MickD

Make a choice based on all the factors you've read about. They probably won't be there. Now that you know where they aren't, you can find where they are. I usually find a number of places they aren't. Then I have to go home. ?

That blank is quite a light power blank. Very nice if that's what you want. I use mine for Neds most of the time. Would also be good for walleye jig fishing, light jigs vertical, leeches or minnows. Which is what is was designed for, I believe. I have CCS if anyone wants it.

That method is not going to work for me. I cannot manipulate the lines to properly snug up the weaves, so I'll stick with my "tie it in the chair, a little braid tension, braid tied to my belt loops, works like a charm method." thanks,

Excellent! But then comes the knot discussion. . .

Uh OH! That hook has a California toxicity warning !! As does seemingly every piece of fishing tackle I own. :-) I like the Gama Octopus hooks , cannot remember the size, but pretty small. I get a pretty good hookup ratio, IMO. Depending on how the fish are hitting, usually it works better to let the fish have a few seconds, and just reel down on them or lift the rod and reel down.

I was not doing that. I'll try again, but it seems to me that tying the knot this way is going to be harder and more sensitive to screwing it up than my method with the braid running from my waist to the slightly bent rod. Which gets it farther away from the eyes and doesn't use the mouth. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised. Thanks again. PS I know I'm making the weaves properly based on experience and studying the video carefully.

Tried it. Something is wrong with my method. The braid just slips off the mono. it's called the no tension, but are you tensioning each weave as it's made? Pulling tightly the braid that you've just wrapped under then over?

4.5 is probably about right. It's not critical. Smaller the better for low mass, until knots won't pass freely. The rings are measured at the outer diameter, so a 4.5 will have a 4.5 OD. Measure the guides a and try to stay close to that. Because the measurements are made at the OD, the ID's will vary with bran/material/etc. But not by much.

Looks very good, have to run out and get my braid and leader! I don't use my mouth but do tie the braid to my belt loops with a reusable "twist tie" and do tension it. This looks very promising. Lots of other good info in your post too, thanks.

Good advice. If you are convinced you need FC then use leader grade FC. Yes it's pricey, but it is better than the line grade for leaders where stiffness is not a problem. And you don't use that much of it, a 30 meter spool a year? For $15? Not an issue, most likely . I use fly tippet FC when I want to use FC, mostly for it's density. And for surface rig I use mono leader material grade.

Do you know the max drag rating of your drag? If it's over 20 pounds , I'd be surprised. More likely about 12-15. Regardless, if you set the drag at about 1/3 its capacity, and use the right technique for setting the hook, your worries are over. With braid you don't need to tear their jaws out to set the hook, just give a little line to get a little slack, then a quick, sharp, but not all that heavy of a snap. That's with drop shot , jigs and other finesse. With cranks and spinnerbaits, just apply pressure. If you are getting dig-in you may be using an older version of some braids which are flat, so they dig in by going edgewise into the spool of line. Try a premium braid that advertises that it's round. Might cost more, but braid lasts most fishermen for years. And you can go higher on drag without digging in . And yes, make sure your hooks are sharp.

Slow rolling spinnerbaits.

The effect of 3 inches off the tip is not insignificant. It most likely will not feel as good as it did before. But there likely is a place for it in your arsenal. The big thing is not what we say; it is what you say after trying it. If you kept the broken piece it can be repaired to be almost as good as new, exc for its looks. Will react a little slower due to the weight, but I've repaired a number of rods whose owners thought they worked well after repair. https://www.rodbuilding.org/library/repair-oquinn.html

Used to use it on a casting rod, 12 pound test if I remember correctly. Cast well, very stretchy. I think there are better choices, all with no FC in them.

That will seal them, but thread wrap epoxy (actually a casting resin) levels better, doesn't yellow as quickly and is much clearer than adhesive epoxies.

the system you show in your original post has an advantage that most responders' solutions don't address. It gathers all the tips together thus preventing the snagging of just one, which can easily happen with systems which don't gather the tips all together. The most likely damage when carrying multiple rods is that one tip will snag on something, you won't feel it, and it will snap. By gathering them it will take a lot more force to damage any or all of them, you will notice and stop. Carry with the butts facing the direction you are moving.

I don't think there is a fix other than removing and rewrapping. If you do that you might want to update the guides. But , if you want to try a less drastic approach, pick off the loose stuff and put a coat or two of rod wrap epoxy on. Won't look great, but I think it would hold the guides well as long as the thread is not damaged.

Dilute CLR does a nice job, may take multiple tries since it wasn't used since new. After getting it clean, use Lucas instant wiipe one/off wax. Can't remember the real name, but it will give it a nice shine and prevent water spots that form later from sticking aggressively. A-Jay, what's its name? I got the recommendation from you a couple years ago.

SIC rings, in Fuji would be most likely LG.

If it's located properly and adequately tight it won't move with fast running. If it's throwing up a big wake it's most likely located too deep. I doubt if you have a transducer problem in the sense that it's defective. I think it's more about locating it properly and learning to use your depth finder, which takes a lot of time on the water. Not a piece of cake. Good advice from Tom.

Yay! Right on! Anyone doubting this should provide logical and laws of physics arguments for their case. Most of the time I close it manually by just bumping it with my right (casting hand) hand knuckles. Smooth , quiet, no line taken in by the act of closing it.

I have heard that on clear water lakes a brown curly tail grub works well worked very slowly. I have no experience of my own.

I see you robbed another bank. With everyone wearing masks it makes it a lot easier, right? If you take a small cable tie and put it over the end and cinch it down it most likely will prevent the tiptop from going through at the end. Carefully insert the rod so the tip doesn't go out before getting to the end.

Have you tried fishing the promising looking structure. It could be fish are somewhat scattered and you have had any in your cone. or , if the fish are tight to the bottom you may not see or recognize them. I almost never see smallmouth bass, but on good days I catch them.

I would not recommend going in any farther than just taking the side cover off and looking it over. You may find the previous posters were correct, and very easy fixes. Modern reels are too complicated for me to go very far in. But the side cover is a piece of cake, and you may even find it loose to begin with. Also, make sure the level wind pawl is lubed. Many never consider lubing it and it may be sticking.