Best Casting Reel?? - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Homerun04 · 05-13-2002, 03:40 PM

Folks -
I am looking to pick up another bait casting reel, and was wondering what the board thought the best one would be for the following:

- striper/blues fishing plastics and rapalas mainly casting from the platform of my 19' Whaler.
- to be used with a medium action 7' St. Croix rod.

I currently use the Abu 7000C3. It is not as smooth as I would like.

Thanks.

JohnR · 05-13-2002, 03:45 PM

Price no object: Calcutta 400 - sweetest and most durable small conventional out there - about $200. Price an object? You can get an Abu 6500TCST fo less than $90 and upgrade the drags with extreme smoothies for another 8 bucks or so...

If you're chasing smaller stuff, look into a 5500C3/C4 with same drag updates. Very nice smaller reel. I use them for smaller bass and albies but I've lande bass into the high twenties on that reel before too...

Homerun04 · 05-13-2002, 04:00 PM

Thanks.....sorry for my ommissions.

Consider price not an issue. And I mainly plan to catch fish into the thirty - fourty lb. range. with this reel.

Smootheness is my main concern, so number of bearings seems to be the key issue.

Tattoo · 05-13-2002, 04:18 PM

Abu Garcia Pro Rocket 7000CS already has the bearing upgrades an drag upgrade. I just picked it up but have yet to spool it and take it out for a test run.

Goose · 05-13-2002, 05:43 PM

Abu 6500 would be excellent on a 7' rod. The reel handles #12 to 20 nicely. Also, the 6500 on a 8' or 9' lite rod, makes an excellent surf set up.

JohnR · 05-13-2002, 08:26 PM

Then there is no real choice but the Calcutta 400 - simply the smoothest durable reel

... and did I mention that it has the best drag system?

Got Stripers · 05-13-2002, 08:29 PM

I used the 6500 for years from my 17 footer and they worked great, but I used them primarily for dragging eels, mackeral or chunking. I've since upgraded to a 19 foot boat and down graded to the 5600C4 and I'm quite pleased with the reel so far. I'm interested in the bearing upgrade as well, but haven't had time to look into it.

mikecc · 05-13-2002, 09:38 PM

thought you guys should that I have all the parts instock to change an abu 6500 to a 5 bearing system.
the additional bearings are in each side of the levelwind instead of nylon bushings.

Mike

JohnR · 05-14-2002, 07:52 AM

Mike - how much for the ceramics

??

Saltheart · 05-14-2002, 03:16 PM

Hard to beat the Ambassaduers for getting a good casting reel. I like the BG6500CL and the BG7000CL.

mikecc · 05-14-2002, 06:09 PM

John check your PM

JohnR · 05-14-2002, 06:55 PM

... sweet ...

fishweewee · 05-14-2002, 08:01 PM

An Abu with ABEC 7 (or better yet Ceramic) bearings will be smoother than a stock Calcutta.

And yes I second the Xtreme Smoothie drag replacements.

-FWW

JohnR · 05-14-2002, 08:20 PM

FWW - Running on a suggestion from Mike P. - I went and trimmed some Penn HT100 drags and put them in a 6500 Mag Elite - MUCH better than the Smoothie Extremes (well, short of actually having a nice fish pull on them)...

Homerun04 · 05-14-2002, 08:44 PM

Okay guys....here's where I am at. Help me rank these puppies....

1. Abu 7000c
2. Abu 6500
3. Shimano Calcutta 400
4. Shimano Calcutta 700

JohnR · 05-14-2002, 08:57 PM

Unmodified:

1. Calcutta 400
2. Abu 6500 Mag Elite (pure distance) or 6500CL Big Game (Sturdiest)
3. Abu 7000CL Big Game
4. Calcutta700 Sweet drag but a little bulky and not as balanced feeling IMO...

Modified - well, I'll wait until I have ceramics in both the 400 & the Mag E

Saltheart · 05-14-2002, 10:37 PM

How's Smokey's reel coming John?

Scotch Bonnet · 05-14-2002, 10:59 PM

I use an ABU Ambassaduer Pro Max 6600 for my "light duty" boat outfit. Very smooth reel. I think its more heavy freshwater type reel, but takes a beating in the salt as well. Holds 10-14 lb test and casts 3/4-2oz lures perfect. I use my 7000c for live bait and the 6600 for throwing plugs/jigs. I would not worry if I hooked a very large fish with the 6600 either, its a very sturdy reel. I've abused this reel for 7 years with no problems at all.

JohnR · 05-15-2002, 07:06 AM

Saltheart - just about done actually - I figured we'd set up a time for you to come over and make a toast to it next week - whaddaya think?

Saltheart · 05-15-2002, 07:34 AM

I like the idea but I'm flying to Mexico next Tuesday AM. Be gone til the 30th. I'm all booked up (In fact overbooked) til then too. How about the week of June 2-8?

JohnR · 05-15-2002, 07:56 AM

OK, ya know, you're spending an awful lot of time in Mexico

Saltheart · 05-15-2002, 10:38 AM

They sell tequila cheap there. Its the only reason I go!

saltydawg · 05-18-2002, 03:57 PM

Homerun04 have you tried or looked at the Daiwa Millionaire CVZ? They have 6 ball bearings, 1 roller bearing and are supposed to have a real good drag.

JohnR · 05-20-2002, 09:19 AM

Saltydawg - welcome to S-B...

A relative of mine has the Diawa Millionare and it seems like a nice reel for the money - pretty smooth too. I'm not certain how long it will hold up for though....

Thanks,

John

fishweewee · 05-21-2002, 11:56 AM

If you're into conventional reels for chunking 8nbait, I'd give serious consideration to the Daiwa Sealine-X 30SH reel.

It's very smooth out of the box (no need to put in fancy bearings) and crikey even the drag is more than adequate! I very much like the price too ($135???)...with all the features it provides, it is a real value.

I guess the only complaint I have is that the reel probably wasn't meant to be taken apart or self serviced very often. One smart fella pointed out that the side plate screw holes were drilled right into the graphite composite frame...I could see the threads in those holes getting stripped. Must be a cost cutting measure.

But overall, can't lose!

-FWW