I don't see an issue either way as long as the reel is stored out of sun light and cold weather. I too have reels with FC on them that haven't been changed in a few years.
Not saying that the Krytox grease isn't good stuff but I have used Cal's and Shimano drag grease for years and everything has been smooth on every reel I have worked on. What reel did you grease with Cal's that was hard to crank?
I use to work on printing presses back around 1996-2004 and we used a lithium grease that was $100 for a .25oz tube on a special heat sensitive roller. Not sure why but it was crazy good stuff. It made the rollers last years instead of months.
Also....Trust me, NASA has way more expensive stuff.
I was going to suggest the the 783C GLX but 843C works as well. I like the shorter length of the 783C for tight spaces. The cost he suggested would be too low for the ones we picked.
With that said, the rod I am going to suggest isn't in the same category as the GLX but it has worked good for me as a do all kayak rod.... St. Croix Mojo Yak 7' M Fast. It has a soft tip that works for T-rigged soft plastic and works well for crankbaits as well as jerkbaits.
There is one thing that bugs me about the Metanium, it feels like a lighter version of the Bantam. It's not a bad thing, both great reels. I just think for the money I would have gotten another Bantam and lived with the extra weight. Maybe I haven't fished it enough to notice a difference between the two.
I picked one up last fall and like it so far. Smooth, light, and I haven't noticed any geary feeling in the reel.
As far as which reel to pick..... I do like my Steez SV. It would be a toss up for me. I might give a slight edge to the Steez simply because I have fished it more. Another reel to look at is the Antares 70A JDM. Great reel as well.
I had one and lost it but it did catch fish. It sort of worked best when it just sat still. It was a weird bait for me but a bargain when you compare the quality of it to other swimbaits.
That's were I was going but I should have been more specific.
As an example, I found a used, busted up Curado B for a buddy's set of reels. I picked it for parts including the spool, worm gear, and a worm gear paw. I think I got for $40 shipped.
Reel frame parts are tough. They usually only make a limited amount of them and they're gone. You can occasionally find a few parts used but either way it will be expensive.
I am the same when it comes to sitting and standing. I prefer to stand and like that I can sit down comfortably if I want to. Which is why I went the PA14. The conditions I usually fish at my main lake are windy. The spot lock would be great but I think on the lake I fish it wouldn't be totally reliable. Also, I thought the PA14 was the more stable of the two but the AP would definitely be more maneuverable and faster. I almost want to own both but my wife would kill me.
I grew up fishing these kind of spots and it can be tough. We had a few pits that were 50-75 feet deep with water so clear you could see the bottom. Any splash or sudden movement would spook the fish. Since it was a bowl, we would cast on to the bank and let the bait fall in or use live bait on a split shot rig. The best days are when it's overcast.
There is a 7'10'' M Moderate St. Croix Victory that is either on it's way or was in limited production when the rods were introduced but it might be ideal.
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