21farms

another thing you can do to experiment is this. replace the bearing under the cast control cap with an unshielded one but leave the cap off so you can watch it. now, spin the spool...i'll bet you'll be able to see that bearing spinning, proving that it does indeed do something.

just be careful here to make sure you know what you're getting. the one that BPS has as a cyber monday deal is the first-generation orra SX, not the newer, lighter second-gen model. personally, i'd just as soon spend the extra $10 and get the pro qualifier which is now on sale for $79.99.

the champ 735 is an awesome rod and extremely versatile. i don't typically like extra fast rods because they're harder to cast with but the 735 has a very castable tip and i've had no problems casting texas-rigs with 3/16-ounce weights with mine and it has enough give to let the fish really "eat" the lure before you attempt setting the hook. tackletour's review of the 735 confirms that, although rated extra fast, its tip is closer to their baseline loomis 844 fast. my swim jig rod, the technique-specific powell max swim jig rod designed by jared lintner, is a true extra fast.

well, why didn't you say so earlier? that changes everything! in that case, hop over to japantackle * and order a set of hedgehog airs and the pin remover tool!

welcome, john. yes, there are many aftermarket parts available and lots of options in terms of bearing upgrades. you can replace your stock bearings with ceramic hybrid bearings which utilize lighter ceramic balls instead of stainless steel and don't need to be lubed although they will be noisier. you also have your choice between metal shielded and rubber shielded...with the rubber seals (usually orange-colored), it's easy to remove the shield and run them open...this makes it easier to clean and freer operation. the metal-shielded ones are probably a little quieter and resist getting grime in them so there are advantages to both. you will need one 3x10x4 bearing for the sideplate and one 5x11x4 for the spool shaft. you *may* need a special tool to remove/reinstall the retaining pin for the bearing on the spool shaft (i say "may" but i really mean 'will'...i've seen videos of people doing this with a pair of pliers and it makes me cringe thinking of the potential damage they're doing to the spool shaft). i use a pair of boca spool pin pliers but they cost $40 but it is worth it to me because i have so many reels...if you're only going to do one or two, it's probably much more cost-effective to send it in and have a professional do it. good luck.

not exactly. the previous-generation prodigy casting reels (the battleship grey ones) were made for cabelas by daiwa and it says so right on the reel...it was basically a reworked daiwa advantage or tierra and were excellent reels.. the previous-generation prodigy spinning reel (greem with gold trim) and tournament ZX spinning reels (the white ones) were also of daiwa origin and are excellent reels. HOWEVER, none of the tournament ZX casting reels were ever made by daiwa. btw, cabelas club members (of which i am a member) have been able to get the current tournament ZX casting reel for as low as $34.99 new. the externally adjustable centrifugal brakes and the characteristic hump around that dial cause me to believe it is of quantum origin.

i recently picked up a 2500-size JDM shimano complex BB...as you can see compared to my fingers, it is quite compact:

i've had numerous USDM shimano and daiwa spinning reels. i've found that 2500-size shimanos are closer in body size to 2000-size daiwas and that 2500-size daiwa bodies are quite a bit larger.

on the daiwa T rod (and any other rod with the aluminum locking hood), stand the rod up on end and push down on the reel as you tighten down the hood. doing this, you should be able to turn it another 1/16th or 1/8th of a turn and really tighten it up.

i always look to japantackle for aftermarket spools. i have the yumeya 32mm BFS shallow spool in my chronarch 50E and it transforms the reel. the avail microcast 928 spool looks like it might be a good choice too. totally agree...the rod is just as important if not more than the reel. take a look at the phenix recon2 713C.

you forgot the shimano aldebaran BFS XG, which in my opinion, is easily the best of the bunch. $325 from rakuten hikoboshi

i've owned two TPs and now have the team lew's pro, a BB1 and a BB1 pro. i think the BB1 pro is easily the best of the bunch for casting. but the BB1 is not just for cranking...perhaps the 5.1:1 PS1 model is because of the low gear ratio and the exclusion of the instant anti-reverse but not the other models. nor are you limited to only using braid. the BB1 spools are deep and hold a lot of line and, especially when filled with line, are heavy...which is actually good for casting long distances because the momentum keeps the spool spinning and paying out line. you want a lighter spool with less line capacity for pitching and casting light lures because it will have less inertia and start up faster. the reason the BB1 pro spool is braid-ready is stronger and it has a little notch in the spindle where you can tie your braid through so there won't be any slippage. also, it is wider so the line guide lays down your braid and a broader angle so you get less line digging with the thinner diameter braids. the main reason i like the BB1 pro so much is because i've found the braking system flat-out works great. i have yet to even come close to backlashing with it and it is so simple to adjust and the casts are effortless and far. i am not really a fan of dual-brakes...people think it's the best of both worlds (centrifugal and magnetic) but i think it's a half-hearted implementation of each.

