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Posts: 84
| I currently am using a Shimano Calcutta 400b. I like this reel for smaller crankbaits & top water but I want something a little more heavy duty for cowgirls and large lures.
I am looking for the absolute best reel out there that has a levelwind.
I heard Shimano might come out with a Trinidad with a levelwind, Does anyone know if this is true? Also I am wondering what people think of the the Shimano TE reels. As you can see I am partial to Shimano but I am open to other brands.
I would appreciate any input.
Thanks |
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| there are many threads about reels in this forum..go back and read thru some...
TEs are very nice, though the one I have has given me some trouble but Shimano has fixed it both times, no charge.
I use about 8 different reels currently, everything from a $99 Bass Pro Maina reel which works great, to a $400 Trinidad which works great too...
they all break, some faster than others...
I don't know that there is such a thing as "best" out there ... |
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Posts: 84
| Thanks for the responce.
I think I am going to give the TE a try.
I sure wish they would come out with a Trinidad that had a levelwind. |
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Posts: 512
| Check out some of these sights:
http://www.japantackle.com/Limited_edition.htm
http://www.ichibantackle.com/
http://www.plat.co.jp/shop/catalog/default.php
There are models available over seas that we can't get here in the U.S. For example:
http://www.japantackle.com/Shimano/Shimano_Conquest.htm
http://www.japantackle.com/Daiwa_reels/Daiwa_BlackSheep.htm
Check out what is says the above is for... does pulling 40 lb. fish out of thick weeds sound familiar? 
There may also be some folks on this site or others that have more familiarity with these high-end reels.
I own 4 TE's. They are great but, like the other responder said, they break too. Someone once told me that they really liked both the Conquest and the Black Sheep but found the Black Sheep to perhaps be the smoothest.
Good Luck and when you make a decision, please let the rest of us know and know why |
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Posts: 202
| The bottom line is that all reels eventually break. So the question becomes which ones break the least? Personally I am about as hard on reels as it gets with over 160 days on the water slinging big baits around. From my experience there is only two reels that I would use and that is the TE 400 and the Luna 300. Both of these last with minimal issues and cast extremely well. |
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| i guess my TE was a lemon then.. ; )
stupid reels.
My morrums that are 10 yrs old hold up better than any of the new stuff I have bought...bring back the Morrums!
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Posts: 256
| I have a 700B that has worked well for DCG's and bulldawgs. |
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Posts: 551
Location: Columbus, Georgia | cma,
Calcutta TE's. I have used the 300, 400, and TE DC series.
This topic, and other very similar topics that crop up about opinions concerning the best reels appears (to me) to be most often colored by the price of the reel.
Well of course price has everything to do with how many guys are using these reels. However ... the price issue aside ... I have found no other reels that handle as smoothly and efficiently (with the least amount of difficulty) than Shimano's Calcutta TE series of reels.
Additionally, there had to be at least a dozen or more major posts this season about the search for the perfect reel to haul in #10 and larger bucktails. Once again; the price has to be a determinant of the tenor of those threads, as you could haul a freight train with a TE 400 ... yet guys are killing themselves with their search in finding the perfect reels (priced $100 to $250) to haul such baits.
I suggest that one spends a little less on baits, and treats themselves to a Calcutta TE. They are far superior to the Calcutta B series and (in my opinion) beat the pants off of the Daiwa Luna reel as well.
I was told a couple of springs ago by someone who had just begun to rep. Okuma reels that he was selling all of his Calcutta TE's and would be replacing them with Induron 400's. He claimed the reels were that good. Well, I purchased one of the Indurons, and while it might be a nice reel for $130 ... the guy was taking me for a ride, because there is no comparison whatsoever.
Take a look at the world of racing bikes. Shimano sells models upwards of $8,000, and that's based upon their superiority in the field of gears. They are simply very well cut and about as smooth as you can get.
That's my 2 cents.
Craig
Edited by cjrich 12/16/2008 1:56 PM
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Posts: 8778
| reels suck.
I mean seriously -- they all suck. They're not built to endure the sort of abuse we put them through. As another poster said -- they ALL break eventually. What's "best" all comes down to what you are willing to spend. I've always said buy the most expensive one you can afford, take care of it, and it will last forever. But when it comes to reels??? I'm starting to wonder if the better approach is "buy as many reels as you possibly can with the money you have so when one breaks you have another one to replace it." |
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| ea,
that's exactly why I carry at least 4 spares in my boats on trips....always have a spare of the reels you know you are going to beat the crap out of on trips...when it breaks, just pull out the spare ...I carry 2 penn 975s a morrum and a trinidad in storage compartment....maybe more on long trips...
when they go, simply put on the spare, box em up and send em in and repeat...
they all break...even the coveted TEs |
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Posts: 84
| Thanks to everybody for taking the time to respond.
I am going to give the Te a try with the hope that it will last a little longer than the others. Even if it doesn't - the fact that it is so smooth will make fishing more pleasurable. |
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Posts: 3
| What is breaking so often on your reels that it is an issue. You use an ABU Garcia for years and you may have to replace a pawl. Very rare that they break. They are so simple to repair/fix if something breaks that it just takes minutes. There is nothing to them. You usaually get the few parts that wear and not break along with it. Just curious as to what is breaking and is the person fixing them; fixing them the right way., It sure doesn't sound like it. |
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Posts: 909
| I have both the TE and the Pete Maina Reels, I am really not sure if the Te is worth paying 3 or 4 times the amount of money that the maina reels sell for. I have had the maina reels for about 5 or 6 years now with very little problems except for normal wear and tear. I love my Shimano, don't get me wrong. But those cheaper reels have been pretty darn good. And they have been pounded on too. 
