PhishLI

The face was cut/turned on a lathe, so the only practical way to recreate the tooling bias is to sand/polish it on a lathe. However, you'll remove both the anodize and probably the etched lettering when removing the deep scratches. Applying a clear coat afterward like ProtectaClear will save the aluminum from future oxidation and will provide a measure of scratch protection. ProtectaClear | Durable Surface Protection | Everbrite Coatings - Commercial

It's obvious that they don't give AS, so why do you care if you ding them with a CC claw back? Guaranteed you aren't the 1st person who was forced to do so. Good thing you didn't accept it as you'd then be left on your own as you're not the shipper.

You've been earnest enough. Call Amex and be done with it. As you know, have the tracking info on hand when you call.

The crawfish version is greasy and smells like a horse's azz. I keep a small spray bottle filled with rubbing alcohol with me to wash the stank off my fingers after I use this stuff.

Pick up a 5"-6" floating swimbait. A 6th Sense Trace is affordable. Both can be thrown on a typical H rod rated to 1 1/2 ozs if you don't have a swimbait setup. Buy some 1/4" wide lead self-adhesive tape. Apply to the bottom of the bait in front and behind the first hook. Wrap the shank of the front treble too. This will give you a slight nose-down presentation. Add strips until you achieve about a 1/2' foot per second sink rate for the current water temp. Cast past them and play with the retrieve where you see them suspended. You can stall the bait in their vicinity, then twitch and vary your retrieve. Basically, present them a sitting duck or a fleeing fish. Bait typically darts then stops, so try to replicate that with pauses in between.

'Aint yous guys ever heard of a reel cover? Mine still looks like new after 3 years of being slung over my shoulder with up to 6 other rigs when I walk from spot to spot, and many boat trips. The Rod Glove Casting Reel Glove | Tackle Warehouse

PLAT is in Japan and shouldn't be your 1st option for a single part. I couldn't say whether your local reel repair spot knows their chit or not, so take your chances. Your best bet would be to get the part and store it until you send the reel out for its 1st full service. DVT is the site sponsor here and I can't recall any complaints. Delaware Valley Tackle - Home

It's plastic, which is the norm. If you're familiar with disassembling a reel it is. Then don't even think about it. The handle and gear-side side cover needs to be removed to access the dog that retains the thumb button. Try calling Daiwa USA first for the part before trying through PLAT. Telephone: (562)375-6800 & Fax Number: (800)653-2492 You need part # 42. Give them your reel's model # so they know that you need parts for a right-handed reel as the thumb button/clutch lever is asymmetrical. Taka Schematic Template (shopify.com)

For a number of good reasons, avoid plastic reels and get the LFS instead.

Tatulas don't have an easily accessible spool bearing mounted on the spool's shaft. It's contained inside the handle-side side plate. Rotate the handle and drag star to allow clearance to rotate off the spool tension cap which will expose the inner spool bearing. Depress the thumbar. With a finger, rotate the spool to see if the inner race is turning along with the spool's axle shaft. If it's hard to tell, pull the spool. Cut the tip off a Q-tip then insert that end into the inner race of the bearing. Rotate it to check if it turns freely. Should be fine but I've seen two of these frozen in '17 Tat SVs over the years. If it is, replace it. If it rotates, then add a drop or two of oil in between the outside of the bearing's inner race and its shield then rotate it. Take your time aligning the threads on the spool tension cap when you reinstall it. A tad tricky but doable with the handle installed. Oil the bearing found in the palming-side sideplate. This will wet the balls and should quiet things down nicely assuming the bearings are OK. Normally they are. The first pic is an oversized bearing shown for illustration purposes to show where to drop the oil into.

You're not alone. The most talented, multi-discipline machinist I've ever come across was in the same boat. He was also a master fixture designer and could conceive and fabricate them too. But get him out of the shop and his mind turned off it seems. Having to assemble a barbeque would turn his brain to goo. Hands shaking and sweat dripping. It was mystifying. And there lies the problem. Two local shops close to me have good reps according the normies, but I've had a clear line of sight to their practices. Your prized reel gets tossed naked other than a tag into a large box with many others. Shots of WD-40 sprayed in before they closed them up. Never.

Another benefit is that you won't end up spinning-out in your head over the slightest squeak or noise.

If you've been taking things apart and putting them back together since you were able to grasp a screwdriver, then a bait caster is a dumb-simple thing to work on. If your knees start knocking when your wife asks you to assemble an IKEA desk, then working on a reel probably isn't for you. If you're somewhere in between, there are plenty of YT reel maintenance and breakdown vids that will help to familiarize you with the process.

Here's just one. Fish Arrow Heavy Poop Stick Bait | Tackle Warehouse I use the 3.6"

I'm generally a 7'3"-7'6" type. However, I picked up a Tatula Elite 6'9" HF specifically for certain spots where I'd be wading out and fishing under low, overhanging tree branches. It's listed as a skipping rod, so it has some tip. More like a MHF tip but it gets into a heavy backbone. I thought it would be just for this situation, but I can't put it down. It's more versatile across its rating than I thought it would be, and I'm not losing much distance when casting compact, heavier baits. Also, I'm often fishing from an un-decked Jon boat, so with my feet being over a foot below the waterline when I'm standing it's the perfect length for skipping.