Narrow Jigmaster issues.

[Rancanfish]

I guess I've been blessed with very few problems with my built reels over the many years hanging out here because I was completely puzzled on the water fishing yesterday.

It was one of those days where nothing is going right, from the start. Rockfishing in Oregon for the first time in my new-to-me boat. First drop snag, break off. Pick up my rod with the narrow frame jiggy. Drop it in, go to reel in, engage handle and it turns but no drag. ?? Tighten star and nothing. Back it off, take it out of gear, back in gear, fiddle fiddle fiddle, still only slight drag. Fiddle fiddle and now it works the rest of the day.

In my head I can't picture what was going on. OK gearheads, clue me in. I have to spend my brain elsewhere and figure why my darn boat misses at idle speeds.

By the way, Oregon has huge visible rocks all over but it was like fishing a vast flat desert. I rarely found even a bump to fish. Managed to catch four small fish all day.

[foakes]

Seems possible that the highest eared metal washer in the drag stack was not nested completely in the main gear —- until you backed off the drag and adjusted it a couple of times.  Then the ears dropped into the slots.

This is common on a reassemble —- or a new build with custom parts.

Could be something else —- but this is the simplest culprit.

Best, Fred

[Keta]

Top eared washer is what I would expect.

Go north a few miles, the Haystack Rock area.  If the ocean is perfect further north to Mack Arch.