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| Message Subject: Shimano 300 Tranx HG vs Maxtoro | |||
bbmogul |
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Posts: 49 | So i got the luxury of trying out a Shimano Tranx 300. I purchased it new for a pretty awesome price, with the intention of using it fot Striper fishing/Hybrid Striper. A female friend of mine said that she used it for Muskie, and after i chuckled a little I read that besides the spool size, the 400 and 300 are identical. And i already knew a lot of guys who use the the 400 for Muskie, so i decided to give it a try for the weekend, and had no intention of taking it easy on this reel, besides I'm Abu guy fot life. So this is my honest review of is reel. I'm probably buying another one, probably in the 400 size, and in HG. So Saturday I placed the reel on my 8 foot medium heavy Mojo Musky, with 80 pound braid. And Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, i threw Hellhounds, 7 inch Phantoms, and even double cowgirls with it. Hoping to find some shortcoming to my Maxtoro that i had on my 8 foot heavy Mojo Musky. Honestly? With exception to the Shimano being the HG version, the performance as "comparable." But to be even more honest? I was pleased enough with it that I'm buying another one. The 300 size reel is bigger than your baitcasters used for ass fishing, but was more narrow than my Maxtoro, and was about the same height. The centrifugal brake was a pleasant feature, compared to the magnetic brakes the Maxtoro has. I placed three brakes on, and never fooled with it the rest of the weekend. I'm not sure f I'm better off getting one in r 400 size, or keep it t the 300 size. But for less than 10 dollars difference, why not? I wanted this reel to underperform, because I've always used Abu, they took my fishing virginity. The Maxtoro is an AMAZING reel, and have had no problems at all. Quality wise, you can literally feel the difference. The design of the shimano is solid, feels like a rock. The Abu? Plastic, but not cheap. The Abu with the 5.3 gears did better with the 10 inch Phantoms, but couldn't reel in the Hellhounds or Double Cowgirls as quick as i could with the 7.3 gears the Shimano had(7.3 might not be correct but close). I like to burn my Hellhounds then give it a nice half reel pauses before burning it up again, the Shimano did allow me to do that better. I do have to keep in mind the gear differences, i could have gotten a Maxtoro with similar gearing, so i can't be biased. I loved the power handle the 300tranx HG had, and how it was a hard plastic not a rubber material like the Daiwa had(which i have never used but another guy who Muskie fishes religiously like me uses). The 50 size of The Maxtoro is ideal, it's large, but not too large. Not sure why one would need a larger spool. The 300tranx HG spotted less like capacity,but i never saw my tape once, with either reel(i run braid all the Way to the bottom and use electrical tape to keep the end to the spool). So maybe the 300 tranx is a good enough size? What do you all think? The 400 tranx is similar in size to the Maxtoro, while the 300 was smaller, but still larger than any bass baitcasters i have seen. So who knows? I know my review was scatterbrained, but i do better with questions, so ask away. I did so my best to put the Shimano through some hard work this weekend, and didn't really notice any shortfalls. | ||
| TJones |
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Posts: 120 | The only difference between 300 and 400 Tranx is spool capacity... it’s the same gears etc in both reels. No problem going 300, at all! Btw I have a 301 hg for sale on the BST... like new!  | ||
| bbmogul |
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Posts: 49 | The 300 IS bigger than your typical bass baitcasters, isn't it? It looks like it anyway! | ||
| TJones |
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Posts: 120 | bbmogul - 8/14/2018 8:32 PM The 300 IS bigger than your typical bass baitcasters, isn't it? It looks like it anyway! Oh yes it is for sure! | ||
| bbmogul |
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Posts: 49 | Honestly i think it's the perfect size, not entirely sure how much larger the 400 is, but i wad actually super surprised at how well that reel did. I suppose i could still use the Maxtoros i have for Striper and Walleye huh? | ||
| Quest4Esox |
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Posts: 28 Location: Pacific Northwest | I own and fish a Tranx 300, 400, and 500. It frustrates me when I from time to time see that someone says the 300 is a bass reel. Anyone using the 300 exclusively for largemouth is wasting a lot of that reel's potential. I really love working glide baits----not the twitch baits that walk, but won't glide----real glide baits. After several hours of that I really appreciate the compact size and well-thought-out ergonomics. I have large hands, but can still feel a notable difference between 300 and 400 when doing lots and lots of casting and working the bait. So far this season, my 300 has gotten more action than the other 2 combined. | ||
