Had a fish today that I had no chance of stopping with an Abu 6501. What's the board think the next step up should be for stopping power? Please keep in mind I'm a lefty, and prefer levelwind.

Daiwa Saltist 20 or 30 .

Shimano charter special, nice lever drag reels w/levelwind; no levelwind..TLD 15, Penn 113H. All have more than enough drag for bass.

Daiwa Saltist 20 or 30 .

+1

Tiagra 50

AVET SX spools so narrow you dont need a level wind

I thought I posted this already but I guess not.

If you are a lefty and really need a lot more drag , I honestly think you need to go to a big spooled (and big drag washered) spinner. Righties have a bigger choice like 9000 size but lefties qappear to have very limited options The biggest lefty conventional I can think of that you can cast with is the ABU 7001. Put in the smoothies and carry a glove to really clamp down on the spool if you have to.

I'm not familiar with the Daiwas already mentioned

Calcutta TE 401 if you plan to cast it and want something of similar scale to a 6500. VERY impressive drag on that reel (which it should be for what it costs).

Another vote for Daiwa Saltist.
Both Ave Maria & I switched over to Saltist 40A reels

Ross I am a left, but I use Shimano Toriums, no levelwinds, but they are the balls....

I have used a 400 TE for years.The drag works on large striped bass.

Tiagra 50

Wise guy..... got them. With tuna busting four miles out, might have to start carrying them....

Had a 7001 Abu and didn't like it. Felt clunky on the rod. Now wishing I hadn't sold it?.

Still waiting on parts for my Record 61 at Surfland, and may pick up a second one.

Definitely going to look at the Daiwa Saltist. And maybe the Avet.

Shimano 400 TE is $200.... 401 TE is $300.... pisses me off on principle.

Going to go righty today and use a narrow spool Big Game reel I got from Cowhunter

Where can I get the TE400 for $200?

Don't be fooled into mislabeling. TE is laser etched and not put on with a sticker.
These reels are different animals all together for what it is worth the extra $$ for the TE is well worth it.

Now the original Calcutta 400 and 401 had a 50-70$ price difference and the original 401 was short lived because of this. kinda hard to pick up the 401 @ 299 and look at the abu's 5501 and 6501 for 89-119 and think..
Then came the Corsair <--- Junk for large fish.
Shimano listened and included the lefty 401 in the TE series.

I've used the newer Abu 7000i reels. I like 'em, some don't.
It comes in a lefty 7001i model.

Ross, the TE is $375 reel unless you can find one Back Beach is unloading to pay for his SaltigaZ habit.. You may be confusing it with a plain Calcutta, a good reel in its own right and probably stronger than a 6500, but with only 1/2 the stopping power of a TE. The TE is probably close in power to a 7000 but in a smaller lighter package. The 7000 will hold more line, however.

Save yourself some money Ross and use these, they have the levelwind....
Tekota (http://fish.shimano.com/publish/content/global_fish/en/us/index/products/reels/conventional/tekota.html)

I love my new talica 2 speed. Small, very castable, and it would have to be more than a bass to give it any issues.

Ross, the TE is $375 reel unless you can find one Back Beach is unloading to pay for his SaltigaZ habit.. You may be confusing it with a plain Calcutta, a good reel in its own right and probably stronger than a 6500, but with only 1/2 the stopping power of a TE. The TE is probably close in power to a 7000 but in a smaller lighter package. The 7000 will hold more line, however.

Agreed Numby. I love the TE's. I got mine the first or second year they came out. I've found them well worth the money. I've been trying to convince Back Beach to switch from his Troglodyte reels to the TE's to no avail for at least 6 years now. He would actually have to admit we are right about that, and that's never going to happen.:smash:

For less money I really like the Calcutta BSV400 a lot, but I dont think there's a levelwind model. Love the power handle and use it on my 1205 conventional as well as my Tog stick.

Do the Trinidad 14's come in lefty? The drag on that reel is superior even to the TE. Plenty of stopping power and line capacity, I'd say more power than abu 7000, but no levelwind. I have two and love them.

The TE 401 and 400 are the same price (369$) on my companies site. They shouldn't be more for a lefty. I'd go with a 401 (TE or B) OR an Avet SX. Like Nebe said.. They are pretty narrow.

Thanks all.... I'll post when I upgrade. (might be a bit, as I just had to finance a one ton box truck for work.....)