bulldog1935

Blue drag washers may be resin-bonded alumina abrasive, which is definitely intended to run Dry. My surf Ambassadeurs get these, sold by Valleyhill as B-Trap drag washers. When properly used dry, they double the drag capacity over carbontex. (Easy way to get big drag numbers on paper) Carbontex should get drag grease, but a whole lot less than most consider. The main thing is to get grease on the thin I.D. and O.D. edges, but you generally want to remove everything you can - all you need is the thinnest tenacious film. From where you're at, may want to find a Carbontex vendor who can match your reel. But I would consider the grease-soaked blue abrasive drag washers shot now. If you go back for OEM parts, take an alcohol q-tip to the main gear and metal surfaces exposed to the drag grease.

Thanks. Guess I envision the guy sitting at bench H-g committing seppuku if this reel comes back to his bench. it was jokes Back to '20 world postal crash. Both JDM vendors and the couriers responded to make the world a smaller place. While supply chains stretched in US, it became evidently cheaper and much, much quicker to buy from Japan - 44 hours from Japan v. 2-3 weeks from a US vendor, along with saving 40-50%. Both Jun at JT and my broker Masamichi at noppin began using courier services at my recommendation.

It's really tough to go wrong with PE#1 - 0.165-mm dia - this is the trade-off point between small diameter and high strength (20-lb breaking strength in JDM braid). This is the same diameter as 4-lb mono, and Jun Sonada has always recommended as the minimum diameter to avoid line dig. I have two BFS reels that fish smaller, #0.8 and #0.6 to get more light-end distance, two fishing larger PE#1.2 for big-fish toughness, but #1.0 is a reliable go-to for all BFS. I'm also going to add fine braid backlash is tough to deal with. Initially with a new BFS reel, get used to it with 5-lb Ultragreen mono or 6-lb YoZuri Hybrid. After you know you're backlash-proof, make the switch to X-braid.

My F-150 so far had 2 warranty claims - both window lifts - hey, it's a Ford, window lifts are their worst thing. Otherwise, a warranty on a fishing reel just hasn't been a concern for me. I do think my '77 Ambassadeurs are probably out of warranty. But that's OK, there's no postal charge to send them back to my bench. I'm not sure why a single and only JDM purchase requires so much repeated affirmation as the only sensible way to do this. I've been buying from Japan for 20 years, since before any JDM vendors were able to sell to US, and buying in Japan required a broker for the language barrier, for the vendor to receive payment, and to broker shipping. From the current shops marketing to US, I've bought rods and reels from Asian Portal, Digitaka, Plat, Japan Tackle, Japan Angler, FishingShop.kiwi, Hedgehog Studio, Amazon.jp, Amazon Prime, Yahoo, along with Many brick and mortar shops across the 99% rest of Japan using my broker. Any of these routes allows warranty return for a defective product. While I've heard of exactly a couple, I've never received a defective JDM product.

This is for a minimum-size/weight parcel. It's more cost-effective to buy another reel than to send one to Japan. The only person I know of who received a defective JDM Alphas Air (frame was missing spool guide on one side), Asian Portal e-mailed him will-call return shipping. There's more than one way to buy JDM reels, some more cost-effective than others. While there are bogus Asian websites that google up with ridiculously low prices and pretend to be Japan, you won't find an actual JDM scam website or a bad vendor. Their integrity is so much a part of their culture, they're all good and conscientious vendors. When I was shipping to Japan, Priority Mail International to Japan or UK was $30. At that same time Royal Air Mail from UK to US was $12. '20 worldwide postal crash wiped that out, and EU post and courier is still nuts, though EU vendors combine ground across Europe with expedited transatlantic (contract) to ship to us for $30.

I fish down to PE#0.5 on finesse spinning, and PE#0.6 on BFS. It's all about extra distance. It's all pretty tough, too.

