bulldog1935

Daiwa sells the RCS knobs both ways. They even cost the same. You can see a seam in the coating if it's there, plus the coated knob is more rounded.

While adding spigot ferrules to glass fly rod blanks is a fairly common choice, they're not XXH musky rods. I would go the external rod holder route - suction mounts on the outside of your vehicle. https://www.flyrodcarrier.com/rodmounts-fly-fishing-rod-racks/

Luddite is not the answer to everything. I think it's fair to assume he wants to add tackle and is looking for ideas that will benefit his fishing - even the fun.

all Shimano A and Daiwa S knobs swap (Shimano B and Daiwa L are 5 mm knob spindle and fit 10,000 size reels) There's a bearing-size shoulder at the base of Shimano knob spindle that Daiwa doesn't have. .............Shimano.....................................................................Daiwa If you use a Shimano knob on a Daiwa handle, there's also a bearing-size plastic bushing that takes up that extra length of spindle, you slide on before the inner BB. I have reels mixed and matched with Shimano, Daiwa handles, and Livre, Avail knob. The knobs all come with the spacer bushing and a set of shim washers (0.5- and 0.2-mm thick) you fit on either side of the inner BB - you stack the shim washers to adjust out end-play, through a couple of iterations of assembly and tightening. IOS factory even makes the adapter that lets you use a Daiwa handle on a Shimano reel, here, for offshore cranking. IOS also makes the hex-shaft adapter that lets me use Daiwa handles on Tica reels (to replace folding handles).

Hi Mark, It has 300 yds 35-lb X-braid (PE#1.5) plus 30-lb Gold leader. I use the 6500CT on long rod for spider weights. I use my 5500CT with 200-yds on 8' RH Composites for lures, 1/4 to 1 oz. Sometimes just to get to use it, will fish it inshore.

That handle does not come with knobs but states it does come with the 740ZZ ball bearings. Asian Portal will have a better price if they have stock - if you put a big enough cart together, you'll get free FedEx express. They should have a section under reels for Daiwa SLP works (Sports Life Planet or something that doesn't translate) https://fishing.asian-portal.shop/category/select/cid/360/bid/94 That said, Hedgehog service is lightning fast - they are always the quickest to ship. You already have one knob, You might be able to find the matching knob and only buy one. Or upgrade to a pair of nicer knobs. https://www.hedgehog-studio.co.jp/product-list/330 It's a nice handle, here with Avail acrylic knobs. It's not entirely vanity, double and counter-balanced handles can improve light feel by offsetting the tendency for gravity to turn the rotor on the bail and handle weight, especially with start-stop fishing, critical line length, etc. They can also speed up your crank rate. I like the SLP double handle best on low-geared reels (45-mm handle pitch). On my high-geared spinning reels, I like the Livre Union counter-balance, which has adjustable pitch and comes in color choices.

Fly fishermen have been doing this for ages with variations on woolly worm and pistol pete. Dropper rigs are old hat (16th century) - tie a tippet clinch knot to the big hook bend and tag a smaller wet fly to fish deeper. Crappie fishermen, too, with jigs and long poles. Spin fishermen have been using "water bubble" weighted bobbers to fish tiny trout flies since the 50s. Fishing moving lures under a cigar cork is old hat in skinny Gulf coast estuaries. Though it gets a new name every time it resurfaces, threadline fishing has been with us since the beginning. Anything you can turn over on a fly rod, you can also rig to throw on XUL. Some of us on BR are assembling baitcasters that will throw this light stuff, maybe fish in tight spaces - but even that isn't new I've been tinkering with UL lures from Japan, and found tiny examples to fish every niche - some of them deadly on the fall. Sounds like your home water is waiting for you publish the glory of fishing there.

I match my Stradic 4000 with St. Croix Legend glass 7'2" MM, 1/4-3/4-oz I also match it with my 9' Lami ML and throw as light as 1/8 oz. It fishes great with either rod. One thought is match it to a longer M or ML rod, 7-1/2' to 8'

@T-Billy Studio Composite RC-SC ExPlus - you can't imagine how light it is - the spindles are titanium and the knob sleeves are carbon. Best price is fishingshop.kiwi That and Avail STi2 with Avail-A knobs are my favorite handles. I have have another SC on my Steez

If you have a shallow braid spool, line dig is not a problem with the finest braid and biggest fish. What's backlash? This is PE #1 X-braid braid, and I caught a snook last month on PE#0.8 on another reel - -casting in the dark. 20-lb 832 is twice the diameter of 22-lb X-braid, and easy to load on a deep spool with a good backing set-up. For backing, I use up to 25-yds of 20-lb UG mono. Nothing like backlash or line dig - the fish on the right, one of sixteen I released on this reel one morning last winter.

