Kayak Micro-Jigging After Typhoon Nalgae: Downsizing Gear for a Better Catch

The aftermath of Typhoon Nalgae left many areas devastated, including my hometown in the Philippines. Heavy waves and floods destroyed boats, huts, and houses, and washed out beach sand by over a meter in height. The floods also uprooted coconut trees coming from the mountain. However, amidst the chaos, I found solace in fishing.

Initially, I thought that fishing after the typhoon would be excellent. But after several failed attempts, I realized that I needed to change my gear and lures. Downsizing my gear to 7 to 14g jigs and a very light line (PE 0.6) with a 16lb fluoro leader proved to be the solution. With this setup, I finally had a successful catch of a 2-2.5kg Torpedo Scad (Megalaspis cordyla) after many failed attempts.

The Fight for a Catch

Using light tackle to catch a big fish can be challenging and exciting. With the Lemax Slimmax Microjigging Spin Rod and the Daiwa Certate 2500 reel, controlling the fish was manageable. However, landing the fish without a net or gaff was a different story. The tail section of the scad has big sharp scales, making it challenging to grab. After around 10 minutes of fighting, the fish relented, and I was able to grab it by the gills.

Why Downsizing Gear Works

Downsizing gear is effective, especially when a fishing spot is heavily pressured. It makes the lure appear more natural, and it is less likely to scare off the fish. It also makes the fight with the fish more exciting as it requires more skill and patience to control the fish. Additionally, using light tackle reduces fatigue and allows for long hours of fishing.

Conclusion

Fishing after a typhoon can be challenging, but with the right gear and strategy, it can lead to a successful catch. Downsizing gear to 7 to 14g jigs and a very light line (PE 0.6) with a 16lb fluoro leader is a proven strategy to catch big fish, especially in heavily pressured spots. Using light tackle also makes the fight more exciting and less fatiguing. So, if you want to catch big fish, consider downsizing your gear and enjoy the thrill of the catch.

First time out for a not so new ride

Would you believe that it took me almost two years before I was finally able to take out my latest kayak? It's an Old Town Topwater PDL 120. Never been used. I stored it for almost 2 years because of the pandemic.

When I finally had the chance, I took it back home to the province where it belongs -- near the ocean. There, I was finally able to fish with it. My golly, it was worth the wait. It was an absolute beast of a fishing machine. I was able to fish even when the current was strong. I can stay on a spot without effort. The PDL drive and the rudder were a joy to use. I can even stand and cast topwater lures without the fear of falling overboard. And the best part, I can fish longer and farther without getting too tired.

The only downside is its weight. It was so heavy. I can't really transport it frequently without a trailer. I guess it's ok for now since I have plenty of water near my house before I feel the need to find another spot.

I did not catch any fish during the few days I fished with it. I was too busy at that time so I fished only for a couple of hours at a time. Hopefully, when I get back, I can fish with it longer. I can't wait to go back home. As for my other kayak, the Ocean Kayak Prowler 13, I am conflicted about the thought of selling it. It is still a great fishing kayak. Light and fast. Maybe I will keep it for my kids, who knows.

Micro jigging in the time of Covid19

After a month-long Covid19 quarantine where mostly everyone were prohibited from going out, the government finally eased off the restrictions in Manila and the neighboring province. After the announcement, we hurriedly organized a Sunday fishing trip to a nearby spot around 3 hours south of the Metro. On our way, I noticed that there were some quarantine checkpoints but the officers were not really checking anyone coming in and going out. 

We were supposed to launch the boat on a beach resort but the resort caretaker said she was not informed in advance and she refused our request to park and launch because "of the threat of Covid19". We had no choice but to park on a residential lot about a kilometer away. Lucky us, the parking spot was near a ravine and we needed to walk far to the beach (we paid P300 per day for that "sweet" parking spot :-O). Our original plan was to start fishing at 5am but because of the issue with the parking, we started at past 7 in the morning. 

