Zihuatanejo Report / Move over Tred Barta

[Tony Buzolich]

Well' we've been here for three days and two without fish but today more than made up for it.

Sailfish being the target we got chases and saw lots of sails on the surface for the last couple of days but still without luck we were getting a bit disgusted.

Today we got out a bit farther with a lot rougher water and I'm starting to think about my Dramamine. Two hours of bouncing around and seas started tp lay down.

About 10:00 we get our first hook up. Whew! Finally. And then in the same breath we get a second hookup. A DOUBLE!!! Geez How great is this? We release these first two and celebrate high fives and a couple of cervasas and we're off for more.

A few minutes go by and I've got a got another grab. Wahooooooo! OOooops ????? Spoke too soon and the reel explodes. Handle falls on the deck, knobs and screws fly, and a hot sailfish on the end of the line. We'll What would Barta do? He'd do it the Buzolich way and grab the line. Yep, that's exactly what I did and hand over handed the third sail in for the day. WHEW! What a workout.

But we're not done yet. A few minutes got by and my partner Jim May gets another hookup as well. FOUR SAILS LANDED in an hour and half.

More reports for tomarrow along with some great pictures and stories to tell.

TONY

[David Lee]

Good to hear you're gettin' a few Tony !!

What brand/model was the reel that blew-up ????

David

[sculpin]

Great report Tony . You'll have to give us a run down on the gear you used on your trip when you get back . Good luck on the rest of your trip .

Mark

[Nip Hadlock]

Yep, that's exactly what I did and hand over handed the third sail in for the day. WHEW! What a workout.

TONY

Somewhere Papa Hemmingway smiles!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

George Brown and his wife Marilyn from Stockton, CA are down there again in Z-town fishing for a month now too.

For the occasional salt water trip many low to medium price reels are OK but for the serious repeat blue water fly fisher you need quality reels like the Abel, Tibor, Billy Pate and Nautilus.

Over time most fly fishers who take the annual trips to the blue water end up with 3 to 4 large serious big game reels that will last a lifetime.

A buddy of mine has been going to Loreto for about 10 years. He would go through the mid-priced reels in about three or four seasons. After his 3 reel he finally came in last year and started buying big high end reels.

You still need to service those high end reels.

[fallriverfish]

Does anyone have experience with the Ross Big Game's?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Ross 'Big Games' are discontinued now but hundreds where sold. They are a good reel but not the best. At the prices they are at now they are a bargain though. You can't have too many fly reels.

Ross will warranty them and have parts and spools for years too.

Ross' new 'Momentum' looks really nice.

Abel, Tibor, Pate and Nautilus are the reels that people depend on in the big salt water fisheries.