What do people think of the Calcutta 700 for use in the canal. I have 3 Calcuttas and the two smaller ones , the 250 and the 400 are excellent. I bought a 700 a few years back cause the price was right but always just use my BG7000Cl cause...its the best reel in the world...but its been discontinued by the geniuses at Abu Garcia. Most likely be using 50 lb Spectron but not positive since the geniuses at Cortland also messed up what was once a perfect line by changing that too. :smash: Anyway , I digress.

Assuming my Big Game will evenytually die , I 'm thinking of trying the Calcutta700. My only concern is its too big.

What do people think about the Calcutta 700 for the Ditch?

Actually, now that I think of it, I think the Calcutta 700 wouldn't be a shabby reel for the Ditch. My only reservation is the relatively small line capacity. Other than that, it casts and fights nice, easy to service (and that metal surface is too easy to ding and scratch).

I have the 700S (no level wind). I don't use it because even my hands aren't big enough to palm that pregnant left plate and have my thumb span across the spool to level the line properly :mad: It also feels awkward on a thin butt graphite, altho I'm sure the level wind model would work better on a thicker E or S glass rod. I also have the 700 TE, which is narrower, but sits higher on the rod than an Abu 7000. I tried it last summer on both my cut-down 2F S-glass and my Arra 126 1MH. It is a nice, tough reel. It's also difficult to service, even to oil the bearings, because there are 3 small, non-captive screws inside (after you take the left plate off) you have to remove to get to the bearings and the brakes, and to remove the spool. At 4.7:1 retrieve, you notice the difference between it and a 5.3 model Abu when you have to hump the jig over the face of the ledge in close. The regular 700 is a lot easier to service---three captive, slotted screws on the right plate similar to those on an Abu, and the brakes are on spindles attached to the spool, which pops right out after you remove the right plate.

I put 80# Power pro on mine, which is overkill and probably is a reason I was disappointed in the casting performance. I would say, give it a try with 65# PP and it should perform as well as it would with 50# Spectron.

i had a 700 for a few seasons. if you use braid on the levelwind version, it will groove the line guide as it is made of plastic. i agree with Mike in that it feels akward on a thin graphite. i had it on an all star 1208. it always felt like the reel was fighting to turn the rod over. this happened under the strain of a fish and while retreiving a lure. it is a great reel, but not as comfortable as the 7000 abu's.

penn squidder

I used one for part of a season and found it to be too wide. It would cast nicely and drags are smooth, better suited on a boat IMO.

I dont own one but have heard from a few that do that the reel itself isnt that well balanced? I did try one that was on a 11' Lami and like Toby said it feels awkward on a thin graphite rod. Seems like its quite a bit heavier on the handle side making the rod turn in your hand when holding the rod behind the reel.
The abu's definitely feel more comfortable!!

Saltheart! Why not try and pick up a spare BG or two in the near future before they become non-existant!!
Every now and then someone will put one on Ebay in nice shape used!
Just a thought!

Russ

As long as you keep the sideplates and frame in good shape, you could always buy a 7200 or a 7500C3 and just swap the plates/frames. The guts of all 3 are the same (except the 7200 has bushings instead of bearings). Tres Irby or Hatteras Jack's should be able to get you gears and spools if you ever need them, and most of the other internals are standard 7000 series parts, I think.

Having some spare BG7000 CL's is definites a good idea. I do however have the Calcutta . It has a great drag and casts well. My overall impression (and most opinions here seem to agree) is that its a little too big and awkward.

I'm in the mode for using up some of what I have. I have a 7500 levelwind I never use and the Calcutta. Its just money tied up for no good reason unless I use them. i also have a BG 9000CL that I bet would make a good canal reel.

I don't do much boat fishing so I might as well give the Calcutta a try at the Canal. I'll bring the old faithfull 7000 just in case I hate using the Calcutta.

