What are ya using

[welder]

Lets see what some of ya are using to capture your fish.........

Rods
Reels
Tackle
Nets
Gaffs
Hoop nets
Spear guns & pole slings
Hands
Teeth

Or what ever you use and TELL US HOW you use it.

Of coures PICTURES are ALLWAYS wellcome.

[JETTYWOLF]

My small but do-able quiver consists of...

4 - 870 Accurate reels
4- 197 Accurate reels

No one around here really knows much about the California based USA manufacture. And what I love about these people is the constant R&D they do. They don't change their tackle just because it's a new model year like a chevy truck. But because they see a need for a genuine purpose. Been using mine for about 8 years now. Had 12 at one time, whittled it all down to a trusty eight. Since I am or was on their pro-staff list, I hope to get and try out 4 of their new jigging rods. Because I believe in these people when they develop something.

"THESE ARE ON MY WISH JIGGING LIST"

These 870's reels are one used for one purpose. Sharking, Big Redfish, Tarpon, some bottomfishing offshore, and dragging "the hardware" offshore, that consists of heavy trolling bars (lead) and drone spoons for King Mackerel, cuda's, Bonita's...about everything that swims. If I'm short on time and can't catch live bait.

My 870 Accurates reside on my 8 foot just plain NON ALLOY "Biscayne rods" out of Miami, Florida. Since 1948 the Carmans have been building classic custom rods in south Florida. The reason I use what's called "KC glass" rods is because charters, big fish, and low skill levels mean I'll probably still have rods in one piece at the end of the day. And I could not find a 20-30 pound 8' glass rod, with EVA grips, and a trigger reel seat for sale on the market to the public. I had to go to someone like Kenny & Eddie Carman of Biscayne.


I've been with G. Loomis for 10 years. Another company, that I believe in.
(I was shocked when they sold out to Shimano, and wondered what the hell did Gary Loomis do now???) But they are my mainstay. Great warrenty, great Guide program, and honored to have owned and fished with about 100 Loomis rods over the years. I remember as a kid feeling the light weight graphite rods, and looking in the catalog where they had a rod "designed" for about any kind of fishing. Even species spacific. I liked that. I have whittled down my collection over the years to a few favorites.
7' 6" Greenwaters, and 8' 2" Bucaras, and 9' Pelagic series rods. Used mostly for all my inshore/river/jetty fishing exclusively.


All my inshore rods are matched up with light weight but extremely powerful Shimano "LOW-PROFILE" reels. Some call'em bass reels. But that's a misknowmer in todays tecnical world.
DID YOU KNOW THAT MY SHIMANO CURADO 300 DSV'S CAN PRODUCE THE SAME DRAG WEIGHT AS AN AVET??
Yes, and that's why I love them. I have 4 of these that produce 14#'s of drag pressure is alot from a small low profile reel!!

I also have 4 - Shimano Citica's. About the same as Curados, but a bit less sophisticated. But still perfect for Flounder, Trout, Redfish, Black Drum, Jacks, Ladyfish and hopefully.....small Tarpon.

I'm also on the Abu Garcia Capt/Guide program and used a lot of the TIMEX of bait casting reels, the Ambassador. Since childhood I've used Abu Garcia reels. They take a licking and keep on catching.
Mine are what at one time were only produced for the international market. 6500 CHROME ROCKETS.....not all Abu Garcia reels are created equal. These are BRASS plated with CHROME, and have bearing caps with centrifical dfrags on each side. I've owned about 12 of these, all the way back to my surf fishing days, with and without level winds.


These "heavy weights" can put up with heavy saltwater fishing. I can trick and tweek them, and can break one down to "parade rest" and put back together again in minutes. That's an attribute I like. But then again, the drag surface is small and these reels get stcky drags real fast, so I use them limitedly today. And my Shimano Curados and Citica's have taken their role.

I also have 8 Shimano Tekota's for my live bait offshore trolling. I'm not in love, but the smooth drags are appealing when fishing light drag and small hooks for Kingfish to Sailfish.

These reels are on Seeker 8' Blue Lightning rods, because I liked the blended materials used with the rods and the guides. Again, these rods get beat by charters and the NON ALLOY and graphite blend makes for a good trolling rod for smaller baits.


Then last but not least are my 4 Shimano Trevalla rods for butterfly jigging. Because they are $99.00 and worth it.......I already had one snap in half while just jigging, and the over the counter warrenty was sweet.
But of course I want the Accurate jigging rods really.
Matched up on these are my small "mini" 197 Accurate reels.


Well that rounds out my quiver or arsenal. Meager compared to many, but then again I'm in constant turn over....... always upgrading, or having it broke by someone on my boat.

I learned long ago to keep everything SPACIFIC (like a G. Loomis catalog) to do one job. Do not mix up tackle. The jigging rods shouldn't be trolling rods next week, and the trolling rods shouldn't be bottomfishing rods later in the day.

My jiggers never see anything but jigs, and my inshore float fishing inshore rods and reels see nothing but floats rigged on them......etc.

Oh BTW, you're asking yourself what is Float-rigging? It's the way I fish for many species inshore in the river and at our inlet. It's DEADLY!
Here's how we rig it. Of course I tweek this.....


That way you can "TUNE" your tackle, because in my tackle junkie mind, there is not a reel or a rod that's made that does "it all", well.
When you think tackle/rods and reels think, boats...
not all perform perfectly in all situations.

EXCEPT A BAITCASTING REEL :roll: :roll: , as you will notice I do not fish a single "spinner". I hate them gangly things. If you think about why they were invented in the first place, you'll know why I have an attitude towards them....."my thumb is very educated", thank you. Plus I have no need for them. Been there, done that.

A "Sienfeld style" quote, sums it all up for me:
"To each his own - live and let live, I say. But that doesn't mean it's right"

I'm ready to talk tackle, so lets get this party started!

[welder]

Whats the gear ratio on the 870's and what line do you use for the biggins?

[JETTYWOLF]

They are 4:1, but they have now 6:1 narrow spools for gettin' jiggy.
www.accuratefishing.com

I use 65# braid on these because of my dragging the hardware (Drone spoons) and the Tarpon and Sharkin'.

But overall I use 50 pound on everything else, because it's about the diameter of 12# test mono.

-Abu 6500 Ambassadors
-Accurate mini 197's
-Tekota 300 & 500's
-Shimano Curados & Citica's

A good rule of thumb is to always spool the diameter braid that's similar to the mono # test used use if you were using mono.

So if a 6500 Abu Garcia Amabassador casts and works well with 12 pound mono (meaning that it's not wimpy or too light) then use a braid that matches the mono's diameter.

I've been off mono for years.

[Sculpin]

This section of the forum was a great idea fella's. I'll have to post up some pic's of our goofy Canuck set ups :D .

[Capt Rick Hiott]

Here is some of the tackle I use here in Charleston,SC

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All pictures are copyrighted