Hi from Oregon

[ThunderToad]

Grease the drag washers and flush them well after using them in saltwater and they are OK.

Thanks. I'll do that. One last thing to ask you, I have a Shimano TG2000 or TR2000 something 2000 level wind fairly good size (I think) would this reel be my better choice for salt use over the 6501C3?

[Keta]

Like this?



For rockfish the ABU would be a bit better but the Shimano is a good inshore reel.

[ThunderToad]

Like this?



For rockfish the ABU would be a bit better but the Shimano is a good inshore reel.

Yeah that's it. The retrieve sure is slow but what I think I could do is use this reel on the deeper drops. My main rockfish setup is a Daiwa saltist 6' M action jigging rod with a Penn battle 5000 spooled with 25lb jinkai. I can completely unload the spool in 160-200' and not find bottom. I understand my problem is to heavy of mono line and not being able to get enough yardage on that reel. It works great in shallower water. I think the 6501 will hold about the same amount of line. The shimano should give me ample capacity for those deeper drops?

[Keta]

Try to avoid yelloweye when fishing that deep.  Do you have a decender to release them at depth if you do hook one?

[Ron Jones]

Switching to 25 pound breaid would solve your capacity problem. Lee is right about Yellow eye. When you bring one to the boat and you aren't prepared it really sucks.
Ron

[ThunderToad]

Try to avoid yelloweye when fishing that deep.  Do you have a decender to release them at depth if you do hook one?

Yes I have a shelton fish descender Edsr gave me at Hogg's. I use it to I am very careful when fishing where the orange fish live. I keep one old rod rigged with the descender at the ready. If I bring one or two up I will move off to another spot after successfully releasing them at depth. Right now I believe rockfish is closed outside the 30 fathom curve at 180' for my area (2A). I going to go out on a limb here but I am confident that you will understand the logic and somewhat agree with me. Lately I have been targeting the deeper reefs (still inside 30FA) because they are for the most part less well known to the weekend warrior, they receive less fishing pressure and usually always yield a better grade of fish while the inshore reefs on the other hand get relentlessly pounded from February to October by the pukers and the weekend warriors. Coincidentally, I have also seen several orange fish floating in the wake of charters both near shore and deeper. I do not agree with it and I am not trying to sound biased but it really comes down to everyone working together diligently to send the orange ones back or we will all suffer for it.

I openly welcome any conversation that could help me develop a better plan for finding my Lings while lowering my impact on the canary and yellow eye rock fish populations. I can tell that you are a wealth of knowledge and I would like to sponge some of that knowledge from you. I have no doubt at all that it will make me a better mariner and a better fisherman, maybe a tick smarter than the average fisherman too

[ThunderToad]

Switching to 25 pound breaid would solve your capacity problem. Lee is right about Yellow eye. When you bring one to the boat and you aren't prepared it really sucks.
Ron

Hi Ron, thank you for your recommendation. I have thought about switching to braid, I have some reservations about it, maybe you have the answers? I like mono so that I can put dropper loops where I want very easily, this also allows me to use my mainline with no terminations, on my short jigging rods I can put the bottom jig in the hook holder and reel tight, no swivel in the wrong place reeling up to the guide and no popped out guide inserts, also I don't lose any time tying leaders, I don't lose money on terminal tackle such as swivels (I know they are cheap) I'm a tightwad with money so that I can buy gas to go fishing My other issue is that I have heard that braid can fail any place and often never at the knot, I don't know if this is fact or fiction but another thing for consideration. I don't like the idea of leaving several yards of braid free drifting in the current while anchored to the bottom by a stuck hook, though at times I wonder how it is any different than breaking off with mono from a weak spot somewhere in the middle of the line. Could just be my inexperience showing here Thanks for your help.

[Alto Mare]

Welcome aboard Erik.
Sal

[saltydog]

Welcome from Texas.
William

[ThunderToad]

Hi thanks guys! Glad to meet you.

[Ron Jones]

The solution to your issue is often called a "Top Shot". Basically it is a considerable length of mono tied to the end of your braid for all the reasons you discussed. There have been specific knots developed for this but if you have reservations I'd recommend having the reel spooled at your local tackle shop. I was born in SweetHome and still have family up there, braid is used all over the state from steelhead in the Snake to albacore in the Pacific. If the reel's drags and gearing can handle what you are doing and all you need is more capacity then braid is your solution.

Ron

[ThunderToad]

Hi Ron- Thanks for the help. Do you know if all braid line can be top shot? I assume I would want to match my line ratings as close as possible? 30lb braid + 30lb or 25lb top shot? Thanks again.

Eric

[Keta]

Just got back from Brookings, 2 limits of Chinook with a fat 36" the largest and 3 in the 30"-33" range.  I'm beat but tomorrow I'll catch up with you.

[ThunderToad]

Just got back from Brookings, 2 limits of Chinook with a fat 36" the largest and 3 in the 30"-33" range.  I'm beat but tomorrow I'll catch up with you.

Nice work on the kings! Saturday I took a friend for his first ride on the salt. We fished inshore halibut first. Tagged out in a little under and hour with a  pair of chickens 37" and 40". Went after lings next and were done quickly. Left the rocks for others to catch. Trolled for kings over 150 FOW on our way back to Garibaldi. Two kings in the 12 -15 pound range. Today Was spent on boat and trailer maintenance.

[Keta]

Hi Ron- Thanks for the help. Do you know if all braid line can be top shot? I assume I would want to match my line ratings as close as possible? 30lb braid + 30lb or 25lb top shot? Thanks again.

Eric

Yes, you can tie 30 and under using a double uni or use loop to loop (L2L) for heavier mono/fluro.  A "topshot" can be anything from a short piece of mono/fluro tied on to the end of your braid to a 100'+ L2L.  For bottom fishing, lingcod/halibut, I wouldn't use anything lighter than 60/65 most of the time.  For early inshore lings 40 is ok.  Drop down one weight for your mono/fluro (60/65 with 50 and 40 with 30)

Unfortunately yelloweye and deep water lingcod share the same habitat, the yelloweye tend to be concentrated on the drops but they will be on any hard bottom structure lings live on.  Go large with your baits or don't use bait at all, lings pound large iron, swimbaits and pipe jigs.  I use small baits inside 12" shellsquid ("hoochies") and 16/0 hooks for halibut and never catch yelloweye.

I don't have the numbers but there are a few nice humps around 17 miles due west of Garibaldi that hold large lingcod with few yelloweye.

Coincidentally, I have also seen several orange fish floating in the wake of charters both near shore and deeper. I do not agree with it and I am not trying to sound biased but it really comes down to everyone working together diligently to send the orange ones back or we will all suffer for it.

Ocean is trying to get the charter industry behind yelloweye conservation but so far it's hit or miss.