I'm suprised to here of your issues with the Pflueger. I picked up a couple of limited production Maxx's a few years ago and have had great performance out of them.
They are a smaller size 25 & 30 for trout. But I've hauled in a load of 5+ # fish in fast water and they still run like the day I...
Hit the upper canyon this afternoon. Around 30 deg. with frost and ice on the edge of the river but not a cloud. This hen hit right before I called it quits. Measured in at right at 23"