Delaware Valley Tackle

Could be because the specs on blanks are nominal and there’s a tolerance window.

7’6” and up give you better reach when actually Flipping and they move a lot of line on the hookset. You can get a hook in them and moving up before they bury themselves. Extra important when punching the slop.

I agree with you and know where you’re coming from. Builders need to keep in mind all the variables that affect the finished rod. I’ve seen high end blanks killed with poor execution.

I agree that with a couple special exceptions braid doesn’t work on spin cast reels. 10# mono is a good place to start for good line management and casting.

“Need” imo , none. A 5.x :1 for deep cranking, big Colorado blade spinners or other high resistance baits is the only application where I see a mechanical advantage. The highest speed reels are just a preference.

If I were to try a dc reel (I will eventually) it will be a long cast chuck n wind, onto the wind technique.

Even if not the same plant there’s not enough difference to base a decision on. Pick the one that feels, looks best, appeals to you and is best deal. The JM seems a little higher end

I’m trying some. So far so good

Now that’s what I’m talking about. Not a professional over run but you’re trying!

Lews had leg up when the previous owners brought them back to life. They had good products at good prices due to minimal overhead (no big sponsorship etc). I didn’t expect that to last forever, nature of the beast.

I don’t care for the color of those grips but the shape looks good.

Thanks. I called out one these guys one time and the response was”you’re not a very good dealer for Boca”. So ya see where loyalty lies there. I’m a customer of the vendors I choose, not their mouth piece. Of course I choose vendors and products I believe and have confidence in.

Old adages apply: “There’s a time and place for everything” “There’s more than one way to skin a cat”. “Bushing” isn’t the dirty word it’s sometimes made out to be. You’re missing out if you think every bushing in a reel is an example of the manufacturer sacrificing performance for profit. Of course cost and value sometimes require compromise, but that applies to everything. I was just thinking about all this last night after stumbling across another reel shops Facebook posts. They’re putting ceramics and replacing every bushing in every reel. I thought for a minute , “man, I’m passing up a lot of money by not pushing these things harder.” I’d like to think integrity goes further than hype in the long run, but I digress. Bushings, like bearings, come in levels of quality. The spool bushings in the 13 reel are light years ahead of the brass ones in an old Ambassaduer. The non disengaging level wind affects their spool speed so every bit of reduced friction helps. In the case of handle knobs, I don’t like super free spin and find that clean, oiled bushings are plenty smooth. Bushings can be an asset in salt water applications being less susceptible to corrosion. There’s no one size fits all answer to bearing vs bushing.

I’d use the DC for the chuck and wind application. The MGL is suited to light baits not quite in the BFS category.

…is here! We’re geared up and ready. Send reels at your convenience. I have a reservation program for people fortunate to have open water or traveling to fish and need quick turn around or hard date for return. Email or call to reserve a date. Don’t forget your spinning reels, they need love too! Email or call with any questions.

Imo up vs down locking depends on how you grip the handle. For example, if a longer rod you might like a forward grip for balance so an uplocking seat is more comfortable.

Yes that’s a misprint.

It’s a fast but soft tip with lots of backbone. They make great jerkbait, square bill, top water, fluke, drop shot, senko or light jig/t rig rod. I’ve built them both casting and spinning.

What do you mean by a spinning reel being slowed down? What is grease intrusion on bearings that are often grease packed? If you want a more free feeling, just flush the bearings and oil them with Tsi321. I lube them in a bath of 80w140 gear oil as a compromise between light oil and grease packed. I don’t think changing the bearings will give you what you’re looking for.

The 7’3” MH/xs (extra sensitive) in the bass 4 series is a unique action great for lots of presentations including jerk baits. My current favorite all around blank. I don’t think it correlates to any St Croix production rod and is a Rodgeeks original design. At any rate I love it.

Sorry supposed to read M/XF

The mh will handle chatter baits fine. You can get by with the M/F for jerkbaits. A 6’8” st Croix M/Ct is one I’d build on for jerk baits. You might consider a mod or mod fast cranking rod.

If you can swing it Simms and korkers are the deal. Felt is horrible. I won’t wade anymore without cleats.

All else being equal there’s no mechanical reason for a spinning rod to be more or less sensitive than a casting rod. My spinning tackle is generally more sensitive because I reserve the highest modulus rods and components for finesse builds.

I agree you don’t have to spend a lot. Just be sure the rod is appropriate. Some newer angler are under the misimpression that reels “cast” baits.