1/6 - Reel review...Comparison

added the "CAROLINA CLAW" reel clamp...remember that review?
(www.carolinaclaw.com)

BIG, BAD, screams grab me and hang the hell on!!!!

But, the Ugly Stik(s) I mounted these new reels too. Has a Trigger Grip.

So being a McGyver kinda guy. I cut the trigger off. Finished the edges with my sanding disc on my Dremel tool. And now, you can barely even notice there was a "trigger" on these rods.

But check it out. The Carolina Claw reel clamps fit right on, and now talk about a casting trigger.

Ready for super "LT" sharkin', making bomb casts with large plugs for GATOR Troutz, and hold on tight bottom fishing battles.

I'LL TELL YA WHAT THE PERFECT ALL AROUND REEL FOR ME WOULD BE. ESPECIALLY, FOR THE FLOAT-RIG FISHING FREAK.

INSTEAD OF A SHIMANO TR-100 G, IT WOULD BE A TR-50G.

WITH IT'S GRAPHITE, ALUMINUM SPOOL, STAR DRAG, LEVELWIND

-ADD IN 6.1:1 GEAR RATION
-LARGE HANDLE
-CLICKING STAR DRAG
-""""AUTO ENGAGE"""

YA THINK SHIMANO WOULD WHIP OUT A FEW OF THOSE FOR ME...AT LEAST A DOZEN?

THAT WOULD BE THE PERFECT REEL.

LET'S SEE IF THESE DAIWA'S COME CLOSE. I DON'T HAVE ALOT OF CONFIDENCE.

PRE-SWAP NIGHT SALE:

Every year my fishing club, the JOSFC ( Jax. offshore Sport fishing club) has a swap night. That'll be in two week on Thursday Jan. 16th. Basically, Garage Sale Night!

Prior, I am going to list out here what I will be taking to the "swap" night.

IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN ANY OF THESE ITEMS, LET ME KNOW!

ROCK BOTTOM DEALS

-brand new Igloo 72 qt while marine cooler

-two seriously nice stereo speakers for book shelves (came out of my Moms house so these are like new)

-Never used that I know of, 2 man tent, in storage bag ready to go!

-Many jumbo spools of Monofilament line; 30# Ande , 30# SeaStriker, 100# Braid (for down-riggers)
 12# Suffix

-Canvas Rod storage cover(s), 7 foot for traveling.

-Handheld VHF radio and charger Like New.

-Cabelas rig storage bags; stores premade leaders in single plastic bags. (2 bags) with 100 envelopes.

-Dickies XXL full canvas/insulated coverall's "suit" Fits me at 260 & 6'1"

-Ugly stik Catfish rod, and Bimini Bay graphite level-wind matching reel (reel is new)

-Coffee can full of 2-1/2 ounce Banana head "troll-rite" un-painted jig heads with 7/0 hooks

-8' Shimano Compre Heavy action MUSKY rod, cork grips, SS guides, used a few times but in primo condition.

-7'6" Biscayne custom made for a 2 oz Float-rig, fiberglass casting rod

-4 foot "Digital marine" VHF antenna for boat console, with S.S. Ratchet mount

-4 Shakespeare Axiom 6:1 gear ratio "Like New" freshwater/light saltwater, Mag adjustable baitcasting reels. Perfect for the beginners .

-NEW Frabill "bait-pen" - for holding Pogies/Mullet

- Used but looks great and all works, Tough Canvas padded Camera Bag. Perfect for your DSLR's or Video Cameras. Could be used for reels, or tackle.

And I'm sure I'm missing a few things too.

Not pricing here. But believe me....

Priced to sell. No one will be disappointed.

All will be heading to Swap Night on 1/16

If interested Come on by and see.

charter@captdaves.com
904-642-9546

Ole Man Winter.....similar to 2011

Well, he's here.

Especially when ya see this.....

Finally. After a summer like fall season. With what seemed like months with 80 degree days, with a few cooler sprinkled in. I believe winter is finally here.

Same as 2011...It took aloooooong time to cool off that fall, but when winter came. It came setting temp records in NE Florida.

But the Trout chewed like mad that fall-winter. Hmmm, wonder what the difference is?

--------------------------------------------------------

I was out today. Yeah Saturday!!
(why we didn't go on Sunday was beyond me.) 

20 knots Noreast, temp feeling like 30 degrees!

Had a late caller, on thursday. Wanted today, didn't discuss weather. So either did I. 

4- persons. Departing at 8am.

I saw the weather coming and after I was at the boat ramp on Thursday night at the fishing club meeting. I knew going in that today would test everyone BUT me, I can take it. Because I know how to come prepared.

"Eagle Scout", That's me. 

I get to the boat ramp and it's USDA registered heinous. But, my crew arrives. I was a bit shocked.

Dressed right? A few may have been, a few may not have been.

remember this:

"a hooded sweatshirt is a fisherman's friend."

One had a hooded jacket on. 

4 spots later...float-rig fishing and bottom fishing we had 2 throw-back skinny 13" Trout, 2- Skates, and 4 sand Trout.

Needless to say, yes there were other's out there. "It's a Saturday" right? They have to go!

The current was relentless "Flooding tide" because we're just coming off the New Moon. And the wind was NE which pushes the water even higher.

