The Must haves in a bream reel

[Stuie_02]

Ok Everyone
I would love to hear a definetive answer on this one (big can of worms) but here goes. What do you thinks makes a good reel for a bream spin outfit?
Doesnt have to be a brand just the technologies in reels that make them great. im posting this one up so new comers to the sport might have a informed view.

personally i think a good reel must be
lightweight, otherwise it kills the action of a good graphite rod
Drag, nice and smooth no jerky drag nice and smooth (alvey like)
2000 size, 1500 too small and 3000 too large
4 BB at the minimum
Spool size, want matter too much as you want get spooled on a bream
Anti Twist technology, able to lie line down straight and fills the spool to the rim
Able to handle knocks and a little rough treatment.
two spools, one for mono and the other for fireline.

Love to hear what you like in reels and what doesnt work, remember that this is for people starting out and people looking around.

Cheers
Stuie

[Craig_S]

Stuie, I've always liked the 1000-1500 size on my 6' rods. Other than that sounds sweet.

I'm with Craig. I love lil reels!
Also not too sure about the BB minimum. Sometimes more is less if you know what i mean. It can cause more problems than good!
But yeah, everything else i agree with!

Dave

[Stuie_02]

hi kingpin

I like the 4 ball berings as i find it a big difference to 1 BB and the difference in 7 to 9 BB is a fair jump as well.
Im not totally sold on the 1500 sized reels i have regla x and a regal z i find the drag not big enough as i either have to lock it up or have a drag that is too loose.

Cheers
Stuie

[mike_mad_fisho]

gday
i love the regal x in the 1500 size but i also find the drag the same as stuie, but i would like to get a 2000 libra.
MB

[pw-bream]

I'd say:
- light weight
- smooth, finely adjustable drag
- small physical size (1000 to 2000 ideal)
- comfortable reel stem that doesn't irritate between your fingers after a long session
- decent sized, grippy handle knob in a comfortable shape
- good line laying for consistent, tangle free casts
- good bail and roller design to minimise twist
- smooth, tidy exterior
- water resistant sealing of body and drag
- non-corroding materials
- good finish (appearance and durability)
- good support from retail/wholesaler/manufacturer

[mark savage]

PW raises a couple of good features:
comfortable reel stem and a sealed drag.
I pretty much cast with my hand partly around the reel seat when spinning - some models that i have used in the past have caused rubbing and blisters on the heal of my palm or between fingers after hours of work (that sounds suss :rolleyes: ).
Water - particularly salty - does nasty things to felt drag washers.

Oh and i HATE handles that go squeaky after a couple of trips.

[Stevo]

i Love 1000 series reels!

1. Lightweight
2. Alloy body
3. Must had roller line bearing
4. Stainless Bearings
5. Smooth Drag
6. Folding Reel handle for storage...

Thats why i bought the Twinpower:D

Stevo

Hi

I have just wasted money in the last few months buying two wrong reels. I worked hard on the research but still got it wrong.

First I would say:

- 2000 size
- light weight
- expensive
- AND definitely handle Fireline

yes expensive.

From what I can tell, there is a heirachy of reels:

- cheaper reels (uder $40) that are great for once a year and mono.
- cheaper reels with more features that look and sound good. These sell for up to $120 I first got fooled by one of these in a famous brand but it did not lay down the line well, gave me regular snags ( 1 in 4 casts) so I wasted my money.

[Richo]

Line :)

next level up is $120 to $200. I found the Okuma heavy. I was warned that the Tica snags Fireline where the drag knob joins the body and Shimano's are much more expensive. So my second Mistake was a Daiwa Kastor.

It pays to really try out the reel - I just talked to the company rep and teh reel failed to meet his promises.

Check the bail opens and closes as you would like. Try it on a rod. On every bail there is a "dead spot" in its rotation where the bail will not stay open becuase this is the spot where the bail closing mechanise resides. On my cheaper shimano the dead spot is 5 degrees - easy to cope with. On the Daiwa (several hardbody models) the dead spot is 120 degrees - really annoying and ergonomically impossible if you want to cast right handed and flip the bail with he left hand. A poor design.

The design problems go further. Shop staff and others around Australia confirm that Fireline and the Daiwa Laguna / Kastor do not mix. The fireline catches on the knob that is meant to guide the line into the bail roller. Then the line wraps around the whole bail mechanism several times. It is no wonder that the most expensive model has a different "braid friendly bail system".

Two people I know have separetely gone to Diawa with this problem and have had no satisfaction at all. Just denial so far.

So now I am up to the $300 + mark. I have not explored there yet.

One more thing. When you consider the price, add in the real total cost including spare spools. These are easily $40 + each. Many models come with a spare spool but check the fine print. Some manufacturers give you a "real spool" - of the same quality as the origional. My $150 Kastor came with a plastic spool. Chapskates! the only plastic spools I see are on $20 reels.

