In the last couple of months there have been a couple of high tech products the have come under attack by their users. I would like to discuss these claims and how the companies handled them.

    The first is the Accurate Boss Reels. They first were introduced in March and were the hit of the Fred Hall Show. I was impressed enough to order a couple of each with out doing any research and field-testing. I am usually one to wait awhile before I bring in any new products into the store. Let the companies get out the bugs first. But with Accurate I was not too worried.

    Well according to some anglers the first Boss reels have problems with their pre-set knob and drags setting increasing. Well, I did not have that problem yet with any of the Boss reels that I have sold. Accurate stands by products and they will upgrade any Boss that has that problem. They have a no questions asked policy. Just send it in to them and they will fix free of charge.

    More recently Izorline Spectra has come under attack. It has been reported that Spectra have been breaking on some big fish the long-range season. Almost all of the breaks have come when fishing the kite. The rigs also did not use a topshot. They used just a short mono leader then straight Spectra. The Spectra rest on a stainless release clip. It seems that it maybe the release clips that have caused the Spectra. When the fish takes the bait and runs with it, if the release clip does not release, Spectra running over the release clip under tension cause Spectra to heat and fail. One of the properties of Spectra is its small diameter and small diameter line can not endure heat.

    A fast cure is use ceramics ring with Spectra threaded though the ring. Now attach the ring to the stainless bar in the release clip. This way Spectra does not touch the release clip. As the line runs though the ceramic ring has which has a lower co-efficient of friction and better heat dissipates than the stainless release clip and this greatly reduces the chance of Spectra failure.

    Another cure is to use a mono topshot. Mono has a larger diameter than Spectra and is less effect by the heat generated by running though the release clip. The choice is yours.

    Finally, Cal Sheets has a drag disc upgrade for the Shimano TLD 20 & 30 2-speed reels. His drag disc increases the surface area that the drag material is in contact with. Many anglers are using this upgrade to fish with heavier lines on these small reels. After talking to Cal, that was not why he designed these larger discs. They were designed to get the same drag settings without compressing the drag cam as much. Before the upgrade you are able to get 12 to 15 pounds of drag in the strike position but the drag lever would not move up to the strike easily. Now with the new drag disc it does.

    I hope this clears up some of the stories that have been going around the docks.

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