zenbasser

i've brought swimbait gear on 1/2 and 3/4 trips. Using that type of gear for calicos, cudas, bonito, and yellows is fun. That same gear just plain sucks for rockfishing, deep veritcal jigging., A long rod (anything over 5-6ft) works against you. Adding a couple of pounds of lead, drop that to the bottom a few hundred feet, then winching that lead back up using a reel with a tiny spool diameter is just plain work. A high-speed ratio 7:1 ratio, plus small diameter reel, plus 8-ft rod is the exact opposite outfit I'd use for rockfishing...you'll be cranking all day just to wind up a few yards of line.

Cardiff and Conquest are at opposite ends of the lineup in terms of price and build qualtiy. Split the difference and go Calcutta D series, done. Narrow frame Calcutta 300D or 400D is way more comfortable to palm over extended periods vs a wider framed Cardiff 300 Narrow spool in Calcutta D has less line-out friction than wide spool Cardiff, which benefits casting performance. Calcutta D has the oversized gearing that the Conquest has; Cardiff does not. Oversize gearing = more cranking power.

if you're not in a particular rush, keep your eyes open for the glide hustler coming out in a month or two...

the gears dont move during a cast, so there may be more than one area that needs attention. if noise during casting then i'd check the spool bearings and look for spool rub, atypical wear on the spool rim if it touches the reel frame. if noise during retrieve then i'd check the condition of the anti-reverse bearing and with X-ship both pinion support bearings. shimano USA doesnt mention it but one feature that was touted overseas is that the reel can be hosed off and has been engineered to allow water to drain: from my observation as an owner of the 300D/400D i dont think complete drainage is guaranteed

gotcha, i'm always interested in spool swap mods so thanks for clarifying...

so a calcutta 400B spool was swapped into a TE...how did that happen?

the main differences between the 300E and the 300EJ are the handle type and the gear ratio. that's it. the power handle and faster gear ratio on the 300EJ were spec'd for shimano's saltwater jigging system. which is better depends on how you plan on using the reel...

this problem is due to the weight distribution of the handle, not the reel. it has happened to me with a couple of reels including the luna and calcutta. the simple fix is to use a double knob handle...

anyone have recommendations on what stripper, thinner, mineral spirit, etc to *safely* remove the factory paint from a slide swimmer? i've tried wet sanding with 1500/2000grit with good results but looking for something that will take less effort...

so for the record, just what exactly is the retail price for a new deps slide swimmer 250SS? probably not the same price from shop to shop, or year to year... fair might be defined differently if you're buying or selling. can anyone here nail down the fair price?

might be too late. in the last pic, behind the gill plate that black dot is a part inside the body that moves/vibrates...

out of curiosity, what was the original color?

seems deps will be using ABS resin for the body, changing skin type, colors, etc and adding a new "feature"...not sure when these will be released or if this version will be replacing the existing type? some screen grabs: http://imageshack.com/a/img163/5563/1y3f.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img824/7149/wj9a.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img716/721/agt5.jpg

have worked on my own reels since the mid '80's, starting with various ABUs. about the late '90's i got into JDM reels, mostly Shimano and Daiwa. at the time, neither of their service centers would service JDM reels, so i gradually accumulated a good inventory of JDM along with USDM reel parts... one thing i suggest picking up are all the parts you hear or read about getting lost. bearing retainers, e-clips, frame screws, washers/spacers, etc. these are cheap to buy and keep in stock, and NOT having them on hand can make a simple job turn into a PITA or have the reel out of commission until you get the part replaced. the stuff that gets expensive are the aftermarket "tuning" options, especially JDM parts

i'm assuming you already own and/or have access to 100 and 200 size reels? i'd take a small reel with similar line cap as the tatula and spool it up with 15# hybrid or 65# braid, then go bomb a 2oz sinker at the lake. that should give you a frame of reference to help decide if that size reel works for you. it might reveal some limitations of that setup that are otherwise not easily explained or varies from angler to angler.

i think to narrow down the options you really need to make a decision on what line type and # you likely will end up spooling with. re: the overall size of the reel and which size is suitable for big baits and big fish, i wouldnt necessarily rule out smaller reels if the line capacity works for your style of fishing. offhand i know at least one 300-size reel that is often recommended for swimbaiters, yet has the same gearset as the 200-size reel that my buddy has used for yellowtail, the same gearset as the 100-size reel that i've used for nicer grade corvina and halibut...

the prettiest thing on that saiko trout is not the foil but the translucent skin

i've done it myself a few times each on the 300D and 400D... since changing the brakes means taking the reel apart, might as well clean up while you're in there if you're comfortable working on reels, the D's are actually pretty easy to service. there was a spec change early during the production run, so depending on when the reel was made there may be a part "missing" or you may have an extra part not listed in the schematic...

i hadnt heard of these before your post. i then emailed a good connect in japan, who to my surprise stated they can source them... what colors would you suggest?

Subject: Lexa 300 bearing ? the purpose of spinning on a pencil is to test the bearing itself, nothing more. is the bearing spinning quietly or roughly, does it spin down gradually or does it come to an abrupt stop that suggests some contamination or mfr defect? i dont try to read anything from the results of a spin test, i just use it to assess the quality of the bearing. i'm not trying to argue, troll, or provoke. as i stated before, i dont doubt the improvement you're seeing. i'm simply saying that "higher quality" bearings will give you better performance. it doesnt have to be ceramics. but what i read is that ONLY ceramics will give you better casting performance than stock...? either way this dialogue seems to be taking a turn and i'm not trying to ruffle feathers here... glad those SiCs are working out for ya!

if i said i get a more satisfying meal at ruths chris vs the complimentary lunch the airline serves me, would that be a shocker to anyone i wouldnt call them an afterthought, but the stock bearings are just a fraction of the total package...IOW no way are $30 bearings being spec'd for a $109 MSRP reel. and stock shimano SS bearings are often packed in grease... for protection against corrosion not max performance. boca orange seals usually come dry, and if a good reel tech installed them he's using a high grade low viscosity lube, or none at all in a ceramic bearing...for max performance. if you still have em, take the stock bearing and boca, put em both on a pencil tip, and spin to high rpm using compressed or canned air. which spins longest?

i know the rear skin is glued in near the joint, but there's an air pocket by the tail that takes on water during normal use. would really be interested in hearing details on successfully removing and reattaching the the rear skin, as my DIY flash carp is nearly finished