Revo LTZ AE74: First on water report-MCYL

[Martin Lo]

Hi guys,
Can't review with any integrity given the short time I've used it. More of a fishing session report featuring the LTZ and the KR-X BFS 782LT

For the proper version with pretty pictures
http://www.facebook.com/BoarNBarra?ref=hl

I've linked it in my recent posts.

enjoy!

BFS Battles: 31 May 2013

Firstly, this ain’t a review. Today’s events was part of an effort that will culminate into the reviews of a series of products however treat this as a blog if you will or a recount of a chain of events I wish to share.

Over the last week I have received the a complete setup in several consignments. Having started fishing on an Abu Garcia rig and being an Abu fan ( I know it ain’t the avantgarde anymore but look to Rabbitohs fans...loyalty does get rewarded if you wait long enough ), this a setup with great expectations.

So after picking up the Salty Stage KR-X SBFC-782LT-KR and after a week the Revo LTZ AE-74 left handed wind.

On inital inspection neither impressed me, the Salty Stage was attractive but the details were not up to Majorcraft Volkey standards but it was 7’8” and I wanted the longest BFS rod available. The LTZ AE74 had flaws it’s paintwork and molding that I would not expect of a reel costing 47700 JPY. Worse still was that line would slip between the frame and spool requiring the removal of the spool to clear. I’ll save that for the review.

Still I was itching to take the setup on the water, although I had also bought a set of hedgehog micro finesse bearing to suit I decided I will fish a few months using the standard Abu BFXT bearings. So the only preparation I did for the reel was to flush the bearings and relube.
The question often asked about finesse reels is that how light and how far can it cast, so I spooled on 35m of 6lb Platypus Super 100 and picked a 3.5g strike pro crankbait as a lure with poorer aerodynamics are handy to assess a reels braking characteristics.

So here I was flicking away and was immediately impressed. With the spool tension set so its just enough to remove sideplay this reel was brilliant. The setting between lowest and highest was huge with the mid point being a fair median just as advertised.

I casted as far as I could, then I casted as hard as I could. Even in the failing light it was very easy to handle the cast and aside from loose line it was the most manageable reel I have ever casted. I tried to see if the spool would stop itself ala T3 Air, so on a higher mag brake setting I whipped the lure out as hard as I could. When I looked down I found the spool still spinning yet there were no loose loops! It turned out that wind on the mono was enough to start the spool...on standard bearings (albeit Abu’s premiums)

As chuffed as I was that I was onto a winner that required only a bit of handiwork to optimise what happened next was the icing on the cake. While testing for accuracy I was aiming at the edges of lily ponds and sure enough the lure caught the attention of a barra. There’s a reason this place is a routine testing area for B’n’B. Now, I like light lines but 6lb mono that’s known for its suppleness at exactly the right line for taking what constitutes an oversized LMB with sandpaper for lips. My first surprise was feeling the soft ticks ( barra attacking something small in colder water) on such a long flexible rod armed with very elastic monofilament. I was expecting this rod to be more for visual detection like a trout rod but it its sensitivity was much better than expected. After setting the hook, the next 10minutes was simply spell binding.
After 5 secs, with 6lb line and no leader, if your quarry is still on the line it means the line ain’t in its mouth. So aside from hard runs and snags your chances of landing it is quite good. I estimate that this fish was on the smaller side around 75-80cm however I was amazed that the combination of the rods give, the reels drag and its ability to take up slack quickly kept me in contention and soon I had the upper hand. It is amazing to see a lunker (13lb+) pulling hard against light line especially when it was closer up and each run I did not expect the line to hold. but hold it did. This is all in hindsight because at the time I was rather delighted at an unadvertised feature of this reel, the drag clicks as line is paid out! This feature can be polarizing among anglers and the 1st of its kind on a BFS reel but I absolutely love it, I hope I can capture it on video for viewers someday. Despite having been disappointed earlier with both rod and reel I realised I was onto a winner. Surely fuzzy paint lines, visible decals screens and poorly sanded molding tabs can be forgotten ( or fixed during a tune that will definitely happen) for a setup that casts far, accurately, can protect light lines with aplomb and a clicking drag that advertises to others “FISH ON!” as a bonus.

