Even More Dorado

[Jay Murakoshi]

Today, more dorado showed up and tested tackle. One dorado around 50lbs took care of one guys rod. I hit the side gunnel and shattered. A rental rod at that. He actually broke two rods. You can explain and talk but when the excitement hits, you lose all concept of what's happening.
Ya gotta stop and think

Lot's of big skippies and jacks again. The guy in my boat caught a 20+ jack using a Plufgger reel. I was surprise it didn't blow but with no drag system, hit had to let it run and hope to hell he didn't run out of backing.

Dan Williams and Leo Guttierrez got a taste of my waters. They were pooped out and it was only skippies. Tomorrow is dorado time for them.
Saw a couple marlin and another "Orca"

It's getting better by the day and also warmer

Jay


Jay

[JerryInLodi]

Jay, I've caught well over a hundred dorado on a Pfluger, some well past 30 pounds, in the early days when Al and I used to go to Baja. They're tough reels and don't blow, they just don't have a drag. They only have about three moving parts! You end up with a very educated right pinkie.

I even caught a 120 pound blue shark on one when fishing the Monterey Canyon. About an hour and a half battle. I was a very tired puppy at the end of that day.

I've never had a Pfluger fail and still keep two frames and four spools in my saltwater bag in case my big buck reels break.

[Tony Buzolich]

I can only assume you are referring to the Pflueger Trion or President?
TONY

[JerryInLodi]

No Tony, I'm referring to the Pfluger Medalist, 1595 1/2 RC.

I'm, heading to Baja again on June 13th or 14th and was even thinking of using them again just for the nostalgia.

When Al and I fished we had a rule, you had to land your own fish, no net and no gaff. Just hands! That's when my right hand pinkie became educated. I learned to reach around the reel and rim brake with my right little finger. In all the time we fished I never broke a rod using the Pflugers and really had no problem with them other than it was a little more tiring than using the SA II that I acquired in the late 90's.

We did, on occasion, feel sorry for each other when the dorado got really big and actually reeled in and landed each other's fish but it had to be a REALLY big fish.

One time, much later when we were taking groups down, Al hooked a really REALLY big bull. It was the absolute biggest dorado I've ever seen and I would bet a flyrod record. That fish turned south and started heading for Cabo San Lucas in porpoise leaps. I've never seen line come off a spool so fast. Before our guide, Victor could start the engine the fish had run most of Al's backing off his Hardy Ocean Prince. He started braking but all it did was straighten out rod and line and then, pop, that fish just kept on going. I would have definitely helped to bring that fish into the boat!

When I used the Pflugers money was really tight. I couldn't afford to fly to Baja and definitely couldn't afford to rent a guide. I'd drive down in my Toyota pickup, tow my aluminum and we'd camp at San Lucas Cove. We'd take my Western 14 and fish in the shadow of Isla San Marcos. Most days we'd catch between 20 and 30 dorado each. Those were great learning days. We learned to use poppers and I even wrote an article published in California Fly Fisher, April, 1996. "Dorado on Poppers"

It really disturbs me when I hear "experts" telling people that you need $600 dollar rods and $500 dollar reels to catch dorado. I can't imagine the number of people that never go to Baja because of this advice. Even today I fish with a St. Croix that cost about $130 and an SAII. If I didn't have that equipment I'd still be happy to go down with a Reddington RedFly rod at under a hundred bucks and a Pfluger under $50. The other choice is to just stay home and dream. The hell with dreaming!

[Darian]

Jerry,.... I'm confused (nothing new there).... I have two Pflueger, model 1595 1/2's and both have an adjustable drag. The knob is on the back of the Frame side of the reel.

