Preparing to fish the 16/0

[The Great Maudu]

I have the first guide taken apart. All pieces look sound and solid. What's the best way to clean and service these parts?

[biggiesmalls]

I really wish I could help you out with the rollers. But you have an awesome setup - a real blast from the past, and an awesome setup for stud hunting sharks!

I do have to ask though - why so much line, and why only 100#? 2,100 yards of line is a LOT of line - about 1.2 miles. With a 400-500 yard drop and basically a 130W reel, you're talking about targeting STUD sharks - 8', 10', 12', and even bigger. These are animals that can take hundreds of yards of line in a few minutes, some even less. I won't try to explain it, because it's done in this thread:
http://www.sharksonthesand.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=3968
But essentially, once you have a certain amount of line out in the water, the drag force of the line being pulled through the water can be enough to break it alone. That is a great thread on the topic, I'd highly recommend reading it.

Most guys running 16/0's on SOS are running straight mono or straight dacron - although I have seen a few guys using 200# hollow core or 130# dacron as a backing, and then topping with 130# or 200# mono. Most guys are running with about 1,000-1,300 yards of line on these reels - looks like between 1,000 and 1,100 yards with straight mono and closer to 1,200 with straight dacron.
On your 16/0 - you are looking at an incredibly high line capacity, beating everything but the biggest Everols and of course the commercial electric reels. 100# topshot wouldn't be my first pick on this reel when targeting large sharks, especially around structure. 200# would be the minimum I'd personally go, and if I had enough braid I might even go with a topshot of 250# mono.

Personally - I would spool with about 1,000-1,200 yards of 200# hollow core. Then top off with 200# mono - you could get 450-500 yards on there if you pack it on well. With this, you can make your drops and have 1,000+ yards of line in backup. Now, not likely that you'll need or use all of it - and by the time you get 1,200 yards of line out anyways, there's a good shot of water drag breaking your line anyways. But that setup allows you to have a great shot at landing a giant shark.

Daron will be able to help you out as well - he's got far more experience than I do, my information is based off of years of researching forums like SOS and AT. My guess - he will tell you to spool straight 130-200# mono.

Best of luck with your endeavors, and don't forget to post a report!
Drew

[oc1]

Nothing wrong with staying with the system.  Reel oil may be best for the rollers.  Grease will collect grit.  Those things will pass any splice.  Don't recognize the blank.
-steve

[thorhammer]

I have the first guide taken apart. All pieces look sound and solid. What's the best way to clean and service these parts?

Hey Mike, they look really clean; if you have a little green crust anywhere treat it like a reel part: white vinegar. Push the bushings out of the rollers. If they are stiff, hit them with PB Blaster (outside!! stinky stuff), Liquid Wrench or similar. I use an ice pick and they will usually pop out with this  method. I then soak everything in 50% Simple Green to de-gunk, rinse, dry, and Corrosion X the bushings when I replace. Reassemble, wipe down whole assembly with Corrosion X or Corrosion Block, or whatever you use on reels...I treat them as I would a reel bushing, obviously it won't last as long exposed rather than in a reel plate.

[Shark Hunter]

Nothing wrong with staying with the system.  Reel oil may be best for the rollers.  Grease will collect grit.  Those things will pass any splice.  Don't recognize the blank.
-steve

That eases my mind on the braid to mono knot.
Mike, I've shown my toys on here before.
Here is a shot of that motor you didn't get to see.
http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=13569.30

[Benni3]

I'm going to use this rig for shark fishing from the pier. It's going to be spooied with 1100 yards of 100 lbs mono with another 1000 yards of 200 lbs braid. The kayaker takes the bait out 400 - 500 yards beyond the end of the pier near a man made reef. I see this rig every night and every morning as I sits in my bedroom and I wonder what it would be like to fish with something like that. So I decided to find out. I know it's going to heavy but at least on the pier I can roll it around on a cart. Tomorrow I'm going to disassemble, clean and lube all the rollers. Daron was gracious enough to check out the drags and put some line on.