The story ends in an anticlimax. As yours truly is still trying to adjust to left handed reels, I wanted to test how linear and consistent the drag was on higher pressures and twisted the drag star clockwise...the barra Carpe the Diem, bolted straight into the weeds and soon managed to shake off the hooks as line pressure was taken up on the lotus stalks instead of its mouth.

Though I had no fish to lip it was one of my most exciting experiences in the recent past. A landed fish is just another landed fish when done on a daily basis but a knife edge fight was clearly something to remember, and now share.

Now, I will try to catch something again tomorrow, plus B’n’B’s birdnesting expert Jesse will attempt to do just that.

Will keep you posted.

Tight Lines!

Martin Lo


Apologies for the short article but I want solid fishing sessions in some tougher environments before posting a proper review as previously done in the past.

If there is anyone has testing criterias they wish examined please let me know

Martin

[Partizan Fk]

Nice update on a wicked setup.Interesting you run platypus 100 i love that line mate been using it since Jesus was a kid on my bait fishing setups with great success.Can i ask mate what distances you were getting and what your lure weighed.

[MattGeyer91]

They look awesome! How do they compare to the conquest and core 50? I was just going to put a shallow in my reco mgx and do a bearing upgrade but i think i will just get one of those spare spool to which is handy

[Martin Lo]

Originally Posted by Partizan Fk

Nice update on a wicked setup.Interesting you run platypus 100 i love that line mate been using it since Jesus was a kid on my bait fishing setups with great success.Can i ask mate what distances you were getting and what your lure weighed.

Mate, I have no idea. I am absolutely stumped. It's a strikepro, I buy a heap of small lures when they are in bargain bins just for situations like this....barra heavy environment and 6lb like.



It is the pink one, but I couldn't find it on the catalogue.. it aint the little 3.5g jerkbait, its heavier than the 3.5g smolt but lighter than the cultiva mira and OSP dunk 48sp which is around 5g? I at a guess it's around 4-4.5g

set on the "0" position I was reaching approx 15-17m, on 6 clicks of min. I reached around 20+m (24turns of the handle). Today I casted a 1/8jighead with 2"gulp shad a full 22m it stopped mid air with arbor knot holding.
Big fail on testing today, clipped grass on a low cast. Didn't have spare line and when trying to spool line from the core it birdsnested so 22m was all I had. haha can't blame Belly, he's a great business partner but BC reels just aint for him... Saying that however, for someone who have birdsnested every reel I've gotten him to try...he casted 1/8oz + gulp fine with this reel. BFS casting on mono, tension cap just stopping lateral motion...this thing is a casting machine.

[Martin Lo]

Originally Posted by MattGeyer91

They look awesome! How do they compare to the conquest and core 50? I was just going to put a shallow in my reco mgx and do a bearing upgrade but i think i will just get one of those spare spool to which is handy

I hate ppl that say " wait for the review " so:

1. It looks crap, bad paint on yellow stripes, the carbon sideplates had the molding tags finished off poorly, the whole thing was oily. BFC knobs looks s***.
2. During spooling 6lb mono goes between the spool + frame.
then..
3. Retrieve is smoother than a slower core, similar to an alphas type R with upgraded handles. Smooth on resistance baits too.
4. Casting is phenomenal, its day 2 using it and it seems to cast further and easier than the supertuned core and alphas with mb spool. A direct head to head will be done soon.

5. the spare spool has got double capacity... similar to your mgx.

Buying? It depends on how much you rate the extra features
RRP LT is 260, AE74 470
is 210 difference worth spare spool, handle ( I'd take money off for the paint job) ? For me the tuned brakes, faster gear and loud drag click on retrieve has me won over.

On either decision, whatever you decide I'll try to help you out on the procurement. There's enough of a demand from everyone I heard to proper establish means of getting new and used JDM into Aust.

Have a good day