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Posts: 600
| Haven't seen one of these threads in a long while. Is there a new favorite reel for big blades? |
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Posts: 1746
Location: Mt. Zion, IL | Nothing tops the 500 Tranx to date IMO. |
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Posts: 78
| If you spool the 500 HG until you get about 36-38 inches per turn, 12s and comically big crankbaits should be very easy to retrieve. If I had to guess, I would say that the spool is 80-90% full at that point. I'd rather fish lefty, but nothing comes close to the HG in terms of speed and ease of cranking.
I tried the 500 PG but didn't like it because I couldn't feel 10s spin at all.
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Posts: 600
| I heard that the Shimano Calcutta Conquest MD is better than Tranx 500 HG but wanted to see if anyone would share their thoughts on this reel if they have used it. |
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Posts: 259
| The MD is a smooth and polished high-end product, however it (and all other reels) simply are not big enough to match the speed + cranking power of the Tranx 500. The Tranx 500 is special because it, and in particular the spool diameter, are so big that you can use a relatively low & high cranking power gear ratio while still possessing a very high IPT. |
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Posts: 2054
| Agree with the above, they should make a Calcutta conquest 700! With 50” Ipt  Still have an old TE700 those reels are pretty much bullet proof. I love a 500 PG when throwing 10’s or 13’s for hours on end, big time mechanical advantage to reduce fatigue , 8’s and 9’s I grab a HG |
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| I am curious about the TranX 500. I am not going to be buying one, but have picked one up in the store and wondered about the weight and balance. It seemed substantially heavier that the 401 TranX. Does that create any challenges for balance when casting?
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Posts: 78
| You're probably putting a 500 on an XH, XXH, or heavier rod (unless you're one of those guys who doesn't care if your rod bends a lot during the 8), so it balances fine. I've never noticed the extra weight on my big blades or rubber rods when casting or retrieving. IMO, it results in much less fatigue than other reels because it's easier to retrieve your baits. |
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Posts: 149
| North of 8 - 5/29/2025 9:47 AM
I am curious about the TranX 500. I am not going to be buying one, but have picked one up in the store and wondered about the weight and balance. It seemed substantially heavier that the 401 TranX. Does that create any challenges for balance when casting?
I've got it on a 9ft XH and it works great. Balance is fine and I haven't noticed much in the way of increased fatigue over my 400. It's a bit more unruly, but not bad. |
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| Thanks for the responses. Again, probably not going to buy but the difference in weight was noticeable when compared to a 401. I might change my mind if they made the 500 in a left handed model. Have used left handed reels for last ten years. |
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Posts: 1746
Location: Mt. Zion, IL | My 500’s are on 9’6” 9’8”, and 10’ rods. For blades they can’t be beat. I fill mine up and use a power handle from the LJV reels from years ago. Unfortunately those handles are now discontinued. IIRC the full to the top 500 measured 47” per turn. Let the big dog eat. |
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Posts: 1509
Location: Brighton CO. | I have a Tranx 500 PG on a 9' Extra heavy Thorne Brothers rod and there is some extra weight but at the same time in the past I also used Ambassadeur 7000 in the past so I'm used to the weight, however my main trip of the year is in October and I use my Tranx 400 and works well with Jerkbaits, Cranks and Mag Dawgs I throw. If you throw the 400 sized reel for a week then pick up the 500 then you feel the weight. I'll be 65 in October but have been on a roll the last couple years working out wise. |
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Posts: 234
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota | I’ll give another opinion other than a 500. I throw all of my blades on either a tranx 400 hg or an abu beast 6.2:1. Both of them I take off the stock handles and replace them with much longer power handles, Matts reel repair sells a bunch of them. With a really long power handle you can get so much torque compared to a shorter one and makes any sized blades significantly easier. I have both on 10 xh Thorne stealth’s and use both depending on if I want to fish fast or force myself to slow down. Even with the 400hg I can easily throw supermodels on it |
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Posts: 986
| Ogandrews - 6/1/2025 9:34 PM
I’ll give another opinion other than a 500. I throw all of my blades on either a tranx 400 hg or an abu beast 6.2:1. Both of them I take off the stock handles and replace them with much longer power handles, Matts reel repair sells a bunch of them. With a really long power handle you can get so much torque compared to a shorter one and makes any sized blades significantly easier. I have both on 10 xh Thorne stealth’s and use both depending on if I want to fish fast or force myself to slow down. Even with the 400hg I can easily throw supermodels on it
These two reels do not get enough credit for being good big blade options. Especially the HS beast. |
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Posts: 2054
| Ronix - 6/2/2025 7:50 AM
Ogandrews - 6/1/2025 9:34 PM
I’ll give another opinion other than a 500. I throw all of my blades on either a tranx 400 hg or an abu beast 6.2:1. Both of them I take off the stock handles and replace them with much longer power handles, Matts reel repair sells a bunch of them. With a really long power handle you can get so much torque compared to a shorter one and makes any sized blades significantly easier. I have both on 10 xh Thorne stealth’s and use both depending on if I want to fish fast or force myself to slow down. Even with the 400hg I can easily throw supermodels on it
These two reels do not get enough credit for being good big blade options. Especially the HS beast.
