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| What have you come up with for the best bang for the buck.
I know my reels have seen much better days and I need to buy three more. I have a box with at least 20 reels in it, some of which have been repaired twice. |
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| hands on the calcutta 251, also an abu C4 5601 |
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| I just loved the Abu C5 I put on my bucktail rod this year. Granted the only other thing I really have to compare it to was the C4 on my jerkbait rod, but I felt it really worked smoothly. The thumb cast is a very nice feature as well. I hope to outfit another rod and reel next year for topwater lures and will be putting on a C5 on that combo as well.
Andy
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| I own the following:
Abu 5000
C3 5500
C3 6500
C4 6500
C5 6600
Daiwa Millionaire CV-Z 300A
Pete Mania Musky reel
I like the Millionaire the best. It seems the smoothest and seems to have the best drag system for musky fishing. As far as the best economical reel, I would go with the Pete Mania Combo. I bought the rod/reel combo for $130 and the reel is a 4 ball bearing single peice alumnium which seems to perform just under the Millionaire, at about $130 less.
Just my 2 cents
Doc |
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| I used the CVX300A two years ago and this past year, I purchased 3 more. They work excellent with no problems and they are a little cheaper than the CT400's.
Rob |
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| Any Abu Garcia is good but my only experience with one is when i am bass fishing. I got two Pete Mania rod/reels and they are great! The reel is one of the smoothest i have ever tried. Good Luck!!! |
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| Bang for the buck: has to be the 6500C3 from Garcia. Low cost with a very long life line and the ability to throw just about everything.
Best I have ever thrown (smoothness and castability): the higher end Penn reels. But worth the money? I don't know.
Slamr |
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| all I have used is ABU c3 and c4 but I strared playing with one of the pfluger trion's it looks good don't how the well hold up but if it lives up to some of the older reels it should be a good one
larry |
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| I only have 4 casting reels and only use two, but here is what I have to say.
That peice of crap corsair 400a I often hear people talking about...Its very smooth and I have not had 1 problem with it and I use it a lot. My next reel will probobly be another corsair. It is no mroe money than an abu garcia. (and they sent me a coupon for $10 off my next one)
Abu 6500c3, its an ok reel, but not what i'd call smooth. I can cast it farther than anything, but its just not smooth. Also is lacking the thumbar. All in all a good reel though.
Abu 6500c4...junk It doesnt' really work. Its loud as can be and not at all smooth. I can't say that I used it much at all and it just isn't good
abu 5000c...small but good reel overall, and it was only $50 with a bass rod (that i have seen elsewhere for $50 itself)
for trolling i have a penn 9m and 209m. No complaints yet, but I really have no big opinion cause I haven't had them long enough to have any problems. |
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| Well... I haven't found the perfect system yet, but I do feel that spending the extra cash is worth it. My Calcuttas and Morrums have outlasted my Abu 6500's at least 3 to 1, which justifies the expense. The "comfort" that comes with the higher end stuff makes the time you spend with the reel all that much more enjoyable. Are they indestructable? Not by a long shot. But, I'd rather buy one new reel every 5 or 6 years and keep a rotation going than to have to buy 3 or 4 new reels every year.... like I'd have to do if I fished with Corsair or 6500 type reels.
Everyone will have a different opinion on this subject, and that was mine.
jlong |
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| I love my calcutta 400 and my garicia tournament 6600's. Can't get the 6600 anymore. The calcutta I had fixed once in the 4 years I have had it.
My dad has penn 955 and 965 which are the strongest reels made. He also has garcia c4's, c5's, ultracasts and morrums. All are great reels.
For trolling i live my okuma 20dx reels. "okuma matada"[;)] |
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| Currently have I believe, not quite sure, but visible count is 18 Garcias. I have used many including mostly 5500's 5600's and 6500's. I enjoyed them all until they cracked up. Had some cleaned last year and some repaired. Currently throwing two 5600's and a 6500 with a 5501 high speed ultra cast on my small crank rod, and a black Max on my pool cue. I have also used royals but would not recommend them at all for musky stuff unless maybe you were throwing jigs.
My most liked reel out of all of these was an Ultra Cast 5600 Bass Tour Series I bought on sellout sale at K mart Spring before last. It was really a tight smooth good casting reel and I enjoyed using it alot. Too bad they quit making those. I have noticed in the 5600 reels that some are tighter than others. The two I am using at this time are markedly different in smoothness, and neither seems to measure up to the ultra cast in close tolerance machining.
One set of reels that I wished I had not bought is a pair of ultra cast, high speed 5501's(left handed 5500's). I had bought them thinking I could switch hands while fishing and they would make a better quick start bucktail reel due to no hand switching but I have to confess that I have never gotten comfortable with them. They are probably the oldest reels I have that haven't cracked up yet, mainly due to the fact I just don't enjoy them. I don't know if its the retrieve ratio or my monodextrosity that causes me to not bond with the things.
The black max is still in fine working order but another reel I was never comfortable with. It was my "step up" reel at the time but never liked the thumbar position on it and never enjoyed casting it either.
