.RM.

Muddy beat me to it. But I thought it might be an accidental free spool button trip. To bad about it falling apart..... Good Luck & Tight Lines !!!!!

Yup! but make sure it is in small steps. You can always take more off, but cut them to shallow you can't put it back, and you will weaken the guides frame.... Good Luck With Your Build...

If you have never modified a rod. Then instead of modifying that rod. Get a kit and build one like it only the way you want.... While it can be done, I don't recommend it because those 2 items on the rod are fitted from the front of the rod to conform with the blanks taper, before guides are wrapped.What to look forward to: You will need a Dremel tool, a cutting wheel, and a good steady hand. You will need to cut the cork and reel seat length wise and with a screw driver blade pry the cork rings apart and the reel seat apart to remove them. Make sure you don't nick/cut the blank, do this and your done.. Now you need to clean the areas that your working in, you need to remove all the old epoxy (again being careful NOT to damage the blank). Once the area has been cleaned and readied for the new cork and seat, then you need to purchase new cork rings in the quantity that it will take to form a new grip, and you will need to purchase a new reel seat. These items will have to be fitted to the blank, the reel seat will need to be reamed to fit from the back of the rod, instead of from the front. This will mean that the reel seat will be lose and need heavy shimming, and then epoxied. Then you need to fit each individual cork ring to the blank by reaming it to fit. Once you have it all sized and reamed, then its time to epoxy it all up. That to a builder is the easiest part of it all, for you not quit so. Next is shaping the grip, providing you haven't screwed the pooch and given up. This is the hardest to do on the blank even when you have a lathe you can chuck the blank up in and turn the grips. Without one your looking at a couple of days to shape it. This is like I say, if you have the steady hands and the patient's That's one place...MudHole, Jann's, etc. are others.Good Luck.....

muddy man, Oh man, no truer words were ever posted...... Then the mods need to lock this sucker up. I thought this thread was a loaded question when first posted that could bring out argumentative natures, it did....JMPO Tight Lines!!!

Just a little info on the reel would be nice and maybe a help...

Mike-in-WV, Check out this little ditty...... Basic Baitcast Reel Setup 101 Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!

Personal preference.... A pistol or short straight grip 5'6" - 6' med/fast. Tight Lines!!!!

I would set it at 1/3, and then if you think it's slipping to much on hookset lay your thumb on the spool and snap the tip.Tight Lines!!!

I hear that. I quit a year ago this April, how much more should we give up to be able to afford the gear we want/need.... Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!!

LOW7681, A little stiffer tip reacts just a little quicker than a fast.Tight Lines!!!!!

ghoti, mike bat, I agree 100% they basically were the produced back then, for flipping and t-rigs. Setting the hook and turning the head NOW is what it's all about...... I have seen anglers working spinnerbaits and buzzbaits using burners, if you don't watch yourself, and really slow it down to a 5.1 gr then the baits action isn't going to be accurate, more flip flopping, rotating, rolling, and not generaly not tracking right. I have handed them one of my 5.1:1 rigs with buzz and spinner baits and they notice immediately that the bait is easier to move and tracks the way it's supposed to. Again JMH.02¢ Tight Lines!!!!

The ratings on a rod are like Avid stated starting points. The trouble with your think is that your not looking at the lines tinsel strength. If your rod is rated for 10 -25 lb line, using mono in that suggested rating is not going to cause you any problems. Ok so now you intend on using a 30lb braid, but your thinking is in the braided lines diameter. So running 30lb braid on a rod that is rated for 10 -20 is over lined and would have some explaining to do if it snapped. Of course there have been plenty of threads on how to properly set up a system to handle braided lines... JMO.02¢ GatorBK, When I was building for the bluewater guys on the west coast I saw a lot of boat rods do that, with just over line using mono and steel. Tight Lines!!!!!

Paul, When the 7.1:1 "Burner Reels" came out I called the 3 manufacturers that I service, that made them. I asked what was the super high speed reels best used for. The pat answer I got is "quicker times getting the empty lure back to the boat". I asked about ripping buzz baits, lipless cranks etc. The pat answer I got was we refuse to dictate what the angler uses the reel/s for but this is the design reason, (Feedback from the pros especially the Quantum pros) we need to be able to get the empty lure back to the boat faster, to be able to cover more water in tournament situations. Just my .02¢ Tight Lines!!!!!

basspaddler, I'm not saying it's ok (because the reel/s aren't made for salt), but if you do, you need to take even better care of them than you did the round reels. Just my .02¢ Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!!

