Shoreline Tech

 

Question: My friend uses some pretty expensive hooks for casting and I’ve been using some pretty cheap ones [ I don’t even know the brand ]. Are the expensive hooks really worth it? I can’t see spending the cash on something you’re going to lose anyway.

Answer: Whoa, you must be casting at Black Point! I’ve deposited my fair share of hardware there myself!

 

OK, seriously, yes there is a difference, and it’s big. Quality hooks are produced on advanced automated equipment resulting in a consistent product. Check out your friends hooks and you’ll see that they all look the same, perfect copies of each other.

 

Quality hooks are made of quality materials, usually high carbon steel, or an alloy of it. The higher the carbon content, the stronger the steel. In fact, high carbon steel was developed by the Gamakatsu company specifically for hook making! High carbon steel has few impurities resulting in a strong, hard product. This means a point that’s less likely to bend and a tip that’s capable of being significantly sharper. A stronger point means a higher hook ratio as there is less deflection as the hook tries to penetrate. This is particularly important in fish with hard jaws or should the hook enter along a bone. For extra strength, some hooks are forged.

 

Fish hooks are measured by their sharpness, hardness and viscosity at the point. Premium hooks are heat treated [tempered], to enhance these qualities without becoming brittle. They are then finished with hook specific sharpening processes enhancing their strike energy.

 

Speaking of strike energy, higher end hooks face significant design testing to increase penetration. The VMC company for example, uses four different point designs in five different cuts in their small game hooks alone! Many cheap imports are merely copies of these hooks without much thought towards design.

 

So…. I see your point [ pardon the pun ]. I wouldn’t toss a $4.00 hook if I knew I probably wouldn’t get it back. But, for a lot of applications, especially slide baiting where there’s a higher percentage of getting your gear back, I’d go for quality first.

 

The fish hook was developed 20,000 years ago and is still evolving. Who knows, maybe we will see a clear fish hook someday. Hey, I’d drop some big cash for that!

Question: I just bought a brand new Shimano Trinidad and want it to last a long time. How do I take care of it? I can’t afford another one anytime soon.

Answer: Hey, nice reel, congratulations! The reel you have purchased is a very high quality and pricey one. The care for it however, is not unlike the care for any other reel pricey or not. The key here is prevention. With proper care, your reel will last you a lifetime. Saltwater and corrosion however, would like to tell you otherwise. Shimano recommends that its reels be cleaned (overhauled), twice a year.

 

The good news is, your reel is made from machined aluminum. It is much more dense than cast aluminum and has less pores for corrosion to start but, will corrode if left uncared for. It’s obvious that washing your reel in fresh water after each use in a must. You’ll note that I said washing your reel and not rinsing your reel. I clean my reels by first tightening the drag as much as possible. This is to compress the drag washers and help keep water out of them. Drag washers don’t like to get wet because this will shorten their life span. I then run warm water over the entire reel, removing as much salt as possible.

 

 Next, take a small sponge or toothbrush with dishwashing liquid on it and scrub the reel thoroughly, catching each nook and cranny. Rinse it again with warm water and shake off as much water as possible. I’ll also spin the spool and try to fling off any water that’s deep into the line. When you’re done, back off the drag and set the reel out for a couple of days to dry it off.Now you can rebox it or set it into a quality reel bag. That should do the trick.

 

If your reel has been submerged, that’s another story. Any reel that has been submerged should be disassembled as soon as possible. Your bearings and drag washers will not last long with any salt in them and you may have had sand carried deep into the reel by the water. Sand will grind into your gears and can do major damage.

 

Do not clean your reels by soaking them in a bucket of fresh water. If your reel is salty, you will be soaking it in salt water and depositing a thin layer of salt deep into the reel where it will remain for a while. Similarly, do not rinse your reel with a pressurized garden nozzle. The force of the spray will drive salt deep into the reel causing a similar situation and reaction.

Brian Kimata is the owner of Brian’s Fishing Supply. Send your Shoreline Tech questions to him at:bfsshorelinetech@hotmail.com.Your question may appear in our next issue!

 

 

 

Today’s Tip: Reel maintenance should have an emphasis on prevention. Think about the similarity between your car and your reel. As your car’s engine runs, metal particles wear and eventually dirty the car’s precious crankcase oil. By draining that oil and replacing it you limit any unnecessary wear. The same thing happens within your reel. As parts wear, these particles pollute the oil and grease and left unchecked, create a paste that is very abrasive. Proper service intervals limit this wear. You wouldn’t take your car to the mechanic only when it breaks so why would you service your reel only when it doesn’t spin. As they say a pound of prevention….