They will throw blades just fine, but if you really want speed the entire cast, you need spool capacity, a beast or 400 only allows for roughly 150 yards of 80lb braid, so on a bomb cast you’ll be lucky to be getting 22-24” per turn, 34” per turn will be the last 10 yards of the cast … if you truly want the “best” bucktail reel on the market right now there isn’t a better choice than a tranx 500hg … it’s also the best rubber reel as well, anyone really serious about muskie fishing should own at least 1 tranx 500 imo |
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Posts: 234
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota | The other argument I will say in favor of the 400 sized reels is they definetly cast further than a 500 with most blades. Especially the beast I can cover a lot more water with on each cast compared to when I have used my 500. With a 400hg I can still bring blades in more than fast enough to blow them out of the water. I get the argument of spool capacity on the end of the cast, but I would rather cast further and crank on the handle a little faster at the end of the cast. I spend 90% of my time on vermilion where I’m regularly fishing big spots so the casting distance makes a difference for me, never felt under gunned on speed with the 400 hg |
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Posts: 1746
Location: Mt. Zion, IL | IAJustin - 6/2/2025 9:34 AM
Ronix - 6/2/2025 7:50 AM
Ogandrews - 6/1/2025 9:34 PM
I’ll give another opinion other than a 500. I throw all of my blades on either a tranx 400 hg or an abu beast 6.2:1. Both of them I take off the stock handles and replace them with much longer power handles, Matts reel repair sells a bunch of them. With a really long power handle you can get so much torque compared to a shorter one and makes any sized blades significantly easier. I have both on 10 xh Thorne stealth’s and use both depending on if I want to fish fast or force myself to slow down. Even with the 400hg I can easily throw supermodels on it
These two reels do not get enough credit for being good big blade options. Especially the HS beast.
They will throw blades just fine, but if you really want speed the entire cast, you need spool capacity, a beast or 400 only allows for roughly 150 yards of 80lb braid, so on a bomb cast you’ll be lucky to be getting 22-24” per turn, 34” per turn will be the last 10 yards of the cast … if you truly want the “best” bucktail reel on the market right now there isn’t a better choice than a tranx 500hg … it’s also the best rubber reel as well, anyone really serious about muskie fishing should own at least 1 tranx 500 imo
Most of the time I agree with you, but this is simply not the case as I have measured. I fill the spools up to the very edge of the spool, cast, and measured my 400’s and the 5.8 picked up 30 (32 when completely full) and 39 (42 when full on the HG) when using 80 lb sufix performance braid. This fill the reels 2/3 full or 3/4 non sense is just that. It is harder on the bearings, reduces effectiveness of the brakes, and just makes everything rotate more than necessary. 500’s at this point will always be king, but actual measurements matter over opinions. Also no need for 100 lb on blades to further this issue.
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Posts: 2054
| I’m not just giving opinions, I’ve tested this on many small reels back in the day, so just to prove to myself, just went out to my backyard pond, full spool on a tranx 400, gear 5.8, end of a long cast ( I can certainly cast further) 23.25” IPT, with roughly 10 yards of line out 29.5” IPT… stock handle… 80lb suffix. |
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