Friday, March 18, 2005

Key West Fishing Shakespeare Tackle Test

Shakespeare and Pflueger fishing tackle are back after a number of years of putting out
well, let's be kind and call it budget saltwater fishing tackle, these old American brand names are back!
For 20 years I used Shakespeare Supreme spinning reels and although they had a few minor flaws, the drags( the single most valued feature of any fishing reel) was superior to any spinning reel made anywhere on the planet.
A bold statement? No just the facts mam!
The Pflueger Wonder fly reel, which I refered to as the G.I. reel because of its plain gray metalic
enamel paint, also had a wonder drag that accounted for many butt busting saltwater gamefish landings on fly rod by some of the best Key West-Florida Keys fisherman.
I personally landed many Kingfish, Barracudas, Tarpon, Dorado, and my first( really cast to it)
sailfish, Oh and 42 million Jacks too! But, Wonder reels weighted as much as a 4 slice toaster.
Most guides in the 60's and 70's owned Wonder reels and only gave them up with the introduction of
Fin-nor's and Capt. Mac's Seamaster. They were fussier but had good drags and were lighter,
the main reason we had to have these new reels was, they were gold!

Thats a little history on Shakespeare and Pflueger saltwater reels and after using the current
offering from Pflueger, the new Pflueger Medalist spinning reels, they are back!
I have been using a 6040 on Permit and a few Tarpon and the drag is super, the fit and finish of this inexpensive spinning reel is reely inpressive.
I have ordered four more and a Trion fly reel to try out on Permit and Bonefish.
I will let you know the results.............mike