All Around Angler

Please welcome John Strenk and his company, The Reel Tech, to All Around Angler.com. Got a bad reel? Box it up and send it to John. Experience and passion goes a long way in this game. And chances are your older reels are built better than many newer ones. Might as well ship ’em out to tune ’em up. Here’s John:

“Through my many adventures, I have acquired an extensive knowledge of both fresh and salt water fishing, and the gear and tackle associated with it. I have utilized my passion for fishing and the gear we use to become a very successful reel repair technician. For over 20 years now, I have been fixing, repairing, rebuilding, maintaining, and troubleshooting all types of fishing reels, from small freshwater spinning reels, to offshore 2-speed big game reels.

Your reel is a crucial part of getting that hooked fish to the bank or boat. To me, the fishing reel is a machine, a work of art, and a very important tool of our trade as fishermen. Like any machine, regular maintenance is necessary to keep the reel working in top form. A fishing reel in poor working order is a handicap for success. A fishing reel in perfect working order will ensure performance the entire battle from the initial hook set to the net.

I built this business delivering integrity, honesty, quality service, and fast turnaround. As an avid fisherman, I understand that no fisherman should be without his tools longer than absolutely necessary. It is my mission to get you back in the water as quickly as possible. I am confident that your satisfaction will be met, and you will join my growing family of return customers.

For me, fishing is not just a hobby…it is a way of life…an obsession.” John Strenk, The Reel Tech

I have added John’s company to my list of Friends and Partners located under the ‘Links’ tab. Soon enough we’ll have a static location for him on the Homepage.

Now let’s check out some steel John’s been taking care of this season.



“When the water is lower and clearer than normal, there is nothing like picking apart a river with a float/jig behind a bunch of boats that are side drifting in front of you. This was the last fish of the day, taken from a seam a foot off of my Buddies left oar tip coming into the takeout at the end of the day. He was hugging the left bank, side drifting the other guy off to the right, and I saw the seam to the left between the oar tip and the bank. It looked too good to pass up so I pitched her in there. The float drifted 10 feet and I had maybe 5 feet of line between the float and the rod tip when it went under. Hot chromer on the short string!!!! Quick photo, then carefully released back into the river.”



“Super low and tap water clear conditions. All the willing biters we found were in one shallow tailout. You had to really stay off the fish and use really small baits. Hook a few and it was over, they were too skittish after that. Wound up getting my best Steelhead to date. From the net, quick photo, and carefully released back in the water.”

John Strenk, Owner of The Reel Tech