The cracking of the grip is a result of being wet and being dried out over and over. Again this is a perfect reason for cork sealing the grips on any rod no matter how old. I am sorry for being the messenger of bad news, but if your going to repair the rod that would be the best way. There is one other way. Inject epoxy into the crack, then cover the rod grip with a Rod Wrap.. Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!!

silvercliff_46, If I have this right in my minds eye. The glue ring between to cork rings started to crack and the cork ring finished cracking in the center of it's neighboring ring. I would replace the rings.... Well, ok this isn't going to as easy as making up some cork paste and forcing it into the crack. You will need to replace the rings, you will need to carefully remove the 2 broken rings down to the blank then clean up the old epoxy and make the space ready for new rings. No you need to get a hold of 2 new cork rings. Ream the 1/4" hold to fit the blank size, then cut the rings into half circles. Now your going to need a good epoxy (water proof) to glue the rings into place. Once the epoxy has set then using a 40gt your taking the new rings OD down to the OD of the original rings, and then using a 100 gt fine sand for smoothness. The best way to keep your cork grips from cracking and falling into disrepair is to clean and seal them.. Now this is my way of repairing the grip, Alpster, or flechero may have their own way.. Good Luck and Tight Lines!!!

Micro, Great job on explaining.. K U T G W One other thing can be done. If you walked into a shop and purchased the reel. Take it back and have the people there open the reel, and remove the spool. Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!!

Yea there are no DIRECT DRIVE reels. They all (Spinning & Baitcasting) have drag stacks that have max ratings. When you set the drags so that you cannot turn the spool by hand, the drag pads have compressed as far as they can and will release on their own. Keep this up and when the pads are compressed as far as they can go, you will get constant slip no matter how much you tighten them. Replace the drag pads, and set the reel to a proper drag setting....

surfer, Daiwa crated the X using worm gear and main drive gear ratios so that the line carriage would stack the line on the spool in a wide X pattern. This was done to primarily stop the line from digging into it'self when being stacked onto the spool with heavy resistance...Back in the 90's when the first braid (Kevlar) lines were introduced, there were baitcasting reels and spinning reels being produced to handle the way the line's were stacked onto the spools. Just my .02¢ Tight Lines!!!!

I haven't seen one in awhile and can't remember but does the STX have a bearing pack just behind the engagement pin. If so this is probably sticking in it receiver (especially a new reel). Pull a little harder on the spool and the bearing should come out of the receiver. If it doesn't have one, then it has to be the line is stopping the spool from make it out of the small space in the race of the frame. FYI any line on a spool while working the spool is a hinderance.... Just my .02¢ Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!!

If confidence in the reel your using is that the drags will hold and the reel cast the lure efficiently. If confidence in the rod your using is that will be able to cast the lure efficiently, and is sensitive enough to feel the strike. If confidence in the line your using that it is strong enough to do the job in fighting that fish home. If confidence in the lure your using it has the action to get the job done as far as attention/strike getting... Then YES!!!!!

FishinDaddy, I'd like to see a little larger pic (300X300 pix). These 61 yr old eyes can't really see the work, i'd like to see it.. Tight Wraps!

mackkie, LOL, yeah you will if you spend $250 on a reel and get frustrated because you didn't do your homework and learn how to use a baitcaster the right way. Just because you spend $250 on a reel doesn't mean YOU won't backlash that thing. The one thing I have noticed here is the high end of the posted price range is what the some of the guys immediately started giving suggestions on, but not one really offered a reel that will LIMIT back lashing, because their really isn't any such reel... Real backlash control come's from the proper setup of the reel and an educated thumb, not by how much you spend on the reel...... JMH .02¢ Good Luck & Tight Lines In 08!

Nope nothing detailed or technical.. Sensitivity is built into rods with all of the components and good balance, not just the guides.... Tight Lines!

What series Cardiff do you have??? Anything under a 300 I would say no.... Tight Lines!!!