Delaware Valley Tackle

Casting is like throwing a ball. It's all about the release point. Under hand cast, bait sailing high means a late release.

There's no industry standard for reel sizes. Anything in that range should be equally suitable for all around use as a bass reel.

Guides are sized by the ID of the ring not the insert. Any other dimensions are incidental to make and model.

Most of my fishing there was early season before NY opened (Father's Day weekend). Shoreline cover and structure usually panned out. The anecdotal evidence points to docks of off shore structures with drop shot, shaky head, jigs, c rig etc.

The thing with a frog rod is you need the power due to the cover but enough tip to load and cast well. I can't speak to the production rods but don't be afraid to look at a light musky rod or an in shore label to get the characteristics you want.

Your talking about the handle or free spool?

It depends on the spinnerbaits. If the weights are similar a jig/plastics setup should work well. Keep in mind a 1/2 spinner weighs a lot more with blades, skirt an trailer added.

"Weightless " is a misnomer. A 5" senko is plenty hefty enough for a mh casting rig. A 4" trick worm, not so much. Point is, you need to know the weight of what you'll be throwing and make decisions accordingly.

Sure you have to fight the fish, but first you have to get bit. I find myself gravitating toward ML power for most spinning rod applications. I have a M power with braid for skipping docks and casting into the wind.

Anything you want.

This is normal to a degree. It's hard to say anything regarding your specific situation without seeing the reel.

Isn't it sad that this is even part of a discussion? What's this world coming to?

7'6" H/mod fast- frogs n cover 7' mh/f - jigs, spinner bait, chatter bait 7' m or mh/mod treble hook lures.

I've never seen a return spring go bad. They get lost or broken in failed DIY attempts more often. If you'd like to send it in for a full service include your screen name in the contact info to get a BassResource.com member discount of 10% off labor.

Id seriously consider custom before spending $200> across the counter. The value lies in the details of the application and build: the more specific the application is, the more specific the builder can be with component choice and design layout. In a good build the attention to detail is way beyond what is practical in a mass production scenario.

Rod geeks Carbon4 are high end and available in custom colors. They have some unique power/actions too. The 74 mh/xs has a fast but soft tip and good backbone.

As far as I'm aware all their blanks are available. St Croix m & mh are on the heavy end of the power spectrum. I find myself leaning more toward ML for all my finesse spinning rods.

If I'm not mistaken that rods $100>. Since it's a travel rod shipping should be reasonable. Contact me to discuss if interested in repair. I'd put a thin fiberglass sleeve over it, wrap and epoxy.

Save your money for bearings and have the reel tuned by a competent tech. The non disengaging level wind to an extent limits the free spool you'll be able to achieve but gains can be made if done right.

Those reels are all tanks. The quest for light weight gives way to the alternative materials. Longevity wise I think they'll be fine but the sheer mass of the heavy reels renders their smoothness.

It depends on the reel and how it's cared for. A well built reel services annually and cared for in the interim can last a lifetime and be handed down. On the other end you can get throw away reels and replace them every couple seasons. The PQ is a good reel at nearly throw away price when on sale. For about 1/3 the cost of a replacement I can replace the levelwind and go through the whole reel. The level wind itself done right requires opening the side plate to do right.

Those are not normal fishing motions. It doesn't mean much. It's very common for these new light weight reels to emit some sound especially after being cleaned and more free. It has nothing to do with worn gears or grease not adhering. All grease is, is solids used as a medium to stick oil in place. Anything more than a film gets squeezed out, flung off and lays in the bottom of the case.

It depends on the rod. The sweet spot typically lies near the mid range but that's a wide range of heavy weights. Are you looking for a rod or asking if you need one?

Email me with your phone number and I'll call you on a break tomorrow.

In some cases the only difference between sizes is profile and line capacity. If a bait is heavy enough or has high resistance like deep cranks, a lower ratio reel can be more pleasurable to fish but doesn't have anything to do with longevity.