MickD

I have no idea of how to fix this issue. But I think I know how to prevent it. Don't tear your reels apart past the first "no-tool" level of disassembly. The only reason to do more is if the reel has been dunked in the lake, and then, leave it to an expert servicer. I have dozens of reels, cast, spin, fly, and they just keep on working year after year with just a "first level" disassembly, clean, and lube. I spend a lot more time fishing than I do in figuring out how to put it back together correctly.

NFC just released a new fly rod blank FAF 763-4! 4 piece 7 1/2 feet. 75 degree AA so it's pretty fast for a fly rod.

They look a lot like the Ghost minnows I use.

May I suggest you hold the fish more vertically so you don't stress the fish's jaw so much?

Live Target Ghost Tail Minnow for big water smallmouths.

https://www.amazon.com/CODEK-Adjustable-Portable-Inserter-Accessories/dp/B0B28FDX4D/ref=asc_df_B0B28FDX4D/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=598243690071&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10108476730005307971&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9017221&hvtargid=pla-1719131559502&psc=1

I changed mine out a few years ago and replaced it with mono and braid. Only FC leaders now, using premium fly tippet.

A one year trip to the Seychelles Islands.

Very nice design and execution.

If you want to try the sealer but are worried you might not like it, not to worry. A light sanding will restore the original cork just fine. Cork does not "absorb" like most woods do, so the sealer will not penetrate and permanently compromise the "feel." I would be careful about Amazon, I noticed one of the rodbuilding supplies I use is for sale on Amazon for about 3 times what it normally costs. You can buy U40 at LurePartsOnline.com, right where you buy a lot of lure making stuff.

Braid for most, but with a mono leader for surface to keep it from sinking. Usually 35 pound braid, premium 8 carrier stuff. 15 pound leader. On one I have 14 pound Suffix Elite mono, and it casts great. If you have not tried a premium 8 carrier braid in 10-15 pound test, you haven't used what I consider the best spin setup. Casts a mile, very sensitive, quite trouble free, and lasts for years.

Would be fun to run a few blindfold tests.

This photo brings up a good point. What shape grip? I use full wells (lower) on 8 wt's, but like the upper one for lighter rods. Half wells? And it can be a bit shorter than for heavier rods, IMHO.

Spring fishing on Saginaw Bay can be very special because sightings of eagles are very common, usually seeing at least a couple on every trip. In the last few years white pelicans have been regularly seen, and against a clear blue sky, they are spectacular. When I told a couple friends about the Saginaw Bay pelicans they asked what I had been drinking, but then one of them and I had a really close view of a flight of about 5. Along the shores are often seen American golden plovers, great egrets, great blue herons, and many terns resting on sand bars. There is always something special besides the fish.

I have read that the difference in up and downlocking on fly is related to balance, and because of the heavier cane blanks downlocking was sometimes preferred to get the reel positioned farther back for better balance. With modern graphite blanks it probably doesn't matter as much. I have only built uplocking with graphite blanks from 3 to 9 weights. All seem to work well for me. I think you may have a better selection with uplocking. With uplocking the grip needs a recess for the reel hood. For this rod just about any seat will work fine; doesn't require an expensive seat. Look at the rod weight recommendations for the seats. You don't want to end up with a seat fit for an 8 weight when you're building a 3 or 4. I agree with the recommendation to use single foot wire guides. The biggest decision you need to make is the location of the stripping guide. One expert states that regardless of the rod, 32 inches from the butt is where it goes. I always have located it based on the reach of the caster, but I can say that close to 32 is where it always comes out. I don't put keepers on my fly rods, simply use the frame of the stripper guide after wrapping the leader around the reel body and putting the fly onto the stripper frame. This keeps the leader knot out of the guides, usually, and there is nothing for line to get caught on. At least these are my opinions.

What can you tell us about the rod, brand, model, power, action? thanks

https://www.rodbuilding.org/library/repair-oquinn.html I've done a number of rods with this, and it does a nice job. On a Pac Bay Quickfire 8 weight fly rod I misused it and it shattered near the center. I put a short spigot in it to hold the pieces together and a sleeve and it's now my spare. The CCS numbers after repair were the same as before and it feels the same even though I did add a little weight to it.

The fly rod is the first broken rod I've ever had to deal with other than a few that were accidents and once piece rods that I chose to sleeve-repair rather than totally rebuild with a new blank. so I have no other experience. I was fully open with Rainshadow that the blank was not defective, that it was a high stick failure, and it didn't appear that that changed anything.

I'd like to thank Rainshadow for their support. I too had to replace a tip on an Eternity II fly rod after a bonefish swam between my son's legs thus an instant high stick failure. It was easy and fairly inexpensive to get the tip replaced, nice not to have to build and rewrap the whole rod. Not a "bad blank," but didn't matter, same great service.

That is a great blank/rod. I use it for all kinds of stuff, including casting light glider jigs for bones and a 5 foot shark this year in the Bahamas . I think I remember 82 degrees and 600 grams for mine.

The faster the action the wider the lure weight range, and I go over on my Xfast some. Keep in mind that how you cast is important. If you are overloading your rod, lob it, don't snap it.

I think most modern engines probably have the run time computer, but my dealer charges $20 to read it (Merc 60 4 stroke). I put on an hours recorder that is simply an LCD readout (with a tiny processer) with a wire that wraps around a plug wire. Works fine.

Rarely are conditions suitable. I have a spot that is shallow enough but seldom is the water clear enough. And usually if I can see them, they can see me and they don't bite. Only once in the last 5 years have we seen a fish first, then caught it.

Eyes can't hurt, might help. Makes sense that they would, IMHO.

I had a Suzuki 60 four stroke for 20 years and it was a wonderful engine. Never had a bit of trouble, started in the spring like it was turned off only minutes before. I changed the plugs, oil, and lower unit grease, had the water pump impeller changed once. Could hardly hear it idle. Wonderful engine.