[pingpangdang]

My reel (okuma trio 55) which I used to catch suzuki size Japanese sea bass while living in Japan for a few years didn't last but a few hours in the water. My graphite rod that could handle some suzuki sized sea bass was no better than a fisher price barbie pole today.

The plan was to save up for a quality rod and real and hope the trio could at least pull in a small YT while waiting for a big purchase instead of buying discounted junk.

Dropped a big green back to the bottom. It was calm for the first few seconds then the tip started to get eratic then boom.

Couldn't turn the fish w/ the junk rod. It felt like a ton and would pull drag if I began to make any headway. My rod was making all kinds of cracking noises and any more pressure it definitely would have snapped. Not enough backbone to get it off the bottom where it seemed to like hanging out. No kelp on the FF and w/ the short runs back to the bottom it was something big.

Since the rod was not helping at all I figured I could muscle crank it. Got a few good turns and when it seemed like progress was made it would go screech back down all the while feeling like a ton.

Muscle cranked some more then bam my reel snapped from the rod. Bent the screws and broke the aluminum posts the screws went through. I tried to keep reeling but couldn't via the handle because it was now bent. Started to just twist the top manually with my hand to take in line with the barbie pole rod end lodged under my hammy and the rod on my quad. Then my rod guide busted and soon after that it was over.

I have pics of the reel and have not read how to upload them yet.

Breaking a reel this way is a first for me. If I had a proper rod the reel might not have cracked like this but it probably would of destroyed the guts of the reel anyways.