I ended up buying my Twin Power from a buddy, because he somehow ordered 2 from Asian Portal and received them on consecutive days. He discovered shipping back to Japan for refund was not cost effective. I've sold some high-grade tackle in Japan collector's market, myself, and the shipping cost from US has always been high. Shipping $700 antiques, the shipping cost is easily absorbed. The JDM vendors marketing to US have bulk shipping contracts - we don't. That said, Jun and son Kayo are the finestkind, and I've placed 15 orders with them, but only one reel.

If you're going to the trouble to customize, might want SLP Works Zillion, which is based on the '22 HD, and comes without handle and spool. Handle is Studio Composite RC-SC Ex Plus.

I fished my 4-yr '21 Zillion SVTW week before last next to SLPW Zillion, which is based on '22 HD. I like the HD better. It has an edge in drive smothness, clutch feels stiffer, more positive. This one I haven't been inside yet, but the main gear is reported to be brass. I was inside my '21 Zillion this week, for post salt-trip clean and lube, and it looks really good. Especially happy with the pinion gear, which is stainless steel. Alloy main gear still looks new.

BTW, with shields removed, you don't need soap. Grease is paraffin, and denatured alcohol or even hexane is a 100% solvent. Extraction chemistry is in my bailiwick.

That's Avail power handle T4S (complete kit). also sold as bare handle. But with lower gear ratio, you would likely prefer shorter Avail S-Trad. Note that the T4S takes Shimano-A/ Daiwa-S knobs, but S-Trad only takes matching (short) Avail knobs. Both handles are very light, with titanium knob spindles. Here's S-Trad on my Headhunter BC620 Maybe @redmeansdistortion will chime-in with Daiwa SLP parts.

Mid cast backlash is caused by gravity slowing the lure before it crosses the hump. It's also called wind backlash. You need either a heavier lure, or a higher setting on mag brake.

borrowed a (bench-built) Millionaire photo from @redmeansdistortion note bent handle also needs matching bent star drag. here's a straight (new) Avail handle on a different round reel.

I did get a keeper trout on East Flats - 16" New reg this year, fewer smaller fish in bag limit - the 2 big trout that broke/.shook me off, I'd have to release, anyway. It's fish tacos tonight. Secret ingredient in fish tacos is a thin stripe of Remoulade sauce on the fish. Cabbage blend. Fresh pico de gallo would be better than the salsa.

hi friend, yeah, don't remember when it showed up, but I was casting finesse lures into grass. Saw it roll up on my spool, and it was small enough to shoot my guides, so I kept fishing. here's Nina and I aiming cameras at each other on Cavasso - she's on T140, and I'm on orange T160. Noteworthy, we're both smoking cigars. here's a photo Josh took of me on East Flats two days later - beer-thirty break Another Josh photo, tailing red in Talley Is. slough Lighthouse Lakes mangroves - amazing he found this much wind shelter His paddle trail on Lighthouse Lakes

