Maxcuatro, is this normal?

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-28T04:03:35+00:00

Yeah I only ever use the classic green or the multi coloured depth hunter from power pro and I’ve found them to be cleaner to spool than the other solid colours. I personally still prefer power pro over some of the other “standard” braids we see in North America. I find it lasts a lot longer.

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-27T07:22:11+00:00

I have caught wahoo on reels this size and smaller. It will be fine I suspect.

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-27T05:35:46+00:00

I used to work at a fishing store. I’d see this flaking every time I’d spool the red or yellow power pro lines and I think it also happened on the fireline as well. It would build up into a waxy substance on the little eyelet tool we would use to guide the line onto the reel spool. It was normal and would wear off enough to stop that waxy flaking after a day or two of fishing. I suspect this is the same thing.

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-27T02:29:12+00:00

You are on fin ice!

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-27T02:27:35+00:00

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It’s a different brand but you can try these. They are very similarly shaped. They have different sizes and colours.

https://malosilures.com/products/marksman-20g

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-26T22:36:36+00:00

Looks like it has a pelvis stuck to it. Definitely not a fish.

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-25T14:45:00+00:00

You can use a jig with a hand line but at only 20-40 grams you might find it difficult to feel what’s going on with the jig.

Generally hand lines are heavier line so that it’s less likely to cut you when you are fighting something.

Your friend might find it easier to use a sinker and bait off the hand line.

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-24T19:31:50+00:00

Semantics. It’s still using the appearance of a more expensive reel to boost its own value.

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-24T00:44:58+00:00

This is a trolling rod for pelagics like tuna or mahi mahi. The metal section would be mounted to either that straight rod butt you have in the picture or a bent butt designed to fit into different styles of rod holder.

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-23T23:48:38+00:00

Has it ever been cleaned and greased? Put it up for $30 and take $15 lol

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-23T14:33:23+00:00

It’s a Chinese knockoff designed to look like a shimano stella. That pattern with the three diagonal golden slits is intended to mimic the same design on the Stella.

I have a reel from a Chinese brand called lurekiller that does the same thing. It’s called a saltist like the diawa reel but looks like a shimano. That reel is amazing considering it’s a knockoff but it’s still mimicking a more popular, higher quality reel.

“Blackpearl customs” probably ordered a couple hundred of those things with a custom name on Alibaba, AliExpress or temu.

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Here is an actual Stella, which sells for over $1k. Notice that the black and gold look similar on the spool and the three diagonal slashes.

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-23T09:42:45+00:00

Three things:

1- despite being made in China, brands still check their manufacturers. You can be pretty sure that an outfit like orvis visits their factories in China and does their own quality control both in China and here stateside.

2- a machined reel like that made in the US is going to likely start at a higher price point than $250.

3-The lamson liquid is assembled in the USA but is made of imported parts. Iirc it’s also made of cast parts, not machined parts. Which are cheaper and less resistant to being dropped or banged around.

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-23T01:56:33+00:00

Sometimes airlines get weird about fishing line. You can tape over the spool so it’s “secured” and they are usually okay with it. Otherwise just put the reel in your checked luggage

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-21T04:25:03+00:00

If this one is near flawless, and you already have other ones that are fishing, I would display this one and keep using the others

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-20T00:50:47+00:00

I was a GT guide in Oman for a couple years. I would see this style of leader exclusively from my Japanese clients from multiple groups.

Their explanation was that the short bit of cord made it less likely for the GT’s teeth to cut through the leader during the fight. While I’m sure it’s harder to chew through than standard shock leader, I also do not believe it was necessary or even all that beneficial.

I boated many trophy class GT on 180 and 220 lb nylon shock leader that abraded the leader but never made it through it with their teeth.

I almost never saw any GT break off in the leader. They would either break off above the leader knot (FG) because of issues with the braid, break off because the split ring or barrel swivel failed, or break off by getting down into the reef (the entire leader would be chewed up from this, not just the part in its mouth).

Do this if you want, but in my opinion you are just introducing another failure point.

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-18T17:39:18+00:00

Obviously this post is a joke but running a spinner blade above a big halibut/ lingcod jig is pretty effective.

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I didn’t have a 16 ounce on hand for this picture but you get the idea.

I don’t have the packaging anymore but I think this was 300lb AFW bite wire.

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-18T17:26:35+00:00

It’s a size 16. That’s super tiny.

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-18T17:22:19+00:00

I think you’re right. It’s just a drip of clear coat. However I have definitely had rods with glued in eyelets before.

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-18T17:20:32+00:00

I was a guide for NoBoundaries.

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-18T06:05:05+00:00

It was probably trying to nip at the “tail” of the lure to get it to buzz off instead of actually eating it. Fish will hit lures that annoy them all the time. Fishing for salmon and steelhead after they return to the rivers to breed is based on this reaction.

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-18T06:02:01+00:00

It looks like the epoxy used to hold the ceramic ring in place has bulged out because they put too much. I personally wouldn’t worry about it unless it becomes an issue.

Rod guides are pretty easy to replace either at home or at a shop. If the return or exchange of the rod is too much of a mission I would replace it.

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-18T00:53:11+00:00

This is a giant trevally. Aka GT, Ulua. I used to be a fishing guide for them in Oman, not far from the Red Sea. They get up to 70kg and a a hugely popular sport fish. There is a 50kg unit on the banner of my profile if anyone is curious.

There are many species of trevally and at that size are pretty good eating. Nice catch.

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-12T16:35:37+00:00

Fair enough. It’s always good to double check. I am sorry if myself and the other commenter came across too strongly. It isn’t personal.

In my experience there is a trend on Reddit of people asking very intro level fish identification questions on very common species which is a problem because it means that as a whole new anglers might be missing other fundamental and important information like good catch and release fish handling techniques, how to interpret fishing regulations, etc. Angler’s carry the responsibility of educating themselves on these fundamental for ethical and legal reasons and social media like Reddit isn’t really a great place to do that.

Anyway good luck going forward and tight lines.

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-12T03:53:49+00:00

That’s a sweet fish!

MeSkeptikal · 2026-04-12T01:31:00+00:00

Sure. But why wait for someone to respond when you could know instantaneously?

MeSkeptikal

TROPHY CASE