Brian |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | I have 4 TE's, but I just got 3 TORO's and these reels are the real deal. |
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Posts: 80
Location: Clintonville, Wi | my 401TE must off been a lemon also sent in 3 times last year and 2 times the year before. It is for sale if anyone is interested just got back from shimano. |
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Posts: 309
Location: Elgin IL |
I have been using Shimano Calcutta's since they arrived around 1995-96 and love them,still have all my ABU's and the parts to repair them.Hey PIKEMASTER do you like the Toro better than the Curado300e.I used the Curado 300 last year and was realy impressed. |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | The main gear in the CURADO is 44mm tall and the TORO is 40mm tall so the Curado has a edge with power, but the CURADO is made with a lot of plastic / gaphite side plates, and the TORO is made with all metal, the TORO is built stronger then the CURADO, the drag on the TORO has CARBONTEX washers which gives it about 24lbs of drag, CURADO about 15lbs, both have 7 bearings, the TORO comes with a power handle. I like the TORO, last count I have 3 TORO'S one 50 H/S, two - 60's one H/S and 1 - 5.4:1. and only 1 CURADO which I only use only for Pike. The Toro 60's are my new reels for most musky baits. At 10.8oz they are 2oz lighter then a CALCUTTA, and have a low profile, so after 10-12 hours on the water, my hands are not beat up. |
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| the TORO is built stronger then the CURADO
well, it's built differently, but at this point it's probably a bit early to say whether it's built stronger. the same "built strong" comments appear with every new real that comes out before it's been used by very many people.
the Curado has been out there in wide circulation for a few years and is already proven to hold up well; the Revo Toro has really only seen use by a limited number of people in testing and development. time will tell with the Revo as it gets out there into broader use.
i used 3 Curados for everything except double-10s over the past 2 seasons. i managed to break the thumb bar on one of them in below-freezing cold in late November this year. the others have held up without issue. the Curado is far and away the first muskie reel that i've had with that kind of durability.
At 10.8oz they are 2oz lighter then a CALCUTTA, and have a low profile, so after 10-12 hours on the water, my hands are not beat up.
well, the Curado is only 10.5oz, nominally smaller than the Toro.
the Toro has a slightly larger line capacity to make up for this, a nice feature.
i have small hands, so a low-profile reel that works right for muskie lures is very appealing to me.
with the Revo, Abu is clearly targeting a segment of the market that Shimano dominates; even the description on the Abu website specifically mentions it as an alternative to the Shimano Chronarch and Curado reels. it will be interesting to see how well this reel performs when it actually gets out there in people's hands next summer. it will also be interesting to see how well it competes with the Curado since it lists at $30 more than the Curado.
competition is good for us, the consumers. if Abu is able to grab some market share with this reel, we'll likely see Shimano and other companies respond with either reel upgrades or price reductions.
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | The Toro 50 is 10.3oz, the Curado E is 10.5oz. Both have the same line cap. The Toro 60 is 10.8oz, .02 of a oz more then the Curado E but it will hold appox 40 more yds of line then the Curado E. msky3 ask me for my opinion of the Curado and the Toro, and I gave the facts on both reels, since I have both of them and have used them side by side for months, I think the TORO 60, with all metal body, with 24lbs of drag and 160 yds of 20lb/80lb braid cap, synchronized level wind, that this reel will be the reel that alot of musky guys have been looking for. Also the Toro's come with a POWER HANDLE & a stock handle, so I would guess that is why the Toro's cost $30.00 more. Hold the press, ABU has a deal, if you buy a Toro you get a pair of WILEY X sunglasses free untill 9/04/09 WOW nice deal. 
Edited by PIKEMASTER 1/3/2009 4:43 PM
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Posts: 309
Location: Elgin IL | I am going to stay with Shimano because of there reputation with building great reels.Look at all the new reels ABU has made the last ten years and what is left.All you need are 3 Reels and there $$$$
1 Calcutta 400 or Calcutta 400TE crankbaits
2 Curado 300E bulldawgs and switchbaits and small bucktails and jerkbaits
3 Trinidad 12 Cowgirls Big crankbaits |
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Location: Twin Cities | PIKEMASTER, have you actually fished with the Toro's yet? Let me know in 2-3 years how they are holding up, then you would have the time in to say whether they are good or not. |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | I got a TORO 60 last AUG 08, I used it all of AUG, SEPT, OCT, & NOV 08 for musky, pike, I also clean, and tune reels for a hobby for the last 10 years. This winter I have tune and reoil / greased about 15 TORO's & REVO's, so I do have a very good understanding of what this reel has to offer, have you held one in your hands ??? JRedig ALL REELS will break, Calcutta's, Trinidad's, Okuma's, Daiwa's and if the Toro breaks as some will, ABU GARICA will fix it free for 1 year. I don't understand waiting for 2-3 years to see what ??? Why are people so afraid of something new ??? |
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| luna and the old 7000 are good choice |
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Posts: 547
Location: Oshkosh | Thats a $120 to $150 pair of suglasses depending on the model. Thats a pretty sweet deal! Does anyone have any experience with these sunglasses.
Peter |
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What is the best reel out there that has a levelwind?