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Posts: 40
Location: Straight out from shore! | Hello all, fairly new to the muskie fishing world and am looking at buying a new reel. I already have the 6500C3 and am looking to buy either a C4 or a Cardiff. I like the thumb bar idea. Any opinions on which one is better or will hold up in the long run? What you like or dislike about either one. Thanks |
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Posts: 194
| I don't own a Cardiff, so I can't say anything about them. I do own 6500 C3 and C4. I like the C3 better. I'd stick with that reel. The C4 has a higher gear ratio which makes line pick-up faster, but the gears are less durable and have been known to strip. They have smaller teeth. I just had my C4 gears replaced with C3 gears. I'd stick with the C3 if it was up to me. |
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Posts: 1335
Location: Chicago, Beverly | C-4 has the higher gear ratio(6.3:1)... Shimano Cardiff and Corvalus have 5.2:1 ratios, Corvalus 3BB and Cardiff 4bb, the c-4 has 4bb... I have a Corvalus and have had no issues with it.. so figure the Cardiff should be pretty much the same just with more BB's..If you look around you can still find the Garcia C-5 reels which feature a 5.3:1 ratio and is priced around the same as the others mentioned here...Check cabelas for the C-5 and both Cabelas and bass pro have the tackle bag deal where you get a bag for free if you buy a reel
Edited by kevin 9/30/2006 9:38 AM
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Posts: 759
| There's a lot of variables when it comes to choosing a new reel. The first question I would ask is what kinds of baits am I going to be using. Also, how much do I want to spend? Be sure to scan threw all all the older threads on this site, a lot of good info. 6000 size abus or 400 shimanos are good reels with proper care and maintenance. I would use these reels in the spring when smaller baits are used, up to 2 ounces. Moving into summer and fall, the larger reels are my choice like abu 7000's. Larger musky baits of today will quickly put those smaller reels out of commision. I want my equipment to last as long as possible and not just one season. Kdawg |
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Posts: 1335
Location: Chicago, Beverly | To be honest, I rarely use baits under 2 ounces(even in the spring) and my reels consist of almost all 6500 Garcia's(c3, c5, TCM) and 400 shimano's(calcutta and two Corvalus), along with a 965 Penn and a old Browning Midas 6SW which are the same size as the 400's/6500's... In just over 14 years I have only replaced one reel, a c3 6500 and its relacement is now a 11year old c3 6500..which is also my heavy bait reel.. Hr Shaker's and the such... with proper maintenance and care a reel will last you unless you are a guide.. Guides tend to be on the water almost every single day during the season and then their clients sometimes do not know how to properly operate the equipment, so that combo can burn up reels even with the best of maintenance... Don't let them go dry(no lube/grease) and don't over lube/grease as both can do harm... |
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Posts: 1504
Location: Oregon | A couple of friends have bought the new ABU Record this fall...very nice, check em out!
jed v |
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| i have cardiff 301 and 401 and 2 scorpions
301 has a 5.8:1 24 inches per crank ratio
401 has a 5.2:1 22 inches per crank ratio
scorpion 1001 (japanese curado, but more metal parts and built in my opinion a bit better, more like the chronarch) for burning bucktails 6.2:1 28 inches per crank ratio
i keep using them cuz i know them well enough to take them apart and adjust/maintain them
haven't had a problem with one of them. they cast like a dream, especially those scorps with the super free spools.
i do have an okuma 401 that acts weird though....drag lets loose intermittently and the clicker went cock on it about 10 minutes into my first trolling run with it.
good luck...i got lucky and found reels i liked right off the bat.
dont know anything about the abu... |
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Posts: 194
| Jury is still out for me on the Record. I might opt for two 6500 C3 instead. That way I have a spare for when one goes down. It's roughly the same $$ for the two C3 as one Record. |
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | You can get a C3 with a thumb bar. Check out: http://www.thornebros.com/muskie/reels/abu_garcia/ssc3.html
The 5.3 gear ratio is a better for muskie applications in my experience. The 6.2 is only good if you need to pickup slack quickly. It has little power when fighting fish or reeling in baits that pull. |
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Location: Minnesota | Calcutta 400b |
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What reel would you buy?