When we handle fish, we normally see their aggression colors. They turn their aggression colors on and off, and use their camouflage to blend in and improve their catch (eat) rate. Our limestone creeks have white dolomite strata, and maybe a flagstone bottom (great for bottom-bouncing). One December day, I brought up a lunker endemic bass that was marble white, with a pale gray ghost of his spot pattern and blue sheen all over - he was just too cold to get mad - of course I left my camera at home that day. think this guy isn't mad - when you hook up a long-ear, they flare their gills and shake their bodies to frighten you - always think they're the baddest boys on the block. Still in the water, they change this color on and off like a strobe-light. I hope this thing is on

@Bass_Fishing_Socal That's the way it has always worked in the past, go you to your log-in order, find the conversation train and copy the payment link. Just a few weeks ago, buying shirts and odds for Christmas gifts, the new order went direct to paypal payment as @FrankN209 described. It seems like a permanent change on the website. Like most Japanese vendors, if they don't have stock and can't get it, they will quickly refund payment. Plat will also work as a broker to other websites for you. You contact them with a link, they determine they can get it, they will send you a payment link, and forward in the rest of your order. Their website is set up to start a new order or combine with an existing order. adding a positive note here, both my packages in Japan departed the country today, one EMS post, and the FedEx flew from Sennan-Shi.

I would attach to milk crate or Engel cooler. I just don't drill holes where I can't back with pressure-seal washers adding the esoteric option - the small Seasucker base will lift your boat - they're made to cantilever dinner tables from gunwhales, and to hold bicycle racks on car tops. The built-in vacuum pump sticks for several days. I added 1/4-20 all-thread and a Scotty gearhead in this case, your favorite rod holder - this thing isn't going anywhere until you decide to remove it. @Koz this will cantilever any heavy rod you want here, and the 4" rubber base is a big cushy foot. The T-bolt on the Yak Attack foot is probably 1/4-20 thread, and the whole thing should screw right into all-thread. You can probably also clamp the yak attack mighty mount to the Seasucker frame

Japan has strange banking laws, and the language barrier is huge. We were buying fly tackle direct from Blue Dun fly shop in Tokyo 20 years ago - Japan was the only source then for new glass rods. Hisao there was a Montana guide before going back home. But otherwise, you had to buy through a broker, e.g., Masamichi at noppin.com. I still use Masamichi for Haneda Craft, Squid Mania, KTF, and anything I google-up and can't buy direct. This Axisco fly rod came from Blue Dun, and the limited benchmade reel from Hermit Fly Shop via Masamichi. Fits in a bicycle half-frame bag. Some of the rare tackle friends imported from Norie, Kineya and Trutta has ballooned in value, worth as much now as the classic benchmade reels they copied. - the rod was supposed to read AirLite. who knows what this means - something that doesn't transliterate. The language barrier still exists. Long delays in getting e-mail replies are related to the 14-hr time difference, but may also include your e-mail being forwarded to a contract interpreter. The banking law required that merchants could only accept Japan-based credit cards. Paypal slowly improved that, but I believe they still must have their paypal based in an offshore bank. Knives are even stranger, because knives can't be mailed or courier-shipped directly from Japan. Companies like Japanese Knife Direct set up offshore warehouses to inventory and ship to USM.

Japan is closed for New Year holidays until Jan 5. I have an in-transit rod sitting in Narita-Shi Fed-Ex office until they go back to work. They'll all be back to work next Tuesday early evening. I lost count of Plat orders, but include rods, Yumeya spools, lines and lures - plug singles and size 7 trebles . Reel parts also. They receive reel parts from Daiwa and Shimano at opposite ends of the week, and ship soon after they receive and inventory. Plat's primary bent is saltwater, but they include some bass and trout tackle. Plat only began direct link to paypal in the past few weeks. Before that, they would verify inventory and send a payment link by e-mail. My buddy Lou today received his Yamaga Blanks rod that made it out of Japan before Dec 28 began the holidays (the day my Valleyhill rod took a nap in Narita-Shi).

I think everybody is missing the OP's point - what length handle comes on new reels is not reported by Shimano USA. My thought is JDM will be equivalent - they don't sell different reels here, they just export fewer models to USM. Easy for me, every reel gets a new handle I prefer, and tune length to the gear ratio. Ebay seller SDScustom is a cost-effective source.

