MickD

I think you have to be more specific about what you are asking for.

There are so many good options to this obsolete line that, in my opinion, wasn't very good when it was new. Try Suffix Premium Braid or Power Pro, and I think you'll be very happy. Try 15 pound test-it's stronger than 15 and adequate for just about anything. It wil cast better than 20.

I think if I were wondering what comparative material costs were, I would go to about three suppliers' web sites and find out exactly what the costs were for exactly the configurations I was looking for.

Depends on the fish, what fall rate they like that particular day. Sometimes they like a fast fall (1/2) and sometimes a slow fall (1/4). But many are favoring a 3/8, so maybe that will do it all. I like the Berkeley chigger craw, sometimes I cut off an inch of head to make it shorter. Whatever color the fish like, but mostly some shade of green with blue and chartreuse in it, or blue/black.

From my stock I've found that Batson and Fuji are interchangeable but not Pac Bay, yes, using the threads. But the threads mentioned are not the same.

Racerx, keep your Berkely to use for sleeve parts if needed in the future.

WiGuide, if your rod is a special one you'd like to fish with again, it most likely can be repaired. Check the link I posted earlier. Based on your description of it probably not being sound, the best way to treat it is probably to cut it cleanly at the damage and sleeve it as described in the link. If you're lucky and no guide is involved, you only have the reinforcement wrap to do after the sleeve process. Be sure to scuff the outer surface before applying epoxy, use no alcohol or other spirits.

Try some reels at a store, measure what you like, buy it. Or another with the same length.

On size 16 casting seats, Batson will work on Fuji, but Pac Bay will not. I think but am not sure this is true for size 16 spin seats as well. I'm hoping to get Fuji to offer a bright silver so I don't have to do this any more.

No no no, don't even think of using steel. Read the link I've posted and/or talk to Delaware Valley Tackle. If $25 + double shipping is too much, read the link. You may want to take a shot at it yourself. It's not that difficult. Or a local repair guy could do it. Or do the sleeving yourself and have a local pro do the wrapping.

I agree with all comments above, but will add that the line has a lot to do with your casting experience. If you're having trouble, go to a limp line like Trilene XL in about 15 pound test, Yozuri hybrid copolymer same test (or whatever it's called). Stay away from flourocarbon. Braid of about 30+ pound test can be good, too. When all the recommended adjustments and the right line don't work, try a Shimano Curado.. i like them better than Revo's but my son likes the Revo's better. A lot of this is individual preference, the right line, the right setup, and practice.

Do nothing with the rod until you read this: http://www.rodbuilding.org/library/repair-oquinn.html There is a high probability that your rod can be repaired to work as well as it did before, just a little section of mismatch that you will probably not notice when you get used to it.

If you do not use the keeper, don't put the hook through the eye of the guide and don't embed it into the grip. Put it through the frame of the first guide.

If they are not "eating it" then something is not consistent with their instinctive preferences at the time. I think more likely they are just thumping/bumping it as I have foul hooked a few when this was happening. As stated above, change color, size, blade type, anything. I think color is the most important.

If you plan to use a leader in the 20# range I see no need to go up on line strength for most applications. Flipping is a different story, and you might want to consider braid in the range of 50 # test with no leader. Tie direct, lure to braid. In my opinion, the best braids are Power Pro and Suffix Premium braid. There may be others as good, but I am not familiar with them. When I try other brands, I sometimes get a surprise. With Power Pro and Suffix, high quality, good performance, no surprises.

I would never try to teach my wife how to fish a BC outfit, or drive a manual transmission, or fix a problem on the computer. Some things are best left to those other than husbands, or left to the student to teach themselves. Having said this, you, as a knowledgeable BC fisherman, have an obligation to provide her with tackle that will enhance her odds of success. First, a moderate action rod, a good reel like a Curado, some easy to use line like 14 pound test XL mono or equivalent, the web address of some good tutorials on learning to cast BC's, next some practice plugs, next some spoons and lipless cranks, some easy to cast 1/2 oz jigs, etc etc. You see the progression, from easy to challenging. If she is really interested, she will pursue the skill and succeed, if not she won't. But you will have done all you can to help her succeed. What you don't want to do is to make her success your responsibility. It has to be her responsibility.

I don't think it is as much about eating the fish as it is in the culture of keep. I also think a good percentage of the fish don't really get eaten, but it's the culture. The key is in education, as someone else said. We just have to keep plugging along, teaching that a really good fish can be caught more than once. We have two similar lakes here, both private, one a lot more private than the other. I went five years without catching a legal bass on the less private lake. My son lives on the more private one, which has a strong catch and release culture, and we go out and catch 20 or more legal bass in a couple hours, usually with a few 4 pounders, two five pounders the same day this summer. That can only happen with a catch and release culture. It's pretty easy to convince people if you have the time to talk to them that the fun of fishing is not in the cleaning and eating as much as it is in the catching. So why not catch more and clean less? In some instances where lake management indicates it is better to take the fish out of the lake. In those cases, I don't even care whether the fish end up as food or fertilizer.

Wonderful workmanship!

In terms of stretch, neither braid has significant stretch. However, since the line doesn't always go directly, in a straight line, to the lure, heavier braid will not go through the water (taking up the slack by moving laterally through the water) as easily as a much smaller diameter braid, and a little sensitivity will be lost with heavier braid. Significant? I don't know, but I believe it's true in theory.

I'm not sure why wider loops would have less air resistance. If you take it to the extreme, I would think that if you had zero diameter loops they would have the least air resistance. I'm also not sure we are all defining shallow the same way. Does shallow mean longer along the axis but a smaller diameter? Like most reels today are? Or does it mean shallower/shorter along the axis but a larger diameter, like some of the BPS reels? When spinning reels first came out they were proportioned a lot like the BPS reels and had a larger diameter than most current reels. The larger diameter should allow a heavier pound test mono or FC to stay on the spool better since the coil diameters are larger. Some guide train philosophies size the first guide based on the diameter of the reel, (half the diameter of the spool) so the smaller diameter spools would lead to a smaller ring. This is changing since testing indicates that guide height is more important than ring diameter. It is not clear to me that there are significant differences that would lead to one being clearly better than the other.

It may be time for dynomite. :-) Since you've been seeing large bass, they are there. I have only caught a few bass that I have seen before casting to them. Usually if I see them, they've already seen me, and they don't bite. Long casts, small and slow, like others have been suggesting. And just keep trying. When you figure it out, you'll feel great.

If there really are decent sized bass in the lake, they will not be able to resist a 3-4 inch minnow about 6-7 feet below a bobber. OK, plastics purists, give me hell, but I think the first step is to in some way verify there really are good sized bass in the pond. I would not consider any stocking without consulting an expert. With most ponds it's too many fish, not too few.

ANY drop shot keeper will do what you want, allow the control of the lure without exposing the hook point.

Buy a gallon jug of water at the grocery store, have them weigh it at check out, then check both your scales to see what they say. The grocery scales should be very accurate. my Berkely weighs 1 oz low for that weight, about 8 pounds.,

If you are new to baitcasting, you are just going to have to learn the fundamentals then practice a lot. There are many videos on line on how to set up the reel and how to cast with it. If you are expecting to get it right with all types of lures right away, you'd be better off with a spinning rig. Do an internet search on "how to set up a baitcasting reel," then "how to cast with a baitcasting reel." Don't give up, you'll catch on, and it's worth the time and effort. Sort of like learning to drive a stick shift car.