Conventional confusion
 

I'd like to beat this dead horse a bit.

What conventional reel for a beach bait/eel chucker-

I've got a 10ft conv. rod that has gone thru 2 reels so far this year:

1. a penn squidder - I couldn't slow down the spool enough when casting and spent the better part of the day de-tangling.

2. shimano corsair 400 - this P.O.S. lived up to all the bad reviews, I think the drag went in the first hour, but it did cast well, and gave me my first keeper this cinco de mayo, but my thumb is still growing its skin back from that night.

any opinions on the - Abu Garcia Ambassaduer 6500 Trophy collection-Striper for $90?

Thanks in advance - Jim

mag the squidder.

I would prefer separate reels for each application.

Chunking: My favorite is the Daiwa Sealine X 30 SHV (slosh 30). Out of the box, has a drag that is as smooth as a baby's bottom. It casts a mile, EFFORTLESSLY. The lever drag is nice to have when chunking from the beach. This is my go-to chunking reel (mine is custom magged). For the money ($130?) YOU CANNOT BEAT THIS REEL.

Eeling. A 6500 -sized Abu, or a 400-sized Calcutta would be good choices.

cal. 400 and or a abu 6500.......wee u were 1 sec. fa :bo: ster///abu 7000 for chunks

I love my Cabo PT........
and dunkin chunks, I prefer a baitrunner (spin)

Calcutta 400. Best conventional I ever owned. Load em up with 50# Spectron and it's a dandy.

Calcutta is sweet, but I'd rather throw bait with the good old Abu 7000.

-spence

i second the abu 7000

if it can stand my abuse.. then its *ok* :jump1:

ABU 6500TCST or the 7000 with bearings in place of the bushings...

Mine for that size reel and type of fishing are a calcutta 400 with 35 LB Cortland Spectron and a ABU BG6500CL , same line. For cunking , depending on the rod , Abu BG 7000CL. 50 Lb spectron.


The cranberry abu 6500 you mentioned with the power handle is a good deal.

Where are you fishing? Sandy cape type beach? Rocky RI type structure? That will be a big factor. You can get away with an abu 6500 type reel on the soft cape, but you'll end up crying if you bring it to RI. Abu 7000, magged Avet SX, penn 525, are all decent choices.

I like the Daiwa SloSH 30 better than my Abu 7500 CT/7500 C3CT's for chunking. I can't quite put my finger on why, but the Daiwa is more comfortable to cast and fight a fish with (even if the Abu's have smoothies in 'em). I would go as far as to say the Daiwa SloSH's cast better than the 7500's with ceramic bearings.

Even if you're a dyed-in-the-wool Abu fan, you should take a hard look at the SloSH's .

Great replies, thank you!!

I definately fish beach more than rocks, and I'd rather have too much reel than not enough.

WeeWee - I like the sound of the Daiwa, It'll work double duty jiggin cod.


The SL20SH and SL30SH have such a cult following amongst sea anglers that the have nicknamed the pair, "The SLOSHs." The SLOSH's are incredibly strong and their smoothness is a testimony to their superior build quality.

Four ball bearings for totally smooth operation and superior winding power.
Five-point support frame.
Lightweight, but extra strong anodised aluminium spool.
Multi-washer supersmooth drag system.
Counter balanced handle, adjustable for increased leverage.
Rod clamp supplied.
Gear Ratio 6.1:1

i love my slosh20.
although i've been thinking of letting it go since i've been neglecting it for LW reels.

still trying to find a rod for my Abu7000hs :rollem:
.
That I won at TFCTFN I might add :D

abu 7000

I bought 2 old squidders but have not magged them yet,i may. One of the greatest conv curf reels ever made.
Abus are nice, but the Penn 525 mag is the king of them all IMO.
slosh 30 will be my next purchase i think,cause i hear good things.How big is the drag on that reel??
Personally I now stay away from my calcutta 400 (unless im Not targeting bigger fish) since I witnessed a guy get spooled with the drag cranked all the way down(powerpro 65 ,ripping current canal fishing).Not good to lose a 30#+fish cause your drag is wimpy,wimpy.This is where the 525 Ht100 drag reings supreme(so far). Also since you metioned SAND, and BEACH.Ive dunked both my 525's, a lot.Still purring like kittens. Calc 400,or corsair 400 ?,dont even think about it.

Nobody would recommend a calcutta 400 for the canal.

Only problem with the penn 525 is that its a non levelwind. Beautiful reel otherwise.

we have a small canal here in NJ that runs up to about 6-7 knots, I was referring to it.
sorry for the confusion. I never fished the CC canal (drove over it many times but sorry to say never fished it)

levelwind, IMO is overrated (even for nightfishing)just more stuff to go wrong.
With Braids most levelwinds dont cross lay(whatever the tech term is) the line fast enough and this is why you will get a bad birds nest once in a while because the thin braids can dig in very deep quickly on a bad cast & there is no time to react. I have stopped backlashes on nonlevelwinds, midcast. You can LISTEN for it(lineslap) and actually stop it.
Digging in is also a problem when you get stuck on the bottom and have to deliberately break off by walking backwards, drag locked down. Also I notice when fishing levelwinds,you lose contact with the line,which can also cause a loose wrap on the spool,& more potential problems.
You dont have that problem with a non levelwind since your in control of how you lay the line. But levelwinds do have their place, and I will use the Calcutta 400 for some applications.
please dont think im trying to sound like an expert on this subject, its just that I am completely ADDICTED to casting conventionals over spinning in almost any situation if its at all possible.Last year an old timer at montauk(whos name I dont want to drop here) said "youre one of the very few guys out here that truly enjoys using his conventionals " That man knew how to give this kid a compliment.

