Conventional
 

So,
after having a long discussion about fishing at the canal at 5/0's party, I thought I would give the conventional rod another try. The Abu 7000c3 I have needs a tune up really bad. Are the newer abu rockets better than the older models?

Waiting for the call from Johnny D for 2011 winter casting contest:rotf2:

Thanks,
Mike

You should be able to find all the washers and lube for the 7000 online.

Why ?

? Are you against conventional all together in the canal?

What's the advantage? Unless you're going to be chunking, it just seems like more headache than it is worth.

With the availability of affordable reels with big, distance-friendly spools and the sloooowww pickup of conventionals... I couldn't be bothered.

I like the pluggin and eelin on the boat.

If your 7000 C3 is a Swedish model, I would definitely go with a rehab of that one, if possible, over buying a new Chinese one.

Mike, your pretty handy. I'm sure you could rehab the reel yourself. Heck, back in the day when I was stupid and stubborn (at least more stupid than I am now), I used to fish convech and I managed to service an Abu several times with no ill effects. But now that I've smartened up at least a little, it's spinning only for me.
For the type of fishing you do and for as far as you can cast your spinner, I don't see why you want to put yourself through the torture. Search this site for a picture of a backlash Numbskull had a year or 2 ago. That should be enough to deter you.

Pull it apart , clean everything, relube some stuff , get some Smoothy drag washers , put it back together again.

I prefer a conventional. The big advantage of no right angle at the bale line roller is pretty insignificant on the high end spinners now but I still feel its easier to let line out more precisely during the drift using the revolving spool.

No, just makes fishing more work than it needs to be.( Babylonian )

High end spin with a good backboned rod is more multifunctional.

Poppers,swimmers,jigs,needles, sluggos, ron z's, eels, etc.

You've seen what I use, that stick throws great and will handle just about anything in there and let me fish pretty much any way I want.

And I used to be a conventional for almost everything kind of guy.
Still love it on the boat, bait fishing the surf and when I want a change of pace and reminisce.

The one big advantage I liked in the canal was the ability to feather and drop back a jig, eel or shad in the current for longer bottom time. Though you would have to reel in like an organ grinding capuchin monkey to avoid the hang ups.

Sight casting to distant breaking fish with conventional equipment in the canal is a true test of calmness under pressure..........and one's skill with obscenities.

I got half of that covered.

And this is a guy who fishes with us from time to time that I call "Backlash Bob"
I had already spent 20 min digging this out for him before I said I need to take your picture.:)

I don't jig enough to know/understand conventional advantages but I keep considering it for drifting eels. That seems like it would be way better with conventional. Spinning seems fine for just about everything else. Learning to fish conventional does seem like a good way to cure boredom when there are not any fish around.

Be a hero and show him the backlash trick....i.e., cranking against your thumb......it is on youtube.....works pretty well.......wish I'd known about it 20 years ago.

I don't jig the canal much, but I do find it much easier to do well with conventional tackle. Dropping back big swimmers in current is another place it shines.

If you want to jig and want to use spinning gear and still drop back as you would with conventional gear just jig with your bail open. pinch your line between your finger and rod and have your other hand on the bail. When your jig gets picked up flip your bail and drop your rod tip followed by your hook set. Do the same with eels. takes a few fish to get use to but once you do you'll be able to do everything you can do with a conventional setup.

wear a piece of tape as you would for casting.

Hmmm... I'll have to try this. I'm sure the next trip out with a conv I'll get a chance.

Found the video:
YouTube - Baitcaster How To: Trick For Clearing Backlashes

It doesn't take too long to learn to cast a conventional. It takes a lifetime to learn enough discipline not to try to overcast your own ability. You never overrun a reel just casting normal. It always happens when you want more distance than your current ability allows. (or you catch a bush or something interfers with the cast...that doesn't count)

The best proof of what I say above is to take a few hours to learn the reel. Then cast with your eyes closed or into pitch black darkness. You will almost never overrun the reel. Now , cast conservatively 5 times and note how far out it lands. Next try to cast 50 yards past that. Bang , I can almost guarantee an overrun.

