Delaware Valley Tackle

The drag should be set to a level that will protect the line, rod and reel regardless of technique or tackle style.

If you really want to test the waters wrap one on a cardboard box with v grooves and babysit the epoxy turning by hand. It's a little tedious but gives a good insight into how epoxy behaves.

I agree with accuracy being paramount but have no issues at all with spinning tackle in that regard.

He did you clean and lube the anti reverse? It's either dirty, over lubed or worn out

Whether it's on a reel or a filler spool, line comes off the bottom when spooling a spinning reel and off the top filling a casting reel.

Reels don't require anything special other than on greased drags andvdrsg grease works fine on gears. If you need drag grease marine grease or superlube work well. Gear oil on sliding parts, level wind and non spool bearings. Remoil or other light oil on spool bearings.

Have a helper hold the casting rod upside down so the line comes off the bottom of the spool. This helps keep the line from twisting.

OP is it safe to assume you're single? My wife is cool but she'd beat me like a rented mule if she came home to that.

The exposed nature of the level wind contributes to potential for wear but I'd concentrate on maintenance rather than stockpiling parts.

I saw the Stradic listed as a "budget "reel and couldn't go any further.

Power is the rods resistance to flex (stiffness). Action is simply where the rod initially flexes as load is applied.

Action has nothing to do with the stiffness or lack there if of the tip. There may or may not be a correlation in a given line. It's up to the maker.

The rule of thumb is to set drag pressure at 2/3 of line test. With braid go by mono diameter equivalent. I don't advise locking it down for any application. Hitting the spool release with pressure on the line is abusing your reel and asking for trouble. Specifically pinion gears and spool drive pins.

Mine wore through from dragging yo launch. Fiberglass patch is the way to go.

Nothing special needed there.

Baits are sold by the weight of the lead head not total weight. Skirts, wires, blades, trailers all add to that.

A slower rod will not necessarily load better. A fast tip can be soft and a mod tip can be stiff.

Don't expect the lews to be significantly different from the corresponding revo. Flipping only requires a sturdy frame and good drag.

On paper the Lews/ABU design is inferior in that the pionion gear is unsupported by any bearing. In use I don't see that it hampers performance though. I don't care for the skimpy hardware Shimano and others are using. Only time will tell when it comes to longevity. Each brand and model has unique features and flaws. If you had the tooling to blend them all into an ultimate reel they'd all have something to offer. I don't think any one brand has a monopoly on quality across the board.

From the pics it doesn't look like that cork is that far gone. Just needs a little tlc. Clean/fill/seal as suggested

There's definitely a point of diminishing returns but prices can only be raised to what the market will tolerate. Whether it's cars, houses, wine, fishing tackle you name it, some people enjoy the finer things. Doesn't make th bad or others bad for choosing to be more frugal. On a strict cost / benefit basis IMO $250-$275 will get you all the reel you want.

First off, for sheer distance spinning tackle is the way to go. That said, 25 yards is not terrible. Over head casts are rarely the best. Whipping the rod gets the spool spinning fast causing the over run as the bait decelerates. The rod may well be too powerful and not loading correctly. Cast with a smooth motion. Let the rod do the work

A slower action (mod or mod/f) helps keep them pinned when they jump.

These are broad statements. M , MH ... are all subjective and vary brand to brand and even models within brands. Just make sure the weight of the bait falls well within the listed range then check for backbone to move fish and counter resistance of bait on retrieve

The 300e is a completely different reel more geared toward swimbaits, A rigs etc.