first post

[alantani]

welcome!

[SeaUrchin]

I came upon this site while searching for a shimano repair guide! AWESOME! Thanks to Alan for starting this website and for sharing his knowledge; also to all contributors who shared on this site. I would never have dared open up my Shimano or Abu without the tutorial.   

[Dr. Jekyll - AKA MeL B]

to those who recently became members, welcome aboard, tight lines...

[alantani]

you're welcomed!  you know, the girls want to go to australia and we were thinking of a side trip to new zealand, but that will not be possible. maybe next year.  i hear it's beautiful there!

[redsetta]

That's a pity, but there's always next time...
Look forward to getting a line in the water with you one day.
If you make it as far as Oz, you'll be doing pretty well - it's an incredible country.
I'm sure Wallace will make you feel welcome.
Good luck!

[wallacewt]

i cant think of anyone on this site that would not be welcome

[Dr. Jekyll - AKA MeL B]

i cant think of anyone on this site that would not be welcome

i'll take you on this....

[SeaUrchin]

thanks for making me welcomed - as a result of this site I had strippped and greased my first reel TLD25, next Charter Specioal and then Abu 10000cl. 

We look forward to meeting you when you make it here! well said Justin -we could wet a line with you too 

[redsetta]

G'day Edwin,
There are a few trick upgrades for your Charter Special you may want to consider (ie http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=501.0).
I reckon they're great little reels for our local species...
Good luck, Justin

[CMB41]

Hi Alan,

Thanks for straightening out my registration.  I have been reading this board for about 6 months now. Completely addicted.
Hopefully will have time to contribute at some point.  Thanks again

Chris

[alantani]

dude, i'm just glad to get this straightened out.  i have no idea why this happens. 

[Makule]

Like Lee, I was born and raised in the US, Hawaii, and have trouble with languages.  We were taught English in school, spoke Japanese at home, grew up with everyone speaking pidgin (mixture of Japanese, Hawaiian, Filipino, English, Portuguese, etc), spent a lot of time with a Filipino family, had a very good friend who was a 100% Hawaiian, so my thinking and speech is really all mixed up.  Fortunately, my writing isn't as corrupt since I never wrote in any other language but, when talking, the pronunciation and inflections and accents all jumble enough to be confusing to the listener.  My lawyer, who speaks English and Spanish, has a heck of a time understanding what I'm saying sometimes, as she can't figure out which language I'm speaking and what I'm saying.  Unfortunately, my handwriting is terrible too, so she can't read my writing either.

[LBG Saul]

Hi all - I just joined this awesome site today.

I fish landbased around the northern coastline of New Zealand, predominately targeting Southern Yellowtail Kingfish. I am a family man these days so aim more for quality trips (3-5 days in the most remote pieces of coast we can find about Northland) rather than quantity. I can usually get away on these trips every 6 weeks or so but will occassionally resort to getting out on a boat for a few hours just to get a fix!! But landbased is where my passion lies.

LBG for me is the whole experience...

For me it's about completely immersing yourself in the wild. The rugged remote terrain and exposure to the elements makes up a big part of the experience.

Nothing compares to standing on a hard rock ledge with swell crashing and swirling around below your feet, current and surge pulling the weed and kelp back and forth. The sound of the water sucking in and out of crevices and blow holes mixed with the wind whipping up a bit of chop and the spray in your face. Massive cliffs towering behind you and miles of uninhabited swell-bashed coastline to the left and right of you, nothing but the big blue out in front of you. Not another human in sight, no boats on the horizon... just you, your mates, the fish in the burley and the powerhouse connected to the other end of the rod you are leaning back into.

That's where it's at.

I fish almost exclusively with overhead reels (TLD's and Diawa SL series) as livebaiting and strayling are the go to methods for the species I target (although I am now playing around a little bit with poppers and stickbaits).

I know that these reels are suppossed to be relatively easy to work on but I have never had the time nor (more secretely) the confidence to attempt servicing them myself. However I have just come out of some major surgery and am starring at a 6-8 week lay-off from work. I have therefore taken it upon myself to get this monkey off my back and finally learn to service my own reels (the OH's at least!)

This site looks awesome Alan and your tutorials are incredible. I feel supremely more confident now attempting my servicing. Please be wary, however, of a bombardment of questions and parts enquiries!!!

Anyway, I hope this dribble about myself wasn't too long winded... just thought I'd give you an introduction and prep you for the inevitable onslaught of posts 

Cheers,
Saul

[redsetta]

Welcome Saul - good to have you aboard.

Please be wary, however, of a bombardment of questions and parts enquiries!!!

No worries mate, that's what Alan's place is all about.
I'm based in Auckland, so feel free to get in touch if the need ever arises.
Good luck with the recovery.
All the best, Justin
PS Great intro - right there with ya.  (http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=3625.0)

[Dominick]

i cant think of anyone on this site that would not be welcome

Hey!  What about me?

Welcome Saul, good to have you on board.  Dominick