Reel Repair by Alan Tani

All great points. My friend had a 462lb on Saturday....on an 80 Tiagra. 3 hours of hell!!

 Last Dec we had a 300 and a 500 to the boat and had to let them both go....so...I was just checking allocations yesterday. If it is still open (I cant tell)....GBFT will be closed very shortly.

Quote from: JasonGotaProblem on Today at 11:12:37 AMAnd polluted the ocean with a full spools worth of braid, whose ecological impact is unlikely to be limited to that one fish on the hook.

Spectra floats and can cause a lot of trouble when caught in props and prop shaft seals.  This is why most of my reels have heavier spectra than the topshot.

I think I recall that the justification for the VI series was to machine more excess weight out of the Internationals, at least on the larger reels like the 50s. It looks like the VI is about 8oz lighter than its predecessor. Drag specs seem to be similar with a 45# max. Keep in mind that there is also a new, open top International VI series (the VISX), which goes from the smaller reels through the 50VISX (No 70 through 130); it has a max drag at full of 65#.

With regard to the giants, I've been talking to Captains who have caught them this spring and belong to a certain New Jersey based "coaching service." The standard issue for chasing these giants is 80W; the fish are in 30-80 feet of water, so they don't have anywhere to go but out and away when hooked. Keep in mind that you're going to be trolling your way backs at about 200+ yards before you get bit. Also, the giant/trophy fish quota for the North region is expected to close any minute now.

I am fishing for BFT off of NJ, which has included Giants Have 3 50 wides and need to understand a differences between these 2 in heavy battle.

So i have 2 V's  Penn and 1 VISW. Anyway  I think they are called V's and VISW's. Which one is stronger?... Yes i know original second generation TW's are bullet proof but I sold mine.

I'm spooled with 80 hi catch and am getting ready to spool 100 diamond on as top shot. Trying to figure out which reel I'm going to use on which rod. When the V's came out they got a bad reputation out of PEI giant fishing. I PRESUME they VISW are better?...and maybe a little lighter??

Ps I am haunted by a fight I once witnessed where an 80 could not beat a gbft. It was down 50' and not coming up one inch....But going 70's much less 80's w matching rods isn't going to happen. I'm stand up only, and on a  26' inboard so its not like this GBFT is an ongoing concern. I just want to gear up correctly to the best of my ability.







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The thing is when you get spooled, something happens next. The weak point is discovered. Maybe it's your leader knot maybe hook knot, maybe your arbor knot, maybe your reel's gears.

But if it's the arbor knot you lost a full spool of line in addition to the fish. And polluted the ocean with a full spools worth of braid, whose ecological impact is unlikely to be limited to that one fish on the hook.

Picked up a Penn 710 spinfisher green version, a Seeker classic series 196 8ft rod and a Dam West Berlin Quick Super reel.The rod is like new and I paid $25 at thrift store needed a tip replacement, the two reels came in a lot with some Newell aluminum spools and some older Penn spools from eBay from a seller in Hawaii for $45. Going to take the Quick Super reel out for some surf fishing once I get her all cleaned,lubed and spooled with fresh 25lb line. Rod will be fished for Yellows and Calicos with my Cortez conversion Narrowed Penn Squidder with fresh 20lb yozuri as a pairing at the Coronado islands here real soon. 

Okay, I am going to do a PSA here for a lot of folks following this thread that may be into vintage reels and are reading and learning from the sidelines:  DO NOT tie off to your spool on the little mushroom nub and call it good.  Convenient and easy - yes.  That is only pressed in, and it will fail when you don't want it to.  Sure, you can tie off to it as a starting point, but then use a good knot that actually wraps around the spool.  "But John, if a fish spools me down that far what difference does it make?"  If a fish spools you, yeah you're pretty much screwed.  But if your rod happens to go overboard... seen it happen, and when you are handlining up from a rats nest tangle (especially if you kicked the reel into free spool to give him slack while the deckhand was working on the science project in front of him) you will be thankful that the final connection to your rig is solid.  I have seen outfits brought back from the deep twice; and while I was not on last year's SOA trip I believe it even happened there. It's not an uncommon occurrence, and if tying an extra knot can help avoid the heartbreak...- john

Joe- That has been my experience.  I have not seen a rig like what you have posted but that certainly looks like it would be effective and easy to make one up with materials we all have around. - john

Found an incomplete delfino, missing a spool, drag knob and handle knob. Otherwise intact and just grease stuffed. Of course bail wouldn't click over on rotation and spring was not working. Removing rotor was the usual heat, penetration oil routine. Much to my surprise see below in pictures. I was able to reload spring so bail functions. Zangi factory made a rotor with no plunger system for those who like to shut bail manually! The rotor has no place for access and was not retrofitted but completely different. The handle knob is easy fix. Now to find a spool and drag knob!!!

I will say , when you bring fish up slow they generally do not get the bends .
    When they do ,I send them down 1/3 the depth that we are fishing and hold them there.
    you will feel them start reviving and swim off .  If they don`t swim strong go half way down .    I like to use the wire descender fish will swim down and self release