Shark on the trout rod! 8-7-09

I heard my buddy was going to try for a repeat of his sturgy adventure so I wanted to be there to see it for myself. We met up at about 8 AM and launched into the mirror like bay. It was a very pleasant paddle for me and before I had a chance to rig up my budy casted away to his honey hole. His friend R showed up a bit later and shared what was an unexpected beautiful day in the sun.



I didn't care for the slow action of targeting sturgeon, so I went for the leopard sharks. But this time I brought out the multipurpose semi customized rod, my lunker hunter special: The Berkeley Tactix medium light loaded with 10 lb braid main line and 30# mono top shot and steel leader:



The bite was kind of slow being this a post frontal day, but I did manage a few fish, 4 in total. My main objective was to catch a 3'+ and it came through:

One fat leopard between 3'-4' long gave my little rod a terrific workout!



The bent up EWG thin wire hook that defeated the big shark.

Fun! I almost expected to see your float-tube.

I lived in San Mateo for a couple years and went for the leopards many a time when nothing else was going on. Great fun!
I see your reel is a Diawa SS? I've got a couple of the smallest ones, had them for over 10 years now and the drags are still smooth. Great reels.

Agree very much on both points. I found a new fish to scratch my itch on.

My reel is a Daiwa SS 1300. I have 3 of them and love them. I might sell one to get a smaller reel, the SS 700.

I'll take the 1300 off you hands if you decide to sell or trade I got an old lighting rod I don't use much. Don't buy one of the newer ones made in Korea they don't compare to the ones made in Japan

Great report compa! And nice accomplishment on the light-action sharks too.

I'll take the 1300 off you hands if you decide to sell or trade I got an old lighting rod I don't use much. Don't buy one of the newer ones made in Korea they don't compare to the ones made in Japan

Do you have a 700? all of mine are made in Japan.

I had 2 705s I sold one to Fuzz not going to part with the other

My pair of SS700's are about 15 years old. My 2600 is about 10 years. I use it in the ocean off the rocks, or in the surf for stripers.

The Daiwa SS Whiskers fan club! 

I have an SS1600 as well but never heard of the 705. Is that a rear drag version?

Just curious, why are the Japan made ones so much better than the Korean version?

705 is the same reel with high speed and the bail trigger and maybe an extra bearing.
my buddy has a couple of the Korean reels the drag sticks, not as smooth one of the gears busted and the bail sticks sometimes. I went thru the whole reel for him but it still feels funky just feels like a diff. reel.

Thanks Mako1. I guess I am going to buy a used one then. There won't be any japanese new one on the market that I know of.

Here is the picture of the price catch

compa
great report and its good to see you with paddle in hand.
Is that a "bandit" you are paddling?
big WS fan here.

hydrospider

It's a Critter. Very light weight and pretty easy to move around.