Scuba Chris
Well-known member
I Took My Old Standby Reel & Gave It A "Face-Lift"! Back For Duty!
I had retired my ITX 3000 Spinning Reel because i had well over 100hrs on it in the field. I caught 100's of pounds of fish using this little spinner. But i must admit i missed it so i decided to restore it as close to factory new as i could manage. When i retire a reel i lube & re-grease the internals before re-sealing the box.
But i missed this little workhorse of mine so i decided to give it a much needed face-lift. I re-lubed it & spooled on new line. I cleaned the outside using a metal polish restorer & i re-touched the handle to make it black again. With the exception of a few surface scratches it looks brand new again. And it feels new as well! No "grinding" which is normally the ball bearings. Yup, after 1-1/2yrs no grinding as i spray it with a fresh water spray bottle i keep in the car on location & it gets a warm light shower with me when i get home.
I matched it with my best feeling Steelhead Rod, my Guide Select Pro. For "whipping" in Hawaii i've tried them all. Yup! I found the best all around model is the 9'9" GSP-S-992M with line rating at 8-17lbs & lure rating at 3/8-1oz. This spinning rod has handled many local inshore species in Hawaii including a GT strike. I prefer using either a 3K or 4K reel on it. Going to a 5K is ok but be wary of the weight, a lighter model would work. Also a 2K to a 2.5K might be on the smaller size range but will still work.
I've used many SST type of rods in the PNW to Asia & in Hawaii. I found a handful of models that are exceptional for casting weighted grubs to baits, lures & jigs. The original Okuma Guide Select is ok but on the heavier stiffer side for me & not as responsive as the newer Pro Series. The Okuma SST's are great & are inexpensive when compared to the GSP. I personally feel the guides used on the SST's are sturdier but the blanks on the GSP are more sensitive. Lastly Mustad's new 2023's G-Series HYBRID rods may be the new contender for best Steelhead rod. I'm field testing a Med 9'9" with exactly the same stats as the 9'9" GSP & feels exactly the same.
I had retired my ITX 3000 Spinning Reel because i had well over 100hrs on it in the field. I caught 100's of pounds of fish using this little spinner. But i must admit i missed it so i decided to restore it as close to factory new as i could manage. When i retire a reel i lube & re-grease the internals before re-sealing the box.
But i missed this little workhorse of mine so i decided to give it a much needed face-lift. I re-lubed it & spooled on new line. I cleaned the outside using a metal polish restorer & i re-touched the handle to make it black again. With the exception of a few surface scratches it looks brand new again. And it feels new as well! No "grinding" which is normally the ball bearings. Yup, after 1-1/2yrs no grinding as i spray it with a fresh water spray bottle i keep in the car on location & it gets a warm light shower with me when i get home.
I matched it with my best feeling Steelhead Rod, my Guide Select Pro. For "whipping" in Hawaii i've tried them all. Yup! I found the best all around model is the 9'9" GSP-S-992M with line rating at 8-17lbs & lure rating at 3/8-1oz. This spinning rod has handled many local inshore species in Hawaii including a GT strike. I prefer using either a 3K or 4K reel on it. Going to a 5K is ok but be wary of the weight, a lighter model would work. Also a 2K to a 2.5K might be on the smaller size range but will still work.
I've used many SST type of rods in the PNW to Asia & in Hawaii. I found a handful of models that are exceptional for casting weighted grubs to baits, lures & jigs. The original Okuma Guide Select is ok but on the heavier stiffer side for me & not as responsive as the newer Pro Series. The Okuma SST's are great & are inexpensive when compared to the GSP. I personally feel the guides used on the SST's are sturdier but the blanks on the GSP are more sensitive. Lastly Mustad's new 2023's G-Series HYBRID rods may be the new contender for best Steelhead rod. I'm field testing a Med 9'9" with exactly the same stats as the 9'9" GSP & feels exactly the same.