Conventional question
 

I own 1 and is some cases many of a lot of different conventionals. I have some great conven rods. I'm just not real happy with the casing distance I'm getting. So my question is what do you guys think the best distance casting conventional is?

I have all of the Abu, Calcutta, Newell, a couple of the newer Shimanos and naturally Penn Squidders

What are you casting, bait, plugs?

For a great all around reel, bait, live bait, plugs, swimbaits, iron - take a look at the Avet MXJ and MXL.

You also need to match the rod to the application of what you are throwing. but tossing virtually anything with the right rod and an Avet - I haven't been disapppointed with the distance.

With the conventional it is mostly eels. I like to be able to free spool when I get a take.

I'm sure it really depends on the person. For me it's a 400TE w/Spectron as that's the only convench I can reliably cast without making a nest the size of ROCKHOUNDS head :hihi:

-spence

I am sure a handful of people can eel fish a well setup conventional further than a well setup spinner but they can't do it in all conditions. I know on average I will cast further on my spinning setup than convench so I switched and have been pleased.

I'm also using circles so I don't guthook a fish which happens with a conv no matter how some say it doesn't

The spool holds that much line? :rotf2:

ive been doing a lot of research on this as im making the jump to a few conv set ups for next season, will be used for jigging the ditch, and throwing some bait/eels and maybe some big custom wood plugs.

you get a lot of different answers from who you talk to and where they fish.

the guys in NC are big fans of the akios reels, lots of killer revies, and avaialble upgrades, Akios Fishing Rods, Reels and Accessories > Home some good threads on the other site too.

the other reel everyone keep stalking about is the daiwa Millionaire M7HTMAGST Surf Reel, its pretty crazy, fully magged, a lot of distance casters are using it right out of the box without tuning which is great sign. Daiwa | Reels | Millionaire M7HTMAGST Surf Reel

i did get to play around with a fully upgraded,magged, super tuned shimano trinidad 16 or 14, im far from good with a conv reel but was tossing 6 and bait further than ive ever thrown on spinning. the reel seemed to have endless adjustments, it was tuned by ryan white at hatteras jacks in NC. Trinidad A

still havent decided what route im going, probably a level wind for jigging and non level wind for bait/eels

I would talk to Jimmy Z he is a whiz with abu's from what understand.
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I like my abu's, only because I can't fish a non-level wind reel at all,

C'mon Paulie, you know the Newell 229 is where its at...total old school, no levelwind, power handle, and sounds like a tub grinder when you retrieve it. Casts like hell too and I've had em since I was 16....that's 26 years.

Levelwinds=sissy reels.

A levelwind is going to cost you 10-15 yards. If you plug it is worth it everywhere but the canal. For eels, probably not. The calcutta TE is a very powerful reel....just don't get it wet.

All conventionals without a levelwind will cast an eel about the same distance, the issue becomes how much help you need controlling them.
The smaller reels have better ergonomics which make them easier to cast, but the gears/drags/line capacity may not be up to the size fish you are probably looking for with an eel, particularly in current.

I don't own one, but the 525 Penn mag is supposedly a good casting reel with plenty of guts and some refinements. I like Newells, but that is with mono, with braid each mistake is a disaster. You can slow them with thick oil.

The rod is probably more important than the reel and the opposite of what you would expect. Unless you are throwing only aerodynamic stuff, stay away from fast blanks with conventional reels. They unload too violently and make the reel hard to control so you thumb more and lose distance.

level winds costing you distance is a farse if you have to tame a non level wind.. I can cast very far with my abu chrome 6500 cs

Whenever I fish eels (or bait for that matter) I use a conv. most of the time, for the same reason as piemma: like to free spool a little. I don't have any levelwind casting reels, so I can't compare them.
I fish a 525 Mag a lot, but also still use my 980 Mag in heavier water on a glass-that's right glass - 11 ft Fenglass rod. Use a 970 Mag when on a boat.
The 525 casts a freaking mile, but I also doubled up on the magnets to slow it down and stop the end of the cast backlash. But the reel is not the most solid, lotsa graphite and stamped parts. I'd like to try out an Avet when I meet up with someone who has one.
980 Mag is the best "weight" caster for me- you can really hump heavy bucktails, bait and big eels with one and keep the cast under control. Too bad they stopped making them.

