The Black Mamba! 500 Wide with Cortez Conversion Side Plates & Bars

[El Pescador]

I've been talking with Ted about the Ablacore trip Ron Jones is putting together for Sept. 23-25, 2024 starting out of Westport, WA fishing on the Tornado.  And mentioned I'd like a new reel for the trip, after all, WHO doesn't have a Penn Jigmaster 500 to use or borrow!!!!

Ted said, he'll put together something for me, if I don't want it, send it back.

Here it is!!!!  I now call it the BLACK MAMBA!!!!!













Nice looking, isn't!!!!

Ted, chine in and let us know what all you did to put together Tom's TOP SHELF quality parts and make

this reel, the Albaocre Killer it will be.

Closer to the date, I'll head to Alan's to spool it up with Berkley Big Game mono.  The boat does NOT USE BRAID, and will let us know if 25, 30, or 40 lbs mono is the ticket.

This trip came together in 24 hours:  You can read about it here:

           https://alantani.com/index.php/topic,37764.0.html

Ted??  YOU out there?

Wayne

[Swami805]

Always a treat when it's from Ted!!  That's a beauty

[Hardy Boy]

Nice. Should do well on the albacore. Hoping you get good weather on the trip.

Todd

[Crab Pot]

Nice Reel Wayne!

No braid for the trip huh?

I'll have to adjust!

Steve

[El Pescador]

Per the Tornado Website:

         https://tornadowestport.com/area-info/

That is fine but there are a couple stipulations. NO BRAIDED LINE (fire line, tuff line, spider wire, dacron, etc) except on deep water Halibut trips. We use and recommend 25-30 pound test clear mono on salmon and 40 test on bottom fish reels and 25-40 on tuna reels.

We've experienced the braided lines just don't mix well in the charter boat environment. These lines are so strong (a little to strong) and thin to the point of being dangerous, especially when snagged on the bottom. Knot tying, tangles and fouling in the boats running gear are also problematic.

NOW...  Ted has fished with the Tornado Capt. MANY TIMES, and MAYBE his soft-spoken kind words MAY change his mind, if not, MONO it is.

Same on a trip in Bermuda, half day for snapper, I brought a Penn 450SS that Sal went thru, and when I boarded the boat, I asked the deck hand to put my reel on one of their boat rods.  he yelled out "BRAID!!!!!!"

Capt. was up top, and he yelled back... "NO BRAID!!!!!!"  Capt. words are final - like Alan's here!!!!

We will just have to see.

Wayne

[Maxed Out]

 The Tornado switched to spectra last year for albacore. Dwight is a busy man with 2 young kids and during winter he is a commercial crabber. Updating his website isn't tops on his "to do" list. 50# spectra(or equivalent micro fibre line). 25 pound mono top shot. If you show up with mono filled spool, he won't say a word, but you might be cussing under your breath when you get cut off by the spectra he has on his bait rods.

[wailua boy]

Very nice reel and have fun on your trip guys.

[Maxed Out]

Wayne, your black mamba can be summed up with a quote from the great Muhammad Ali

 "floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee"

[jkel]

Nice reel!

[vilters]

very nice build! i'm really liking the 2nd gen jigmaster cortez plates

[Bryan Young]

What a beauty Wayne. Ted, you've done it again with another beautiful creation. That reel will be seeing red soon enough. Tight lines!!!

[alantani]

got lots of mono here.  let me know if you need it spooled up!

[Crab Pot]

got lots of mono here.  let me know if you need it spooled up!

Seeing how I'm on this trip too, what brand of mono and pound test/s do you recommend Alan?

Pretty sure I'm taking 2-3 reels.

Thanks,

Steve

[alantani]

for trolling - 50-60.  for bait, 20, 25 or 30.  hopefully you will not have to drop down to 15.  make sure your drags are set to 30% of the line weight. 

[El Pescador]

for trolling - 50-60.  for bait, 20, 25 or 30.  hopefully you will not have to drop down to 15.  make sure your drags are set to 30% of the line weight. 

YES MOTHER...  WILL DO!!!!

And Alan, I'll be down to fill the reel before the Setp. 23-25 trip.

LONG TEXT with Ted last night, the Tornado Capt. - Dwight, has crossed over to BRAID for TUNA TRIPS - that from Ted & Ron Jones.

So as of now, it will be 50 lbs. braid with a 10'-12' topshot of Clear MONO - and Capt. Dwight will tie on a new leader IF ours gets too short.  Capt. Dwight sounds like a man of Action!!!

I'm getting jazzed about this trip.  AND all 10 fishermen are from AT.com or friends of the AT.com family.  That will make for an enjoyable 2 days on the water.


And Steve, which 2-3 reels do you plan on bringing?



Wayne