12-31-2006, 04:22 AM
Anyone that knows me, knows I like down sizing my reel and rod for monster fish. This usually undertakes the use of a super braid and swapping out the stock handle for a live bait handle.(more leverage and cranking power) I recently helped my father in law up size his small sized reel. He got a Shimano TR200G graphite level wind reel. It's a little bigger in size than the old Penn Squidder of the past. It holds like 300 yards of 20 pound test or something. Anyhoo, I scoped this reel out early for a light tackle modify for the big nasty fish of the reef.
The first thing I did is help him find a nice, medium action rod with a soft tip and a stiff back bone. I wanted the soft tip because my next step was filling it up with 65lb power pro. The soft tip gave the rig a little give in the event a fish has a jump or starts shaking it's head. (remember, braid has no stretch) I haven't yet, but if it becomes a problem, I may even give the reel a 30 yard top shot of mono just for good luck. The next trick was up grading that weak ass handle it comes with stock. It came with a tiny little 5 inch long handle with a pre school grip. I ordered a live bait handle for a Calcutta 400, which fits his reel. It gave the handle almost another inch of length and the grip is nearly 4 times as big and is nice and soft. Lots of cranking power for battling those big fish on that little reel.
The moral of the story is that the TR200 has forged gears that can withstand the stresses of the heavier line and larger fish. I've said this before, all reels are not created equal. Make sure before you decide to monster fit your smaller reels for the big boys, that the gears are solid steel, preferably solid stainless or titanium. Anything else just won't cut it. You'll also find that reels that have all steel gears aren't quite as smooth as some of the ones that might have a brass pinion gear or some other type of soft metal. Beware! When up sizing a small sized reel, you need strength, not so much baby bottom smoothness. Think i'm kidding? I've shredded the pinion gears out of the face plate of reels before. This isn't no joke. Check the components of the reel before modifying anything. Good luck fellars![cool]
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The first thing I did is help him find a nice, medium action rod with a soft tip and a stiff back bone. I wanted the soft tip because my next step was filling it up with 65lb power pro. The soft tip gave the rig a little give in the event a fish has a jump or starts shaking it's head. (remember, braid has no stretch) I haven't yet, but if it becomes a problem, I may even give the reel a 30 yard top shot of mono just for good luck. The next trick was up grading that weak ass handle it comes with stock. It came with a tiny little 5 inch long handle with a pre school grip. I ordered a live bait handle for a Calcutta 400, which fits his reel. It gave the handle almost another inch of length and the grip is nearly 4 times as big and is nice and soft. Lots of cranking power for battling those big fish on that little reel.
The moral of the story is that the TR200 has forged gears that can withstand the stresses of the heavier line and larger fish. I've said this before, all reels are not created equal. Make sure before you decide to monster fit your smaller reels for the big boys, that the gears are solid steel, preferably solid stainless or titanium. Anything else just won't cut it. You'll also find that reels that have all steel gears aren't quite as smooth as some of the ones that might have a brass pinion gear or some other type of soft metal. Beware! When up sizing a small sized reel, you need strength, not so much baby bottom smoothness. Think i'm kidding? I've shredded the pinion gears out of the face plate of reels before. This isn't no joke. Check the components of the reel before modifying anything. Good luck fellars![cool]
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