might work. Keep in mind that the cap is designed to apply an axial load to the end of the spool, so the details of its shape are important. Some have a "spring washer" in them to soften up the application of the force. Do it right and replace with OEM.

All I can tell you is that it works. And retying regularly is a waste of time. The leader is under no stress from kinking, as with other knots, since it is not bent. I've had other knots that have tight bends in the FC that have mysteriously failed, and a forum contributor attributes that to kinking the FC. We all know how fragile FC is if you dig out a backlash improperly, and I think it's the same with knots that "kink" it, like the Albright and its derivatives. I've had plenty of them fail myteriously, and I think the kinking is the reason. Also, keep in mind that all FC is not created equal, and some of them may be very sensitive to kinking. The FG does not kink them.

Oops, that's a 17.

Lots of comments in the past about not wanting to tie an FG on the water. I was looking at my tackle yesterday and I have 3 outfits that have FG's and they have been used extensively all season. The knots look like new. One thing about a well-tied FG is that it seems to last almost forever, which means not needing to retie very often. I used to used double uni's and they required retying after a few days on the water because they seemed to get beaten up by the guides. Even fairly large guides. The FG, especially in this day of smaller guides, is well worth learning to tie correctly. Remember, most of us didn't learn to ride a bike successfully the first few tries, either. But it was worth it to stick with it.

I normally hold the reel between the two fingers as mentioned, but I started using this one moving one finger up and did it intuitively and without any problem. I like uplocking because it puts my fingers onto the front ramp without contacting any threads. I tend to like bigger ramps than most. I think that if more people tried bigger ramps, like my personal pic rod, which is a size 18 seat, they would like them. The problem with the ergonomics of most spinning rods is that the seats are too small for most hands. I never use smaller than a 17 any more, sometimes 18, and my hands are not that big. I normally hold the reel between the two fingers as mentioned, but I started using this one moving one finger up and did it intuitively and without any problem. I like uplocking because it puts my fingers onto the front ramp without contacting any threads. I tend to like bigger ramps than most. I think that if more people tried bigger ramps, like my personal pic rod, which is a size 18 seat, they would like them. The problem with the ergonomics of most spinning rods is that the seats are too small for most hands. I never use smaller than a 17 any more, sometimes 18, and my hands are not that big. Below is another, also size 18.

Agree on line waste, but also, with a big triple treble lure, it can be maddening. I've heard all the horror stories about flouro needing special knots, but I use the simple knots with no problems. I lube with spit and make sure to really pull the main line tightly to set the knot. If there is a problem (with mono or FC) I have not found it. Braid is another animal, and Berkely nano even another.

The foregrip is patterned after the EVA piece that Amtac sells for the aero. It really feels good. When I do another I'll try smaller and see how I like it. The rear piece is basically just for aesthetic reasons, to sort of balance the look. The hand never gets there. Thanks for the comments.

Using a soft-touch Aero seat up-locking, couple with custom seat ramps from carbon fiber and a great Rainshadow Immortal blank, and you have a wonderfully comfortable rod, very sensitive, and a really nice, clean, design. I used Microwaves on it.

I will never use pure FC again, too temperamental, too fragile if kinked. Yozuri Hybid is a much better choice for a better casting, easier to handle, less hassle line.

Another way of avoiding this is to use premium braid that stays round and keep your drag fairly light compared with what you usually do. Just because one has 30 pound braid doesn't mean the drag should be adjusted really tight. You can add drag with your thumb on most fresh water fish without getting burned. I haven't had this problem in a long time, and I had to cut mine out too, which is not a picnic. I since carry a small crochet hook in the boat and I believe that if I carefully hooked the line where it enters the spool of line, I could work it free. Haven't yet had to try, though.

If you're a masochistic looking for frustration, go FC. If you want a very sensitive, trouble-free, long-casting setup, go straight braid or braid + FC leader. In clear water I go with the leader. Easiest, very reliable line to leader knot is the double uni, if it will go through the guides. If not, learn the FG. Sorry, cannot get rid of the bold text for some reason.

I believe that trimming the tip will give a smaller action angle when CCS tested. Smaller action angle = slower action. Take a scrap blank and try it. Same for trimming the butt. Agree, the right way is to get the right blank in the first place, and with all the choices, that should not be that hard.

I've not found a true FC that handles well enough on a spinning reel except for very light tests, like 4-6.

You didn't mention spinnerbaits, which I find difficult to fish slowly enough with a 7:1, so would prefer a 6:1 if spinnerbaits would be important. Same for some crankbaits. 7:1 OK for everything else.

Every experience I've had with Abu Garcia has been good. Take care of your gear and you may find there will be no need for upgrades, certainly not right away. With spinning, it is my opinion that the rod is the most important element. In baitcasting, it is the reel.

Those little red brake weights will last forever. Now that you know how they work (and come off) they should present no problem with losing them. I've had them on many reels for many years and never lost one. I think that ads for the reels list drag capacity, which will probably be a lot more accurate than just feeling them. Same for line capacity. I think the Curado 201 is too light for inshore, don't know much about the Chronach, but Daiwa makes very good stuff, and if their reel is designed for inshore, then it probably will perform the best. I would have ordered an Abu Garcia to compare. Lately they have had very high capacity drags, if I remember the specs right.

I have a lot of Cabelas Dry + and have had no problems with just washing with normal detergent. But everything has a life when it will deteriate in performance. If purchasing new I would find a name brand with the weight and features I like , breathable only, product on sale and buy that. I've had good luck with Columbia, Campmor, Cabelas. I really like the very light jacket I now have, and its function is simply to shield from wind and rain. I get warmth from layers of fleece and wind shirt. very light, comfortable, and versitile for all kinds of weather.

Won't hurt to cast it to see how it works, but IMHO, it's too high pound test for good performance on a spinning reel anyway. I would replace it with a name brand 15 pound braid, use a leader if you want, or not, and you'll have much better performance. If new to braid, do some research on knots.