most flipping and pitching rods are heavy-powered because you're usually fishing closer into cover when fishing those techniques and will want to move the fish out of there fast AND because you don't need to load the rod like you would with a normal cast. however, most flipping rods i'm familiar with are 7'6" or longer (for the reach) while most pitching-specific rods are 6'10" to 7'4". personally, i like 7'2" for pitching.

my local BPS (manteca, CA) is a stickler. i brought back a BPS prolite finesse rod that had the tip of the trigger break off by only my finger. it was purchased online 15 months prior. the manager said he was "bending over backward" for me but there was nothing he could do.

the bearing in the palm sideplate should be 3x10x4 (same size as the one under the tension cap) and the one on the spool shaft should be 5x11x4. these are very common sizes, especially the 3x10x4 that is used by everybody except on some daiwas. so if you have to buy a few extras, they'll always come in handy. boca recently posted a video by a user showing how to do a bearing change using a pair of pliers to remove the spool pin...DON'T DO THAT!!! that could easily result in a bent spool shaft and/or bent spool pin, not to mention scratches to the spool shaft.

speaking of JDM available in the US, i just noticed that the tackle trap is now carrying JDM shimanos

just a heads up. i just today saw that TW now has the JDM revos.

bigbill, it's all personal preference and everyone is different but here are some thoughts for you: 1) spinning reel ratios cannot be compared to the ratios of baitcasting reels. the bigger arc of a spinning reel's rotor draws in significantly more line per turn than a baitcaster. take, for example the following comparable reels: daiwa lexa 100 baitcasting reel, 6.3:1 gear ratio. line recovery in inches per turn (IPT): 25.7 daiwa lexa 2500 spinning reel, 6.0:1 gear ratio. IPT: 29.9 now, look at the bass pro shops pro qualifier spinning reel in size 20, it's gear ratio is 5.1:1 yet its IPT is a whopping 31! by the way, basspro.com is an excellent source for finding out each reel's IPT. 2) some people don't have a problem speeding up or slowing down as the situation calls for...but some people do. in fact, that's me...i'm used to and like fishing fast. when i'm fishing a high-speed reel and the bait or situation calls for a slow presentation, i'm good at first but very quickly revert to my old habit of reeling fast...i can't seem to help myself and that is why i love low-speed reels for crankbaits, rattlebaits, spinnerbaits, a-rigs, swimbaits, and anything else that is constantly moving. a low speed reel allows me to fish at the pace that i like, but YMMV. 3) any bait that has a lot of water resistance will be easier to retrieve with a lower-geared reel. it's just like towing your boat up an incline...it'll be a lot easier on your engine if you use a low-gear than a high one. at the end of a long day chucking and winding big ol' crankbaits or spinnerbaits, my arms and shoulders feel a lot better when i used a low-gear ratio'd reel and a fast one. so, bottom line: do you need a low-speed reel? absolutely not. but, there are times and situations where it is nice. my advice is this: if you only have one reel, get an all-purpose gear ratio like a 6:1. if you can have three or more reels, then start specializing and get the best tool for each particular job.

i have a gazillion rods from 6'6" to 7'11" and from moderate action to extra-fast and i've experimented trying different techniques/baits with most of the rods to figure out what i like. 6'8" medium/extra-fast is my rod of choice for jerkbaits. i hate having a rod "rebound" when i'm working a jerk and i also find that working the bait with an extra-fast rod is easier on my wrists as i don't need to work the rod as hard as i would with a slower rod.

here's my team pro (same size as tournament pro) with my chronarch 200E:

i had the "sticking thumb bar-issue" as did a few other early 3G revo owners. i sent it back to abu and they sent it back to me with a note that said they "adjusted the clutch plate" (whatever that means). if you send it via USPS priority mail, it'll be slightly under $6. abu pays the shipping back to you. i got mine back in about 9 days.

for me at least, i use a short length of fluorocarbon with A-rigs for the same reason as i do with spinnerbaits...it's not for the visibility but rather for the stiffness. braid is so supple that it wraps around the wire arms. with 20# FC, it's stiff enough that i avoid that hassle.

i tried a variety of braid-to-fluorocarbon connection knots and had failures with all of them until i started using the alberto knot. it is absolutely critical that the tag in goes out in the same direction that it came in but, once you have it tied correctly, your problems should go away.

been available for awhile now: http://www.*.com/Abu-Garcia-Casting-Reels-s/779.htm

bass pro shops used to sell their "prolite finesse" reel. it was built on an 05-size frame (their standard frame is size 10) and the first two generations featured pflueger's inertia transfer brake (ITB) system and pflueger's spin-on forged handles. these were surprisingly good performers for light lures for around $100. unfortunately, it's been almost 4 years since they were last made. however, if you want ultra-light, then you really to shell out the big bucks.