Topics

16

Salt Water Shore Fishing Reports / Family Beach Day 20200708

« on: July 09, 2020, 09:51:07 AM »

I know I've been quiet lately.  Lots of things going on that put fishing much lower on the radar lately.
I took yesterday off work so I could spend the day at the beach with my wife, kids, and other family.
It was a great day!  My nephews have been wanting to see a shark for a long time, so I brought my long rod, but the market only had one lone mackerel left.  Made the most of it and an hour into the second soak, line starts ripping off my reel.
We were on a pretty crowded beach, so I played it most of the way in to steer it away from the swimmer.  Let my nephew take control when it got in the waves so I could grab it. 
Big, beautiful Leopard shark!  Pretty sure it would be my new PB, but I didn't measure it since I was doing so much show and tell haha!
Everyone got a kick out of seeing it, and my nephews were thrilled!
Good to feel the tug again!
Hope y'all are doing great!

17

Classifieds / Fully upgraded Penn 9500SS for trade

« on: July 02, 2020, 11:35:32 AM »

I have a fully upgraded 9500SS.
It has the good brass main and pinion gears.
Penn bailless kit
Penn drag upgrade
3sevens titanium double dog kit
Rare power handle and knob

I'd like to trade for an 8500LL, a conventional surf casting rod/reel combo, or AR-15 parts.

Let me know if your interested.

18

Fishing Talk / Time to upgrade my bait again???

« on: July 02, 2020, 09:38:10 AM »

So I started off using macs like everyone else and that worked for a lot of bats and some sharks.

Then I started keeping the occasional bat to use as bait and that worked better for sevengills.

Now I see this.  Looks like a pretty large bit out of it, so I'm thinking do I keep one of these as bait for the bigger ones???   



Just kidding by the way! 

19

Fishing Talk / Wow, crazy catch on a yak

« on: February 06, 2020, 08:58:47 AM »

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7_8NtwrGUU&feature=youtu.be

20

Reel Repair & Maintenance / Accurate Magnum 4/0 Build

« on: January 15, 2020, 12:31:13 PM »

Starting a cool build for a customer in Florida.  
He sent me this Accurate Magnum 4/0 to go through and upgrade.
This is a sweet little reel!  Compact and solid with the 6/0 drivetrain, not much it won't stop!

Started with a complete tear down and cleaning.


Lots of upgrades for this one too!

Modified a stainless steel 114H yoke since the original brass one had some really bad wear.



I machined the head plate for a second dog.



Bryan Young's 7+1 drag kit ready for assembly (with Cal's drag grease of course).



I found an easier way to install the bridge while keeping the dogs and springs in place!
1.  Assemble the main gear to the sleeve with the delrin under gear washer, drag stack, belville, and spacer sleeve.



2.  Install the eccentric, jack, yoke, springs, and pinion into the head plate.



3.  Insert the main gear/sleeve assembly into the cavity in the head plate.



4.  Install the dogs and springs.



5.  Insert the bridge post into the sleeve, position the bridge, and tighten the bridge screws.



6.  Now there is enough room outside of the head plate to install the sleeve retainer pin!





Be sure that the pin is a good fit before final assembly so that it snaps right in.

Ted's (Maxed Out) eccentric lever was a hair shorter than the original, but worked perfect, and looks killer!



Alan Chui's (ProChallenger) new aluminum drag star looks great as well.





He also includes a thin delrin washer to go between the star and the handle arm.



And here's the finished reel.







This is a beast of a 4/0!  
Should be a grouper killer!

21

Salt Water Shore Fishing Reports / One and done 20191210

« on: December 11, 2019, 10:03:46 AM »

Had a small window to soak some bait last night with my dad (GilB).
Conditions were great.  Had one screamer on one of my rods that dropped it. 
As soon as I reeled in my dad's rod went off. 

68" male Soupfin.
Incoming tide.
Mack chunk.



We fished another hour and a half, but the bait stealers were picking the bones clean in 10 minutes.
It got really cold and my back was hurting so we left.
Need to get some waders!

