The R300 reel thread

[DJP]

I like a challenge and this summer I'm looking to up my species score on KP reels.
The standards KP reel cost R327 for a 6'5inch reel...the cheapest R&S reel you can find (smaller ones are a bit cheaper and larger ones bit more).
With everything becoming more expensive and disposable income on luxury items like fishing gear becoming limited I though it be good just to show that you can catch good fish without breaking the bank.
I have paired the reel with a second hand Purglass 350/1 and 350/2... you can pick these rods up for R500-R1000 second hand. They have thick blanks and given the guides are in ok shape and there are no obvious cracks or marks on the blank are really not a risky second hand buy.
To be honest the line and bit of braid backing on the reel cost the same as the reel. I spooled it with 300 yds of 65lb SFX braid backing (R250) and some 0.55mm top shot, so it should be able to handle most fish up to a medium size shark.
It doesn't cast as far as other type setups, it's not as accurate, and not all that great when the wind is in your face... and I don't think it will ever be.
But for an all in setup at under R1500 that you can catch anything from a galjoen to a shark (let's wait and see what the limit is) I don't think you can come close. Very little maintenance (1 bearing) and not much else that can go wrong (mechanically not talking about burn marks and getting wrapped on the fingers).

 

[DJP]

Nice little cape bream aka hottie aka bamboos vis on the KP.

 

[DJP]

One of four steenies I got, all on 20-25m cast. Also got a gillie but no photo... hopefully a nice kobbie is next.

 

[DJP]

Last legal galjoen of the season... KP doing the business in strong southeast, hopefully that southeast will bring in some summer fish soon!

 

[willem wikkel spies]

it should have 2x bearings.
weel for that price it must bne a 1x bearing reel.
lets see what the ocean can gift you on that set up

 

[Ben REINERS]

@DJP......In 1987/7 I bought my 14' Purglass castmaster from "Babs" at CISCO's Tackle shop Durban & 600m of 25lb Maxima seagreen.

Line loaded on my 7" KP & next morning early of to the Mvoti river at Jex's estate, to net mullet to target big garrick.
No mullet found, very scares & river badly polluted at the time.

Plan B.....brought frozen mullet, so it will be casting quite a size of +- 30cm + .

1stly my brother in law was on with a monster garrick that had him up & down the beach for almost 30 min, then he asked me to help & I lost it after 10 min with a weak spot in his line in the 1st wave. He used a grinder
It was a monster of 20kg + kg.

Back at my rod, I re cast my dead bait & wait. Not even 5 min & on. What a lovely fight, it ran staight backline, chewed on this size mullet, set the hook & fight was on.
The beauty of the fight is my retrieve is 1:1 & although it might sound like a tedious reel to use, it's the best fun one can have.

My 7" & Purglass rod landed me many garrick, cob & sizeable shads back then in the 80's & pommies at St Lucia, not to mention sharks & raus

Best part is, I still use my KP's from 7" to the smallest.
Best reel ever if you need a bit of real sport & lotsa fun

 

[DJP]

it should have 2x bearings.
weel for that price it must bne a 1x bearing reel.
lets see what the ocean can gift you on that set up

Quite right they have two bearings on the main shaft.
I also had them fit one of the 6.5" reels with a vesconite bush (they do vesconite bushes on some of the larger reels boat reels but not smaller ones) just because the bearings don't like swimming or one has to pack it with grease. It cast crap, but at least it's fairly bullet proof.

 

[DJP]

@Ben that's pretty epic! I see on your profile photo you have a KP with one larger knob, how does that work? I'm probably the only person in the Cape fishing with a KP from shore so not much knowledge available on the reels this side.

I have an 8" KP as well that I'll probably target some bronzes with only want one over 80kg, then I'll retire it for bottoms of the kayak . The 7" should handle everything else. Also have a little 4"KP that I use in the lagoons... our rivers have flooded insanely the last couple of weeks so hoping some good fish move in.

 

[Ben REINERS]

🤣😄 @ DJP.......no, it was a Toyota gear knob fitted over the standard handle & I had a joke going with a fellow KZN KP user showing off my "new" 6 gear KP.....it had him going for a few days😇

But you can have larger knobs fitted by Collin from KP at Umkomaas & have the larger KP trimmed down ito drum size, commonly referred to as "cut-down" on the De Lux models.
In essence, it is a few grams lighter & it holds little less line, but gives a bit faster spinning action during the cast & for added distance.

If you do need his contact number I will gladly provide.

Yes, KP fishing remains a sport almost on its own......huge fun.

Besides loving my KP's, I am a semi hoarder/fanatic & own in the region of 28 from the smallest 4" to 7" & my 1st 2 old school Scarboroughs of 197-something.....think 1975.

Amongst the Indian folk in KZN there are still quite a lot of KP anglers & collectors.

 

[DJP]

Ahh, ok now I also know

I have Collin and Carols details. It's such a cool thing they are doing besides still making the reels, it's local jobs created and really part of our fishing heritage. Saw a youtube video

where Wendel Moodley interviews Collin, so impressed by these guys... if this was the USA there would be a KP Hall of Fame. It is a sport on it's own, I liken it to fly fishing where the barrier to entry based on casting is a bit more than conventional fishing reels but once you have the skill mastered it pays back in terms of an authentic and sporting experience. In the older fisher books there is much emphasis put on the sporting nature of fishing and I feel we've lost that a bit with the advice in technology and competitive angling between fisherman and not between the fisherman and the fish.

Anyways, looking forward to catch some bigger fish soon on the KP, just need to remember my gloves!