I tied on a 15g micro jig on a 15lb flouro leader on my Ize Certate 2506 loaded with 0.8PE (10lbs). The rod I was using is my fave Daiwa Emeraldas 8ft eging rod. The area was shallow (15-20meters) and was perfect for micro jigs. The only problem was the wind. The boat had no anchor or a drift chute. (I don't think the boatman knew how to use a chute in the first place. Maybe I should bring one and teach him on the next trip). Without a chute on a strong wind, we drifted really fast and the waves kept hitting us broadside. This made fishing really uncomfortable especially when there are 4 of you in a small boat. 

After an hour or so of small CnR groupers, I finally got solid hookup. At first, it felt like it was another grouper but a little bigger but when I turned the handle, the fish dashed and pulled drag for a good 15-20 seconds. After the initial run, it just stopped and remained motionless. I tried pumping the rod but it would not budge. I thought that it ran inside its hole and snagged my line. But after a few more tugs, the fish pulled drag again. The fight perhaps lasted for about 15 minutes. I was very worried that the banca's outrigger will fray my line (i was sitting in the middle of the small boat). The rod's tip was barely over the outrigger. When the fish finally came up to the surface, a fellow angler tried to net it with the only net on board. The net was almost as big as the fish and the head barely fits inside it. Luckily, it did and was able to land it. The hook fell off while we were taking pictures. It barely penetrated the jaw. It is my biggest diamond trevally on a micro jig so far. 4.2kg. It was my only fish on that trip. The spot was great but when the wind started to pick up, our jigs were barely hitting the bottom and the jigging action did not impart the correct action because our lines were almost horizontal. If only we had an anchor or a drift chute.

I almost lost my rod to a rogue cast of a boat mate. (Two guides pulled out from the blank. I hope the blank is still in tact). Just before going home, the rod and reel of my boat mate sank in the bottom of the ocean. My popper got tangled in his line during my cast. I didn't realize he was rigging behind me while I was casting. My other boatmate captured the rod and reel while was about to hit the water.

The trip was full of lessons. First is not put too many anglers in a small boat. The rent will be cheaper but it may cost you more if something happens. And believe me, accidents can happen. One or two is ideal. Also, do not forget to bring an anchor and a drift chute. Chances are, your boatman will not bring one and you'd never know when you will need them.

My new ride - Old Town Topwater PDL 120

Since last year, I have been saving up for a new toy. I initially wanted a motorcycle (a used Vespa to be exact). But the Covid19 pandemic made a huge impact on our expenses and I was not able to save enough for it. Aside from that, the wife is absolutely against buying a motorcycle. So, I negotiated for a used boat and outboard instead. She agreed on one condition, I needed to find a storage area for it. Long story short, after plenty of measuring and surveying, I realized that a boat is too big and storing it is virtually impossible since the garage has limited space so I abandoned the idea altogether.

Just recently, I chanced upon a display unit of an Old Town Topwater 120 PDL kayak at an absolute bargain. Brand new, it is sold at around US$2,300 (around Php108,000) but I got this at just a fraction of a cost. Let's just say that it's way cheaper than a used motorcycle or a used boat with an outboard. The catch is that it has some minor scratches and the paddle clip is missing.  Also, it doesn't come with a paddle. (I think new kayaks does not come with paddles anyway). Other than these cons, everything looks and works like new.

I already have a kayak - it's an Ocean Kayak Prowler 13 and it's a nice kayak specially for open water. Unfortunately, paddling can be really tiring. Paddling while fishing is also a challenge. Aside from that, it's hard to stand up and fish on this kayak. When I saw this Topwater 120 PDL, I did not hesitate and got it. Depending on my testing of the new Topwater 120 PDL, I might sell the OK Prowler. We'll see.

Initial impression is that it's heavy (40kg + without the pedal drive and seat) compared to the Ocean Kayak which is just 22kg. Although the Topwater is shorter at 12ft, it's wider (36in. OK Prowler is just 28in wide) and I think the plastic is thicker. There are bigger and heavier hatches and it has a couple of Yakattack rails, seat rails, rubber accessory pockets, and a couple of EVA foam foot pads. It also feels really solid. The build quality is absolutely impressive. 

The pedal drive looks sealed and smooth. It looks brand new and has never touched water. Even the prop looks and feels unused.

