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Posts: 921
Location: Apollo, PA | How would you grade this reel? |
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Posts: 2894
Location: Yahara River Chain | Get the Calcutta 400B instead. |
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| Good entry-level reel. Works well for blades up to and including double 8s, just slow with around 22" per turn. I've thrown rubber up to Mag Dawgs as well with no issues yet. Mine has treated me well, no complaints. |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | The 400B would be a nice upgrade Gerard but that's in a different price range at nearly twice the price. Why not just go to the CalcuttaD...?
My Dad uses a Cardiff on a MH rod typically used for baits under 4 ounces. Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, etc. He doesn't fish a LOT but the reel seems to work well enough and has not given any problems after a couple years of use. The handle seems a little on the short side for much power but I was able to modify a double paddle handle from an Okuma Isis to make it fit and that feels a little better.
I haven't pounded one for a season with hard pulling, heavy baits, but for a $110-$120 reel it seems okay.
Tucker |
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Posts: 139
| The cardiff is a very good entry level reel. i have few of them i use on some older rods. They have held up well to jerk baits etc.... |
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Posts: 147
Location: Northern New Jersey | i used one as my main reel last season, it didnt fail me once. seems solid and i look forward to getting a bunch of years out of it |
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Posts: 283
| I started with a Cardiff 401 and liked it so much I bought a 301 (a little easier to hold due to its smaller size).
The 401 is a lot nicer because it has a few more features including a little higher drag capacity (like a pound or two), some sort of level wind that is nice to have.
All in all it is a great beginner reel like stated before. that being said, I am upgrading to a low profile reel with more drag. I lost the biggest tiger musky I would have ever caught because the drag just couldn't handle it, I fish with the drag as tight as it will go, and the fish hit and just ran for like 20 yards into some thick weeds and got off, leaving me with some big nasty teeth marks in the lure. (I know it was partly my fault I lost the fish but I feel more drag would have helped)
After that I realized the reel only has like 11 lbs of drag, it seems like it would have more. Between the drag and the shape of the reel, I am switching to a low profile reel with about twice e drag capacity. Casting for 12-14 hrs straight with it can get tiring if you palm it instead of hold the foregrip. Great reel to start out with though.... I am selling my 401 but won't be disappointed if I end up keeping it! |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | Tigerhunter - 1/14/2013 8:10 AM
I started with a Cardiff 401 and liked it so much I bought a 301 (a little easier to hold due to its smaller size).
The 401 is a lot nicer because it has a few more features including a little higher drag capacity (like a pound or two), some sort of level wind that is nice to have.
All in all it is a great beginner reel like stated before. that being said, I am upgrading to a low profile reel with more drag. I lost the biggest tiger musky I would have ever caught because the drag just couldn't handle it, I fish with the drag as tight as it will go, and the fish hit and just ran for like 20 yards into some thick weeds and got off, leaving me with some big nasty teeth marks in the lure. (I know it was partly my fault I lost the fish but I feel more drag would have helped)
After that I realized the reel only has like 11 lbs of drag, it seems like it would have more. Between the drag and the shape of the reel, I am switching to a low profile reel with about twice e drag capacity. Casting for 12-14 hrs straight with it can get tiring if you palm it instead of hold the foregrip. Great reel to start out with though.... I am selling my 401 but won't be disappointed if I end up keeping it!
This may be unrelated to the original topic but I think 10 or so pounds of drag is enough. I think the Okumas I use are about that. I caught a powerful 49" tanker this year and it didn't take much drag. In fact I freespooled the reel when it wanted to run so it didn't tear the hooks out, and I don't have the drag maxxed. If you ever need more drag on a running fish, your thumb clamped on the spool will stop any musky from running.
Did any oil or grease find its way to your drag washers? That can cause them to slip more easily.
Tucker |
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Posts: 624
Location: S.W. WI | I always used the 300 size for reg. sized bucktails, I loved the size and speed of the reel, till it cost me a whale. When the Beast overtook my bucktail and I set and all it did was slip, he then just spit it out 20 feet in front of me, I knew I had to change. I have caught many fish and it (10 lbs) is plenty of drag to fight a fish, but big fish have big boney mouths and they dont always turn sideways when they hit for the soft corner-o-mouth hook-up. Also, most times it's just a reaction hook-set and kinda hard to think to hold the spool down tight when snap-setting. (shouldn't have to) I did try upgrading washers but it didn't help.
But the reels are decent for the money. I have a 400 size back-up that gets some use and has better drag than the smaller ones.
-Jon
.. durability wasn't an issue for me. Used em hard and got 2-3 yrs out of em. |
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Posts: 944
| I ordered 3 of them in Aug for client reels the First one lasted 14hrs the second one lasted 24hrs of use so i boxed all 3 back up and shipped them back. Traded them in for 2 400Bs and have been very happy with them, have 300hrs on one no problems very smooth.
Jeff Hanson
madisonmuskyguide.com |
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Posts: 921
Location: Apollo, PA | Thanks for the feedback |
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Posts: 283
| curleytail - 1/14/2013 10:24 AM
Tigerhunter - 1/14/2013 8:10 AM
I started with a Cardiff 401 and liked it so much I bought a 301 (a little easier to hold due to its smaller size).
The 401 is a lot nicer because it has a few more features including a little higher drag capacity (like a pound or two), some sort of level wind that is nice to have.
All in all it is a great beginner reel like stated before. that being said, I am upgrading to a low profile reel with more drag. I lost the biggest tiger musky I would have ever caught because the drag just couldn't handle it, I fish with the drag as tight as it will go, and the fish hit and just ran for like 20 yards into some thick weeds and got off, leaving me with some big nasty teeth marks in the lure. (I know it was partly my fault I lost the fish but I feel more drag would have helped)
After that I realized the reel only has like 11 lbs of drag, it seems like it would have more. Between the drag and the shape of the reel, I am switching to a low profile reel with about twice e drag capacity. Casting for 12-14 hrs straight with it can get tiring if you palm it instead of hold the foregrip. Great reel to start out with though.... I am selling my 401 but won't be disappointed if I end up keeping it!
This may be unrelated to the original topic but I think 10 or so pounds of drag is enough. I think the Okumas I use are about that. I caught a powerful 49" tanker this year and it didn't take much drag. In fact I freespooled the reel when it wanted to run so it didn't tear the hooks out, and I don't have the drag maxxed. If you ever need more drag on a running fish, your thumb clamped on the spool will stop any musky from running.
Did any oil or grease find its way to your drag washers? That can cause them to slip more easily.
Tucker
The one fish I lost because of the drag I should have thumbed the spool...that is for sure. I do not believe any oil/grease was an issue because my braid ended up digging itself into the spool. After I stood there for a moment with my mouth open, I tried to pull the line out and it wouldn't come, it would just dig into the spool.
Another instance I had was when I hooked into a 46" musky +/- 25 lbs or so. I set the hook....drag, I landed it fine because it was hooked so good but probably a third of the fight the fish had the upperhand due to its weight. (This was on the 301) Again, afterwards I checked and I could not pull any line out without cutting my hand.
I caught a tiger just shy of 40" that was my best fighting fish ever (on the 401). On the strike, it almost yanked the pole out of my hand, it towed the boat around a little and took drag a little here and there as a properly set up reel should.
I guess the amount of drag you that is necessary depends on a lot of different variables such as rod length and power, line, how clean your equipment is....etc. I am probably going to get a Lexa for the next season and if I still have the 401 I will upgrade to the carbontex washers.
Again, I love the Cardiffs and you can usually find them used for a decent price....great reel. |
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