I call a "rising tide", near a Moon, with a NE wind at 20+ knots a K.O.D. day (kiss of death).

------------------------------------

It was just Monday when I had a beautiful falling tide, blue skies, 2 good fisherman, and light to variable winds and we wore out the big Trout.

It can be that way.....






Looking forward: Wanted, mid day low tide at Jetties!!
                                 Target species:   BLACK DRUM
                                 Bait:    Loads of dead shrimp I have
                                 Reason:   Testing New Daiwa Saltist 20HC reels
                                 Video:   Review

                               
                 















NEED ANGLER(S): not 4....(just 2-3)
                                          Ready to go!
                                          With Hoods on Jackets!!
                                          Dressed for success!!

What I'd like to target:

1/2 - A 2014 Reel Review....coming.

If you really know me, then you know if I had the cash flow I'd be buying, selling, testing, comparing, and reviewing FISHING TACKLE, as another form of my life -Style entertainment proccess.

I do that already, "slightly". But not nearly as much as I'd like too. (IE: weekly, monthly basis.)

But, I'm prepping for an all out review coming up.

I just SOLD my Shimano Tranx 500 HG reel.

"SAY IT AIN'T SO?"

Yes, this reel:



WHY....might you say?

Answer: Because I'm poor.
And to be able to check out "other reels" to see if they are more to my liking, I have to turn-over what I have.

So, I could say...."SEE WHAT I DO FOR YOU ALL!  MY BLOG READERS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO ME THAT I SELL PERFECTLY GOOD AWESOME REELS, SO I CAN REVIEW NEW REELS FOR YOU."  

But that would be a lie. Yes, what I do personally does spill over into my reports here, and on to my video's. But I'd be lying if I said it was for the sole purpose of educating you the readers of this blog.
Because really, "how many of you paid attention to and thought about purchasing a Shimano Tranx before or after that video above? 1/1000 of a percent of my readership?"  

Okay, the reason for the selling of the Shimano Tranx 500 HG is because it was expensive. They retail for $499.00!!!!!!!!!!!!  I sold mine for $375 with free shipping. So, before Ebay fees are subtracted I may have made $340 on a $499.00 reel.

But with that said. I have never ever been a DAIWA man. Shimano is my reel company. But after multitudes of hours spent surfing the world wide web and Ebay. I quickly became really fascinated with a reel that DAIWA came out with.

They (a reel manufacture) finally...and I mean FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Came out with a "conventional style" level-wind, star drag, heavy duty, HIGH SPEED reel, that AUTO-ENGAGES!

If you're lost, that means that the lever you disengage the spool with "automatically" RE-engages when you turn the handle.


DID YOU CATCH THAT?

"auto-engages"

So, with the sale of one Shimano Tranx 500 HG, I was able to purchase TWO of these reels for my use, via Ebay, at $187 with free shipping.

Daiwa isn't as proud of their reels as Shimano "HAS BECOME". So, as I dabble in the world of buy high, sell low. I may become a Shimano/Daiwa man.

Two for One. Hmmm, that's reely something huh?  But Josh, the guy in this video doesn't actually do a REEL WORLD review.

So that's where Capt Dave will come in.
** 20#'s of drag pressure, is it really Shimano smooth??
** how tough is that "auto-engage", does it break or hang up at all??
** does this Daiwa Saltist 20 HC put the breaks on a 150 lb Spinner Shark the same way a Shimano Tranx can?
** is the Daiwa Saltist 20 HC worth buying more of??
** is the Daiwa Saltist 20 HC more "Versatile" than the largest low-profile reel ever made, the Tranx??  (casting distance, throwing monster lures, bottom fishing)

THESE ARE THE REASONS I BOUGHT TWO OF THEM AND WILL ANSWER BEFORE SUMMER IS OVER.

SO PLEASE STAND BY. MORE TO COME.

12/31 - Those crazy Tides!!!!

Yep, it was that time O' the month. A winter time NEW MOON. The current was on the ridicules side of bazzaro.  SMOKIN' is another way of saying it.

Which for us "float-riggers" is a tough time upon the not so slow and lazy St. Johns River, as it has been referred to.

Guess, who ever called it that wasn't in the Mayport area. But rather 100 miles south.

And of course it was a Holiday. And that meant the river "around the HUB" was a real zoo.

Had Tim & Logan aboard and our day started at 8:30am. Because I had all the perfect plans set up for a day just like the day before.

But being that it was a zoo. I couldn't go to where I wanted to fish. Because someone sat there camped out catching most likely damn near squat. Cause I watched them.

But we ended up catching some small Trout, many Bluefish, a few keeper Trout, and had many a Sheepshead bite. With Tim connecting once.

But, while waiting for some falling tide and waiting when the tide would be right on the spot I wanted to fish (which we got japped out of a minute before I was to start the engine and make the 25' move)
We bottom fished and had 2 eels, and a few Croakers. Yes, (2) eel's!  Those fish that in another world maybe considered super gamefish.....Unfortunately, NOT on the Jettywolf, or in NE Florida. 

They weren't looking for keeper fish. So I suppose any action would do. And action was kinda hard to stay in. Because of the super current. But we did find action, if actually found a "spot" without a human sitting anchored upon it.