I put 1000yds of 200lb fins braid,,,,245yds 200lb
mono top shot,,i got plenty of room for more there's math involved i didn't get it right   you luck on your trip,,, i know your going to have fun and get the big one

[Alto Mare]

Benni, when are you going to put a bend on that rod .
Looks like Mike is going to beat you to it.

[jnd1959]

Panama City was my old stomping grounds when I was a kid.  Never fished for sharks.  I can envision the pier though.  We usually fished the jetties and fished the pier at Fort Walton.  Also when I was a kid, we fished for sharks off of Bob Hall pier in Corpus Christi.  We didn't have kayaks back then so we would flake about 300 yards of line on the T, put a nail in the leader connection and spin it up over your head.  You would get about 200 yards distance if you were good.  I wasn't.  If you got caught up in the line you had a problem.  Good luck, post a report.  If you like honey, get some tupelo honey from Wewahitchka.  I think the family that sells it and mine were in a feud back in the day but whatever.  Still the best honey there is.

[Benni3]

Benni, when are you going to put a bend on that rod .
Looks like Mike is going to beat you to it.

lol,,,that's why I went back to work to charter a boat but it's  my girlfriend turn to pick where we are going   But don't worry I'll plan something like a bank robbery on tv to get to the fish   or I will tell her I'm going to get ice cream but guess where I'm Really going ""fishing""

[The Great Maudu]

As far as the rod goes, there are no markings or decals on the blank itself. The butt is marked Aftco and the reel seat is marked Varmac RS-6H. The guides are Mildrums. The fore grip is wrapped leather. I'm going to take the rollers apart and soak them in vinegar to clean. Then lube lightly with reel oil and reinstall. I feel confident the line arrangement will be fine as well.

[oc1]

JND, I must be younger than you because when we were chucking bait off of Bob Hall we used a dumbbell-shape faucet knob at the first swivel instead of a nail.  200 yard throws.... no way.  Maybe 40 yards with a small bait if you were really good.  But, we had surfboards too.
-steve

[jnd1959]

JND, I must be younger than you because when we were chucking bait off of Bob Hall we used a dumbbell-shape faucet knob at the first swivel instead of a nail.  200 yard throws.... no way.  Maybe 40 yards with a small bait if you were really good.  But, we had surfboards too.
-steve

It may have been closer to 40. I was a young kid in the late 60's early 70's.  Sure seemed a long way. I don't remember a faucet handle. Maybe that was why I was so lousy at it. I do remember surfboards the last time I was down there but I wasn't shark fishing by that time.

  Didn't mean to hijack the post. Just remembering old times.

[thorhammer]

As far as the rod goes, there are no markings or decals on the blank itself. The butt is marked Aftco and the reel seat is marked Varmac RS-6H. The guides are Mildrums. The fore grip is wrapped leather. I'm going to take the rollers apart and soak them in vinegar to clean. Then lube lightly with reel oil and reinstall. I feel confident the line arrangement will be fine as well.

It's possible that it is a custom wrap of a Harnell. I have a similar one with same massive varmac / Aftco butt and Mildrums that I was rebuilding with leather wrap and color change; however Sheridan sent me a Harnell label to play with so I will go back stock. Your wrap looks like the wrappings on mine, except 40 years newer lol. Mine was trashed or I'd have left it. Whathever it's lineage, whata very nice piece to compliment your 16/0.

Tightlines brother!

John

[coastal_dan]

So cool!  Looking forward to photos of the rig in use and hopefully a great story that includes a catch of a lifetime!

[The Great Maudu]

I have wondered about the building of this rod. I would think a company for sure would put their label on it. A craftsman capable of this would want to promote his work. If, it was a custom build for a big gamer I would expect to see his name on as built for. About the only thing I can tell is the maker used quality materials and built a rod for the biggest fish in the sea. Here's a few more pics that might hold clues.