? for Zeebaas Users

[chefchris401]

Ok so Ive been doing all kinds of research here and other sites and talking to people who actually own the them and need some more feedback and some questions answered.

I know that the 27 model is excatly what i need, so im sold on that size with a single roller setup.

i just took a new job and got a sweet sign on bonus and want to pick one up, instead of another vs. I love my VS reels but always wanted to try the zee, and now that it wont cost me more than $100 im in.

heres some questions, they are in no order.

i dont want opinions just the facts.

have you ever weighted yours? the zeebaas website says its alot lighter but from ive been reading the stats are not accurate.

single or double roller???

any break offs with the dual roller if you have it?

how many serious issues have you had with it or the guy before you if it was bought used??

and where they design faults, worn parts, user error?

anything i should know about them?

is sand an issue??? i know the old style had lots of issues.

is it tough to adjust the drag once your on a bigger fish? just because it doesnt have a knob.

casting distance, increased, decreased, same?

im tired or reading all the post online and doing web searches and want some real answers.

thanks,

Chris

[Swimmer]

Originally Posted by chefchris401

Ok so Ive been doing all kinds of research here and other sites and talking to people who actually own the them and need some more feedback and some questions answered.

I know that the 27 model is excatly what i need, so im sold on that size with a single roller setup.

i just took a new job and got a sweet sign on bonus and want to pick one up, instead of another vs. I love my VS reels but always wanted to try the zee, and now that it wont cost me more than $100 im in.

heres some questions, they are in no order.

i dont want opinions just the facts.

have you ever weighted yours? the zeebaas website says its alot lighter but from ive been reading the stats are not accurate.

single or double roller???

any break offs with the dual roller if you have it?

how many serious issues have you had with it or the guy before you if it was bought used??

and where they design faults, worn parts, user error?

anything i should know about them?

is sand an issue??? i know the old style had lots of issues.

is it tough to adjust the drag once your on a bigger fish? just because it doesnt have a knob.

casting distance, increased, decreased, same?

im tired or reading all the post online and doing web searches and want some real answers.

thanks,

Chris

Chris it must be that all the Zeebass guys don't want to let anyone know they own one, which is why no one has answered. Ron Arra is the only guy I know who owns one and the company gave it to him. Just kidding around, good luck with it when you get it.

[afterhours]

chris,

never weighed it

single roller, came with two i like one

broke off with two rollers- twice

no serious issues

got newer spool- sand no prob

drag can be adjusted while fighting fish

casts further than my vs's

oh yeah- drag is pissa......

[numbskull]

Got a first gen 25, dual roller.

I did weigh it and forget what it weighed, but loaded with line I think it was around 20-21 oz. About 2-3 oz more than they claimed and more than I felt was attributable to the line.

It has been great and I am very glad I bought it (and I hated spinning tackle). Mine gets drenched and I don't ever bother to even rinse it with freshwater.

The line rollers on mine grooved but didn't harm the line. They sent me new ones and said it was not a common problem (but I think Sandman had the same issue about the same time).

Once I got a grain of sand in the drag and it cleared easily. By habit I check my drag every few casts anyways.

Never had a line wrap casting.....but I use 30lb fireline which may be less likely to fluff. I like the dual roller.

You don't want opinions, but I would suggest the 25 for bass. The smaller spool may help you set up your rod with a smaller collector, it probably reduces the chance of a roller wrap, and the slower retrieve is better for night-time plugging.

[Tagger]

the 25 is plenty big enough ,,unless you own a braid factory .. You can always get a 27 spool later. 25 and 27 the same rotor . I opted for the single roller . Why have 2? .. Just double your chances of hanging back up on the roller during casting . I lay it down in the sand ,, just dunk to rinse . I havn't serviced mine nor do I need too . I've checked inside and no water has been in there . I'm just going to use it until it's junk .. Then service it .

[RoyL]

I have a ? my self since i too have been looking into one.

I here that the older models made are 100 times better then the ones being built today. I friend of mine bought one last year but they didn't have them in stock so they sent him one to fish for the mean time(which I thought was awsome) only thing is that on the first 30" fish he hooked the handle broke.....So im up in the air...Seems to make sense since everyone that tells me they love it has had it for a while. Its a nice reel...thanks

[texican]

My experience with mine was bad. Customer service was great but the reel always had a problem. I started with a second gen black 27 that leaked from the get go. Send it in ans said it was the oring returned back to me promptly. Leaked again a couple days later. Sent back, they said the side cover was not machined properly. Returned back to me, a week later I blew a clutch, sent back to them, fixed it. Got it back again and again blew a clutch, sent it in. This time I asked for a new reel and told them I did not even want to see another black zb again. They sent me a new silver one. Another clutch and something else. So I said goodbye ZB and hello VS.
On the other hand I did like the drag on it and have heard others have not had problems. Go figure. Maybe it is just me.
I have blown up an emblem, New Saltist, and a ZB in the last 2 seasons. The Dog Fight has been my workhorse.

[Tagger]

Rudy ... You break that Dog fight yet ?

[tlapinski]

I posted some specs here - http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripert...nt-models.html

I have since sold the ZB and gone back to all VS's. I never had the line catch the roller and do not fish sand so the issue people have had there did not come up. I did not like the drag and that was a big factor in getting rid of the reel. It has a progresisve drag which takes some getting used to. I kept finding myself adjusting the drag throughout a fisght as it never stayed where I wanted it to. On my 2nd trip out with the reel, it seized up solid. The reel was fixed and back in action within about 5 days with a brand new clutch, but I was still not happy to know they shipped the 1st generation ZB27's with a known faulty part.

[texican]

Originally Posted by Tagger

Rudy ... You break that Dog fight yet ?

Nope, that bad boy is going strong!

[JohnR]

I have a much older one (thanks folks ) a 2.2 - since upgraded to a 2.7 with new handle, spool, rotor, drag, etc - that is fantastic with fish into the low 40s in the canal at speed. No sand issues. Twice in 3 years caught a roller so I would get a single pickup in order to pay a little less attention and concern.

I don't have any experience with the newer ones.