Saltheart
I would never use a 200 reel in the canal because it's a mean place and can swallow you hole.
Now for scientific reasoning the bearings n the 700 are junk some arnt even ball bearings stick with ABu or Penn like BM suggested the squidder will never fail you. However I am a steadfast Abu fan and Im collecting as many old ABu's as possible but the new wons arent that bad just stay away from the higher geared models according to Mikcc the gears can handle the speed. In the canal you need a man's reel penn, abu, or newel.

Is abu really stopping production of the Big Game 7000.

You've got to be kidding me?

:af: :af: :af:

I love that reel.

I'm not sure the calcutta is worth the bucks!! Last time I checked that reel was wicked expensive.

Ifishgibbs---It's fishing so....doesn't matter whazt it costs as long as it works reliably and comfortably.

i use mainly spinning tackle for the ditch but if your going to bait fish in the canal conventional tackle would be good

Mr Saltheart
There's a difference between fishing and Canal fishing The canal is rough a exspensive reel in the rough is not comfortable okaynumber1 the spool is to wide you want a narrow spool for castability the 700 realy is a boat real the abu and the newel really lend themselves to fishing in the rocks also the 700 is very heavey and will make it hard to manuver in the rocks. Furhter more it says it has bearings but they dont have to be ball bearings I recently broke down a Shimano conventional and found out that it only had one ball bearing made of metal the rest made of platic which is not what you want in the cruel banks of the canal. Your reference to money is irrelative I know one Canal rat who has fished with the same squider for years and years caught more bass than I will in my life, there's a difference between luxury and practicality. I haven't fished the canal as long as some guys here but after going there weekend after weekend I know it very well the big shiny reel may look nce but the old squider will out preform it on the banks of the Cape Cod Canal.

I've fished the Canal 50 nights a year for the last 7 years. My question is very specific , will the Calcutta 700 I already own make a good canal reel. I don't care if its gold , silver or jet black. I don't care if its $200 or $500. The question isn't what reel to use for the Ditch. The best reel for the Ditch is the BG 7000CL. No one will change my mind about that. But since I can't buy them anymore , I will eventually have to change. I already own the Calcutta 700 and I'm curious as to what other canal regulars , who jig like I do and know the reel , think about that specific reel for fishing the Ditch. General concensus seems to be that its probably too big. But then again , I'm too big too so maybe it will be a good match. I'll have to try it a few times to find out.

Maybe I'll jsu buy another BG7000CL before they all disappear and put the decsion off for another 5 years. :)

Mike, I have an extra. :hihi:

Oh , bad timing. I just bought a new 7000CL one minute ago! I guess I talked myself into it with my last post and just picked up the phone and bought one! :

Thanks anyway Ben. If you are willing to part with it , there may be someone else in our fishing tribe who would want it though.

'tsallright Mike. Always good to have spares. In my case, just a few dozen. :hihi:

I have 2 bg7000cl and am going to pick up another ( made in sweeden ) if I can find one . you cant beat them and for the canal this is the right reel . enough speed to get the jig up and over the face of the canal and enough strength to reel in fish from the depths .

The calcutta would make a good reel. Its the same weight as a squidder when filled with line. Unless the squidder has a chrome over brass spool then the squidder is heavier. The calcutta will be easier to throw because of the break system. Yes the Calcutta is a little awkward tipping towards the right when your relaxed. But so doesn't some Abu's when fitted with a bigger handle.

The 700 isn't just a boat reel.. If it was they wouldn't have put a break system in it. I've thrown the Calcutta on a 7' boat rod about 100+ feet from a boat and i was just throwing it enough to reach a school of blitzing blues. The model i had was the 700S without the level wind. It's a pain in the arse to level your line because the retrieve is kinda fast so keep that in mind.

I was fishing Fog Land over in Little Compton and this guy showed up with a pair of 700's on 9' star rods. He was casting some 200+ feet. I couldn't do that with mine, so i asked him does the rod make that much of a difference and he said yes and so does custom bearings...