I use a Shimano Cardiff 300, the level wind disconects when you cast so you can get out there. way longer than my calcutta 400 alot less money too.

Best casting reel I've tried is the Daiwa Sl20SHV,or A. The reel I liked the best was the Daiwa Saltist 20H. Both will hold 300 yards of 50 lb PowerPro and have great drags. You can get away with a levelwind at the canal because you won't get splashed by sand carrying waves or blasted by windborn sand into the levelwind worm.

Penn 525Mag is a sweet reel, but the Daiwa's flat out blow it away in my opinion.

I am back to Abus, a 7000i HSN because I have been unable to locate a replacement drag star for the one I stripped on my Saltist (don't crank it to 20 pounds, use your thumbs for more pressure)

Piemma Like you I'm an old squidder type. but Ive tried them all since then. I found that sometimes when slingin eels that a lighter tip rod helps with the distance usein an abu 6500 or the calcutta 400.I use either 30 or 40lb braid but also I do a good relube job using rocket juice or marvel mystry oil an take out all but one brake block an go with ceramic bearins.I've found the real high end ones hate the sand an grit of workin the surf.This might help. Ron

I've always felt that if you can control it, the Newell P-220 was the absolute best casting conventional.

I have switched over to spinners for about 90% of the time now, but i do miss the convench when it comes to eeling. I still use it exclusively for eeling the canal. I use an abu 7k levelwind, its way less frustration at night. I brought a newell with me a few times but i didnt tame the beast that well at night so i went back to the trusty abu. Its more about the rod then the reel in my opinion a lighter tip really helps with the eels.

Hey Mike what do you think of the 220-F out of curiosity?Got a couple that I've played with for a bit an still like the ABU better.Ron

Guys, thanks for all the answers. These is so much info here I have printed the entire thread.

abu
 

I have been using conventionals for the last 35 years have tried them all but have stuck with Abu for many years now .I use 6501 c-3 (left hand ) but have replaced the bearings with ceramic bearings and change the blocks or removed one and have no problem getting distance. You need to play around for a little while until you get use to setting reel so as to not blow it up.There is a shop down south Hatteras Jack who has reels you can buy already set up or by the stuff to trick out your own.

Gonna find his website right now. I have 6 or 7 ABUs.

Paul, Ryan will set you up. He can mag and tune just about any conventional out there. You may want to talk to him about the Akios 666SCMW, for the money you are getting a reel out of the box that has everything! Line it up and fish!!

Thanks Lou. just spoke with them. great guys. I'm deciding what to do. Either send a couple of Abus or buy the Akios

Might as well have him send a Century Spod to go with the reel...:)

I've always preferred the originals (the blackies and P-series) with the aluminum spools. The later versions with the graphite spools weren't as good IMO, and the graphite would cook your thumb if you used the edge of the spool to control them.

I liked some of the CT versions of the Abus---those without the level wind. The 7500 C3 CT was a great casting reel, probably the best of the wider reels. I had one for many years but sold it in the spring. I don't use conventionals often enough any more to justify keeping them.

Abu C3, ceramic bearings, rocket lube, take off all the brakes. back off the sides a little. Matched to an XRA1322. Bombs away when you need to.

That's it then. C3 off to Ryan

As long as they are lefties, I enjoy my convenches

I got to chuckle about this stuff. This was all the rage back in 1998. Abec 7 bearings , ceramic bearings , rocket fuel lube (3 different viscosities) , 1/16th wobble on the centering knob , spoeed bushings on the bearings of non levelwinds. No centrifigal breaks (maybe 1 if you must) , Special rare earth mag add ons for almost any Abu 6500 size.

All great stuff , all speed the reels up to thumb burning speeds , but all 15 year old technology.

I would look into whatever Ryan and that bunch is using for "the latest" technology.

Ok, you are in Cumberland and I'm in Pascoag so as soon as I get the reel back we can meet at Starbucks in Lincoln Mall and you can see what they did. At the same time you can build me a rod to pair with it. fair enough??