The seat is so so. It was expected as reviews of the kayak mentioned this shitty seat. The one I got was scratched all over but the fabric is pristine and the dog loves it. Eventually, I might replace this with the premium seat when it breaks.

The kayak also can be hoisted on the ceiling. Thanks to Youtube, I was able to DIY a kayak storage system using some pulleys, shackles, heavy duty polyester ropes, old lumber, and eye bolts with drop-in concrete anchor sleeves to hoist the kayak under the balcony floor. The total cost for the contraption is just around P900. To be honest, I think my wife was pleased with the result. I just need to replace the cheap cast iron pulleys that I got from the local hardware store with heavy duty stainless pulleys. Those cast-iron pulleys are a pain to use, they are so noisy, and they tend to fray the rope.

The only problem now is that we're on another community lockdown due to Covid19. We cannot go out for un-essential travel -- like fishing. This means that trial run on the water will have to wait.

Personal best Largemouth bass

My personal best. Two chunky large mouth bass caught using one worm on a texas rig (3/0 wide gap hook and 1/2oz tungsten bullet weight).

I have been fishing this spot for so many years and the biggest I got was a 2.2kg. This was my luckiest bass fishing trip to date. I sure wish the community lock down will ease up soon so I can go back to the spot. I will surely bring my kayak next time.

3.3kg (7.2lbs) Largemouth Bass

2.7kg (6.0lbs) Largemouth Bass

I was using my old and ever reliable K'Slabo Lakeforce Stage 604MH rod paired with an I'ze Custom Color Team Daiwa Z reel (Daiwa TDZ tuned by Ize Customs).

DIY Buzz Baits for Giant Snakehead

Channa Micropeltes (Toman) is one of the largest species of snakeheads. It can reach up to 1.5 meters in length and can grow up to 20kg. It is native to Southeast Asia particularly near the Malay Peninsula and Indonesia. I don't believe it is a native specie in the Philippines. The first encounter with this fish and my first ever catch was around 10 years ago in Lakeshore's man-made lake in Mexico, Pampanga in Central Luzon. They were basically pets in the lake to attract weekend anglers.

Since then, the fish has spread to many parts in Pampanga and even up to Nueva Ecija, further up north of Luzon - perhaps intentionally released or maybe by accident through flooding. Nonetheless, they are now widespread and have grown in population as well as sizes. The biggest so far (that was caught by recreational anglers) was 10kg plus. (The IGFA world record is around 13.6kg from Malaysia.) They are now living in the wild and spawning aggressively and taking over their new habitats. After 10 years, I am quite certain that there are monsters out there --- 15 to 20kg fish. Quite honest, it is a tragedy for local fishermen but a cause for excitement for recreational anglers.

If you have tried fishing for these monsters, you will know that they are practically lure and tackle killers. They are friends of tackle-shops because after just one sizable fish, you can bet your bottom that your brand spanking new lure will be destroyed and if you are not careful, they will break your precious rods. My biggest catch in past was 4kg plus fishes in the confined pond of Lakeshore. I was using a Medium Heavy baitcast setup with 20lb braid and 30lb leader. Though tomans love loud topwater lures, e fight was ok and felt just like big largemouth bass when hooked. The preferred lure was buzz baits and loud knocking WTD lures.

Just recently, I was able to fish a secret not so secret wild Toman spot. The area was a huge marsh with lots of deep open water and lots of vegetation- perfect Toman habitat. I brought a slightly heavier toman tackle. I upgraded the line to 30lbs and the leader to 40 and used a Heavy 15-30 7ft baitcast rod from Graphiteleader. I brought a few brand new buzz baits and prop baits because I heard that these were the hottest toman lures for that area. Just after 15 minutes of casting my prop bait near the edge of the bank, I got an explosive strike and pulled drag from my Daiwa Fuego BC like it's just a UL spinning reel. The first run startled me and by instinct, I held the spool to stop the fish. It fled underneath the boat and pulled so hard that the rod tip got pulled underneath the boat. The last thing I heard was a loud crack of my precious Graphiteleader. Just after 15 minutes of fishing, the fish took my new lure, broke my Heavy rod, and it shattered my ego.  I had to go home. I did not bring a backup rod at that time.

