100 Surfmaster project

[thorhammer]

Ever since Steve lent me his to catch salmon on the Bay trip I wanted to build one. Sal hooked us up with a spool a few weeks back so I decided to get after.  Chromed and steel innards with new carbontex of course. You know what that looks like.  Got the 10-49 stand and custom spacer bars from Scott's. Very nice. Had an old handle with loose knob that got a new Eva.  I like counterbalance on this size reel I will be casting. Ground square and installed SS studs and nyloc nuts, cut to length for this jigging rod. Cork gasket spacer and a few rat tail strokes fitted a CC clamp in to the black out theme and topped with old skool Stren Gold from my stash. Very smooth and fishable.  AT principles of service apply. 

[xjchad]

Looks great John! Love the look of the Stren Gold!!

[swill88]

Very nice John!  Glad I helped

Steve

[Keta]

Really nice!

[Shark Hunter]

Nice Work John.
I love me some Surfmasters!

[Alto Mare]

That looks great John! I love to fish that reel and it is always with me when I go out.
Don't let the size fool you, when adding a couple of things, as Bri-Bri's drag kit, a nice handle  and a stainless sleeve, that reel will stop a good size striper in a heartbeat.
They're a pleasure to use.

Sal

[mhc]

Great little workhorse John, those 100 spools are getting hard to find - especially nice ones like that.

Mike

[mo65]

   I really don't understand why more catfishermen don't use these reels...they offer more muscle than an Ambassadeur in a similar size package. This is an excellent river reel,
where many hundreds of yards of line aren't needed. She looks sweet John. Just how much of that gold Stren are you sittin' on?

[Decker]

Nice reel, John.  I especially like the bars and clamp.

Do folks prefer the Surfmaster to the Squidder for ease of maintaining the bearings? 

[mike1010]

Applause.  I'm digging that clamp.

[Keta]

Nice reel, John.  I especially like the bars and clamp.

Do folks prefer the Surfmaster to the Squidder for ease of maintaining the bearings? 

I do. 

I had to make one of my 100s a Surfmaster 150 to use it's 29L-100 spool to make my Monofil 27. Did an alchemist turn all of the aluminum 29L-100 spools into unobtanium?

[thorhammer]

Nice reel, John.  I especially like the bars and clamp.

Do folks prefer the Surfmaster to the Squidder for ease of maintaining the bearings? 

I used a Squidder extensively in the surf in NC and didn't have any issues with maintenance whatsoever. IMO the 140 Squidder is a bit easier to control throwing bone stock mechanicals (drag replaced and Newell bars) than 200 Surfmaster, but my Beachmaster and Surfmaster trials could've been before my thumb got more educated; plus, some Squidder spools are finned in the tailside bell.

If I decide to leave it "permanently" on this jig stick, I will remove the nylocs so the studs angle a little more towards 90 degrees, and may change out the shortened studs and Penn nuts to acorn nuts if a driver will fit in the Tib clamp. The reel seat is a 20MM which is great for feel with this reel but a tad thin for the Penn nuts; they bottom out. I thought about machining them down but that will expose brass, never a win. Note, I use stock SS machine screws from HD to do these custom stud fits, and grind / cut  to fit what I need.

Mike, you are correct, this reel will break a 5-6000 size stock Abu. Probabaly 2-3x the drag, steel gears amd frame posts. No question.

[thorhammer]

Nice reel, John.  I especially like the bars and clamp.

Do folks prefer the Surfmaster to the Squidder for ease of maintaining the bearings? 

I do. 

I had to make one of my 100s a Surfmaster 150 to use it's 29L-100 spool to make my Monofil 27. Did an alchemist turn all of the aluminum 29L-100 spools into unobtanium?

Lee, i don't own a Monofil, as it looks like Lou has them all, lol, so i don't know much about them other than i thought they were basically Beachmasters. what is gained to make a Surfmaster into a Monofil, since you lose gear size and quick take apart? Other than the cool colors, which I entirely get. Not being critical at all, again, I know about zero on Monofils other than a want a set

[Keta]

The main reason was I did not have a Monofil 27, it is also lighter.  The Monofil 27 and Baymaster 180 are basically the same reel.

[thorhammer]

Noted. I just did two of my 180's with carbontex, ole-skool amber 24-155 amber handles (at least from Sal also, a ways back),  and 10-49 stands.  Just need to pick up some line for the second.


One of mine is very old, lighthouse scene, non-numbered, tiny handle. Joe has the plastic spool though.