The Best Upgrade for Offshore Gear

The Tiberon T-Bar Handle Upgrade

I’ve incessantly worked on improving the gear and tackle that I use in order to gain a fishing advantage when I travel offshore in search of the next beast. I’ve been developing my own tackle that works great and is quick to change out when on the water or when the bite is on; I’ve updated fishing line and worked with different colors and presentations of baits; I’ve even changed the way my gear is organized to make sure I spend the most time fishing instead of fumbling around on the deck trying to find that elusive swivel. But there has been no better upgrade that I have found than to replace your offshore reel’s handle with a new Tiberon T-Bar Handle. 

The last time I ventured offshore, my favorite reel, a Shimano TLD-20 II 2 speed, broke its handle in the middle of a hot bite. For the rest of the day I was stuck using a cracked handle that was already a pain to use after many hours of reeling up huge red snapper from over 200 feet of water. In my quest for a new handle, I came across Tiberon, a manufacturer of rods, reels and reel handles.  I found out that many tournament pros use upgraded handles due to their size advantage and a far more ergonimic design that allows the user a far greater comfort level over “stock” handles. I ordered a Tiberon T-Bar Lite for my reel promptlty in hopes of having the same results.

Boy, what a difference an upgraded handle makes! It’s been by far the best investment I’ve made on any of my gear. I recommend that anyone who fishes offshore enough to own their own rods and reels spend the extra $40 to upgrade their reel’s handle.  It will be the best money ever spent.  You can find information on Tiberon’s two models of handles here.  I am also including a link to the place where I purchased the handle, The Angler’s Center. I ordered the handle on Friday, and it arrive by the next Wednesday. Awesome service.

Please feel free to post replies if you’ve had the same success. I can’t believe the difference in comfort one upgrade makes.

McMahon Snaps – The Best Snap for Offshore Fishing

I have tried almost every snap and swivel combination on the market, and I have settled on a rather hard to find cross-locking snap, the McMahon Snap, as my “go to” connection between my offshore fishing line and leader.  My cousin, Bryan,  first introduced me to the McMahon snap back in the early 90′s, at the start of my offshore fishing career.  Relatively unknown by new or unseasoned offshore fishermen, the McMahon snap (often in a snap and swivel combination) has a huge benefit over other snaps around in their strength and ease in which any type of leader or terminal rig can be changed in no time. 

McMahon scissor snaps added to barrel swivels are a perfect choice for a quick connection in a trolling harness where a quick change in a lure is necessary.  These can also be used on a wire leader when quick changing a lure or hook.

The obvious benefits I have realized are:

1. Strength – a cross-locking single piece of metal prevents the snap from breaking;
2. Ease of Use – a simple push of the snap on both sides opens the snap to attach or replace a leader or barrel swivel for replacement on main fishing line;
3. Versatility – can be used on any type of offshore fishing from trolling, jigging, bottom fishing, or site fishing;
4. Configurability – can be used with almost any barrel swivel that it can snap to;

The only problem I have had in keeping these snaps in my tackle box is that they are hard to find in local sporting goods stores or tackle shops. For some reason, McMahon snaps are not typically stocked. However, I have found a couple of places online where they can be ordered. I order only the snaps, so that I can use any type of barrel swivel I want.

http://www.socalfishingtackle.com/Rosco_McMahon_Snap_Swivels_Black_p/ttroms01.htm

http://www.cabelas.com/p-0000016111381a.shtml

My advice to anyone who fishes offshore once or a million times is to make sure to have these snaps in your tackle box. You will land more fish and never have to worry about a losing a fish to a faulty snap and swivel.