The following day, I decided to return for round 2. I brought a couple of MH rods - A short MH Shimano Scorpion BC rod and a 6ft Lakeforce Stage MH BC rod. I also brought new prop lures and upgraded the hooks to #1 Owner ST046.  I was able to get a lot of hookups but they often get unbuttoned. A lot of the owner hooks got bent when they spin just near the boat.  These tomans are absolute fighters. Maybe because they are well fed and have a lot of exercise. They fight really hard compared to their Lakeshore cousins. After half a day, I only managed to land a small one.

After that trip, I decided to make my own lures. They have to be loud and their hooks should be huge Definitely either buzzbaits or propbaits. Because we can't source propbait hardware locally, I decided to make my own buzzbaits. I used the heavy wires from old Japanese surf sinkers. I had a few old buzzbait blades and made double bladed buzz baits for that extra noise.  One tip if you decide to build one, make sure the blades are counter-rotating. Don't use blades that rotate on the same direction. For trailer, I used a huge punching jig and attached a soft plastic. For the other one, I attached a 65mm weedless frog so I can cast to heavy vegetation.

The following weekend, I went back to the fishing spot with the new handmade lures. They cast great and they were relatively weedless. The absolute best thing was that they are loud and the tomans love them. After 5 hours of fishing, I managed to hook maybe 8 or 10 fish and landed 4. I wasn't able to catch the 10kg up snakehead but who knows, maybe on my next trip. Until then, I need to make some modifications on my lures. I need stronger hooks, heavier leader, and more practice.

Fast and deep jigging

I tried a new spot recently. I also tested a new rod and reel combo -- an Ocea Jigger 2001NRPG mounted on a Daiwa Catalina Airportable 59HB with 500m of PE3.
This was the first time I have seen the area. To be honest, it was scary travelling at night by myself and testing a new boatman. I was not expecting to catch anything considering it was my first and I am still getting used to speed jigging with a new setup. I didn't know how skilled the boatman was and how capable is the boat.

As soon as I arrived, we spared no time to load up and head out to the fishing spot. I tied a 200g pink speed jig with a single Vanfook 7/0 jigging hook. I tied the assist hook using a doubled-up 200lb Hinotsu assist cord. It was really deep. From my count, it was somewhere around 170-190 meters deep. The current was not that strong and with the boatman paddling against the current, the jig went vertical upon reaching the bottom. On the second drop, the line went limp at 120 meters. I knew instantly that something took the jig on the drop. I cranked the reel in panic and set the hook twice. It was a good hookup. I thought it was small, somewhere around 2-4kg because when I cranked the OJ2001NRPG, it seemed light and offered no resistance.  Perhaps the fish realized that it was being dragged to the surface, it made furious runs back to the bottom. I probably lost 50m of line on the first run. It was an absolute thrill. Everytime I was able to crank a few meters of line, the fish will take it back. The fight lasted around 15 minutes. It was no match for the setup I was using. The biggest fish I have caught through jigging. 12kg Amberjack.

Later in the day, the wind started to pick up and the current kicked in. IT was hard for the boatman to keep up. Aside from a hookup that I lost, there were no more bites that day so we called it a day -- around 3 hours of fishing. It's a good thing I caught the AJ otherwise I will go home pissed.

The Daiwa Catalina Airportable 59HB was very light and very powerful. If given a choice between this and my Daiwa Saltiga Coastal 60B, I would choose this for so many reasons. It is 2pc which makes it easier to transport, it is lighter, the butt is longer, and it seemed more suited for dual duty -- speed jigs and slow jigs.

I was also impressed with the Ocea Jigger 2001NR PG. I used to own 2 OJ 2001NR HG and both of the reels have this annoying back play in the crank such that I ended up selling them after a couple of use. Somehow this new PG reel doesn't have a play which is a huge relief. It was powerful and smooth, almost as smooth as my Saltiga Z20L.

I can't wait for my next jigging trip. I hope to catch a dogtooth tuna.

