Alan's Workbench
What Makes a Great Kayak Reel?
May. 15 2009, 12:02 PM
May. 15 2009, 12:02 PM
Bushings! That’s right, not bearings. Bushings.
There is a small group of fishermen here in Northern California that fish the inshore waters for rockcod, halibut and lingcod. They tend to be young, physically fit, well educated and fanatically dedicated to their sport. When I am looking to fill an open spot or two on my boat, I will often go to their website with an invitation. I have always had good success in finding hardworking deckhands. There is not a whiner in the bunch. After all, these guys normally fish from a 14-foot-long piece of Tupperware. They have to launch through the breakers, paddle one to five miles and sit in a cold wetsuit for hours.
Such is the sport of kayak fishing in Northern California’s 55-degree water! Give me the comfortable deck of a boat any day. I say this with the deepest respect. These guys are nuts! They are also very hard on their reels. To survey this group, you will find an impressive array of very fancy reels. TE’s, Luna’s, SX’s and 197’s top the list. Because they are local, I have either personally serviced many of their reels, or they have been serviced by their owners at one of the many seminars that I have offered. They have all come to appreciate the benefits of greased carbon fiber drag washers and additional grease throughout the reel to prevent corrosion.
Bearing continue to be an issue. More bearings are replaced among this group than any other. But could we eliminate the bearings and
eliminate the problem? The answer, of course, is yes! Spool bearings are the primary concern. Handle and side plate bearings can always be packed with grease. Spool bearings cannot, if you still need good free spool. Bronze bushings could prove to be an acceptable alternative in many reels. The Jigmaster 500 is an excellent example because it
already has bushings. Sadly, the gap between the lip of the spool and the inside rings is so large that it will eat anything smaller than 30 pound monofilament. An excellent alternative is the Shimano TR 100G/200G and heavier TLD Star 15/30 and 20/40, which come with bushing stock, not bearings. Another light tackle alternative would be the 4000/5000/6000 series Ambassaduers. These reels come stock
with bearings, but a 4x10x4mm bushing is available from the manufacturer and makes a most excellent “upgrade” for the kayak fisherman. The advantage of the Shimano and Ambassasduer reels is that the gap between the spool and frame is tight enough that it will not eat spectra. These few reels alone could handle nearly ANY inshore application.
So to all of you kayak fishermen, the next time you get caught by a wave and roll your kayak in the surf, remember to clean out your reels and pay particular attention to the bearings. If you find that your bearings are all ready rusted, consider an upgrade to a bronze bushing!
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