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Posts: 1451
Location: Kronenwetter, WI | I'm thinking about picking one of these up from R/H. They run 54 bucks. I keep thinking how nice it would be to fish with my 8y/o daughter w/o having to pick out her backlashes....
Anyone have any experience with this reel? It comes loaded w/ 14 lb fireline.
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Posts: 58
| My kids have been through a bunch of reels, the Abumatics are good, but the Daiwa goldcast are a little smoother and have a better drag, not that any spincast has a really good drag. My 9 year old graduated to a low profile baitcaster last fall, a DaiwaTDX103 the mag brake system on those works so well that I rarely have to pick backlashes, yet I can keep the reel running free enough that he can cast a good distance. | |
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Posts: 20211
Location: oswego, il | I had a problem with an abu spincast and the drag seizing up. The diawa is a good reel but no instant anti reverse. The Zebco rhino and the zebco omega are nice reels. My youngest still uses a spincast reel and it is a rhino. The button on the Rhino reels are a bit funky in that they are too low. Another decent reel is the zebco prostaff sereis reels. They are by far the best casting of the spincasters and will rival any baitcaster believe it or not. They are mostly plastic but my kids have caught some decent fish(big bass, no muskies) with them. All round I would settle on the rhino.
Important things to consider with spincasters:
1)line pickup. They must pick up slack line when you first start reeling. Few will. The ones listed above will including the garcia. A simple test at a tackle shop can give you some clues here.
2) Retrieve. Kids don't retrieve fast as a general rule. 3to1 reels won't cut it. Need a 4to1 or better to get decent bait retrieval and action.
3) you can put superline on spincast reels. I have done it, it seems to work fine. Fireline works well, I have tried power pro too. One thing to watch and this goes for any line, keep an eye out for where the reel pinches down on the line to hold it before you cast. I have never had an issue but it does wear some on the line in the same spot, over and over.
For rods, a simple rule is don't use a pistol grip handle. They are too fat. Kids hands are not big so they need a narrow handle.
Whatever you buy your kids, make sure it is comfortable for them to use and does the job you need it to do. Buy them whatever, cheapy kids combo or something that does not fit them or does not do the job properly, they will easily get frusterated and lose interest. | |
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Posts: 1937
Location: Black Creek, WI | Great feedback! I too am looking for a quality spincaster for my boys. Santa recognized my lack of success at finding such a contraption and brought my 5 year old a low-profile baitcaster for Christmas! Dad spooled it up with 20# Fireline, so we will see just how well a youngster can get at picking out backlashes next year (hahahaha).
Do any large retailers carry the Rhino reels? I haven't seen them in stores. If not, where is a good place to order them online? Any other "dads" out there that have found a good "musky reel" for kids, please share!!!! | |
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Posts: 20211
Location: oswego, il | http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=44247&hvar...
http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=44496&hvar...
http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=21105&hvar...
http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=53795&hvar...
Here are some links to some good reels. | |
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Posts: 132
| This question is right in my wheelhouse. My father came out of the knucklebuster era so when the push-button spincasters came out (circa 1970?) he thought that these were the greatest thing since sliced bread. So, for the last 35 years I bought and maintained for him, nearly every new spincaster that came out. I HATE THEM!!! The drags are terrible. They need constant maintenance. They aren't dependable. And they aren't made for large gamefish. I don't care what one you buy. My father recently passed, rest his spincasting soul, and I now have boxes of them. I also have three little kids who are starting to fish now and I wont even let them get started on these in fear that they get hooked on these coffee grinding beasts. They are starting with spinning tackle.
That all said, the Daiwa Goldcasts were probably the most dependable although they burn up pick-up pins like crazy. But even the largest one is too small for heavy line.
As crude as they were, the only ones that held up for musky for him were the Zebco 909's, Brutes, or Great Whites. They will hold 25 pound mono. The drags aren't great but they are OK. They are easy to clean and lube.
Plan on replacing mono about every second trip. Even take extra line along in the boat. I even took an extra reel along on day trips with my dad. Bring along grease, oil and tools.
Good luck! | |
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"Abumatic" 1276: Closed faced spincaster for kids