22

Reel Repair & Maintenance / Upgraded Penn Mag 10

« on: November 26, 2019, 01:42:39 PM »

I just finished this Penn Mag Tuned 10 for a customer in Oregon. These are such great little reels that can be used for a variety of species and techniques.  He’ll be using it for surf, rocks, and jetty fishing and these upgrades will allow for stronger line and help keep the larger fish out of structure.

This reel was upgraded with the following:
-Replaced the 30-10 stand/foot with a stronger 30-49 unit that also allows for a rod clamp (using custom spacers and screws).
-Replaced the stock brass gear sleeve with a stainless steel sleeve.
-Shimmed the gear sleeve with a .010” shim to reduce excess handle play.
-Added a second anti-reverse dog to the bridge.
-Upgraded the drag with Carbontex washers and Cal’s drag grease.
-Full disassembly, deep clean, and lubrication.

23

Classifieds / Looking for Mitchell reels

« on: November 07, 2019, 08:35:19 AM »

I'm looking for Garcia Mitchell or Mitchell reels (and rods too).

Spinners, baitcasters, conventionals.

ANY condition. Broken, parts, anything.

PM me if you have any that you'd want to get rid of.

Thanks!
Chad

24

Reel Repair & Maintenance / Shakespeare Wondercast Model 1777 Spincaster

« on: October 01, 2019, 11:09:02 AM »

My cousin sent me a box of old reels that he was given knowing I'd have fun with all the grungyness   
There were a couple of Penn 209's and a 285 Del Mar, a Heddon 205-R, a Mitchell 300, and this push button Shakespeare Wondercast Model 1777.
The others went in my bin for another day, but I couldn't stop playing with the spincaster.  It reminded me of my first rod and reel that my uncle bought me, a plastic push button reel on a fiberglass rod.  I know these aren't high performance pieces, but for panfish and small trout they are a blast.  Then there's the nostalgia factor of course!  This model is date coded EG which I believe means the model was started in 1964.  It's older than the one I had in the late 70's early 80's, but better built also.

Here's a few pics before cleaning it up.




Pretty grungy on the inside.


I completely disassembled it and cleaned it up with Dawn detergent and lacquer thinner. 


(I got excited and forgot to take pictures of the first few reassembly steps  )
The drag is just the main cap pressing the spool against this felt washer (which I oiled to make it smoother).


Once the spool is in place, the winding assembly with shaft slides on and then the washer and pinion gear.


Then the spring, washer, cotter pin are installed on the shaft.  The left side plate and push button are installed after that.


Then the right side plate with the main gear and AR can be screwed in place and the main cap screwed on.
All done.




I love seeing the "MADE IN USA" 
Some of you may have noticed that the handle knob looks different and vaguely familiar...
It's the factory knob from my South Bend Classic 935.  The original knob had disintegrated and so I had to improvise. 



I can't wait to try this out on some panfish or trout!  Just need to find an old 60's rod to pair it up with so I can spool it with some 6 lb. mono and go fish it!

25

Reel Repair & Maintenance / The Brute - 3/0 from donated parts

« on: September 04, 2019, 12:10:04 PM »

I started collecting parts for this project awhile ago when a buddy gave me a set of 3/0 Accuplates.
They were rattle canned black and you could see where a previous owner had engraved his name and number on both sides.
Awhile later he gave me a set of Newell spacer bars that were the "Tuna Special" width.
At some point I bought a few crusty Senators from a guy on craigslist and one ended up being a 3/0 with the same width Newell Spool and stand.
The stainless gear sleeve was from another friend.
And yet another buddy sent me a star, gears, and stainless jack/eccentric.
I pulled the handle from a 49 I have on the back burner.

I finally had all the parts rounded up and some time while I waited for parts on another job, so I threw it together.

The plates got soaked in thinner and re-rattle canned with some semigloss black.  (Obviously I suck at spray painting)
I drilled the spacer bars and sprayed them as well.
The 4:1 steel gears house carbontex drags and ride on a fine thread stainless sleeve.
I made a custom stainless dog since I didn't have one of Lee's.
Everything went together with Cals Grease and Lucas Reel Oil.

It's not gonna win a beauty contest, but it should put some fish in the sand.
I love the strong, loud, obnoxious clicker!





I added a .010" stainless shim under the gear sleeve to reduce the end play in the handle.







I wanted to do something off the wall and different also.  I had a knurled knob from one of my Mag kits on my desk and it sparked an idea...







Not necessarily needed, but it looks cool to me 

Here's the finished reel.  The Brute.

26

General Board / Ketchikan Rod & Gun Club

« on: August 27, 2019, 08:29:49 AM »

This belonged to my paternal Grandpa who was an avid hunter and fisherman in Alaska and Idaho.
I forgot that I had this until I found it in the back of my drawer the other night. 
Sure brings back a lot of good memories of him   





Thanks for looking!

27

Salt Water Shore Fishing Reports / Lunch break Fishing Carpinteria 20190816

« on: August 16, 2019, 03:16:57 PM »

First time on the sand in awhile.
Went down to the beach on my lunch break
Gear: Daiwa 7250RLA on a 5' UL Ugly Stik
Rig: Carolina rig, 5/8 oz. egg sinker, #8 octopus hook
Bait: Sand crabs

The first 30 minutes was clearing chopped salad from my line.
Finally found some clean water and had a good hit.
Little keychain leopard shark went for a couple nice runs and put up a fun fight on the light gear.





Next cast I got a nibble and then a few seconds later a good tug.  Set the hook on this little surf perch.



Definitely a good way to end the work week!

28

General Board / My Grandpa's Briefcase

« on: August 12, 2019, 08:51:14 AM »

I had to make a trip down the border near San Diego last week to pick up some parts for work.  Took my wife and 3 youngest kids on an overnight road trip and spent the night in Carlsbad with my Grandma.  She's 93 and loves to see her great grand kids.  While I was there I found my late Grandpa's briefcase in a closet.  Grandma said she'd love for me to have it and I thought it might be neat to use for work instead of my backpack I've been using.  

It's still in pretty good shape, but it was a bit dusty and such.  I went over it with a toothbrush, washcloth, magic eraser, and armorall.  





It turned out pretty good and my laptop fits perfectly!







It rode to work with me today just like it did with him for many years.  

29

Food & Recipe / Poor Man's Pad Tai

« on: July 03, 2019, 02:02:11 PM »

This is my first recipe post so go easy on me.
Since I'm my 3rd case of Ramen noodles now (cheap and fast lunches) I've been trying to find ways to flavor them up different and add a little variety.
I've tried adding Tapatio, pretzels, cheese, and chunks of beef jerky.
Today I went really fancy.  After making the chicken Ramen, I drained off the broth, added chunky peanut butter and Tapatio to make my Poor Man's Pad Tai!
It's actually a lot better than I thought it would be! 

30

Reel Repair & Maintenance / South Bend Classic 935 R&R

« on: July 03, 2019, 02:00:29 PM »

I was reminded that I had a South Bend Classic Model 935 in the bin that I had picked up awhile ago and forgotten about.  Since I'd sold my Slammer 360 I was in need of another light duty surf reel and this seemed like it would fit the bill.  After going through it, I think I'll like this reel even better than the Penn.
    
So here's the reel as I received it.  In very nice shape to begin with and very smooth.


Simple, strong frame and components.




Single bearing on the pinion that's sealed on the rotor side (great for surf conditions).


All the critical parts seem to be stainless, very few plastic parts.  Anti Reverse is on the pinion.  


I made some Carbon Fiber drag discs to replace the felt ones.  The 3 stack should put out plenty of drag.


Finished it off the best way I know how with a custom knob from a friend of mine.






I spooled it up with some 30 lb. braid and it should be ready for everything from perch to pancakes!


This reel is so smooth and feels very strong without being too heavy.  The AR is very quiet compared to one's I've used that are on the main gear (although personally I enjoy the sound of the ratcheting dog).
I got this reel on ebay for $9.  Proof that you don't need to spend a lot of cash to have quality, reliable gear.