BAJA SPECIAL

[DRH]

I HAVE 2 BAJA SPECIALS, PURCHASED RIGHT AFTER THEY HIT THE MARKET,SEVERAL YEARS BACK...  I INTEND TO USE THEM ON A 3 DAY OUT OF SAN DIEGO...  I HERE THERE ARE SEVERAL UP GRADES THAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE PRIOR TO LEAVING ?  CAN ANYONE GIVE ME AN IDEA OF THE UPGRADES AND THE PARTS NEEDED.... 
THANKS
DALE   

[SoCalAngler]

There is a bearing upgrade to add the 6th bearing that are in the newer Baja's. It takes "slop" out of the handle but some don't think this upgrade adds much. Also the newer Baja's have a metal star used for the drag. I'd do this upgrade but thats about it. There is a post somewhere about what you need to do the bearing upgrade.

How do you plan to use the 113HN's. I ask because on trips 3 days or less I usualy use 30 lb test or less  most often when fishing bait. This is for most applications but when the 50-70 lb bluefin are around and will bite the 40-50 lb test the Baja's will work well. Sadly this has not been the case for about the last 10 years as the net boats in Mexican waters wrap them up pretty quickly, so not alot of those fish in numbers being caught any more. For trolling most boats like for you to use 60 lb or heavier gear to get the trolled fish to the boat quickly, hopefully bringing the school of fish with it. Not to say you cant use 50 lb test gear, because I have just try to get any hooked up troll fish to the boat quickly. I charter mastered a 3 day trip out of SD for 25 years strait which left the third week in August. Depending on the time of your trip you could use the Baja's for throwing the surface iron to kelp patty yellowtail and boiling tuna. For the most part you will not fish the yoyo iron as you will be way offshore. 3 day trips usually have a range of about 170 miles south of Point Loma. Thats about the max distance south they will head so it leaves you short of the islands like Cedros, Benedicto and the Lupe where 40 lb test is the norm.

[Dr. Jekyll - AKA MeL B]

if you have the time here's a tutorial by Alan T. on the 113HN;

http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=14.0

hope this helps and have fun during the fishing trip, tight lines!

[alantani]

lucky man!!!!!  at the very least, grease the drags and the screws.  then go 30# mono for one and 40# mono for the other.  you'll have a ball!