Fox introduces the first twin speed fixed spool reel

Check out this novelty, I have red about it in a forum and really caught my attention. Not that I'm a big fan of two speed reels but this onesure marks a new level as far as fixed spools is concerned. read the Fox press release

Stratos 20000 TS

Introducing the new Stratos 20000 TS Twin Speed Spinning Reel. The first reel of its kind to be specifically designed for high speed jigging in deep water. The unique gearbox of the 20000 TS allows you to change seamlessly, with the flick of a switch, from a high 6.1 to 1 ratio, to a low 2.1 to 1 ratio to cope with the demands of high speed jigging.

At 6.1:1 the retrieve speed is perfect for working large deep water jigs to induce the best action and increase the strike ratio. Once you have hooked up on a large Amberjack or GT you can then reduce the retrieve ratio to 2.1:1 to help you crank your specimen up from the depths. We have all suffered from dreaded lock up on fast retrieve reels and the stalemate situation that then follows; this reel makes that a thing of the past!

Our two speed gear box has taken three years to perfect and is protected by a worldwide patent. The high torque gearbox runs on stainless steel gears for maximum strength and is supported by 16 top quality stainless steel bearings.

The drag system is not only smooth but also immensely powerful and may be adjusted to a maximum of 35 lb of pressure. The inertia start up is absolutely minimal ensuring an ultra smooth operation. The drag itself is fabricated from high quality carbon lubricated with our own special oil. The design of the system has resulted from thousands of hours of testing in a vast range of temperature and climatic conditions. Once you have set your drag there is a secondary locking knob to ensure that it does not back off or tighten during a long battle with a heavy fish.

The ultra-strong body is made from top quality machined aluminum for lightness and integral strength. All body parts have also been specially treated to ensure a high corrosive resistance.

The line capacity is enormous allowing you to use in excess of 300 yards of 80 lb braided line. As well as being ultra-strong this is a stunning looking piece of kit and comes in at just under 40 oz in weight.

The Stratos 20000 TS will allow you to get the utmost out of high speed jigging as well as similar big fish disciplines that require speed, strength and cranking power.

My Favourite Stickbait

Without a doubt this has been my favourite stickbait of the last season. I have used and abused it mercilessly trip after trip and for some strange reason, when most of the other lures went lost, this one always made it back home. Is a lucky guy, and it now deserves some rest in the museum of the great survivors

It can work as a walking the dog, is this was the right way to use it, but is when it gets speedy that it shows its potential. I managed to sink a bit its nose in order to play it under the water making its belly shine, but this is not the easiest way to work with it. To take advantage of its real potential you have to think like playing with a pencil popper, just a tad slower, with more stops and more rod tip action. This is how it worked for me with almost any kind of predator.

I managed that the guy who makes it builds few for me; they will be available at the shop in two nice colours. But what I’m truly looking for is to have it build in several different sizes to use it with every kind of predators. We are looking for a name, even though “El Habano” is gathering quite some consensus

Back from the Queen's Gardens in Cuba. Just spectacular!

I have just come back from Cuba. The location is the same, the Queen’s Gardens, thus this time we explored an area I have never been before, and this is something because I have already fished the place 12 times…. Our route was heading east, towards the Cabo Cabeza del Este, on the very other end of the area I know. Quite a chellenging trip, nothing we knew about the area, the fish we could find and the environment. I just knew it couldn’t have been bad.

We left the jigging rods at home. The boats there have no sounder and to be very honest with you, my friend and I just wanted to use top water lures, both on light and heavy tackle. I had 5 rods with me: 1 heavy popping rod the Daiwa Saltiga GT86, 2 medium spinning rods, one built casting and one built spinning. Same blank, the good ol’ TP7030SP better known as Caranx Medium by Lamiglas. Las but not least, I carried in the suitcase 2 light Lamiglas Travel, XTC7025 casting up to 1 1/2oz and XTS704 spinning, up to 3/4oz. Eventually, the latter two became my favourite together with the heavy popping rod.  The very light one was with me for the Bonefish. Small jig heads, tiny grubs and good sight needed. Thus, I used it a lot with offset hooks and weightless soft plastics, like the Super Fluke, an all time favourite. I matched the rod with a tiny Daiwa Bradia and Tuf Line XP 10lb line with a 15lb fluorocarbon leader. Incredible good fun! Amazing fishing! I landed a couple of Snappers in the 10lb range in less than 10ft of water. Fought hard, digged the rocks, got stuck and finally hopped into the boat.