You're certainly right about them being a good low end (price-wise) reel. I've used 'em for Stripers, Black Bass and cutthroat at Pyramid Lake. If I get down to the surf this year, I'll be fishing 'em there.... 8) 8) 8)

[JerryInLodi]

Darian, I guess "technically" you could call the small screw driven friction bar a drag. It really does nothing more than prevent the spool from backspinning when stripping off line for casting. With any really big fish the small amount of pressure that's applied is almost negligible. Even if screwed all the way in I doubt that the total drag would exceed about four pounds. With a speedster like a dorado I found that I would palm the reel for the major portion of the fight and at the end game, slide my hand down the grip until my little finger was up against the reel seat. Then, as I tried to tail or lip the fish with my left hand, I'd reach across the front of the reel with the finger and keep drag on the spool edge. Once I had a good hold on the tail, I could put the rod down and reach under the fish's belly with the right and lift it out of the water.

In some ways, the technique actually is safer for the rod since, if the fish makes a sudden lunge, I can instantly release all pressure on the spool and let the fish go. I frequently fish alone and even with my disc drag reels I still use the same technique and back the drag off at the end so that I can allow for the fish to run if I mishandle it at the boat.

In my old age I've taken to using a net though unless the fish is too big. It's a lot easier on the hands. I also keep a pair of oversize cotton gloves aboard since the gloves make gripping the fish easier. I just put on the left hand glove when the fish gets close. That's why I say oversize. Tough to put on a glove with teeth.

[Darian]

OK Jerry,.... I'm still confused. Are you describing the Pflueger Medalist, 1595 1/2 with the black finish??? The model I'm talking about is the Pflueger, Supreme with the gold annodized finish. The drag system on this reel doesn't appear to be the one descibed in your note.....

Actually, I have several of both model reels. Can't tell you how may pounds pressure mine'll provide but it's certainly adequate for most local fishing situations. I wouldn't hesitate to use it on Stripers in the delta. 8) 8) 8) Not sure I'd use one in Baja thye Baja surf, tho. :? :?

[Jay Murakoshi]

Actually the Pfluger series is the 1492, 1494, 1495, 1495 1/2, 1498.
I fished a 1495 1/2 on the Smith river back in the 70's and it definitly didn't last on a 48lb salmon I landed. The reel blew out the side plate when the rivets gave up. I used amesia and it was fully stretched when I was bringing in the salmon and when it came back together, it only had on way to go and that was sideways. So I can tell you, reels do fail, even the top dollar reels


Jay

[JerryInLodi]

Darian, the reels I used in the early and middle 90's were the black steel 1595 1/2 RCs. I still have them and will probably put them on some of the spare rods in my boat in case I want to present different sinking lines since I don't have enough reels for all the rods I have.

I also have one of the gold anodized Pfluger Supremes that I use in the delta for stripers and take down to Baja for rock fishing. That reel is strange in the way you compensate when the drag wears out. You take off the drag knob off and take one of the three thin stainless shims off the base. I've taken one off and will take the second off sometime during this summer if I hook some fairly big fish on it and wear down the drag some more. I guess after you've pulled all three shims off, the reel's finished unless you figure how to replace the friction disc somewhere inside the works. I'm much less pleased with the Supreme than with the Medalists. The Supreme has multiple design problems including too large of a gap between the inside rim of the spool and the frame allowing 30 pound amnesia to slip behind the spool and wind around the stem. The other problem is that the drag knob has no flared shield which allows the line, if in back of the reel, to get between the knob and reel frame.

[JerryInLodi]

Jay, I can understand how any reel could fail with a big Chinook. I think reeling in that big king in a river would be about as tough as trying to winch a jeep out of Hell Hole on the Rubicon Trail!

I've caught sails, dorado, and lots of other big fish and with them it seems that you get a rest on and off during the fight. With the few big kings I've had on in the Sac, Feather and American, they just flat wear you out. They never stop pulling and never give up. Your muscles start twitching and you get the shakes all over just from pulling.

Yup, you're definately right, reels and rods fail and from what you're seeing down in Baja apparently your seeing lots of carbon splinters.

Here's to big fish, blown reels and broken rods! Yipee! Twentytwo days until I leave for Baja and definately counting!