Yes , it takes a lot to control the reel like a world champ but just sending out the lure or eel enough to be in the game , takes just a short time.

I find that if you get it in your head that down time is far worse an evil than long casting is a benefit , you will settle in quickly with a conventional. Start conservatively and let repeated casting get to be part of your body language. Soon you'll start getting your body into it more , your waist , your legs , your two arms seperately. The distance will come naturally with time.

Slower action rods help a ton as well.

Bob, thanks for slapping some sense into me...:smash:

I think it's all preference in what one uses at the canal,most of the Guys I know were mostly convench but now with these high end spinners most have strayed.
I have found that if you drift eels you some times have no say in the matter of what size you get at the bait store like shoes strings:fury:so this is where spinning will still get you distance vs convench.

If it's any constellation I still prefer to use convench for eels,jigging and plugging:fishin:

I only fish conventional, mostly plugging, no levelwind either. This year's goal is to learn to work a pencil with it. Nearly all my fishing buddies goof on me constantly for not using a spinner. If I can't master the pencil by the second week in June, I'm gong to have to go get one of them spinner thingies myself.

MY backlash story,
Mid Nov a bunch of years ago Tedy Tours and I are fishing SW corner on the block, miserable cold rainy nite. I was all conventional all the time for years back then.( Newells and abu's )
First cast with a big bottle plug, must have turned a little sideways. ( I used to take out all the brakes , use ceramic bushings , rocket oil and let it rip )
Well I get a backlash that looks like Troy Palamalu on a bad hair day.
Truck with bulk spool is a 30 minute hike away, get to truck and realize keys are in plug bag back on beach.
3 days later I'm at Roys getting a big old RA spun up for spinning jumbo plugs and eels.
I'm not that much of a purist.

We will be back on the beach before we know it kids. . .

I'll bet that dog can cast a convench pretty well

In a thread where you go on about how much better spinning is for casting lures, you post a picture of your Calcutta with a Crippled Herring on it?

As Quigley said " didn't say I didn't know how to use one "
The response was to canal use.
You want me to come over and pull an arm off, dog needs a new chew toy.

Don't worry I'll give you more casting lessons this year. ( even if you only have one arm )

Better than some people I know.

Stewie.. Cast pencil grip rod between legs and wrap left hand around rod pinch line to keep pressuer on it and to twich rod reel slow easy as a spinner with a pencil.... I too fish convench id say 99.5 % of the time.. I only throw a spinner outta boredom... As YT and Thumper can atest to...
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I am the WORST conventional caster in the world, but for drifting eels in the canal in my opinion it is crucial to use conventional. Everything else gets the spinner. Jig on finger with aqauskinz finger thingy and set hook with finger then crank on to VS.
Reason for conventional when drifting eels being, that as your eel rips along in the current, with a conventional line comes off and drifts smoothly unencumbered looking natural. With a spinner, the line does not peel off as smoothly as the line hangs up on the spool. every miniscule pause in line going out causes the eel to swing in against the side as you act as a pivot point. Subsequently, your eel does not stay in the sweet zone long enough. Casting distance is sacrificed a little with the conventional vs spinner, but not much. I have had way too many problems trying to flip a bail closed on a spinner when the fish is running. So I don't lkie a bailed spinner for drifting eels. Most of the time it feels the tension and spits it.
I still have a backlash to pick out from this past year.......

Do you realize that you're to blame for him thinking that he wants to go back to convech? After speaking with you, he tells me he's gonna start fishing eels in the canal, and is even considering building an eel tank. He wouldn't be caught dead last year with an eel on his line.:rotf2:

Stewie Hope this helps. I press down on the line against the reel crossbar so that the line between the crossbar and the spool are packed tight regardless of the rod waggling with loose line to a surface plug.
I find it's easier with mono.