Shimano Chronarch 201E7

Low profile casting reel with high speed gears and 7 bearings.  Local reel that has been used hard and dunked in the local glacial streams more than once. Outside looks dirty and silty if that is a word.  Worm gear is filled and every crevasse is filled.  Im not optimistic about the inside at this […]

Shimano 1500LC Trolling Reel

Shimano 1500LC is a great salmon trolling reel.  Direct drive with a line counter.  No longer being made and parts are hard to come by but these old reels are valuable to the salmon angler in the Puget Sound.  Two ball bearings and a simple drag.  Not many parts on these reels.  Bearings need constant […]

Shimano Chronarch 100SF

Since I spend time outlining the need for preventative care and maintenance on your reels and demonstrating the results, I thought I would write a happy story for a change of pace.  This is one of two Chronarch Super Free reels I got in the other day.  The gentlemen was an active bass fisherman in […]

Penn 980 Mag Tuned Reel

Recently got in a Penn 980 Mag reel.  I have to say that I am impressed with this reel.  Let’s take a quick look at what I found.  First some basic stats: 4.25: 1 gear ratio SS Gear and Pinion Two SS Ball Bearings for the spool One adjustable rare earth magnet for spool control […]

Corrosion and reels

This is a Shimano Tekota 600 used for salmon fishing in the Puget Sound in Washington State for one season on a recreational boat.  On the outside it is pristine and seems to work ok.  It took two hours to get the handle off the drag sleeve from salt water intrusion and the resulting corrosion. […]

Penn Senator 111 2/0 Fishing Reel

Next up is the Penn 111 2/0 fishing reel.  Single dog, steel gear and pinion, metal three piece spool, three stack drag, and low and slow gears 2.25:1.  Seems like it would make a great live bait reel.  Upgrades needed for this reel are as follows:  SS gear sleeve (98-60A) Carbon drags washers set (smoothdrag.com) […]

Keep it clean…and green!

Hopefully,  we all have a routine for annual reel service.  For some, it means complete tear down, inspection, ordering parts, oil and lube, drag washers and assembly.  For others, it might be less.  Obviously how the reel is used and how much of that time was in saltwater,  determines the optimal service intervals. Basic after […]

Yellowtail Special

Pro Challenger Heat Treated Main Gear with Octagon Drag 113HX 4:1 Pro Challenger SS Gear Sleeve Pro Challenger Eva Knob/Alantani.com 6/0 knob Motive Fab two position SS off set handle and SS star Cortez Conversions Side Plates Randy Pauly Tiburon T4N Frame and Spool