Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Fishing => Fishing Tips and Techniques => Topic started by: Makule on October 01, 2013, 10:25:11 PM

Title: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Makule on October 01, 2013, 10:25:11 PM
It was not my idea, but since it was good, I use it.

There are places here where the wind blows offshore and we use either inflated trash bags or rafts with sails to pull out ropes from which leaders are dropped (land-based version of long line fishing).  Typically, the rope is sent out anywhere from 600 to 1000 yards out, with varying numbers of droppers (depends on the length of the dropper).  I use a 1/4" nylon rope with 400 lb test leaders.  Each drop has a float at the top.  This method has been effective for catching a variety of pelagics from marlin, sailfish, mahimahi, ono, ahi, etc.  Suffice to say it's possible to pull up some sizable fish, in excess of even 200 lbs.

As the distance the rope is sent out is so far, with the drag of the rope, the wind force against the sail or bags, bringing the rope back in just to check bait can be a tedious chore (but it's a good way of building all kinds of muscle).

Being more lazy than interested in fitness, I puzzled at how to make bring the rope back in easier.  One day, I saw an elderly man (probably in his 70s) who had his line out, and when it was time to bring it back in, he started his truck (I though he was going to tie it to his truck and drive away), and on one of his rear axles was an empty wheel.  The truck was blocked so as not to move, and jacked up enough so that the empty wheel could turn freely.  He engaged the drive, wrapped the rope one time around the wheel, applied a little pressure on the rope, and started to haul it it.  Piece of cake.  The truck did all of the pulling and he only had to apply resistance to the rope so that it wouldn't slip on the wheel.

This doesn't work with limited slip or locking differentials, although it would be possible if both of the rear axles were raised.  The guy's truck was a very old model and it had a throttle control (the idle could be adjusted manually), so he raised the speed a bit to make the retrieve faster.  Mine doesn't have that feature so I have someone step the gas pedal while I pull the rope in if I need faster retrieve (usually when there's no fish on and I'm just checking the bait).  Normally, when a fish is on, the normal idle is good enough.  With the size of the rope and leaders, we don't normally worry about breakage, but too fast a speed may cause the hook to pull out, especially with very large fish.  The "drag" is entirely manual.  If the fish is large and starts pulling hard, pressure on the rope is lessened, allowing it to slip on the wheel.  If it's a very fast and powerful run, the line is released and the fish allowed to do its run until it tires out.  The drag of the rope in the water, and the floats, generally tire the fish out within short order, then the process of retrieving can begin again.

When I first saw this, I was young and enthusiastic.  The saying is, "Youth and enthusiasm cannot overcome maturity and experience".  How true, in this case.
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Bunnlevel Sharker on October 01, 2013, 10:51:18 PM
Never seen anything like it, sounds like a good system he had tough. Maybe or of those winches you were talking about with the mag breaks could work
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: BMITCH on October 01, 2013, 11:37:25 PM
I saw this setup on the south shore of LI NY one time years ago. The only thing was they were haul seining striped bass. Took over 3 hours for a set. I came back to see what the y caught and it wasn't what I expected. Maybe 20 or 30 bass. One over the 50# mark though. Interesting thing was the pickup they were using for the winch vehicle kept over heating. I watched in horror as they were pouring seawater into the radiator to cool it down.  :o :o
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Ron Jones on October 01, 2013, 11:39:01 PM
I would say it meets the definition of a reel, kind of hard to cast though! ;D ;D
Ron
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Dynamo on October 02, 2013, 12:48:34 AM
A reel is a line storing mechanism, so id say definately. creative idea!
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Makule on October 02, 2013, 02:05:05 AM
If the reel is a line storing mechanism, then it wouldn't qualify as the rope was just laid on the ground next to the wheel.  It wasn't wound on the wheel itself.

I hate to think of what happened to the motor that was fed sea water.

Quote from: Dynamo on October 02, 2013, 12:48:34 AM
A reel is a line storing mechanism, so id say definately. creative idea!

Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Dynamo on October 02, 2013, 02:15:09 AM
Shucks, I misread. I don't know if it is technically a reel then. Still creative and sounds like a fish-killer.
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Keta on October 02, 2013, 02:15:43 AM
We have used the same winch to haul elk out of canyons.
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Dominick on October 02, 2013, 02:57:50 AM
I don't feel like typing a long story describing how to sink a well but years ago my father used that set-up to lift the weight that would pound the water pipe into the ground.  Then it would become necessary to remove the dirt in the pipe.  A dirt remover the size of the inside diameter of the water (called a bucket) was dropped into the pipe.  When the bucket hit the bottom of the well a one way valve was force open by the impact of the heavy bucket and the bucket was raised and dropped by tightening the rope on the drum and then loosening it so that the bucket would drop.  This was repeated until the bucket was full.  Then the rope was tightened again to raise and empty the bucket.  I hope this is clear.  You have to understand it is hard for an Italian to explain something without you all seeing my hands.  ;)  Dominick
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Bunnlevel Sharker on October 02, 2013, 03:34:04 AM
He needs zin, a half way un buttoned hawain shirt and his hands and he could explain quantum physics to a cow ;D
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Shark Hunter on October 02, 2013, 03:41:28 AM
Have you ever watched Deadliest Catch? They use a tire to haul their lines in in a hurry. I'm not sure what they call it.
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Cone on October 02, 2013, 03:54:21 AM
Dominick, I bailed a well down at my house. Basically the same way. The bailer went inside the casing and the casing went down as you bailed out enough sand. I put it down 52ft to the top of the screen. A full bailer of sand seated a Cyprus plug in the foot piece. Ground water was at 16 ft at the time. We were in a drought. No truck though just hard work and a tripod made out of pipe with a pulley. Bob
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Dominick on October 02, 2013, 03:55:41 AM
Quote from: Shark Hunter on October 02, 2013, 03:41:28 AM
Have you ever watched Deadliest Catch? They use a tire to haul their lines in in a hurry. I'm not sure what they call it.

