QED

Steez CT SV 700 & 70 and Aldebaran BFS & MGL 30 reels using 4# and 6# mono from bulk spools.

The system is powered by the spinning of the spool. Closed loop servo controlled braking might be the casting reel future, but we're not quite there yet.

That looks like a lefty which is commonly available as I noted earlier. Right handed versions are much more scarce or entirely unavailable. I'll let you know how it works based upon empirical evidence when it arrives.

Blue loctite might be a viable option. If it doesn't work, no harm - no foul.

If you used a credit card for the purchase, then you can always dispute the charges if the vendor doesn't come through. I've rarely had to use that option but every time I have, the CC company/issuing bank did right by me.

If you want USDM Shimano parts, try https://fishshop.shimano.com/. I've purchased Daiwa Steez parts from Daiwa's Cypress CA facility as well. Tackle Trap is good but they have a very limited selection.

The 2016 BFS JDM version already had a true ultra light spool. Hopefully the 2022 BFS JDM version will be a worthy update.

Exactly. Extra hardware and mass which may affect lure action and be visible to the fish. For inline spinners. small ball bearing swivels make sense.

You can blame the 2007 SCOTUS for all this MAP stuff, when they overturned prior precedent and subjected resale price maintenance to the so called "rule of reason."

The left hand models seem to be generally available now. Right, not so much - but I just preordered 22 ALDEBARAN BFS XG RIGHT to get near the head of the queue.

Zombie thread but an interesting question. Just weighed a finesse drop shot setup consisting of a small Gamakatsu drop shot rig/hook assembly, 1/16 oz pencil sinker and 4" senko on a powder scale - 0.31 oz. If you factor in a 3" stick bait you're still close to 1/5 - 1/4 oz. So unless one intends to go even lighter than that, most any decent ML rod and casting reel combo ought to be able to handle it. I have several kilobuck+ BFS rigs but that's not required in this instance.

This last assertion is what physicists refer to as "not even wrong." Small 0 or 00 duolock snaps weigh much less than the typical split ring that comes with crankbaits so you can use those INSTEAD of the split rings (i.e., remove them) with no adverse effect on lure action.

I fish a similar pond/lake and find that a drop shot rig works very well and keeps the bait above the muck on the bottom. The sinker will pick up a little bit of gunk, but I'm using 1/16 oz pencil sinkers so it's really not much. Use z-man finesse TRD stick baits which are more buoyant than senkos and the bait will stay above the bottom and remain clean.

@Darth-Baiter how's the fishing in the delta these days? It's been ages since I've been out there. BTW, agree with @WRB, there were many sketchy characters along the delta way back when and I'm told it's worse now.

Tied and soldered spinnerbaits! That was my thought too. We do that with track bike spokes.

Interesting perspective. I'm a[n] [lawful] immigrant and English is my third language, so if I took your view, then I wouldn't be able to be here posting in English. The part of your post that I agree with is the latter sentence, and I don't have any language or etiquette affectations, so if people misread my background, that's on them.

Legend Xtreme vs Phenix K2 both with slightly different Shimano Alderbaran BFS reels on each. One can't help but notice the 1.1 oz weight advantage of the Phenix but both rigs are pretty sweet.

Rod arrived. Build quality seems pretty darned good:

Don't take it apart to try to fix it as that could invalidate the warranty. Return it.

A Phenix K2 TX-C 683ML with a Shimano Aldebaran BFS XG rig is about 8.1 oz (not including line weight) and works brilliantly. Not the most expensive combo but not budget friendly either. Go with a Shimano Poison Adrena 163L BFS rod and you can get under 8 oz.

The most cost effective way to get into BFS is to race out an existing reel with a lightweight, high inner-diameter aftermarket spool, assuming you have a suitable rod. A high-end BFS rig can be deep into the kilo-dollar range.

Interesting [somewhat] tangential discussion regarding background. Here in Silicon Valley, the shooting and fishing sports are considered somewhat déclassé. I grew up in an impoverished, crime-ridden city in the central valley of CA, but all of my work colleagues assume I was born into privilege. Wierd...

Using a small 0 or 00 snap is not functionally different from using a split ring in terms of degrees of freedom for the bait move as designed. The distinction is just dogma. Note that some chatterbaits include snaps by default.

Context - I usually use duo-lock snaps for crankbaits and spinnerbaits, which allows me to change baits quickly. The duo-locks are typically lighter than the split rings on crankbaits so the other side benefit is that you can get rid of the split rings and still retain excellent lure action. But most spinnerbaits have migrated to R-bend construction which doesn't work well with snaps. Was wondering if this is just a manufacturing economy measure or if there is some other benefit over the prior closed loop types? BTW, Mann's still makes closed loop spinnerbaits as does Strike King in their smallest sizes.

"Need" is a different thing from "want." From what I can tell, the pros use good but not the highest end gear because the sponsors apparently have done the "race on Sunday, sell on Monday" analysis. If you like fine things, then the high end gear is great, but you don't need it to catch fish.