Any comments good or bad on the
7000iC3 CT MAG
or the 7000C3i?

for canal use.. eels, tin.. etc.

have a 7000 c3 leval wind i use just for chunking and real heavy stuff. not in canal, but here in r.i. keep it clean and oiled and get the carbon drag set ups from h.o. 4 yrs with this same reel no complaints. good luck

Brian,

I have used a friends 7000i CT Mag in the canal. It seemed over magged to me. Other than that I liked it. What about hunting around for a Swedish made reel?

sean

I use the c3 in the canal. Throws well with no brakes but I've had trouble with the pawl and worm gear. Replaced them twice. May be my bad but I'm not sure. Good luck.

I want a leftie one from Sweden

got a 7000 big game for canal jigging - works well.

I'd also look at one of the Big Game series, especially if you're going to use jigs and metal. The faster retrieve (5.3:1) makes a difference. You can always reel slower with a fast reel for swimmers and snakes--and most people drift eeels anyway in the Canal. A slow reel is murder when you raise a fish on a plug, and it misses, and you want to get another crack at it. You also have to crank like a mother when you get a jig in close, as it can hang up on the drop-off--especially if you're loaded down with weeds.

I have two on canal rods work great with jigs and large plugs.

I have three of the "i" series. Super easy casting reels. IMO

go with the big game.

just another note, I put a ceramic pawl in an old, but mint red 7000 with spherical oilite bushings. Made a huge difference in smoothness and a bit more distance. Seems to cast about as well as my stock BG7000CL! I like the CL, but it is on the heavy side. The side plates appear to be brass.

You need to oil the level wind every time you use the reel. I have been using Penn synthetic oil. I am sure any light (10w) oil will do.

sean

Sean, where did you get the pawl?

Nebe,

I ordered it from Mike's Reel repair. Nice guys. I believe it is a zirconia (sp?) ceramic. Very dense, very hard, and very smooth. $5 usd. You will be stunned at change it makes. I also put in some of the new carbontex drags. So far, so good, but I have not really landed any huge fish with this set up yet.

The reel is set up with 65lb. power pro and and a 40lb. shocker. I think I have about 75-100 yards of 25lb. BG as a backing. I mostly use it on a xcra 13322-2.

I am using the penn synthetic oil for the bushings as well. Cast really well with no brake blocks and some good thumb. At night I sometimes put 1 small brake block on. It has turned into a real boob proof real. Good thing for me. I can even use her a night after a beer or two.

sean

sean

I ended up getting the big game :)

I personal love the reel.:kewl: