9 hours ago, EllisJuan said:

Tools bouncing around the bottom of an old aluminum boat...

 

Lots of boat rash in the making. Why not spend a few extra bucks and stick reel covers on all of those?

1 minute ago, kickerfish1 said:

Lots of boat rash in the making. Why not spend a few extra bucks and stick reel covers on all of those?

I have reel covers for all of them.  They are a pain.  This is not a common occurrence, but I bought them to use and have accepted they wont stay mint.  The only one that made me cringe a bit was the Antares...this was the first time it was ever fished...lol.

I can take a reel cover off and on in seconds. Of all the reels I have bought new over the years most reels are mint or like new. You would be hard pressed to find a mark on them. I leave covers on them all the time while not in use. When I pick up an outfit I remove the cover and put it in my pocket. Only takes a few seconds. When I switch to another outfit I just put the cover back on before setting it down. At this point it is all habit and second nature. The TW covers were my favorite. Cheap, worked well, and easy to take on and off.

11 hours ago, EllisJuan said:

Tools bouncing around the bottom of an old aluminum boat...

 

horrible boat good equipment..

1 hour ago, kickerfish1 said:

I can take a reel cover off and on in seconds. Of all the reels I have bought new over the years most reels are mint or like new. You would be hard pressed to find a mark on them. I leave covers on them all the time while not in use. When I pick up an outfit I remove the cover and put it in my pocket. Only takes a few seconds. When I switch to another outfit I just put the cover back on before setting it down. At this point it is all habit and second nature. The TW covers were my favorite. Cheap, worked well, and easy to take on and off.

Yeah.  I have the neoprene TW covers.  They are really nice for the money.  I stopped using them because my stuff is usually just laying on the carpeted deck of my boat.  If I had them on this trip, I may have used them.

I rescued this guy from a garage sale this past weekend.  I don't think it was even offered for sale but I thought I'd ask anyway since I saw it sitting in a bucket.  Scored it for $5.  It was pretty filthy and even had a small bit of rust on the frame, but I got it back in working order and the rust came right off.  This is an Abu 4500CS (reel foot# 0400) from about '94 or '95.  I broke it down, ran the parts through an ultrasonic cleaner, added Carbontex drag washers, lighter brake blocks, Boca Lightning spool bearings, double bearing level wind, double bearing cog wheel, ceramic line guide pawl, and replaced the speed bushing in favor of a speed bearing from Reel Kustom Reels.  I'll be putting it on the water in the coming weeks.

 

 

23 hours ago, EllisJuan said:

Tools bouncing around the bottom of an old aluminum boat...

 

Yikes!  I couldn't do that with my stuff.

ITT: People's unsolicited opinions about how to take care of other people's gear.

34 minutes ago, Junger said:

ITT: People's unsolicited opinions about how to take care of other people's gear.

lol...I knew it was coming.  I also don't use head covers on my golf clubs. ?

20 minutes ago, EllisJuan said:

I also don't use head covers on my golf clubs. ?

Well now you're definitely the conductor of the crazy train!

Be careful that you don’t scratch your boat. 

7 hours ago, Junger said:

ITT: People's unsolicited opinions about how to take care of other people's gear.

It is like buying a high end sports car and never washing it and parking it outside. When you purchase high end stuff most folks prefer to keep it looking nice and take care of it. Should you ever need to part with something and sell it, the stuff that isn't all rashed up appeals to a larger market and most people are more likely to buy something that has been taken care of. You wouldn't buy a used Porsche that had scratches and hail damage unless someone was practically giving it away.

 

Cheaper rods and reels or ones tournament arsenal I can see the need for everything to be out and open in a moments notice and as long as the function is there who cares what it looks like.

 

It was just an observation. Your mileage might vary...

2 hours ago, microotter said:

Be careful that you don’t scratch your boat. 

Shut 'er down folks, this guy wins the internet today.

2 hours ago, kickerfish1 said:

It is like buying a high end sports car and never washing it and parking it outside. When you purchase high end stuff most folks prefer to keep it looking nice and take care of it. Should you ever need to part with something and sell it, the stuff that isn't all rashed up appeals to a larger market and most people are more likely to buy something that has been taken care of. You wouldn't buy a used Porsche that had scratches and hail damage unless someone was practically giving it away.

 

Cheaper rods and reels or ones tournament arsenal I can see the need for everything to be out and open in a moments notice and as long as the function is there who cares what it looks like.

 

It was just an observation. Your mileage might vary...

If I bought a Porsche I would put track miles on it, it would get scratches, and I would not cry about it.  Like these reels, they are purpose built tools designed to be used.  I definitely would not be one of those guys at the track with the front end covered in blue painters tape...

 

 

 

BTW, the reels all still look mint except for a few scratches on the Conquest 101.  That reel will never be sold.

 

Did this one for a customer of mine.  He wanted a brute for king salmon fishing and he got it.  For this reel, I used a new-old-stock Abu 5600C (circa mid/late 70s) frame with the red thumb bar.  It's chromed brass so it's extra heavy duty compared to the stamped aluminum frames Abu uses today.  It took a little modification to get it to work with the newer style brake plate, but it's smooth as butter.  Additionally, it got a double bearing worm gear, double bearing cog, Boca Lightning spool bearings, Abu Rocket clutch washer and fiber brake blocks, stainless steel 6.3:1 gears from Pimp My Reel, Carbontex drag, and a Revo Inshore power handle.  Should be no thing for the Great Lakes kings.

 

 

 

Lovin my new 19' Shimano Antares 70 6.2gr. Great caster, so smooth, virtually no backlash. 2 brakes on with no problems. And I really like the clicker on the drag. Well worth the money imo. I got it from JapanLure, fast shipping. I recieved it within 5 days. Came with a very nice MegaBass lure. 

 

Doing some re-pairing of rods/reels...

 

20 hours ago, EllisJuan said:

Doing some re-pairing of rods/reels...

 

Pretty sexy stuff you got there. 

2 hours ago, Derek1 said:

Pretty sexy stuff you got there. 

Thanks man.  I think so.

On 7/14/2019 at 11:01 AM, FrankN209 said:

Lovin my new 19' Shimano Antares 70 6.2gr. Great caster, so smooth, virtually no backlash. 2 brakes on with no problems. And I really like the clicker on the drag. Well worth the money imo. I got it from JapanLure, fast shipping. I recieved it within 5 days. Came with a very nice MegaBass lure. 

 

 

 

How does it compare to their other high-end stuff...Metanium, Conquest, etc?  Mine is on the way...it's a HG Lefty.  I kind of wish it was a DC reel.

3 minutes ago, EllisJuan said:

How does it compare to their other high-end stuff...Metanium, Conquest, etc?  Mine is on the way...it's a HG Lefty.  I kind of wish it was a DC reel.

 

I had a Metanium DC, and a BFS Conquest. Hard to compare to those. I would compare it more to my old Daiwa Steez 1016 SV TW. In the way it casts, very smooth, the brakes are great. 

9 hours ago, EllisJuan said:

How does it compare to their other high-end stuff...Metanium, Conquest, etc?  Mine is on the way...it's a HG Lefty.  I kind of wish it was a DC reel.

Finally got out the last couple of weeks with one mounted on a Conquest 782C and spooled with 15lb. Armilo designated for top water use. Normally a Antares/Calais DC are my reels of choice for this and was ready to get another 16 DC before the 19 was employed . Needless to say there will be another 19 on the way since in my opinion it gives the 16 DC a real run for its money. The 19 was completely torn down and massaged along with replacing the worm shaft bushing with a bearing. With that said and having a fair amount of Antares to play with the 19 is one sweet finely tuned reel that should not disappoint you.....

I'm kind of a traditionalist, but threw in a St Croix LTB a few years ago, with its stubby little fore grip. Look at all those beautiful long G Loomis fore grips!

G Loomis has the finest tapers, glad to see the MBR taper is being offered in more styles again.

Picked up a new Chatterbait rod but will try it out with spinnerbaits and lipless cranks too. Kistler KLX Feel N Reel 7'3" H, paired with a Daiwa J-Dream. 

 

new finesse combo- Orochi XX Whipsnake, Stradic Ci4+ 2500 and 15 lb Daiwa J-Braid. Really liking it for Neds, wacky and Neko rigs. I imagine it will be good for dropshotting and small poppers or jerkbaits. Also pictured is my new favorite topwater, the Duo Pencil 110. Bait casts a mile and walks beautifully. Fish love it.