The 7025 was the walking the dog stick. Rigged with a Daiwa Fuego low profle baitcasting reel and 20lb braid, handled pretty well the majority of the mid size fish, including several snappers, Cudas and Tarpon. Had is rought moment when fighting a very large Cubera in 20ft of water: almost managed to turn its head to finally give up on a big rock where the leader parted. Twice it happened, not much to do about it… Didn’t use much the Caranx Medium rods, either I wanted to fish lighter or heavier, I wasn’t a trip for grey tones, mostly black and white. The Daiwa GT86 showed everything it can do and pulled hard on the big fish. Hooked three Cuberas and landed them all on 80lb braid and 130lb wind on leaders (I’m making them pretty decent now…) . The rod is a beauty to use, not the best for popping thus a great pole for stickbaits.

To make a long story short the 5 days of fishing have been nothing short of sensational. Between the two we counted more than 120 fish landed with probably as many strikes of fish we hooked and lost. Best day topped almost at 50 fish, most of them in the 4 to 10lb range because we really wanted to fish light tackle in the small pass and canals among the mangroves and the shallow reefs. Mutton Snappers, Dog Snappers, Jack Crevalle, Yellow Jack, Barracuda, Groupers, and then Bonefish and Tarpon, the ultimate gamefish of the flats. Our skipper, Vicente, an old fried, sure is the major responsible of our success, in fact nobody know the place for top water fishing as he does. The guy holding the Cubera is him :-)

I have been to this place many times as I said at the beginning, 13 now if I’m not wrong, and for some reasons I haven’t been back since 2005 but, I promise you, as soon as the skiff started crusing among the calm lagoons, running between the mangroves I asked myself.” Why on heart did I take so long to come back?” This is the place where I have learnt most of the things I know about saltwater spinning and tropical popping. I think I have lost some great years of amazing fishing in one of the best places I have ever had the pleasure to visit.

The Queen’s Gardens is one of the lost paradise of this poor planet. The nature is untouched, the fishing nothing short of amazing and the people the best you can find ever. The whole crew we had on the boat was amazing. Great guys, right attitude, good food, excellent service and total dedication. If you don’t want to go there is because you are either crazy or maybe … crazy! For me it sits among the Top 3 fishing spot around the globe. I have been away for too long, not going to do the same mistake again.


Check the web site here: Cuban Fishing Centers

The "perfect models": The deep water Jobfish family

Many tropical jiggers hate this fish; I don’t even dare to repeat the names they call it or how disappointed they are when they land one. Is pretty easy to catch and its average size is not so exciting thus, to its detractors I like to point out a couple of things.

First of all I show them the size of the tail of the fish. Is just huge. This is a strong swimmer, fast and powerful. Then I tell’em that if this fish would grow in excess of 30 or 40 kilos nobody would be chasing Dogtooth Tunas anymore, because the Rusties pull way hard. When you catch eight kilos Jobfish you find yourself with your hands full, I promise. You start thinking you have a nice Doggie , or a medium Amberjack for that matter.

But my love for this fish doesn’t ends to its sport value. For me is the perfect subject for my distorted, over exaggerated, ultra wide angle photos. His mouth to me is as beautiful as the best mannequin’s face to a fashion photographer. The texture of its skin (scales) is just perfect for side lighting, and its colour a real plus when working against a blue sky. Is also easy to handle and to hold for the fisherman, which makes things better and most of the time is among the favourite choices for dinner, so there’s no hurry to release it.

Well, so much for those who don’t like it. I’m Rusty’s # 1 fan, bring’em in and I’ll shoot’em. You’ll probably ask me for the photo later 

Last Minute Roosterfish

There's a story behind this Roosterfish. It was the last day of the trip, late morning and we had to go back to the mother vessel to pack and leave in the early afternoon. We were in Panama, Pacific side, Gulf of Chiriquí. My friend Oriol has been chasing a Roosterfish the whole week to no avail but he's stubborn, determinate and never gets tired. Ivan, the other fishing buddy was repeating "Hasta el rabo todo es toro" that means more or or that until the end everything can happen. The boat was already in the river, heading up toward the harbour, and Carlos, the skipper, decided to stop near a sandbar to try the last casts. This is when the miracle happened, the fish rose to the surface and inhaled the large popper, a feisty fight took place. This has been one of the most spectacular Roosta I ever seen, jumping out of the water like crazy. Great stuff. Oriol, as you can see, finally landed the fish and after few shots and a safe release, we could head back to the harbour with a grin in the face. Ivan repeated:"Hasta el rabo todo es toro". No Rooster for him, a good excuse to come back to Panama once again. A wonderful place