Reel Repair by Alan Tani

this fishing is a special one, if for our friend Todd Johansson from port Hardy, Canada, this one will be shipped from Baja Mexico to Canada, pretty cool isnt it?
I still have it on my hands and waiting for a guy that will take it with him to Canada and give it to Todd.

Todd moved heaven and earth to deliver me this fishing blank and build him a jigging rod with a mexican flag theme, he was very specific on build it using those colors and build it in a way it cannot be confused with an italian flag, so as many of you know the only thing which is different between both flags, is Mexico's flag in the white color has an eagle eating an snake on a cactus, so, I put the Mexican seal on each of the guides.

the blank is a rainshadow RCKJB 600-325   30-60lb composite glass/graphite, running guides are KW fuji, hypalon foregrip and hard slickbutt as reargrip, some accents here and there and thats all.

so, now a bunch of pictures

Im really excited to see if in person. Great work as always Alex.

Cheers

Todd

Looking good Alex, another beauty

Very nice. Glad ppl still make stuff around here

Beautiful build. I love the gold fade on the guide wraps. Perfection.

Incredible! - john

Nice!

Quote from: JasonGotaProblem on November 05, 2025, 02:54:16 AMVery nice. Glad ppl still make stuff around here

hola Jason, I've been kinda busy on my wrapping station but most have been repairs so, not much to show to the group.

this one surely deserved to be shown

I will have in my hands next month. Funny how a buddy of a buddy has a house in the same town as Alex.  Small world. Looking forward to catching a fish or 2 with it. I may retire it after that but ill see .... I like to use things and Alex likes to see his rods fished.

Cheers Todd

Great looking design and workmanship, Alex!   

Zowie...terrific Alex.  Dominick

Excellent talent and result, Alex!

Thanks!

Best, Fred

   I have said it a few times , You have talent .   

What design & detail, & great work as usual from you Alex, thanks for showing us, your work, makes mine look very ordenery, cheers Don.

Quote from: Hardy Boy on February 09, 2026, 12:20:32 AMI will have in my hands next month. Funny how a buddy of a buddy has a house in the same town as Alex.  Small world. Looking forward to catching a fish or 2 with it. I may retire it after that but ill see .... I like to use things and Alex likes to see his rods fished.

Cheers Todd

a buddy of a buddy, etc... thats pretty cool, isnt it?

talking about a small world, is not a secret because Steve (crabpot) have said it before few times, his parents also live here in San Felipe, Baja and I have the honor to know his mother in person in my town.

short story, Lee (keta) was on a wedding party on Oregon (where he lives) and the parents of one of the newlyweds (I forgot which one) of course were at the wedding also, somehow during the party, Lee and his wife where chatting whith them and when they were introducing theyselves the guy told Lee that they were currently living in a small town in Baja, San felipe, Lee told them that he has a friend there and his name is Alex (me) and quickly the guy told Lee, I know Alex !! he's the one that had repaired my reels and rods          , small world, isn't it?

Mr Joel.B, spent few years of his youth over here and beaches bit more south, but was pretty cool to read his stories of the old San Felipe.

anyway, looking forward to hear when you finally have the fishing rod in your hands, its been a long process but Im sure will worth it, I like it a lot, I wasnt sure about the slickbutt on a jigging blank but it grew on me and I like how the fishing rod ended up looking.

I say that is not necessary to retire it after 2-3 uses, it has a nice weight, nice feeling so, it might become of your favorites weapons to catch fish.