| bbmogul |
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Posts: 49 | Man, the 300 really feels amazing. I picked up my bass rod with my Orra baitcaster, and the 300 is definitely bigger. It reels in my Hellhounds so perfect, my 7 inch Phantoms perfect, my bucktails, and whopper plopper amazingly. I think I'll keep the double cowgirls on my Maxtoro until i figure out what I'm doing about my next reel. I definitely am going to get the lower gears but will go with a power handle as well. Not sure if i want to just go with he 300 regular speed, or go with the 400. What's the size difference like? | ||
| Reelwise |
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Posts: 1636 | The 300 is a great and very practical reel for a lot of the larger Bass baits used out west. Definitely not a waste - in my opinion. | ||
| nar160 |
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Posts: 408 Location: MN | I've switched all my casting reels (minus a couple C3s for backup) to 300ahg. I have a pair of 300s and a pair of 301s. To me, they are the best compromise of size, pickup, and handle length. I have relatively small hands, and notice a significant difference Tranx 300 vs Beast 50, for example. I held the 400 and 300 and put both on a rod in the store before deciding on the 300. If comfort wasn't an issue or if I wanted to run thicker line - say 100 lb masterbraid - I'd probably go 400. That being said, I don't think the Maxtoro comparison is exactly fair. That reel is less than half the cost. I've bought all my Tranx 300 new for $210-235 (Ebay stores + 15-20% promo). Maxtoros run about $120 every day, so $100ish if you wait for a promo. $100 vs $225 is a pretty big difference. | ||
| bbmogul |
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Posts: 49 | nar160 - 8/15/2018 10:17 AM I've switched all my casting reels (minus a couple C3s for backup) to 300ahg. I have a pair of 300s and a pair of 301s. To me, they are the best compromise of size, pickup, and handle length. I have relatively small hands, and notice a significant difference Tranx 300 vs Beast 50, for example. I held the 400 and 300 and put both on a rod in the store before deciding on the 300. If comfort wasn't an issue or if I wanted to run thicker line - say 100 lb masterbraid - I'd probably go 400. That being said, I don't think the Maxtoro comparison is exactly fair. That reel is less than half the cost. I've bought all my Tranx 300 new for $210-235 (Ebay stores + 15-20% promo). Maxtoros run about $120 every day, so $100ish if you wait for a promo. $100 vs $225 is a pretty big difference. Yeah, i tried to keep that in mind. The Maxtoro is definitely big in my hand, not sure how the 400 would compare in size to that? And even with the price difference, I've been over all pleased with the Maxtoro, it struggled some with the doublecowgirls up river with a strong current -- but overall have has no problems at all! I run 80 pound braid oj everything Muskie-related and havent had any issues with that, so I'll probably stick with the 80. So both reels give me plenty of line capacity as far as that goes | ||
| 25homes |
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Posts: 983 | I have max toro and beast 60s along with toro S lexa 300 and tranx 400. The 400 is smaller than the maxtoro and revo toro 60 by a little bit but bigger than Lexa300HD. I am gonna buy a tranx 300 to replace on of my 5 lexahds. Love the 400 its just smooth as silk and cast a mile. I don't use my beast 60 or toro 60 as much cause they are harder to palm. I can palm the 400 fairly comfortably but a lexa 300 fits hands perfect and I think the tranx 300 will be very similar in size to lexa 300..Also own a couple 13 fishing A3s and they are smallest of them all and do just fine!! | ||
| bbmogul |
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Posts: 49 | Give me some of that money! Just kidding, but now you brought us down the rabbit hole because I'm considering the Lexa 400hd or a Tranx 400hg. I know for a fact that the next reel I order tonight, will have an identical partner. I'd like a reel with lower gears for my heavy rod, and a reel with higher gears for my medium heavy. For example, if i purchased a Tranx 400hg, it will be replacing my 300hg, then I'll be ordering a 400 regular speed with a power handle for my heavy rod. So i want to make absolutely sure I'm getting the best i can in the consumer range(basically the Lexa 400 or Tranx 400 being the most i would comfortably pay. I say that now, but I'm sure I'll be spending more than that at some point lol). So is the Tranx 300 going to be your new Muskie Reel? Or are you keeping with the Lexa 400's? Since price is comparable, i might get a 400hd instead tonight, but i don't know much about Daiwas. I Love the Maxtoro, but the 50-60 reels CAN be hard to palm over the course of the day or night | ||