In the end my Kastor + metal spare cost as much as a Laguna with a (lesser but metal) spool included.

Fishing was supposed to be fun but trying to get the right gear for a fuss free day is not worth it.

Bottom Line : buy those $15 rod + reel packages from K mart - buy 50. Throw them out at the end of each day OR if you get a tangle. In the end you will save money and have a a more relaxed life.

Gary

[MATTY]

sorry to hear of your probs gary,what okuma did you find heavy?
just for the record i use an okuma 15,had no probs what so ever
suits my diawa rod and although comes with a placcy spare spool
very happy with price of $80 ish,my other reel is a catera again had absolutely no probs with line wrapping etc,no spare spool though,suits my other rod ,a stella.very happy with it.again around $80.until it gets to the stage where i think a reel of around $250-300 is going to help me catch more fish i'm staying with what i've got,rods are another matter & another story.
love the 1000 size but if i find a 800 size i'll get one.
thats my 2 shillings worth

Thanks

The Okuma was an Epix 20. It was noticably heavier that the competitors. Especially the bait runner version the store first showed me.

It is probably excellent and the weight may go into sturdier engineering.

I was only guessing that the end of a day of hundreds of casts the small weight difference woudl be noticablle and turn fun into fatigue. So thats why I didn't buy one - even though it was my first choice when I entered the shop. Maybe I should have stuck with my first inclination!

I know that when buying a notebook computer and lugging it around campus and airports every gramm counts!

Gart

[asugamilla]

Gary , sorry to hear about your okuma woes!
the epix in the baitrunner series is noticably heavier than
the okuma epix efs20.

ive got one and swear by it! its a light little real , silky smooth, lies fireline well and has an excellent drag system for the price which ranges from $120 right up to $170!

each to his own really!

asugamilla

[Granpop]

The Okuma baitrunners are heavier - they have the additional mechanism. I use three different reels for soft plastics - a Pfleuger Trion 1000 & 4lb fireline, an Okuma Avenger 2000 with 6lb fireline and an Epix 2000 with 8lb fireline. Depends on the territory what reel. Open spaces and bream on flats - the Trion, leases and rocks, the Avenger & the Epix if I am after flatties. I also have a Okuma baitrunner 4000 with 15lb fireline for a livey for the odd Jewie.

The 7ft squidy stick gets most of the work and a Penn rod gets the heavy reel.

Dave

[captn' squinty]

very happy with my diawa kastor 2500. 8ft tica graphite extreme rod, i use 6lb fireline. no snag ups. in fact im very happy with both my diawas. have a very old regal z 1500 wooden knob and fold up handle, and she is sweet, the drag is starting to go but so far im very happy with daiwa value and quality.

my lil brother has an okuma epix 2000 very sweet too and good price. my father has daiwa ondine, very sweet. i had one too but mister mack dragged her into the drink!

i dont know maybe the snaggs come from spooling up the line with too little pressure????

[chris_lemess]

[list=1]
Metal body to keep all internals in place under strain / flex
As little plastic as possible (preferably none!)
Enough ball bearings to provide smooth seamless action (no use in having 4 b/b if they're poor quality - check - cheaper reel brands that SEEM competitive for no. of b/b!)
Smooth drag system, fine adjustment clicks
Worm gear or cog driven (WORTH... THE... BUCKS...!)
Thin fine-edged titanium nitride spool lip (casting performance)
As many drag washers as possible in a small reel
Light as possible, rigid, solid and responsive. Shouldn't require momentum to get parts moving
Slow oscillation preferable
As expensive as possible - no, seriously, this ensures quality parts and a reel that will last.
[/list=1]

This is keeping in mind that I would prefer a 2000 sized reel for one of my bream rods, whereas a 1000 is ideal for plastics. Ultimately I'd probably own 5 or 6 setups, but 3 will have to do for now! :D

cheers

[chris_lemess]

... or just buy a worm gear (eg. Stradic) or cog driven (eg. Capricorn) reel.

[chris_lemess]

The system works mate...

[nifty]

Gary , I don't know where the doubt about the Laguna comes from, I use a 2000 Laguna about 5 days a week and I have no trouble at all, I love it, and would buy another one tomorrow if needed....

[peter bear]

fooksy i've got a tica 3000 libra and it may wind fireline around the drag spool but only when the line runs loose after a lot of short casts . easy fix cast long the other way and wind back under pressure .cost me $190 .5 yr warranty.
peter.:)

Thanks guys

I went and got a Shimano Stradic (F)

What a difference! Straight out of the box - no tangles , no reel snags nothing - not one single problem!

I wasn't fishing as such just practicing casting from a marina pontoon for a few hours.

Now I just need to catch some fish!

cheers

Gary

[mike_mad_fisho]

gday
good stuff gary i was going to suggest that reel or the shimano symtere which is another good reel i think it is the model under the stradic.
MB