I wrote up a gear report pm for @Eric 26 when I could again see daylight from catching up work and cleaning gear. Since I posted it on FFR long daily reports, also decided to post it here. My wood plugs held up well in the salt (1st lure box I washed at home), but didn't catch a fish. The reds in the marsh and mangroves weren't after mullet, but tiny shrimp. and "Mr. Peanut" (Supra 65) fished on BF came through for me. I took 6 rods total, Zillion/ Omen Green 7'1" ML; SLPW/ Kurodai 7'3" BF; Silver Wolf/ Xrossfield 6'6" BF; 2500C/ Rockfish 7'8" BF; Headhunter/ Glaflex 6'4" 3-power (S-glass);, and BC720/ 1800 6'4" 4-power (IM6). The plan here was 3 short rods for mud marsh, longer rods for drifting grass flats and tide pass. First day at Cavasso, took out the 3 short rods, and only caught fish on the BF. Saturday on Lighthouse Lakes, I brought two 7' rods plus Headhunter combo, but only fished the ML and BF rods drifting - I never found reds in the mangroves, and honestly, I wasn't fishing too hard by Saturday - might have been different in less wind. Didn't catch fish on my round reels, though the BC720/1800 combo was a joy fishing both the wood plugs and TSL Grasswalker. Deeper in Cavasso marsh/sloughs on the 1st day, I was disappointed with Headhunter combo casting 1/8 oz bunny shrimp. While it made reverse-spiral skip cast well, it would windage swing with overhead or sidearm cast - I compensated and fished it a bit, but the bunny shrimp needs BF. I could have swapped to DOA shrimp, didn't want the weight-splash in the calm sloughs. When I came home, ordered the Buggz Click-Shrimp above, which is stated to sink like 1/8 oz, but cast weight is 6 g, which I hope will be just right. Bread-and-butter lure for drift fishing was Minnow-Z on 1/8 oz Texas Eye jighead. Most productive color was Mood Ring, which transmits pink and reflects mullet blue sheen. (reflected light/ transmitted light) On Thursday, I made it to Little Cut tide pass late morning for stretch, food and beer break. While the pass was dead, I really enjoyed a few casts with 2500C/Rockfish. The rod ain't Yamaga Blanks, but my bench-built reel was flawless per my plan, and I enjoyed casting 4-g plug across the tide pass. This will get some more shore-fishing time at Arroyo in January. Full SiN bearings in both Silver Wolf and SLPW out-performed IXA doubles in my Zillion SVTW. Taking the Zillion down for post-salt clean and lube, swapped those spool bearings to full SiN. After 4 salt years (Spring '21 to Fall '24), Zillion looked great inside. One last note about structure, tide timing, and experience. When we launched at Estes Thursday morning, I told Lou to be inside Little Cut at 11 am. He wasn't there, but that's where I hooked up the over-slot red, right at 11 am. The tide was swinging from out-going to incoming. Last year on the same tide timing, I was on 200 redfish on the shoal inside Little Cut, all moving toward the tide pass. Limited in 12 casts, which included releasing 3 more under-slot fish.

Thanks, friends. Still Austin is quite good - I think the best neat bourbon we had on the table. @AlabamaSpothunter - it's easy to be inspired when you hang with a young man as talented, organized and gracious as Josh.

A note for the OP's normal vs. microguide observation. I run fluoro leader primarily for shock tolerance, and tie them with improved Allbright knot. On BF rods with microguides, my leader is 18" and doesn't have to pass the microguides. I fish longer leaders, 4 feet, on rods with normal size guides, and of course no worries about the knot passing the guides.

On his TKF and FFR reports, Josh posted an afternoon photo of him enjoying a Paloma. Also need to mention he mixed up Old Fashioned for me and Lou using the exceptional Maverick Rye.