Trying Out Super Light Shore Jigging (SSJ)

After a series of tragedies that struck the family, I am trying hard to go back to normalcy. Losing my father, brother, and mother within 18 months is something that I am still trying to cope with. Going back to fishing and blogging, I figured, may help.

One of the new things I have tried recently is called Super Light Shore Jigging or SSJ. The technique is called 'super light' because it primarily involves micro jigs weighing round 7-20 grams. During the past year, micro jigs have grown in popularity. Micro jigging (on a boat) has been an 'in'-thing and a lot of anglers are hoarding gears, lures, and accessories. With the right spot, it is really effective. The technique catches multi species from top to bottom of the water column. Because not everyone has a boat, anglers adopted the technique and applied it while fishing from the shore. Just the same, with the right conditions, it is very effective.

As the title suggests, it's still shore jigging.  It involves the use of a long rod, around 8-9.5 feet that is very light, has regular-slow tip, and has a great backbone. The rod actually can double as an eging rod which is a plus. If there are no fish biting, you can target squid.

In the past, there were not much choices on rods with the required specs (~9.5 ft, max 30g lure, PE 0.6-1.0 line) but just recently, there are more and more rods with the SSJ classification. I think Majorcraft was one of the first big tackle companies to release technique specific (SSJ) rods - Crostage, TripleCross, and N-one.  I think the best one is N-one. It's very light, nice blank (Toray Nano blank), and full Fuji KR SIC guides. I am using the N-One 902SSJ and I have nothing but praises for this rod so far.

You can also use a seabass rod and there a ton of sea bass rods available in the market. Just be aware that sea bass rods are more brittle compared to shore jigging rods as they contain more graphite than glass especially on the tip section. Casting and jigging a 20g jig may break you rod.

I am using a Daiwa Certate Custom 2500 reel loaded with PE 1.5 Duel X4 (I also use the reel for boat jigging and eging). Ideally, try to use around PE 0.8 or 1.0. I decided to use X4 because it seems to fray less compared to the 8-weave (X8) braids. X4 PE also appears to be dry most of the time. It doesn't retain water very much which makes it a better casting PE. The leader I use is Flourocarbon ranging from 15-20lbs depending on what's biting. 20lbs for toothy critters and 15 for others.

For the kinds of jigs to use, it depends on the profile and size of the baitfish in the area. If there are plenty of small mullets or tamban that are around 2-3 inches, use a jig with the same profile and color. Just don't go over the specs of the rod. If the rod says 10-30g, try to keep it to 20g max. There are also 2 kinds of jigs that I use -- the regular fast jig and the slow jigs. Similar to boat jigging, fast jigs require faster jigging action whilst slow jigs is same as slow jigging technique.

Assist hooks are also very important. Because this technique can catch really big fish despite the size of the lure, you will need a high quality assist hook. I normally tie my own. I use Size 12 Chinu hooks (I prefer gold color) and a high quality assist cord  from 100-200lbs - Kevlar is nice. It floats and doesn't retain water. This keeps the assist hook from tangling with the jig. It also makes it swim more lifelike. There are a ton of Youtube videos on how to tie one. I am no expert but as much as I can, I try to keep the length of the cord not more than half of the length of the jig. It seems to make the jig swim more realistic. You may also use a treble tail hook but for me, it's not necessary and it will make the jig prone to snagging.

Depending on the spot, I normally try slow micro jigs first then if there are no takers, I would try faster, active jigs to trigger reaction strikes. If you wish to try this technique, check the youtube videos. Who knows, it could be your ticket to your next monster fish on light tackle.

Hope this short article helps. Fish on.

Back in black

Back in black
I hit the sack
I've been too long 
I'm glad to be back
Yes, I'm let loose
From the noose
That's kept me hanging about
I've been looking at the sky'
Cause it's gettin' me high

-AC/DC

The past 8 months have been difficult for me and my family. I lost my father last May and a few months later, our family suffered another tragic loss when my brother died from a heart attack. I had to divide my time between travelling to our home town and taking care of my bed-ridden mother, taking care of my brother's papers and properties, taking care of my parents' properties and other responsibilities, taking care of my team in the office, and taking care of my kids and wife. 

