AmSO4

Edge Rod Sale - 30% off Silver Widow, Black Widow, First Strike, Surf and Offshore rods https://edgerods.com/?goal=0_3ab204ca31-e376d80013-95649795&mc_cid=e376d80013 Silver Widows use the Xray blank. Deltas are a really good value.

This is what I use on 24V ultrex. I rarely use more than 20-30%. Easily enough power for 2 days. https://battlebornbatteries.com/product/50ah-24v-lifepo4-deep-cycle-battery/

North Fork Composites FLASH SALE - 65% OFF (CART FIXED) ON BLANKS, $75 X-Ray Blanks! Says it will go on for 5 days. Get Xrays for $75. IMO one of the best blank made. Highly recommend MB733, MB736, SJ736. Very light and sensitive and a value at these prices. Get few and build some rods over the winter. It is a great hobby.

I just checked, you are right. I did order a nut or something much less than $35 earlier this year and I was surprised that I did not get a shipping charge. Thanks for the correction.

Here is a link to Shimano Reel parts. They do not charge shipping. I get the Met handle for replacements of those I don't like, ie Curado 70. https://fishshop.shimano.com/collections/met101xg BNT4851 HANDLE ASSEMBLY $32.56

The discounts show up in the cart. The sale is over now. They have them every month or so. When I see one I will post it.

North Forks Composites have a sale till the end of August. END OF SUMMER SALE! - 65% OFF ON BLANKS (X-Ray's Too!) I ordered an Xray and it was $75. I have MB736, MB733 and SJ736. Great blanks. Last 2 orders took about a month to arrive.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Megabass_Okashira_Screwhead_3pk/descpage-MBOSH.html With a paddletail.

Thanks for all the info. Tempting, but I have the XG and like the high speed. Appreciate pointing this out to me.

Curious what all needs to be replaced, just the main gear and pinion gear? Clicker and drag stuff OK?

Yes I have the 16BFS, JDM51, and 31MGL. Really enjoy these little buggers.

Very interested in the cost and how it turns out.

I decided to just replace the gears with OEM and see how it feels. I guess I am spoiled with Aldebarans, Bantams and the new Metanium. Curado will never feel as nice I guess. Waiting to hear more about the Zodias. I just got some new Edge BWs that I am playing with. I have the 733 and 734 and using them for finesse swimjigs. So far so good. Only caught some 3-4lbers but they seem good enough. A little heavier than I would have hoped.

I have an Engetsu and I like using it. Just had to take the giant handle off and put on a Metanium handle. Now its perfect. I will look into swapping out gears,

I picked up a used Curado 71HG and need to do something about how smooth it runs. It feels geary. Recently I replaced the gears on the Metanium with brass and am blown away at the improvement in smoothness. Now I want all my reels to be as smooth. Are there any ways to make the Curado 71 run smoother with alternative gear sets or just replacing the one with the same factory ones the only option? Any thoughts?

This discussion got me curious, so I just did a driveway test of the Conquest, NRX, Black Widow, Xtasy and an Avid and a MajorCraft Days. I took at ¼ oz lead teardrop weight on each of them and dragged it across my asphalt driveway and felt the vibrations. All had straight braid, I cut off the leaders from each one. The Conquest was hands down the best. Very nuanced vibrations, even could feel the rolling. The worst were the Avid and the Majorcraft, not in the same league. The others, NRX, BW, and Extasy were very similar and I would call it a tie. I was surprised the NRX did not blow the others away. The NFC HM blank of the Edge held up to the others. Try it yourself. I found it eye opening. It was better to find out myself rather than hear a bunch of opinions based on different experiences, as I add mine to that long list.

Curious why you say the BW is a joke. I just got a couple to mess with and so far they seem good to me. I am comparing them to my NRXs and Conquests for sensitivity. The slickness of the handle an the super shallow reel seat are hard to get used to. I like the MBR action of the BW. Not the lightest, but feel solid while still not at all heavy. I need to do more on judging the sensitivity and get used to the handle and reel seat. I have the 711, 733 and the 734. I got the BW rods to test since I have never held one before, knowing I can send them back within 60 days for my money back. I am going to fish them for the next few weeks and decide.

Found a few colors of the Patagonia Capilene long sleeve half price ($29) on the Patagonia website, free shipping. Always looking for a comfy hot weather sun shirt.

I use braid to fluoro mostly on spinning applications. Normally its 12lb SX-1 or Xplasma to 5 or 6 lb Sniper. I have tried repeatedly to do FG. Maybe 1 of 3 will bite down and hold. Not confident enough to actually use it while fishing. I use a 10 wrap blood knot and rarely have knot failure.

Must be nice to fish. Here in Maryland our reservoirs are closed. My CNQ-903 and DRX-754 will not be pulling any chatterbaits or spinnerbaits for a while. Probably just pitch and roll cast jigs into a bucket in my back yard.

I started deep cranking last year using 10XD and Z Boss 25 and caught a bunch of bass on deep points. I used 10lb fluoro. I set up two rods and reels. One with 10lb fluoro and one with straight 30lb powerpro. I fished one day and found fish with the 10lb fluoro. I switched to the braid rod and nothing would bite. I switched back and forth and only caught fish on the fluoro setup. I was using the same crankbait during the test. The water I was fishing was very clear. Ever since, I have been using the fluoro. I may do the test again, since I liked the sensitivity and lack of stretch of the braid.

If I am throwing shorter length casts around the shoreline, especially for accurate roll casting and skipping I use a Daiwa. For open water long casting as for chatterbaits, rattletraps, crankbaits and deep cranking, I use a Shimano. For me I have 5 setups with Daiwa and around 20 for Shimano. This is all Baitcasting. One thing also worth mentioning is the availability of cheap shallow BFS spools for the Daiwa that are not available for Shimano SLX that I know of. So for finesse and lightweight stuff on the Daiwa all you need is a $35 shallow spool.

Love the MajorCraft Rod. What rating is that H or MH?

Not trying to sell it, just setting any expectations. It's not an Aldebaren BFS in feel or refinement, but very close in light weight handling performance. It is really amazing for a $50 reel to throw tiny crankbaits, little spoons or anything else of 2-3 grams a long way. I use 4 lb line. Not much else out there less than $200 or so, that can do it. I have a place for it when I want to play that way.

Not really related to fulfilling the quest for a high end reel, but... I have an XF-50. First its a really cheap Chinese reel that may or may not hold up long. It's not very smooth and feels really cheap. But, it will cast a 1/16 weight on a true UL BFS rod. If you are into this kind of stuff, which I am, the Fishband GH-100 is better for a cheap BFS reel. It a Aldebaren BFS knockoff braking system. I also have a real Aldebaren BFS. Tsurinova has a newer, lighter spool version of XF-50 called the Spirit Fox also. The spools of Spirit Fox and XF-50 are interchangeable. FWIW, I sometime use a BFS reel with 20lb braid and pitch, skip and rollcast ¼ oz jigs. The superlight spool makes it really easy and fun.