My buddy Josh and his sister Nina have hosted the annual Rockport kayak, um, bacchanal for this many years. Through the evening's firepit haze, I got the sense Josh was foreboding the 13 Omen. Nothing could have been further from realized - everyone had a wonderful time. Eight to a dozen kayakers turn out at their extended family digs on Copano Bay. The historic property on Live Oak Point is the highest elevation on the TX coast (sorry, only had winter-trip photos for the gazebo and firepit). There's no way to do this trip justice, but can show off a few photos and talk about a couple of days on the water. Some folks will come and go through the week, may show up early or stay late. We haul kayaks to different grass flats and mud marshes covering about 100 mi of the coast, typical paddle trail for a morning fishing is 8 to 10 mi. We cook or go out for an evening meal, and end the evening at the the firepit with cigars and libations, planning the next day's travel around tides, wind, and a binder of embossed Google Earth charts. Normally, the first organized trip is Wednesday, and the last organized meal is Saturday night shrimp boil. While wind was stiff on the back of the week, Wednesday's light wind was wonderful for sight-fishing. We launched at Cavasso (salt) Creek. Though only 10 minutes from Copano digs, Josh had never fished this spot, and the last time Steve and I fished it was 30 years ago. Parks & Wildlife release gators here they snag in Goose Is SP. Great hard-pack launch, and paddle into the sunrise. I was behind Josh along the grass, sight-fishing his rejects. Prop-tail topwater shrimp cast into the grass caught my first and best red. After doing the math, I caught 5 redfish each morning, though not all in the slot. Great photos of Josh with a fly rod red. My day ended with a small wind knot in my braid, and the knot breaking an over-slot spec right at the boat. All part of the fun, and a great day. Josh's special Cioppino with cod, crab, shrimp, and mussels hit the spot for the evening kick-off dinner - Josh and Nina competing in the kitchen always exceeds our imaginations. Thursday brought us back to my favorite Estes Flats, and a reliable NNE wind for drifting down Trout Bayou. Launching at Palm Harbor, a mile to the turn up Talley Island, and 2 miles to the top of Trout Bayou. My morning began in Aransas Bay, drifting back into the tide pass. Plenty of small trout were slashing. I brought a nice big spec to the boat, but she tore the hook out with a head shake. Began my drifts down Trout Bayou, and landed 3 absolutely 19" reds. I was happy to get one more that measured 20" for my stringer. I ended bringing an over-slot red to the boat. Thought I had him set with 3 solid pulls. But the little slack I had to give him while pulling in drift sock was enough for him to shake the hook. Again, all part of the fun. The group meat haul from Estes. Friday, we took our boats across Port Aransas ferry to fish East Flats on Mustang Is. It was our longest paddle and toughest wind, though with some shelter, and everyone brought home fish. GPS trail for the day. Saturday, another big wind day, we fished Marker 1 trail on Lighthouse Lakes. Josh traveled farther upwind than everybody, and sight-fished a banner day in the mangroves - he deserved his results facing the wind and currents to get that far. The rest of us stayed close in the first 3 lakes, and Andy pulled a couple out of the mangroves. Caught this photo of Stevo crossing back Aransas Channel. Josh's trip-fish 27" red. Josh's shrimp boil gets better every year, decided to spend some electrons on the master at work. Another feast, and easy clean up - we were hungry, not much for leftovers. We also made a good showing sampling the single cask bottles into the last evening, before packing out Sunday morning.

If you notice in some older reels, they will crank quiet when tilted with handle up, and make gear noise when cranking with handle tilted down. This is from end-play in the main shaft/ drag stack. No experience with OG Daiwa - '19 Steez was my first Daiwa since 1979. But if you've isolated the noise to the LW, you may improve it by swapping the LW bushings with 740 ball bearings.

No forum can accept liability for classifieds listings. Buyer Beware fits Everywhere. In the early days of "the fiberglass renaissance", the choices were venerable rods from the '70s, custom rods from Japan, and only two cottage makers hand-rolling blanks in the US. Backlog became so great, FFR forum devolved into gripe sessions, and one of those cottage makers got banned from the forum - and so did some of the buyers...

Look at Abu Garcia. I'm taking 3 ML rods after redfish next week - two of those are JDM Abu Garcia. The shortest one, though, is 6'5" - the range is 1/16 to 5/8 oz. USM Vendetta offers a 6'3" that will probably match your lure range. https://www.abugarcia.com/products/vendetta-casting-rod?variant=42039898669195

yes, that's not a knob, it's the shell of a broken knob. that's only a piece of a broken knob - make your claim - there should be no way to separate the knob shell from the knob tube - the knob tube is not a replaceable part - they are integral in a completed knob

That doesn't make sense. You need 7x4x2.5-mm ball bearings which will come from your old knobs, or find them from a bearing supplier (e.g. HPR bearings on ebay) The spindle diameter is the I.D. of the bearing (4 mm). The knob I.D. has to be larger, seats one bearing from the bottom of the knob, and the other from the top.