I was left with very little to no time for hobbies and blogging. 

I am optimistic that this is just a temporary setback and I am pretty sure things will improve and soon I will will be able to go back into fishing, kayaking, and blogging. 

Reviving a dead legend of a reel - the 2006 Shimano Curado D

I don't hate Shimano reels. As a matter of fact, I love Shimano's classic reels that made their name in fishing -- Stellas, Conquests, and the older Curados. One of these Curados is the Curado 100/101D. The old legend for American bass anglers.



I got this reel from another angler-Shimano-fan. He had this reel stored for god knows how long. The reel doesn't have a handle, a clicker assembly, the main gear is stripped, the oscillating gear and idler gear are torn to bits and pieces, the bearings are rusted, and there were missing springs and etc. The spool doesn't have a VBS (Variable Brake System) assembly. The thumb rest (face plate) is also cracked and torn. Basically, a junker that's ready to be thrown out. I think he gave it to me as a challenge to see if I can give it a new life.

Curado 101D Schematic

The problem with a 10-year-old-under-$200-reel from Shimano is that parts are really hard to come by. This is specially true for American-market reels. If you check US-based reel parts supplier's sites, you will normally see "Discontinued" labels on important reel parts. To find replacements, you have to really dig deeper and go through different articles, blog posts, and online forum discussions to know what parts can be used as alternatives.

For the handle assembly, I posted an ad in an FB fishing buy-and-sell page. Luckily, Edmar Chua, one of the nicest anglers around sent me one for free complete with the awesome Septon paddles and bearings. Some of the parts like all the springs, idler and oscillating gear, clicker assembly, I ordered from Plat.com. They are parts for the Shimano Scorpion 1001. If you look at the Curado 101D, it is basically the same reel as a Scorpion 1001. The only difference is the color and the internals. The latter has better parts which explains why it is more expensive. If I recall it correctly, Scorpions sells for over $200 when they first came out.

The old Curado 101D has aluminum main gears, which explains why it stripped. I have read a lot of posts about the reel's gears stripping after a few years. I also found out that you can replace the gear with a brass gear from Chronarch. The Chronarch part # is BNT1514. It is no longer available from any part seller but you can get this from eBay. I then added a new set of Carbontex drag washers which was originally from a Curado E. It was a bit big so I had to trim it using a Dremel. After that, I splashed it with some Cal's drag grease and it was ready to go.

I have some old bearings from stock Shimano reels -- the Japan versions, and to be honest, they are way better than the Malaysian versions. They are smooth and spin like crazy. When buying reels, I always prefer Japanese-made reels. You can be assured that the internals are of high quality. I have nothing against reels made from other countries. I just believe that I get the best bang for the buck if I get the components that are going to last.

One of the main challenges that I encountered with this reel is the VBS assembly. It is not available for sale by itself--- you have to buy the entire Spool with brakes if ever you find one. That makes the reel so expensive. It's like buying a great condition Scorpion 1001. After much digging, I found Avail's microcast spools and they have this 4-pin brake assembly for Scorpions. When I asked the seller, they say it does not fit the old Curado D or Scorpion 1001 spools. It's only for the newer reels like Curado E and Scorpion XT and it will only fit Microcast spools. Their advise is to buy the spool and the brake assembly. Unfortunately, the spool is more expensive than a brand new reel so buying one is out of the question.

Not believing what they said, I did some more research and found Chinese knock-offs from Aliexpress. I saw a post from Tackletour which mentioned it. It's called Ray's Studio DIY Brakes or something like that.

Not really a fan of Chinese online shops because it is always a hit-or-miss when I buy stuff from them. But because the brake assembly will cost me around P300 only, I decided to give it a try. To my surprise, it fits perfectly. The stock brake blocks from another Shimano reel that I got from another angler was a perfect fit.

After installing everything, I tested the reel and I am convinced that it could be one of the best casting reels I have tried so far. Almost at par with my custom color TDZ. I think the DIY brake assembly for Microcast spools works perfectly with a stock spool. The spools spins really fast and the DIY brake assembly creates a very subtle braking during cast. You just need to have a trained thumb to slow the spool. The brass gear and the Japanese bearings made the reel very smooth and very powerful. Perfect for heavy cover fishing. I paired it with my Scorpion EV casting rod which I also customized. I intend to have this combo as loaner rod and reel when needed. Total cost to revive the reel, around P800.