I will probably stick with buying 5600's and using them till they break in the future. They are comfortable in hand and are heavy enough for most of my techniques and currently you can buy 4 for $240, that's one a year for 4 years. But I might need some clicker reels in the future... |
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| Jason, Mine are Calcutta's I currently have one on each of my 10 frontline Muskie rigs. All of my reels were Garcias at one time. Did not hold up for me with the hours that I put on them. This could be because I have more equipment to spread out the use on now. I like the Calcuttas because of their smoothness and durability. Expensive but worth it for me. |
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| I got 4 6500C3's, 2 6500C5's, and 1 Morrum.
The Morrum is the best I've used, and I pretty much keep it on my Ubbe's Bucktail rod. Seems to need a little more PM than the other reels.
I like the C5's. Fairly smooth, and I like the thumb bar. 1st year with them, and they've held up well.
The C3's saw a lot of duty this year trolling, and I just can't not use one on my 6'9" St. Croix jerk bait rod when I throw my favorite Reef Hawg!
Bought 2 Shakespeare Tidewaters later this year for my trolling rods. So far, they've performed flawlessly. A pretty good value for $35. |
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| Out of all the reels I have used, I would definately rate my 5500 Morrum as the top. Only problem I have had with them is when the handle pads come off every once in a while.
My favorite trolling reel is the Daiwa Sealine 47lc. Smooth drag, great clicker and very durable.
-Phil |
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| My fingers wouldn't last for me to type out all the reels I have and have had. The best for years were the "old" Garcia Ambasseduers, but that was a long time ago. Today, nothing can touch the Calcutta's for my money! I have a 200TE; a 250; three 400's and two 700's. Although I currently have over 20 working reels, the Calcutta's are the only ones you'll find in my hands when casting.
Muskie regards,
Larry Ramsell
www.larryramsell.com |
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| I vote for the 6500 tcm with the power handle. |
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| Like my morrum, like the Catala (spelling?) better, like ABU eon the best with the new metal frame. Might have to get a calcutta before spring.
Roger |
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| I really like 6500UC a lot. I put the power handle on them...which kind of makes them high speed.
The 6600CS Mag is a great reel. It's part of their international series.
My 6600C5 sounds like a coffee grinder with limited usage...so it's going back to Iowa this winter.
I gotta get some of these Morrums though. But I'm an Abu guy....don't think I could be a trader and switch over to Calcutta's. |
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| Mr. Ramsell is right. My wonderful wife bought me a Calcutta 400 TE for my birthday this year. (My birthday isnt't 'til December 7th, but she gave it to me last month so I could use it this Fall.) Nothing can compare. I know that they are expensive, but if it lasts for 20 years, it is the best bang for the buck. They are the Rolls Royce of baitcasters. I will probably buy another this winter.
I can throw 10 inch Jakes all day, and not even break a sweat. Although there was no way I was going to sweat out there today, MAN WAS IT COLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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| I started the season with two Corsair 400s. For the most part, those two reels did their job. However, I did run into a few problems with them. For example, the line guides would pop out of their track every once in a while. This would cause massive backlash if the line happened to catch the bottom of the line guide during a cast. I also had a problem with one of the reels after catching a 42-inch fish this summer. The reel has had this kind of grinding sensation during retrieve ever since. It kind of make me wonder what would happen if I caught a big fish with it.
I broke down this fall and bought a new Daiwa Millionaire CV-Z300. Let me just say, the difference between the Corsair and the CV-Z is like night and day. I will never buy another cheep reel for a casting rod again. By next spring the two Corsairs will be replaced, and they will either end up on trolling rods or on the auction block. I haven’t decided which.
I couldn’t really say which reel on the market will give you the most bang for the buck. But I will say that from now on in my case, quality comes before quantity.
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| I think if Shimano had a try before you buy program for the TE's, sales would skyrocket,as they put all other reels to shame. I found my TE 400 at Cabelas bargin bin for $ 225.00. Since I service and repair my own reels I stripped it down and found nothing wrong with it. I don't even care too much for my standard Calcuttas anymore. The thing that really sucks is I know that not everyone can afford one...................................RAZE |
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| I consider my Te 400 to be a "next generation" reel. Not fair to compare it to anything else. |
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| Anyone use any of the new updated Calcutta's? the $350 ones |
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| I have Calcutta's and 6500 Ultra-Casts, and NOTHING COMES CLOSE to the Calcutta's. I have a 400 for throwing the bigger baits and a 250 for my bucktail rod. Both are so incredibly smooth and a good fit for your hand. I use the 6500's for my extra rods for sucker fishing (if the clicker is working that day) and trolling. After casting the Calcutta's, there is no way I could go back to casting the 6500's, even with the newer grips on the cranks.
Are they worth the hefty price? ABSO*#!*INGLUTELY. I've had my 250 for 3 or 4 years.....had one problem with it, they sent me a new one. And the 400.....not a single problem. |
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| BTTT for Mclarkin!
[:bigsmile:] |
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| I would have to say that my favorite reels are my Calcutta 400's. They are so smooth and I think they are worth the extra money, like they say, you get what you pay for!!!!! |
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