MickD

Could be one of the above, but another possibility is if you took the reel apart the mechanism which controls the spool (thumb/clutch) lever may have become disengaged. On some reels they have to be in a particular position when reassembled. If it's disengaged it will not click back up when the reel handle is turned and the reel may be stuck in free spool. If it's positioned correctly it will click down when pressed, then click back up when the reel handle is turned.

Which size, A-Jay?

Size is tough to estimate from a photo. Not knowing how long your arms are. Regardless, a very nice sized fish.

Loomis SB812 blank built as a baitcaster, CCS = 22.9 ERN, 77 Action Angle. It is described as Medium Power, Fast Action.

Very close to making sense if they last as long as they say. At my age, just might be my last battery.

Me too.

If the two rods are the same power, it simply has to be this way. If it is the opposite, the rods were not the same power.

I will add that the one difference between "belly" guides and running micros sometimes is in the design of the foot with running micros having a thinner, shorter foot. Some have commented on having these guides pull out from under the wrap. I've never had that happen, and in fact they are so low that they don't usually get caught on anything. But one easy risk reducer is to use a locking wrap, which I do on all single foot guides. Here is one version by the guy who first thought of it: https://www.rodbuilding.org/library/forhan.html It only takes seconds per wrap to do it this way or other versions of it.

I don't know, just telling you what the advertisement says. But starting/cranking is the same thing as dual purpose. And "dual purpose" is most likely starting/deep cycle. You have "dual purpose" linked with starting/cranking. Check the ad. It states it will do both, and they have a size 27. I'm not advocating this as the best solution, but just trying to point out an option.

Cabelas/BPS has one on sale now that says starting/deep cycle. Not sure of the size. But I have one that is 7 years old and still going strong (starting battery).

I strongly recommend that those who are really interested in rod performance and differences set up their own CCS measuring setup. It is quite easy to do and when you measure all your rods (and blanks for builders) you will develop a gut feel for these issues. The higher the ERN (effective rod number) and IP (Intrinsic power) the more powerful the rod is. Regardless of the action. The higher the AA (action angle, the angle the tip makes when loaded) the faster the action is. Regardless of the power. After doing a number of rods/blanks and fishing them one will really get to know what he likes and dislikes and will be better able to duplicate in different brands the characteristics he is looking for. There is a pretty good data base out there and manufacturers are more and more getting into it and measuring their products, but only a few publish their numbers. Often they will provide them when requested. And yes, for two rods of the same power, the faster the action the softer the tip. The confusion comes in when one assumes that because two rods have the same subjective description, say "Medium Heavy Power" that they in fact do have the same power. The chances of them being the same, even within one brands' lineup, are slim. For example, one blank manufacturer has different actual power levels, as measured by CCS, for different lines of blanks. A Medium power drop shot blank will be much less powerful than their Medium power Mag Bass or Spin Jig blanks. Same for action descriptions. They will be described differently depending on the "line" they are offering them in. If you really want to know what's going on , do your own CCS.

Let us know how it goes. And exactly what is the product being used? thanks

The CP around the edges is a very good idea. NFC X-Rays are very popular, and if you don't order the mirror finish they have ridges which can interfere with decal adhesion, so a pre-coat of epoxy is necessary for reliable sticking without any gapping or adhesion problems. I usually want two coats in the decal area anyway, since I often have a thread nib or some bit of dust in the first coat, so using two is not an issue for me. I also like the look of the decal "floating" above the initial coat. Many builders put a precoat of epoxy down on all blanks that are not glossy finished. Another tip is to aggressively burnish the decal down with a burnishing tool and a piece of paper for protection of the decal. Really press the edges down.

I would not even try this. If the gas is really bad it can cause big problems. Keep trying to find a way to dispose of it, and flush all of it out.

If I were going BFS I would go longer than 6-8. The length helps get some distance on light stuff and with the light power blanks, they balance quite well even in the longer lengths.

I went through every page of the grips/guides and could not find KB/KT. A search for KB produced a blank. NFC has a lot of work to do to make that web site work properly. HFF is a fine company to work with, but their web site too doesn't show everything they have. The most complete, easy to use web source in my opinion is Get Bit.

You have not been clear on what components you are interested in.

I think Brett is right, but I wouldn't go to an extreme number of guides even if building on top. The loads involved have to be so low that I doubt if it's a problem. Spiral is certainly an easy and reliable option, and fewer guides will slow the recovery speed of the blank less than more guides would. If deciding to do a spiral, research the "simple spiral", easy and just as effective as the complicated setups.

I was wrong, the lure I meant to reference was Hawaian Wiggler, like a silver minnow with a skirt. I don't think I ever had a Dancer.

Are you looking for finished components or cork rings that can be used to build your own designs. HFF does have a great selection of Cork4Us exotic burl rings in addition to their finished components. One can easily adapt a drill press to make cork components; no need for a lathe.

Me too. One can put a ramp off the front, same diameter as the seat hood, and it's all smooth and nice up there.

Just noticed, missing one of my childhood favorites, red/white Hula Dancer.

River runt, crazy crawler, jitterbug, Pumpkinseed, Flatfish. Brings back great memories.

My teen-aged granddaughter started on a Fuego and it went very well. She picked up on it very quickly. I use Tatulas, but I have to admit, the Fuego I gave her was a pretty darned good reel.

Always willing to learn. One thing that has disappointed me about rodbuilding is how little curiosity their generally is, and how stuck in old beliefs so many builders are. I find knots fascinating, and am always trying suggestions I see here and elsewhere.