Canada Fishing Reels

[alantani]

Just so you know, the old man is still around, still trying to clear out reels, and still hasn't lost his touch!

My good buddy, Ben, puts together the really nice, really expensive, trips to Port Hardy, British Columbia.  We spent the evenings getting the light weight locals drunk. During the day, we fish for salmon. The locals get back at us tourists by making us use these direct drive reels. They're knuckle busters with little to no drag.

Well, Ben went out and spent damn near a thousand dollars on a gorgeous center pin reel with a 2 to 1 retrieve.  It uses an orbital gear system. Very elegant. Very expensive. It also has a massive multi-stack carbon fiber drag system. The problem was that Ben's reel only got 3 pounds of drag. Well, I fixed it.

Anyone familiar with these reels will know immediately what I am talking about.  On the non-handle side, I changed the orientation of the wave washers from ")()" to ")))". On the handle side, I fiddled for hours. What i finally did was hand cut a thicker carbon fiber drag washer to replace one of the original drag washers.  The originals are all 0.030 inches thick.  The new one was 0.040 inches thick.  The remaining drag stack was left in it's original configuration.  I replaced just the one drag washer. Hours of work, just to find out that an extra 0.010 inches was all it took.

Beautiful reel. It's the first one that I've ever worked on. And the last!!!

[Wally15]

Has-Ben has way too much disposable income! 
Beautiful reel.
PH is a great fishing trip, though. In spite of Todd.
GA Mike

[MarkT]

Those Canucks are lightweights? Or are you drinking with fellow gringo touristas? Todd's going to have to step up to defend Canada's ability to swill hootch!

[Wally15]

Those Canucks are lightweights? Or are you drinking with fellow gringo touristas? Todd's going to have to step up to defend Canada's ability to swill hootch!

A few ago, on our last night in Port Hardy, Todd and I killed a fifth of Basil Hayden in the motel room. Alan was sacked out on the bed. Todd is not a lightweight. Literally and figuratively!!
GA Mike

[Keta]

Todd's going to have to step up to defend Canada's ability to swill hootch!

Todd is world class.

[Gfish]

Alan, you remind me of Tim Allan's "Home Improvement" sit-com character. "It didn't have enough power, so I rewired it!"

[alantani]

nah. i'd drink todd under the table anyday.     

as for the reels used, i suspect that it is a national practical joke.  i think canadians use conventional reels when we're not looking.  i think that they only pull out these knuckle buster center pin reels when we come up to visit.  they say it's "traditional," but they really just want to sit back and laugh. 

it's probably the same as japan.  do you really think that japanese eat with chopsticks?  no way.  it's too damned slow.  we only make you think that.  we eat with knives, forks and spoons like the rest of the civilized world.  when you go to japan, they will make you take off your shoes, make you sit cross-legged on the floor, your feet smell, your legs cramp, and they laugh while you try to eat with a couple of pieces of lumber.  oh, and then the best part.  when you are drunk enough. we turn on the karaoke music and make you sing barry manilow songs!!!    

canadians make us fish with overgrown fly reels.  some tradition!!!

[jtwill98]

canadians make us fish with overgrown fly reels.  some tradition!!!

I didn't realize you had such a humorous personality, you mostly come across as fatherly serious.

Just so you're aware -- be careful of the American hunter who offers to take you "Snipe Hunting" :-)

[Maxed Out]

Seriously, they love the knuckle buster reels in BC Canada. My first trip to west coast of vancouver island(early 90's) is when I first experienced the direct drive reels, and every fishing guide used them. After that trip I was hooked and swtched over to the affordable version of the knuckle buster. Shimano, and its teamed up with a 11' whip, just like they do in Canada. Yes, I've got my knuckles busted more than once, but eventually it became instinctive to let go of the knob when a salmon turns away to run like a freight train. I've boated several halibut up to 98# with these reels, and salmon up to 55#. Love them knuckle buster reels

[Midway Tommy]

Alan, you are hilarious! 🤣🤣 

[steelfish]

it's probably the same as japan.  do you really think that japanese eat with chopsticks?  no way.  it's too damned slow.  we only make you think that.  we eat with knives, forks and spoons like the rest of the civilized world.  when you go to japan, they will make you take off your shoes, make you sit cross-legged on the floor, your feet smell, your legs cramp, and they laugh while you try to eat with a couple of pieces of lumber.  oh, and then the best part.  when you are drunk enough. we turn on the karaoke music and make you sing barry manilow songs!!!    

haha, that's a cultural thing, hu?

that's the same way we take gringos to eat tacos or mexican food with salsa that "no pica" (its not hot at all) and say, put a lot of it, and then laugh when seeing how their face chance of color from pale to a bright red, eyes start watering and ask for water, because the salsa was REALLY HOT/Spicy.

btw Alan,  Tequila is the perfect drink for Karaoke, it makes you sing like a pro and to dance better than Travolta.


PS:  from 3# drag what the new drag with your improvement to the expensive Canadian reel?

[oldmanjoe]

    Next time bring chopsticks and a real knuckle buster , and make them use them ..

[MarkT]

    Next time bring chopsticks and a real knuckle buster , and make them use them ..

Not only busts your knuckles but gives you splinters!

[oldmanjoe]

    Next time bring chopsticks and a real knuckle buster , and make them use them ..

Not only busts your knuckles but gives you splinters!

NA  I have real Mans hands ..

[jurelometer]

Don't think that is a centerpin reel.  Looks like a mooching reel to me.

And is that an exposed nylock nut on the handle side?

Unusual to see gearing in a mooching reel.  The gearing design is the same as those found in multiplier fly reels from back in the day.  Not sure if hey are even made any more for fly fishing.  It is tricky to keep the teeth aligned under load with that design, so maybe something to keep in mind if you beef up the drag.

Not a huge mooching reel fan myself, but they work well if you like to vary the drag a lot by palming the spool rim during the fight, just like a fly reel. You can set the drag light and jump on and off the pressure  quickly when you need it.  And unlike a conventional reel, the spool doesn't slip when you wind at lower drag settings.  I have watched Todd whip chinook this way in remarkably short time. If you are not going to fight this way, I don't really see a functional advantage to mooching reels.  It becomes more of a cultural thing, or just fun to fish different gear.

I suspect that salmon guides don't especially encourage the clients to fight salmon this way.  It is probably going to turn out badly more often than a static drag until you have done it for awhile.

-J