Every now and then you come across a reel that earns a special place in your collection.
During the past three years that reel has been the Okuma Azul AZ 90.
It is the first reel I pack on every salt water outing, and looking at it brings back so many fond memories.
A threadline reel is by far the most versatile reel on the market.
The first bonus is that it can cast both light and heavy weights.
For example if a school of feeding tuna or kingfish breeze past the boat, I simply clip on a suitable lure, and cast into the school. This has saved the day many times.
What impresses me the most though is this reel's ability to handle braid.
I trial dozens of egg beater and braid combinations each year and the performance ranges from a tangle every third cast up to just manageable; the Azul though is lucky to have a tangle once every 500 casts!
I spool the reel up with 30 pound tuff line (a tight woven braid), the reel wraps the this line on very evenly.
Spooled to within 2mm of full the reel can cast even lures as light as 18 grams a massive distance!
This setup is also perfect for deep sea bottom fishing-30 pound braid is very very strong if you tie the right knots! The combinations also great for light to medium weight game fish. The reel fits about 600 yards of 30 pound tuff line.
Surprisingly, I can also put the reel onto a surf rod, and pelt out big star sinkers all winter with not a tangle.
I then put the reel on my favourite power tip rod and cast 40 and 65 gram lures of the rocks all day long.
I have even broken the braid/egg beater rule book and used poppers with not a drama. For popper and spinning work I use one of the lighter rated 6-8kg Silstar Diamond power tip rod.
I go up to the 10 to 15 kg crystal power tip when game fishing and heavy reef fishing.
Top shelf thread lines have come a long way, and can now take a hell of a lot more punishment than they could 10 years ago.
The captures the reel has notched up are impressive.
Fishing for spanish mackerel, I had caught nine fish up to 14kg, when I hooked something much bigger.
After 30 minutes I landed an seven7 foot plus whaler shark which had eaten the whole mackerel including the lure in the mackerel's mouth.
Oversized stainless steel gears and bearings are another feature that sets this salt water reel apart from the others.
Dig this, the reel was washed in off the rocks early last year during a big swell.
Luckily, the large surf rod trapped air so the whole outfit floated.
My mate Ashley was able to cast a lure over the rod and drag it back in for me.
The same thing happened half an hour later, so we "spun up" the rod and reel again and headed home.
I had a reef fishing shoot on early the next day, and didn't get a chance to clean the internal parts of the reel.
The reel was used to bottom bash in 60 fathoms (360 feet) cranking six6 ounce snapper leads and various reef fish up and down all day.
When this show went to air I got loads of emails about the squeaky handle. Well now you know why it was squeaky.
I dropped this reel off to be serviced by Craig Kolstad who advised that the gears still looked great and all it needed was an oil and grease. (yes yes the squeak disappeared.)
Another brand of reel which has been with me the same time has succumbed to the salt air and spray alone!
The reel has also spent six months on various deep sea charter boats, fishing between 30 and 80 fathoms about three times a week.
It also has much time at sea from Cape York to Bass Straight, and the Kimberleys.
It has caught a loads of small black marlin and sailfish in the 20 to 40 kilo bracket.
On its last trip alone it caught dozens of sailfish.
Remember these are the very fastest fish in the sea (top speed 110 kmh), and if they can't overheat your reel what can?
The reel will soon be replaced by the Eclipz range, which is basically the same bullet proof salt water reel with a few extra features.
I guess I'll have to retire the Azul to keep readers informed of new models, meanwhile the Azul will sit at the top of the memorabilia cabinet.
See you on the water.
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