sport recreation

The Joy of Fly Fishing in New Brunswick

Posted: 17 Nov 2011 05:34 AM PST

Well I'd say fishing season, for most of us here in New Brunswick is over for 2011. However Christmas is just around the corner and my dreams of fishing 2012 has just begun.

Last night I think I had just hooked into a personal best for Chain pickerel. I got so excited I woke up. Will have to make that dream a reality in 2012.

I like Shimano reels and have put in a lot of hours watching Bob Izumi fishing. So I'm not sure what possessed me to buy a cheap rod and reel combo that wasn't from Shimano.

Let me tell you briefly what happened with that combo. First, like I said, it wasn't a Shimano system.

Last year I bought an Ugly Stick and Shakespeare Reel combo along with some new braided line. This was meant to be a backup system to my current 20 year old rods and reels.

Both still work fine but being more than 20 years old I thought it was time to purchase a backup system.

The next time Jamie and I went fishing I pulled out my new fishing combo and made a cast which was almost double what I was getting with my old system.

I was impressed and after a couple of casts had my first chain pickerel on the line. He was big enough that he was pulling drag but not a huge fish by any stretch.

He took a dive, pulling drag, and bent my rod over good. Just then a sliver of rod peeled back about 6 inches. What the hell was up with that. I cursed for a couple of minutes but was able to land my 23" chain pickerel.

As if that wasn't annoying enough I could take the system back but then the braid started to loop over the top of the reel causes loops and making it hard to cast. To make it even more annoying the line would also do a flip and hook itself on the clasp used to hold the line and hook.

All in all the new but really affordable rod/reel combo sucked. I'm going back to Shimano.

It's so easy to get overwhelmed when you walk into a fishing supply shop. I guess I should have put on my Shimano blinders so I could ignore the other reels and combos.

I am not gentle with my fishing gear. Actually I can be quite tough on my fishing rods and reels. I throw them down to grab another, sometimes step on them and seldom clean them. Am I bad or what but I buy good equipment that lasts for years, even with the treatment I give them.

Shimano fishing reels are designed to last and handle most fishing situations. So let's take a few minutes and look at three sturdy Shimano fishing reels I am sure you'll like.

Shimano Stella SW

I may not get the opportunity to do much saltwater fishing but other do so here is a good example of a saltwater reel from Shimano.

The Shimano Stella SW, a saltwater fishing reel that will give you that long distance cast you need, every time. These Stella SW reels are designed to handle the big fish like Tuna and even Marlin without any difficulty.

Shimano has designed the sturdy drag system that can quickly tire out even the biggest fish.

This reel also has an Anti-Corrosive coating that of course resists damage brought on by saltwater corrosion. This will keep your Shimano Stella SW catching fishing for years to come.

Shimano Stella 2500 Fe

The Shimano Stella 2500 Fe is a fishing reel for about any situation and has a number of unique features to help get the job done.

Shimano has models for both freshwater and saltwater. The Stella 2500 Fe also includes a protected corrosion resistant ball bearing compartment. And to make your reel last even longer the drag system has been waterproofed.

The size of the gears has been increased by the new X-Ship which keeps everything in exact alignment.

Shimano Sustain 8000 Fe

Fishers all around the globe put the Shimano Sustain 8000 Fe reel at the top of their list. The reason is the Sustain Fe is both durable and will last. It makes for a great fishing experience.

The Sustain FE features the new Paladin Gear Durability Enhancement, Propulsion line Management System and Aero Wrap II Oscillation. That doesn't mean a lot to me other than it can cast a country mile, year after year.

These are just some of the features of three top class Shimano reels and they are worth every dollar spent on them, reliable and durable they are reels that will give many years of great service.