FishTank

Shimano drag grease will be fine. The key is a light coating.

Lews/Abu (Doyo) have different factories in different countries I believe > Korea, China, Malaysia and Thailand (I might be off on Thailand for US though). Check the sticker on the bottom of the reel for the country of origin. I have noticed that some factories put way too much grease and some none at all and some have a spray or dip on the whole reel. For examples, I have worked on few and owned one Lew's Mach Crush. The one that came in the blister pack (red and black?) was loaded with grease and oil, and the one that came in the box (green and black, SLP?) had none> one is made in Malaysia and the other in Korea.

I had a few Daiwa's in the 80's and a Ryobi (believe it or not). The Ryobi was not the best reel by today's standards but it could bring in the big fish. I used it for saltwater. I don't think it was ever oiled or worked on, only rinsed off after fishing. I used it up to about 2003. It finally just gave out. The Daiwa's were used for bass fishing when I was a kid. They rusted away from not being properly taken care of. On a side note, wait till Bulldog1935 responds. He has quite the collection of reels.

I do about 75% of my fishing with 12lb FC. Tatsu is amazing line. It should be fine for any smallmouth you encounter. I typically fish for smallmouth on lite line, 6lb to 10lb with no issues.

When I am bank fishing and on the kayak, I take a minimumal amount of tackle. I usually don't know where a bank or kayak trip will take me sometimes and if it's off the beaten path, I don't want a ton of gear. So I have a sling pack with two, two side Plano 3600 boxes and two small two side boxes for terminal tackle. Then I take, about 10-20 bags of soft plastic, pliers, rain jacket, a drink and snack, a small first aid kit, sunscreen and a multi tool. On a boat, I bring two BPS large bag, one with 7 Plano Egde boxes and the other has soft plastic, terminal tackle, and swimbaits. It's too much but I always feel I will need something.

One of the worst lines I have ever used. Bought a bunch of it years ago and was too stubborn to not use it but in the end I gave up and threw a large portion of it away. If you can name an issue with this line (braid), this stuff had it. Maybe it's been reformulated and is better. I have since moved on to other lines.

This is stuff is amazing. No issues at all with big baits and haven't lost one yet. Not sure if I would use FC for Glide baits even though I use it for pretty much everything else.

If it's up for auction, no way. If you are getting it from a store like Departure Outdoors or ***, then yes but it's probably cheaper at TW right now. If it's from over seas, like Malaysia or Thailand, not on your life.

I always have better luck with 7in version. Not sure why. I have used the 4in version for crappie as well but in that case I like the 3 and 4in Powertail Grub better. Maybe I need to revisit this bait.

Jerkbaits. I have been using the Megabass Vision 110 +1 in French Pearl. It haven't been exactly killing them but I have caught a few when no one else was catching anything. It seems they are hitting it on a long pause.

Mepps inline spinner bait. I have caught a ton of different fish on this bait. Most consistent bait for multiple species. Next would be, a 4in senko. I have caught all in the sameday> walleye, large mouth, small mouth, a blue cat and a channel cat, drum/sheaphead, warmouth, stripped bass/wiper and crappie.

G. Loomis IMX Pro Crankbait rod (not the deep flex version), either the 843C or the 845C. I have the 903C and it fishes with a more mod-fast action, making it more versatile. It will cast a lipless a long way and works great for square bills. I also use this rod for chatterbaits. I was not a big fan of it for spinnerbaits but it works. I prefer a fast taper for those baits.

It depends on the worm. Junebug is totally different looking from one brand to the next. For instance, Junebug in a Berkley Powerbait Powerworm is a totally different color than a GYCB Senko. So my preference when choosing a Powerworm is Junebug and in a Senko it's Black with Blue Flake..... But in the grand scheme of things, I don't think the fish know the difference from Junebug to Black in the stained water I fish. It's probably just another dark color to them.

I have several pairs. I haven't found one yet that has been "The One". A buddy of mine has these and so far they are the best I have seen yet. https://discounttackle.com/products/gerber-magniplier-7-5-inch-locking-pliers?variant=39575162290265&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&adpos=&scid=scplpshopify_US_6919332921433_39575162290265&sc_intid=shopify_US_6919332921433_39575162290265&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIk6rAq6Pd9AIViBJMCh0R4ADbEAQYAyABEgJgV_D_BwE

I think you are fine the way you are but try mixing the lures up and see if you like it.

I have ordered from Shimano on many occasions and never had an issue. I did have an order take about two weeks but not Shimano's fault. Curious.... what parts do you need and why? The SLX XT is fairly new reel. It could be covered by warranty. I fish my reels pretty hard and most of them have very rarely needed parts > Usually it's because I have done something stupid or lost something when doing a cleaning.

I have the 904 NRX + and have thrown a 5 inch Senko weightlessness with no issues.

Choosing between the two ..... The P5 looks great and well made but NRX + is slightly more sensitive and warranty is way better. I think it comes down to looks vs warranty. > Just typing that makes me question why I buy fishing gear.?

I have three Calcuttas and the 70A Antares and none of them make that noise but my older Chronarch 51e that I use for topwater does. It's the only real I use braid on. I hate to say it but it sounds like braid going through the line guide when you are reeling in fast. I have fished this same reel with mono many times and did not hear that noise. I don't know if it's possible but switch out one of them for mono and see if it's still there. Two other guesses or random thoughts..... X-Ship bearing may need oiled. But I think based on the age, that that's doubtful. Next, you're spinning the reel so fast you're engaging the brakes but you would hear the same noise on a hard cast.

I will say probably not ever going to be done but it depends on my state of mind. If I look at my rods and reels as a collection or just fun "Toys" (as my wife calls them), then no, I am not done, not even close. If I look at them as tools to win tournaments, then yes I am done. I can't fish all of what I have at once but I would have all the right stuff to get the job done.

The ones mentioned I think are just for camping. I wouldn't put anything like that on a boat or near me while I am fishing. It's an accident waiting to happen. The $1 pocket wormers work well or if you want to go all out..... It's about $40. One the best investments I have made. Kept my hands and body warm when I needed it on my last trip (25 degrees and 20mph winds) and it will recharge my phone.

I have tried the #31 Tom mentioned above and it did well on a really stained lake when nothing else would but I haven't tried it since. I should revisit this color. There are so many choices and not enough time to fish them all.

The 844C would be my choice for the lighter A-rigs. Then the Dobyn's for anything heavier than on 1oz total weight. I would not use the 843C. My A-rig setup is about 1.5 oz. I use a Shimano Calcutta 251 and a 7'4'' St. Croix Premier Heavy Fast. It pushes the envelope of this broom stick.

Guilty of it this year. I was bringing in a fish, held the rod up with one hand so I could reach down and grab it, then fish made a run next to the boat. I pulled the rod straight up and snap. Broke an NRX 803S. Still waiting to get my replacement. They are saying February now. That's 8 months from the time I contacted them.

I use EWG's for anything fat, senkos, creatures, ect. and offset shank hooks for anything skiny, ribbon tail worms and finesse. I don't tend to like straight shank hooks. I do use them on occasion but mainly the heavier wire versions for flipping and pitching. One of my new favorites is the Gamakatsu hybrid G-finesse. It has super sharp barb and the coating is really slick. Down side, they aren't worth the cost.