| bbmogul |
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Posts: 49 | 25homes - 8/15/2018 2:15 PM I have max toro and beast 60s along with toro S lexa 300 and tranx 400. The 400 is smaller than the maxtoro and revo toro 60 by a little bit but bigger than Lexa300HD. I am gonna buy a tranx 300 to replace on of my 5 lexahds. Love the 400 its just smooth as silk and cast a mile. I don't use my beast 60 or toro 60 as much cause they are harder to palm. I can palm the 400 fairly comfortably but a lexa 300 fits hands perfect and I think the tranx 300 will be very similar in size to lexa 300..Also own a couple 13 fishing A3s and they are smallest of them all and do just fine!! The Tranx 300 and Lexa 300hd have about the same line capacity. I think I'm pulling the trigger on a Daiwa Lexa 400 HD with the 7.1:1 gears, and another Daiwa Lexa 499HD with the 6.3:1 gears. I'll pair the 6.3:1 Lexa on my heavy rod, and the 7.1:1 on my medium heavy. Good decision or no? | ||
| Quest4Esox |
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Posts: 28 Location: Pacific Northwest | bbmogul - 8/15/2018 3:43 PM Give me some of that money! Just kidding, but now you brought us down the rabbit hole because I'm considering the Lexa 400hd or a Tranx 400hg. I know for a fact that the next reel I order tonight, will have an identical partner. I'd like a reel with lower gears for my heavy rod, and a reel with higher gears for my medium heavy. For example, if i purchased a Tranx 400hg, it will be replacing my 300hg, then I'll be ordering a 400 regular speed with a power handle for my heavy rod. So i want to make absolutely sure I'm getting the best i can in the consumer range(basically the Lexa 400 or Tranx 400 being the most i would comfortably pay. I say that now, but I'm sure I'll be spending more than that at some point lol). So is the Tranx 300 going to be your new Muskie Reel? Or are you keeping with the Lexa 400's? Since price is comparable, i might get a 400hd instead tonight, but i don't know much about Daiwas. I Love the Maxtoro, but the 50-60 reels CAN be hard to palm over the course of the day or night I hope you haven't ordered yet. The Lexas are very nice reels. I own a 300 HD 6.3:1 that I really like. Hooooowever, the Lexa 400 is quite a step up in size....smaller than a Tranx 500, but still pretty big. It's substantially larger than a Tranx 400. If you plan on palming the reel and manipulating the rod to impart action to the lure, the Lexa 400 is not your best choice. The Lexa 300, Tranx 300, and even Tranx 400 are much better options. | ||
| bbmogul |
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Posts: 49 | Quest4Esox - 8/16/2018 2:41 AM bbmogul - 8/15/2018 3:43 PM Give me some of that money! Just kidding, but now you brought us down the rabbit hole because I'm considering the Lexa 400hd or a Tranx 400hg. I know for a fact that the next reel I order tonight, will have an identical partner. I'd like a reel with lower gears for my heavy rod, and a reel with higher gears for my medium heavy. For example, if i purchased a Tranx 400hg, it will be replacing my 300hg, then I'll be ordering a 400 regular speed with a power handle for my heavy rod. So i want to make absolutely sure I'm getting the best i can in the consumer range(basically the Lexa 400 or Tranx 400 being the most i would comfortably pay. I say that now, but I'm sure I'll be spending more than that at some point lol). So is the Tranx 300 going to be your new Muskie Reel? Or are you keeping with the Lexa 400's? Since price is comparable, i might get a 400hd instead tonight, but i don't know much about Daiwas. I Love the Maxtoro, but the 50-60 reels CAN be hard to palm over the course of the day or night I hope you haven't ordered yet. The Lexas are very nice reels. I own a 300 HD 6.3:1 that I really like. Hooooowever, the Lexa 400 is quite a step up in size....smaller than a Tranx 500, but still pretty big. It's substantially larger than a Tranx 400. If you plan on palming the reel and manipulating the rod to impart action to the lure, the Lexa 400 is not your best choice. The Lexa 300, Tranx 300, and even Tranx 400 are much better options. You guys are totally gonna judge me hardcore after i tell you that i ordered both a Lexa 400hd 6.3:1 and Lexa 400hg 7.1:1, lol. The size was definitely a concern. So my "logic" came down to this: My one and only negative opinion of the Tranx 300 was that for me, personally, the narrow reel didn't feel "comfortable." I sort of felt like i had less control or balance, not sure how to put it. I already knew for a fact that i did not want a reel the size of my Maxtoro(reel size 50) and after reading the dimensions of the Lexa 400hd, i saw it was a little more narrow than the Maxtoro, but a little larger than the 300hd which was comparable tonsize as the Shimano i have. You know what beats it all? I paid for NEXT DAY DELIVERY, so I'll be getting them later today. You guys have my permission to say "I told you so" lol. Basically i thought the Maxtoro wasn't easy to palm after an entire day if fishing, but i knew that something slightly smaller would feel comfortable. I'm going fishing this morning, but Saturday morning i will be going fishing again and I'll be using the Lexas's, and will definitely give my thanks to you guys and a somewhat decent review of the reel! | ||