Limp mono/fc lines have worse memory - they coil. They tend to tie better knots. Stiff lines have lower memory, act very springy, and harder surface increases knot slip tendency.

@4g63power I remember a time I saw these pimped reels on ebay and wondered who would do that to their reel. But after using them as I described, spinning reel pimp parts can be truly functional. This inexpensive reel stand, made by Tsubaki, has a rotating hook keeper. The stacks of o-rings can hold your line on a complex rig, and let you take it back to the first guide frame.

Since we're talking about reel trim, some functional reel trim on spinning reel. I have Vanquish C2000S matched with salt-finesse Yamaga Blanks TZ Nano rod - long, fast, seeming weightless, and XUL - powerful butt for turning fish. This is for winter glass minnows, where big fish don't exert much energy sipping tiny bait, simply because they don't gain many calories - it's opportunity feeding in structure and conditions that concentrate tiny bait. Fishing for strikes is the lightest feel. Lowest-inertia Vanquish is the choice reel. Cranking has instant start with no resistance, and when you stop, the reel drive does not push the handle and your hand. Double and counter-balanced handles take it the next step, preventing gravity from turning the rotor on bail and handle weight. This is Livre Union handle, and there's a good argument you feel more through the titanium knob than you would through rubber. Livre calls their reel stand a "balancer", and includes internal springs and weights that adjust to offset the handle weight. Another handy add-on piece is a hook keeper, made by Livre, but only sold by SquidMania. Another good point about SquidMania, they offer every Livre handle with every Livre knob option, slightly discounted, and more cost-effective than buying handle and separate knob to swap. Otherwise, Asian Portal has the best prices on Livre.

borrowed a Japanese squid-hook photo (where else, SquidMania) Epicurean-wise, my eating experience says Maryland knows how to cook squid. (Italy knows how to cook octopus) Most restaurants serve up mollusk leather.

I have used 17-lb mono/fc on deep spools, and always liked 14-lb better. Seems to be a big step in line behavior moving down to 12-lb. The differences there are larger than 0.40 mm on the heavy end, and less than 0.35 mm on the lighter end. Bending heavier mono on smaller diameter spools always causes worse line memory.

@4g63power yes, I ordered the Alcance NS, and they sent me the XS - rather than send it back, I put a longer handle on it, and the stock Alcance handle ended up on my raced-out Ambassadeur 4600 (6.3-gear) - after set-up, nothing to adjust on this reel, and backlash-proof. Dr. Jeckell and Mr. Hyde compared to stock Ambassadeur. This is a fun reel that I was showing a friend yesterday will cast 2g without wind backlash, though I fish 1/4 to 1/2 oz with it. This is the AMO spool, Valleyhill LW, Mike's zirconia pawl, Mike's BB spur gear, Kagawa BB idler gear, and Avail mag brake. Braid Ambassadeur

Here you go, I was able to pull the image from that link - looks great - - always use the direct image link that ends in .jpg, and the BR server automatically embeds it. ZPI got out of the parts business, and only sells their reels and rods now. Where you can find those odds-and-ends ZPI parts still in stock, they're awesome. Here's my Alcance, which I just bought a Valleyhill 7'5" MHF rod for it that was shipped today - I'll report on the combo later... Magnesium spool with titanium spindle, tuned mag-brake cam - I'm more impressed with this reel than any other I've cast.

even Ray's Studio is OOS, but I got the KTF look with Ray's... I suspect the performance is also equivalent, but will never be able to compare. I do have KTF spool bearings in all my baitcasters for salt resistance. The other parts are ZPI star drag from Carolina Fishing, Momo zero adjust, and Avail handle. This has become my full-time ML, and the performance with PE#1 braid never lets me down. ps - last visit to KTF, they still have Finesse spools for '14 Chronarch.

Are you really asking for help (rhetorical) I'm pretty sure upper range Revo are made by Doyo. I would also think Doyo sells their own home-market brand, and likely have an agreement with Lew's not to export those reels to USA. I would say Lew's reels begin with what Doyo makes for Abu, trimmed and finished to Lew's spec. Similar to ZPI Alcance made by Doyo Certain common parts interchange, probably most of the drive, but most of the specs are very different, different latches - you won't get a spool to fit between them. Ambassadeur is an accomplished world traveler with 3 different Japan makers in their history.