Topwater Caranx Ignobilis: Giant Trevally (GT) > Tackle & Techniques

Reel weight

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Scott Maybury:
Hey guys

I am just wondering about people's experiences with different reels and how it impacts on fatigue over the course of a trip.

I generally use two combos, a Ripple 79R and a Ripple 79H. Most of the time I use the lighter 79R for poppers 125-150 gm but I use the 79H when on a trip for maybe an hour a day split up through the day, usually for a bigger popper when fishing a deeper ledge or whatever.

At the moment I am running an 18000SW on the 79R and a 10000FA with 20000 spool on the 79H.

I am not a big guy by any stretch, coming in wringing wet at about 65kg, and I am not built like a pro boxer of the same weight! Although a bit fitter than I used to be and finding I can cope with a 5 or 6 day trip fine across the shoulders, back etc, I get pretty bad elbow pain in my left elbow after about 3 days of casting, which I put down to either medial epicondylitis (golfer's elbow) or something very similar.

Anyway, the long and the short of it is that my casting and fish fighting becomes quite painful by day 3 or 4 and whilst I just fish hard through it, it is not pleasant.

I am working on some exercises and stretches to hopefully improve this, however one issue that may help is reducing the weight of gear I am using.

To that end I am considering getting a 10000SW with 16000 SOM spool for use on the 79R, shifting the 18000SW to the 79H and selling my beloved 10000FA.

What this post is a long winded way of asking is - I know the weight figures (approx), but from people who have done this, or used these different reels over time, does it make much difference to comfort and fatigue levels over the course of a multi-day trip?

Ordinarily I wouldn't think twice of it but the fishing budget is a little tight at the moment (thanks to wife who is nesting and Sydney property market) and just trying to figure out if it is worth it. If I go this way I will probably have to sell the 10000FA and also my Komodo Dragon, both of which are in excellent nick except for a few cosmetic marks and anyone who reads this who is interested, please shoot me a PM.

Cheers

Peter Childs:
Scott, there is no doubt that the lighter gear makes general casting and working the lures a little easier.  Before you get too carried away with looking at new gear though it might be worth having a closer look at the cause of your elbow pain.

I am assuming you are right handed, and may for a lot of the time, have the rod but tucked under your left arm whist working your poppers and / or stick baits.

I too, over the course of a few days fishing have developed elbow and shoulder pain, particularly in the left arm.  There are a couple of nerves which run down the inside of the arm from the arm pit right through to the finger tips (if you gently run your fingers over you arm in this area, you may feel the fingers tingle a little).  What can happen after prolonged popping is that the nerves can be pinched and damaged by the rod but being compressed against them whist tucked into your armpit and used as a lever to Pop the lure.  Some people are more receptive to this than others.

As with any nerve damage, pain can be referred all over the place, often to where you least expect it!  No amount of weight saving in your gear will fix that - it really is a matter of careful technique to suit your physiology.

I'm no doctor, so don't rely on my advice verbatim....but it might be worth having a closer look at the particular cause.  Nothing worse than sitting on the floor of the boat for the last 2 days of a charter - unable to cast.  Do it with both arms and you can't even drink a beer!

Dan Wulf:
Hi Scott,

As an alternative to casting over your shoulder, I would recommend that you stretch your arms and cast over your head. This will result in a pronounced reduction in the pressure and tension on your shoulders, elbows and arms. There are two obvious disadvantages related to this style. a) It looks weird; b) Prior to the cast, you have to turn your head more in order to make sure you don't hook your mates or structures on the boat. But if it works for you I'm sure you can live with these issues. Well - maybe you already tried this....

Greetings,
Dan

Mark Harris:
Hiya Scott

Before commenting, I think it is quite important to know:

1. Are you naturally right or left handed?
2. Do you use left hand or right hand wind?

I have observed a trait amongst Australians especially to set their gear up in what I would regard as a backwards configuration. If you are right handed, I feel strongly (and was always taught from a young age) that you should use your stronger right arm for the power-work  when fishing (ie. pulling and lifting) and your left arm for winding. And vice-versa of course. Right hand wind for a right-handed person is a mistake IMHO. I might add that it is not only Australians I have observed doing this, but it seems to be very common there.

This will have a significant effect on the impact of the stresses you put onto each arm. There is no doubt in my mind that when popping especially, the hand you are using on the rod should be the one you use most commonly in everyday life. That hand and arm are more used to regular activity.

I have occasionally suffered from elbow stress. Bursitis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bursitis) is the probably most likely elbow complaint when fishing and it can be quite sore and there is little you can do other than rest it (except if it is caused by infection - unlikely when fishing).  Tennis elbow and golfer's elbow are different complaints but also possible when fishing.

If you routinely suffer from elbow pain then an athletic elbow support is a good idea. Wear this as a preventative - so from day 1 of a trip. Don't wait for the pain to occur.  I have used the LP brand (http://www.lp-support.com/) before as it is smaller than most, and made from  nice quality neoprene. Please note though that many doctors will say that you should NOT wear a support of any type AFTER bursitis has occurred as compression can make it worse.

I hope that helps. I do think that setting up you gear in the way I explained will minimise elbow complaints (but not eliminate them). Use your stronger arm for the stressful work.

Finally, I should add that I am not a doctor but  I come from a medical family and have taken lots of advice on this subject in the past!

Graham Stevenson:
Like you (and I suspect a lot of others ) I suffer from elbow pain on popping trips. Whilst reducing weight of rods/rels may help I don't think that it will eliminate it. I just get to the grin and bear it part  but one thing that I have used that helps are the bandages that you can buy from chemists (in NZ ) for tennis elbow , etc.Doesn't prevent pain but seems to reduce it.

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