hey you northerners, whats with the funny reels

B~C

I've noticed that mooching reels are a very popular item for salmon fishing just about every where north of here. I'm thinking there must be some good points to using that style of reel and yet, nobody around here uses one. I've inquired at the tackle shop about them and nobody knows squat.
Do any of you B.C. anglers use a mooching reel and if so what do you like about them?
thanks

TyBoo · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 7:02 pm Post subject:

Ken, you bum, just buy your own reel. If you must mooch one, I got a few spares.

dogon dory · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 7:16 pm Post subject:

Sorry, Folks - Post Deleted By Author

B~C · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 7:18 pm Post subject:

whadda ya got? I'm going nuts, I want to go salmon fishing.

Izza talking about these

They look like they would be a kick in the pants untill a nice coho decided to make a sucide run at the boat

True Story · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 7:57 pm Post subject:

BCK,

They are lots of fun until you let a stray digit get in the way of the handle knobs with a fish running against the drag. And/or, decide to help the drag a bit on a big fish by using the palm of your hand. Only takes a couple of times before you figure out the safest place for your reel operating hand (while a fish is running) is in your pocket.

Load em up with 400 yards of line and they start getting heavy and don't balance well with the typical rods we're using down here. They couple them to 10-11' glass rods and everythings aok. I like them because they can be set up for a left hand retreive.

They make some real nice (read expensive) center pin reels out of machined brass up there for the affluent which are much lighter. Essentially, an extra large fly reel with a drag system.

TyBoo · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 8:16 pm Post subject:

Raven Dave has a fly reel similar to one of those that cost more than all my fishing rigs combined.

They make those things for sturgeon fishing, too:

Sea Wolf · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 8:22 pm Post subject:

B~C

If those mooching reels look fun to you, maybe you'd like to just hand line the fish.

A real man should be able to stand up in a rowed dingy and take on a marlin, a-la Hemnmingway's "Old Man and the Sea".

However-

Plan on losing, and don't tie the bitter end of the line around your leg.

Joe.

B~C · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 10:01 pm Post subject:

I'll pass on the hand linning...I have often thought it would be a kick in the pants to try sturgeon fishing from the kayak in the estuary

TST, I can see where the digits could end up wounded, I'm going to try one if they have them at the sportsman show for a good price

Cutty Sark · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 10:11 pm Post subject:

Those are commonly known as knuckle buster or knuckle duster reels, depending on who you talk to. One of my good buds does all his salmon trolling with one and has landed lots of nice kings up to 35lbs on them. (although his brother landed a 50 plus at la push Shocked

)They let you feel the fish better( some say), but you lose the mechanical advantage of a star drag levelwind type reel. So one turn equals one turn on the reel instead of three or four that you get with a star drag, which can make it tough if the fish is running straight towards you. I believe if memory serves, that you can't just keep reeling in when the fish is running, so they take a little more finesse. I also believe they are more popular in canada than down here. I have fought one ten lb blackmouth on a knuckle buster, and it was pretty fun. I have been wanting to get one sometime but haven't gotten around to it as you need a rod that will balance that type of reel. And yes just like most fly reels you can change one model to right or left retreive. Where with a star drag you have to choose right or left retreive. And can not switch it. Man am I jonesing to go fishing!!

Sark

rogerbum · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 10:24 pm Post subject:

Gary (gflr) has a reel like that and used it while trolling on my boat. He brought a 20# (or so) king to the boat on one this summer a Sekiu. I didn't try it. However, the spools on those reels are much larger diameter than the spools on a typical bait caster or spinning reel so I'm not sure that there's a huge advantage to the 4 or 5 to one gear ratio on the smaller spools. E.g. I think you might still retrieve as much line per turn on the "knuckle busters".

Roger

mrw90 · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 10:25 pm Post subject:

Not from B.C., but from Bellingham so I guess I'm close enough. I do use mooching reels when salmon fishing. Have a pretty basic Daiwa reel and an Islander MR2 which is the big fly reel type set up in discussed earlier. Islander also makes the MR2 in and anti-reverse setup for those that are worried about Busted Knuckles.

The use of mooching reels does seem centered around B.C. and the farther away you get the harder it is to find them in fishing stores. Even in Bellingham, the nice ones are usually a special order item.

They are fun, and do let you feel the fish more while playing it. They take a bit more skill and you do have to watch out for you fingers when the fish runs. The fun part is that you are not just cranking in weight and letting the drag take over when the fish runs.

The better mooching reels are very cool also, almost works of art. They can be found at http://www.islander.com/salmon_moocher.htm.

Stimpys Dad · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 10:34 pm Post subject:

HI ALL,

I HAVE BEEN USING THE DIAWA 2000 REEL OF THIS TYPE ON A 11 FT LOOMIS CUSTOM ROD FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
YES, YOU HAVE TO WATCH WHAT YOU DO WITH YOUR HANDS WITH A FISH ON. BUT, I HAVE FOUND THAT IT IS MORE FUN FIGHTING FISH WITH IT AND REQUIRES MORE THOUGHT WHILE YOU ARE USING IT.
THE 11' LOOMIS ROD FOR THIS REEL TYPE IS A THINK OF BEAUTY. I THINK THAT I CAN FEEL LIGHT STRIKES OR A FISH JUST MOUTHING THE BAIT BETTER AND SEEM TO CATCH MORE FISH WITH THE FINESS SETUP AND APPROACH.
I CHANGED OVER TO THE NEW FLUROCARBON LINE AND THAT REALLY SEEMED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HOOK UPS.
TIP IF YOU GO TO THIS LINE READ THE INFO THAT COMES WITH IT AS SOME KNOTS DON'T WORK WELL WITH IT.
REGARDS TO ALL STIMPSTER Beer

hammerhead · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 11:27 pm Post subject: Mooching reels

Here ya go http://www.peetztackle.com/

I have 2 mooching reels, they are a hoot, I love salmon fishing with them, one is from peetz, its wood and brass I also bought one of there rods with gold and ceramic guides. The reel has a line counter and a brass wingnut for the drag. I have it spooled with spectra and when the salmon makes a run you better have your knuckles out of the way. A reel conversation piece on our company charter trip outside the golden gate. The other is a shimano, still in the box, haven't used it yet.

cant wait for Salmon season, just a couple more months... Wink

gljjr · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:26 am Post subject:

As Roger stated I use an Alvey 525C52 reel (http://www.ausfish.com.au/alvey/6.shtml). I have found that it will bring line in VERY FAST as 1 revolution brings in almost a foot of line. The thing about my reel is that it is NOT a knuckle buster. When the spool lets out line from the drag the handle doesn't move. When you combine this reel with a long rod (Mine is 10 1/2') you find that the combination works very well.

I have also used knuckle busters and fly reels. My take is they are great but I would much rather have the Alvey or a fly reel over the knuckle buster! The problem is that the knobs are too close to the edge of the reel so you can't palm the reel to help slow down the fish without chancing banging your knuckles.

Helen O · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 1:31 am Post subject:

When mooching in 150-200 ft. of water you are going to have a lot of slack line out in the water. When you feel a fish hit your bait you need to reel down quickly to take up the slack and THEN set the hook. Mooching reels will reel in faster than baitcasting reels.... and they're just plain more fun to fight a fish with.
Less effort and more fun, ya can't beat that. Thumbs Up