| 25homes |
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Posts: 983 | bbmogul - 8/16/2018 7:09 AM Quest4Esox - 8/16/2018 2:41 AM bbmogul - 8/15/2018 3:43 PM Give me some of that money! Just kidding, but now you brought us down the rabbit hole because I'm considering the Lexa 400hd or a Tranx 400hg. I know for a fact that the next reel I order tonight, will have an identical partner. I'd like a reel with lower gears for my heavy rod, and a reel with higher gears for my medium heavy. For example, if i purchased a Tranx 400hg, it will be replacing my 300hg, then I'll be ordering a 400 regular speed with a power handle for my heavy rod. So i want to make absolutely sure I'm getting the best i can in the consumer range(basically the Lexa 400 or Tranx 400 being the most i would comfortably pay. I say that now, but I'm sure I'll be spending more than that at some point lol). So is the Tranx 300 going to be your new Muskie Reel? Or are you keeping with the Lexa 400's? Since price is comparable, i might get a 400hd instead tonight, but i don't know much about Daiwas. I Love the Maxtoro, but the 50-60 reels CAN be hard to palm over the course of the day or night I hope you haven't ordered yet. The Lexas are very nice reels. I own a 300 HD 6.3:1 that I really like. Hooooowever, the Lexa 400 is quite a step up in size....smaller than a Tranx 500, but still pretty big. It's substantially larger than a Tranx 400. If you plan on palming the reel and manipulating the rod to impart action to the lure, the Lexa 400 is not your best choice. The Lexa 300, Tranx 300, and even Tranx 400 are much better options. You guys are totally gonna judge me hardcore after i tell you that i ordered both a Lexa 400hd 6.3:1 and Lexa 400hg 7.1:1, lol. The size was definitely a concern. So my "logic" came down to this: My one and only negative opinion of the Tranx 300 was that for me, personally, the narrow reel didn't feel "comfortable." I sort of felt like i had less control or balance, not sure how to put it. I already knew for a fact that i did not want a reel the size of my Maxtoro(reel size 50) and after reading the dimensions of the Lexa 400hd, i saw it was a little more narrow than the Maxtoro, but a little larger than the 300hd which was comparable tonsize as the Shimano i have. You know what beats it all? I paid for NEXT DAY DELIVERY, so I'll be getting them later today. You guys have my permission to say "I told you so" lol. Basically i thought the Maxtoro wasn't easy to palm after an entire day if fishing, but i knew that something slightly smaller would feel comfortable. I'm going fishing this morning, but Saturday morning i will be going fishing again and I'll be using the Lexas's, and will definitely give my thanks to you guys and a somewhat decent review of the reel! Did you receive reels yet. I have the Toro S and Lexa 400 and IMO the Lexa is bigger than the Toro S and the Max Toro..If Max toro was lil big to palm the 300 Lexa should fit your hand perfect. I think the Tranx 400 is slightly smaller than the Revo toro S and I think max toro and Toro S similar in size | ||
| bbmogul |
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Posts: 49 | Yes i just received them. Put about 2 hours worth if casting into them before i left for work. I can palm them better than the Maxtoro. I dont think the 400 is as tall as the Maxtoro? I may hold my baitcaster different from you guys, but i use a split grip. I have my pointer and middle finger in front of the bottom lip resting against it, and my ring finger and pinky finger behind that lip resting against it and that's usually how i palm my baitcaster. | ||
| bbmogul |
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Posts: 49 | Width wise the Lexa 400 does seem wider than the Maxtoro as well. I'm not quite sure how i thought the other way around,lol. | ||
| bbmogul |
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Posts: 49 | Caught my first Muskie with my Lexas. I'm very pleased at how these reels perform. | ||
| Quest4Esox |
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Posts: 28 Location: Pacific Northwest | bbmogul - 8/20/2018 1:16 PM Caught my first Muskie with my Lexas. I'm very pleased at how these reels perform. Glad to hear it's working out just fine. I'm pretty sure the rest of us breathed a collective sigh of relief. | ||
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