I'ZE Factory Saltiga Z20

13 years ago, Daiwa released an iconic overhead jigging reel called Saltiga Z for the Japanese market. It came in three sizes, 20, 30, and 40. The smallest, Z20 and Z20L, could be the most popular among the three, and for good reason. It is build like a tank, it is all metal, water resistant using rubber seals all around areas that could let in saltwater, and absolutely easy to maintain. The parts are few, simple, and very tough. I figure, Daiwa might have made a mistake of making the reel too tough as they never had the chance to release a newer version. Angler's can't fault the reel and see no reason to get a replacement. These days, the reel is a rarity. You can still find a few in great condition but the price still hasn't changed much. Perhaps anglers are reluctant to sell theirs as there is no reason to. That's how reliable the reel is.

Unknown to many, there were custom reels that were released based on the old Saltiga Z series and one of the rarest is the Saltiga Z20 by I'ZE Factory. It has an etching from I'ZE Factory on the side plate and a custom jigging handle with a gold power knob made of aluminum. The handle can be tightened and loosened by cranking it backwards or forward.

Last week, a local tackle connoisseur and jigger asked me for help in upgrading his I'ZE Saltiga. A local tackle shop refused to upgrade the reel because they are not familiar with the internals.

Anyway, I gladly accepted and performed the upgrade on the drag, bearings, and etc.

Upon opening, the first thing I noticed were the rubber seals that are well positioned in the possible areas where saltwater will get it. One of these seals is located in the spool. I noticed that the seal appeared distorted. Upon close inspection, there were leftover braid tangled in the shaft and coiled up the rubber seal. Because of this, saltwater got in and reached the bearing near the pinion and it already had some signs of corrosion on the outside but the internal balls are still ok. Probably the user left the spool tension knob too loose and jigged. The line got caught in between the spool and the reel frame and probably snapped. The original owner probably thought that that was it and just ignored what happened not knowing that there were still leftover lines inside the spool shaft. After I removed the line and re-applying lube on the seal, it again looked like new.

I removed the bearing from the sideplate and the one under the drag star. I was asked to replace them with these orange seals (probably from Boca). To be honest, I am not a fan of these orange seals. For freshwater reels, they are ok. But for saltwater jigging reels, these bearings will not last. I installed them after soaking them with Corrosion X but I advised the owner to get the stock bearings from Daiwa. They are CRBB (Corrosion Resistant Ball Bearings) and they are built for saltwater.

The old drag washer was the stock plastic-composite washer from Daiwa. They are still ok but they no longer deliver the drag force that was advertised (10kg) and the increment when adjusting the drag was not there anymore. You have to tighten the star to get the drag to take effect. I replaced them with carbon fiber drag washer which I think came from Smoothdrag. I removed the old washers, cleaned the metal washers, applied a generous amount of Cal's Drag Grease, wiped the excess, and reinstalled the drag stack.

When I was about to reassemble the reel, I noticed that the spacing sleeve -- the one pressing the drag plate into the main gear is not the original Saltiga part (Part 55). The one installed in reel doesn't have a notch that fits the main washer. Aside from that, the rubber o-ring is torn to pieces. I replaced the o-ring and reinstalled it. I advised the owner to get a stock part 55 and see if it will cure the drag increment issue.

I re-assembled the reel and checked the drag. It has improved significantly due to the new drag washer but I wonder if the adjustments will improve if the stock part is installed. I guess I have to wait until the parts arrive.

My impression of the reel? It is a beast and the I'ZE Factory refinements made it even better. For a 13-year old reel, it showed no handle and anti-reverse play whatsoever. It is rock solid yet extremely smooth when cranking. A true high-quality reel unlike those new reels with just bells and whistles but lacks durability.

I sure hope I will be to one who gets to buy it when the owner finally decides to sell it. Or maybe I will just keep it. Lol!