newapti5

It's actually more like a hobby for winter time. Some people rebuild cars; some clean/build reels. It's much, much easier and much, much cheaper than rebuilding say a 69' Camaro though.

Exactly. Unless to change line, I wonder what the purpose of removing the line is? For cleaning the naked spool? But how dirty the spool bottom could get to be worthy of the hassle? Maybe for saltwater fishing? I don't know... Anyway, I guess cleaning the spool completely won't hurt either. For me, if I don't need to change line, I'd put the spool aside, and then proceed with the cleaning of other dirty parts.

It's truly no-fade. You could scratch it with your fingernail as hard as you can, and you won't find a hint of color in your fingernail. It's quiet and slick, but not the slickest. If I were in a casting contest, it won't be my first choice, but it's very strong and abrasion resistant. Its diameter is a bit thicker than it claims, but it's quite round. So dig-in problem is not that serious. So far, it's one of my favorite braids, right next to Fanatic Pro braid.

No one has posted any Susque pics yet? Here is Susquehanna at Harrisburg, and its tributaries.

It truly is a crazy good deal! I feel like we should pin it to the top of the forum. Too bad I am not in the market for any rods at the moment.

Sportsmans Outfitters has Z-man Mini Max Chatterbait for $5.49. I found it a much better chatterbait for smallmouths.

Compared to Daiwa's SV brakes, the current SVS brake is a bit finicky, especially when you cast too hard. However, the first generation of SVS, those red brake shoes found on Curado I, Chronarch Ci4+, and 13 Metanium, they are relatively less touchy and have more control during the cast, which results in a bit less casting distance.

For rods, the shipping is different. Asian Portal charges like $70, but Jpangler charges less than $40. For reels, Amazon Japan usually charges about $10 for shipping. Last month the Daiwa Caldia on Amazon Japan was ~$105, now it bounced back to ~$120. But in long term, I think the yen is still going down, so let's see.

With the yen being so low, I would rather try something JDM that normally is too pricy. The new Megabass Destroyer rods are now ~$300 from Japan sites, if you can find one in stock. You'll still have budget left for a Daiwa Caldia MQ, which is a little fancier than a Tatula LT. It has a couple of FC (finesse custom) models that weigh ~6.5 oz.

With the yen going down, there're so many choices for $200, so let's talk about what $100 can get you. I just couldn't help myself and got this used 13 Metanium in excellent condition for $100. Except a couple of tiny scratches on the outside, the parts inside are just like new. And you don't even have to shop Japan sites; that good ol' auction site has many available.

It's the difference of elastic and plastic deformation. Fluoro tends to develop more plastic deformation, but that must also includes the factor of time "t". So yes, our real life experience is correct - many fluoro stretches less than mono during the short time period of hookset. But if you fight the fish with a lot of line tension for a long time, that's a different story. I fish jigs with both lines - fluoro when I am changing lures frequently, or I am using a stiff rod; braid + leader when I need the most sensitivity, or I am using a relatively "soft" rod.

You're right about the small differences between some model reels; tight tolerances are reserved for their top-tier reels. But more importantly, maybe give them some time to run in. I had several reels that got smoother after a couple of trips.

Kidding aside, it's totally doable with some 0.1mm thick shims, some 4x7x2.5mm bearings, and some grease.

If OP doesn't mind used reels, there're some really nice deals on Yahoo Auction Japan site, like this excellent condition Steez A TW for just $185 plus shipping.

Interesting story. It kind of reminds me of the unknown brand sneakers shoes I used to buy from Walmart. They were extremely comfortable to my feet, but broke down after a year like clockwork. For $10 a pair, they're my essential yardwork shoes, and I changed them when each spring started.

There are many YouTube videos about that. The channel "Tackle Advisors" is all about tearing down reels. And here's another good video:

Digitaka is unlikely to keep restocking models of several years old; you'll have better luck to find them on Amazon Japan, or other Japan auction sites. Regarding new Steez, it seems Daiwa has been busy with the Zillion line so far, and the new Steez probably won't come out this year. They have been trying to clear the stock of Steez SV since 2020 though.

Thanks for the detailed reply! Just one last question, is Buyee's shipping rate as what it states in its shipping estimate tool? Is there any other hidden charge?

One of the common issues with old reels, or reels that have been used a lot.

I wonder if anyone has used Japan proxy shipping companies, like the buyee.jp? The reason I ask is Amazon Japan's price difference is getting bigger. Right now, the limited reels on Amazon Japan available to US buyers are sold by third party sellers, and the price is pretty high, while Amazon Japan is selling many more reels in low prices to domestic buyers. Also, Amazon Japan only sells used reels to domestic buyers, like this 22 Bantam with some packaging box damage for just $160. It makes me wonder if it's worthy to use those proxy shipping companies.

Spool weight matters, but so does how the weight is distributed on the spool. That would affect angular momentum, which in turn affects casting distance. The closer the mass is to the axle, the less effect that mass has on angular momentum. This is why even though some MGL spools are not so light (~14 grams), they still cast very well with light lures. Thus, if you want to put a couple grams of tape on the bottom of the spool, which is close to the axle, I don't think it would affect the casting much. I use a line counter to make sure I only put 70~80 yards line on each spool, no matter the line type. The rest of the spool space will be filled with braid backing, to lower the spool weight. And I use a piece of tape to make sure the braid backing won't slip on the spool. Regarding the relation between spool weight and DC brake, I think although the spool weight won't affect the casting distance on DC reels as much as on regular reels, lighter spool does make casting light lures easier, and maybe a litter further. That's why I am interested to see how the new SLX DC XT performs. It combines DC brake with a MGL 3 spool. As to how much effect the leader knot has on casting distance, I feel like it's a different topic, irrelevant to spool weights.

It isn't available to US market yet, you'll need to find it in Japan sites. As far as I know, Japan Tackle takes pre-orders. https://japantackle.com/newproducts/shimano-22slxdcxt.html

Sure. Anyway, I guess you're right. This is a Scorpion level reel in SLX disguise. Its most attractive thing for me is the combination of I-DC5 with MGL 3 spool, while even the new Scorpion DC is just using the regular MGL spool. I have tried the MGL 3 spool; it's quite impressive on casting distance, even compared to regular MGL.

Has anyone tried the brand new SLX DC XT? It's supposed to be available by this month. I didn't pay much attention to the SLX line, but this one really piqued my interest. It almost has everything: I-DC5 brake as what Conquest DC uses, the newest MGL 3 spool, X-ship, Micromodule gears, 70 spool for lighter lures... Shimano usually makes sure their reels from different price point have matching level of features, but IMO this one is definitely eating up the market of the new Scorpion DC, as well as the Curado DC. Why?

It could be just the rods and matching lures, but reels could be a factor as well. I don't know what lures you're using, but heavy spools are designed for heavy lures. When you use a reel with heavy spool to cast light lures, it tends to go left. For example, I wouldn't use a Lew's BB1 to cast a 1/4oz lure. Also, brake force plays a role in it as well. Too strong a brake force for a certain lure could cause it to go left, besides killing the distance. You could give it a try next time, matching the same rod with different reels. Maybe you'll see some difference.