If it looks like a tire and sounds like a tire and spins like a tire, they call it a tire.   :D  Dominick

Quote from: Bunnlevel Sharker on October 02, 2013, 03:34:04 AM
He needs zin, a half way un buttoned hawain shirt and his hands and he could explain quantum physics to a cow ;D
Of course Zin works every time.   ;D Dominick
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Dominick on October 02, 2013, 04:02:49 AM
Quote from: Cone on October 02, 2013, 03:54:21 AM
Dominick, I bailed a well down at my house. Basically the same way. The bailer went inside the casing and the casing went down as you bailed out enough sand. I put it down 52ft to the top of the screen. A full bailer of sand seated a Cyprus plug in the foot piece. Ground water was at 16 ft at the time. We were in a drought. No truck though just hard work and a tripod made out of pipe with a pulley. Bob

Right on Bob.  We went down 96 feet.  We hit water at 6 feet.  This was in New Jersey 13 miles inland where the water table is pretty high.  That's what the contraption was called a "bailer."  I remembered it as a bucket.  We set up pipe wrenches inside the tripod and rotated the pipe while it was pounded down.  Dominick
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Shark Hunter on October 02, 2013, 04:41:20 AM
They call it the "Block" Dom.
Wise Guy! ;)
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Ron Jones on October 02, 2013, 07:09:03 AM
If it doesn't hold line then it is a capstain. I am sure it is what the crab boats use. I don't believe it makes it as a reel.
Ronald
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: erikpowell on October 02, 2013, 09:34:57 AM
When I first got to Fiji in 05 and really started fishing and delving into reels I got duped  :D into buying 4 shiny new blue anodized 30W 2speed Wright & Mcgill reels from a friend of friends who was the rep. They were pre production reels and soon to be released so the boys were hyping them and brought em down to fiji to test for a month. they looked really gooood  8) on our boat so the offer came to me to buy the 4 outfits for a couple hundred bucks apiece...

Well, the WM rods are sweet! and I still fish them regularly... But there's a reason their big game reels never got released  :o :o

So a couple months later after all the reels seized up, I had to unspool four x 1000yd reels ( 3 with braid... $$) so I could send them back as failed. This exercise would seriously cut into beer time so I brainstormed...  a beer or two later...Boom.

We jacked up the rearend of the company pickup, threw on a spare rim and whaa laa .. Hang On! with a beer in one hand we had all four of those reels unspooled in like 15 minutes... and a crappy rim now worth a few hundred bucks  ;D

Well I never got any money back on the deal... but i did receive an avet pro ex 4/0-2 for my troubles from the rep ;D
And that Avet and 5' 80lb WM tuna stick are to this day my go to short corner rig.

Now.. that's how we unspool big reels here...... AND... That's how I came to know our host & mentor Alan ....and all you guys too...

;D that rim is still somewhere in the shed... and now i sideline by fixing other peoples crusty gear... hahahahahhaa !

Welcome to the darkside eh??  

Thanks to everyone here for you input, wisdom,camaraderie, and laughs !

Vinaka & cheers,

Erik




Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Dominick on October 04, 2013, 02:36:03 AM
BINGO!  The prize goes to Ron.  It is a capstan.  I did not remember the word until your post.  There used to be a capstan winch on a rigging truck I worked on when I was a teenager.  I learned how to move very heavy electric dynamos bolted to wooden skids.  I can move most anything with a Johnson Bar, pipes, hydraulic jacks, etc. and not break a sweat.  I had forgotten another of the jobs I had over the years.  Dominick
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Ron Jones on October 04, 2013, 04:09:42 AM
Well, I use a capstan whenever I do an unassisted landing of a submarine, and for some reason they always need maintenance. So I here the word basically every day.

Ron
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Makule on October 08, 2013, 02:04:04 AM
Quoteunassisted landing of a submarine

What do you use to gaff it?  Must be an awfully large hook.
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Dominick on October 08, 2013, 02:43:19 AM
Quote from: Makule on October 08, 2013, 02:04:04 AM
Quoteunassisted landing of a submarine

What do you use to gaff it?  Must be an awfully large hook.

;D ;D ;D  what do you use for bait?  Dominick
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: redsetta on October 08, 2013, 03:04:40 AM
QuoteYou have to understand it is hard for an Italian to explain something without you all seeing my hands.  ;)
Now that is a classic quote :D
Great stuff Dominick ;)
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Ron Jones on October 08, 2013, 05:13:28 AM
Quote
;D ;D ;D  what do you use for bait?  Dominick
We normally use surface ships. We run around with a scope up to lure them in and then take them out with a torpedo!! So if you happen to see a periscope sticking out of the water turn around and pilot away at best speed!
Ron
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Makule on October 08, 2013, 07:01:07 AM
I see.  It's just like with broadbill.  Harpoon them.
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Ron Jones on October 08, 2013, 07:06:38 PM
I am one of the few submariners whose job it is to spend time on the scope and who knows something about fishing. When I teach kids to look for periscope masts, I tell them they are hunting for Broadbill.
Ron
Title: Re: Does this qualify as a reel?
Post by: Bill B on October 11, 2013, 04:10:43 AM
I know I'm late on this...but from one Italian to another...you know how to make an Italian stutter?......tie his hands together....sorry brother...but I got family from Florence..... ;D ;D ;D ;D