:hidin:

-spence

I chunk with a non-levelwind, day or night. To mitigate birdsnests, I will usually use 25 lb. test MONO (attached to 3 turns of 50 lb. test shock leader via a modified uni knot). The SloSH is my chunking reel.

Now - for plugging and jigging with a conventional you'll have fewer problems with mono. I prefer to use the non-levelwind Abu 7500 CT Big Game or Abu 7500 C3CT (both of which are sadly discontinued - Pure Fishing, what the HELL are you thinking?). I use Sufix Tritanium (the BEST mono out there, period), 20 or 25 lb. test attached to 3 turns of 30-40 lb. shock leader.

For plugging and jigging with BRAID, I prefer to use the Abu 7000 CL Big Game reel (which has a levelwind), especially at night. The old Berkley Whiplash (now reincarnated as Spiderwire Stealth) is good line for this application (nice and stiff). I'll use a small SPRO swivel to connect the main line to the leader. Saltheart is gonna disagree with me, but I HATE Cortland Spectron for casting - it digs into itself too easily and scores itself way easily (causing breakoffs). Spectron is ok for boat applications where you are just dropping line to the bottom.

IMO you shouldn't use the rod/reel to break loose hangups.

Do it with a pair of gloves and save your drag/rod the abuse.
I know atleast one person who's killed main gears doing this.

While no convench expert; I own my share;
Quick thoughts on mine..
Pen 525; great reel, on my 1089 it is a killer set-up to throw anything from loaded redfins to 3oz... its a FAST reel.. no levelwind isnt a big deal, been using convench since I was 3 in the boat, so dont have to think twice about it...

Abu 7000C3... nice reel, levelwind, not big big bucks, so far so good... matched on a 1209....

Abu 6500Mag Elite.. love this reel for everything from slinging eels to fluking (in the bay from a skiff) even has doubled as a blackfish reel in 100ft of water when my trust senator was acting up...

Penn 965... great boat reel, hates water, has a cheap worm gear, but I like the drag on it...

Penn Squidder... still my trusty go to on a glass rods around the breachways... it's my Old school stick... matched with a CalStar live bait rod...

thats my 0.02

no need to mag the squidder, exp will put you into nice casts with this reel, feather the bell.
this is a great reel for tossin lead and big wood and heathen fishing
http://home.comcast.net/~dstratrap/w...6/site1024.jpg

Who said I was using the Rod ?,Im not bustin my GLoomis for a .50 cent jig, Im not goofy. You lock her down point the rodtip to the snag +THUMB the spool and walk backwards,something is gonna go & I gaurentee you it wont be my gears. 9/10 its the knot at the jig or the leader or the hook will straighten just enough to let go, im using 65lb braids.
Gloves are for sissies btw :D

Booger teach you his ancient chinese sekrit of wrapping it around his erm... yeah.... uhhh I mean MIDGETS :rotf2:

Very difficult to use cortland spectron without a levelwind. Too rough on the leveling thumb for me. I also think all things considered , levelwinds lead to fewer birdsnests vbecause the line is always layed down in a predictable manner. I know I never have a birdsnest cause the line is layed down unfavorably , I get some but not cause of that.. Maybe your braid is too thin?? I don't know why you get the dig ins you mention.

I fish all conventionals except for a small spinner for schoolies. All my conventionals are levelwinds.

Hmmm I missed wee wee's comments on the cortland spectron. That's interesting cause the very reason I choose Spectron over whiplash (which would be my secomd choice) is cause it doesn't get damaged on overruns like the whiplash does!! :) Little difference in perception here. Are you using 50 LB spectron? That stuff either breaks or its OK , No weak spots hiding on you like when you kink the Whiplash.

Anyway , Spectron is the best canal line anywhere , you'll never change my mind about that.

Saltheart,
Are you speaking from your personal experience ? cause I must respectfully disagree with you . Also If all your conv are levelwind, how would you compare to how a non levelwind lays down the same line. Did you try them at some point and shun them for a reason? My fingers lay down a pretty predictable pattern for me & I predict i wont get a backlash if im in control.
And Yes, i like THIN braids,like the 50 whiplash,was my favorite,#50 Stren super is doing fine for me right now,no complaints at all. However I wont use less than a 50# braid on a conv .
(IMO) I think that manufactures have to find a compromise on the pawl worm gear ratio(line crossover rate) to allow use of both mono & braid . Much the same as Gears in a car are a compromise for MPG vs Torque. Its a compromise. If you were to make a Conv casting reel strictly for braids, I think the pawl would move much faster and thereby solve this problem entirely.

Technically since braid is smaller in diameter you'd want the levelwind to move slower to tighten it up on the reel super close.

But levelwinds aren't an exact science, so this isn't really applicable. :D