Am I destroying my reels...

[kemper]

Every company has its ups and downs, for example I had a shimano rod blow up on the first hookset but I still trust shimano over any other brand of mass produced fishing gear.

 

My favourite brand? Raven. I have NEVER had any raven product fail and/or not perform as it was supposed to.

[outdoorguy61]

Reading through a few posts on this thread, the one comment I would reluctantly leave is that most people simpley have little idea about what they are buying, given todays disposeable world.

 

If you really want to get serious about a reel, please look at how it is made of and how it is put together. This is not as simple a statement as it seems as most people do not have an inkling about what to look for be it what the body is made of, bearings, bushings, materials and overall construction. It is astounding to see how poorly educated people have become about fundamental construction, in lieu of....... plastic and terminology that is misconstrued as knowledge.

 

Apologys if this has offended some, but if you are looking for a reel that will actually last you a long time, you must forget most things promoted and go back to basics. I have no need to promote a brand nor model, but do hope that somehow, somewhere that people get some legitimate knodeledge without the hype.

 

Please take your time in buying a reel.

 

outdoorguy61

[bassjnkie]

your right lets mention the models

 

I had 2 epixor bait runners. I sold them, cheap construction, twists under pressure, and to top it all off the runner switch fails to engage most of the time. I had the same problem with 2 avenger bait runners, sold them.

 

Bait casters: Can't remember the name, it's the higher end model $150 of something. Poorly built compared to other reels in the price range, noisey gears, terrible drag, not the greatest bearings, etc... I sold them a week later.

 

Personally I will never purchase an Okuma again.

 

BUT, BUT, BUT, I am not in any way saying Okuma makes the worst reels, they are just entry level.

 

Daniel

[bassjnkie]

Reading through a few posts on this thread, the one comment I would reluctantly leave is that most people simpley have little idea about what they are buying, given todays disposeable world.

 

If you really want to get serious about a reel, please look at how it is made of and how it is put together. This is not as simple a statement as it seems as most people do not have an inkling about what to look for be it what the body is made of, bearings, bushings, materials and overall construction. It is astounding to see how poorly educated people have become about fundamental construction, in lieu of....... plastic and terminology that is misconstrued as knowledge.

 

Apologys if this has offended some, but if you are looking for a reel that will actually last you a long time, you must forget most things promoted and go back to basics. I have no need to promote a brand nor model, but do hope that somehow, somewhere that people get some legitimate knodeledge without the hype.

 

Please take your time in buying a reel.

 

outdoorguy61

 

 

Agree 100%

[irishfield]

..and like reels don't lump sum "plastic" into one category of junk. I've been moulding it for 23+ years... we make too many things to mention.. one being military night scope/site casings for Hughes Leitz.. that make them for the US army. This "plastic" is stronger than steel and we have the destroyed machine screw barrels to prove it. We also were the pioneer that made the first seat belt locking mechanism for GM from "plastic". Sure there's junk out there... but given the right design/product I can make you a completely plastic reel.. gears.. case... mount and even the damn handle that would outlast anyting on the market. Would you wanna pay for it... I doubt it ! LOL

Edited November 19, 2008 by irishfield

[bassjnkie]

..and like reels don't lump sum "plastic" into one category of junk. I've been moulding it for 23+ years... we make too many things to mention.. one being military night scope/site casings for Hughes Leitz.. that make them for the US army. This "plastic" is stronger than steel and we have the destroyed machine screw barrels to prove it. We also were the pioneer that made the first seat belt locking mechanism for GM from "plastic". Sure there's junk out there... but given the right design/product I can make you a completely plastic reel.. gears.. case... mount and even the damn handle that would outlast anyting on the market. Would you wanna pay for it... I doubt it ! LOL

 

I agree that all plastic based reels are not crap. You mentioned plastic moulding for military. If you were to make a reel to military specs, plastic, and I am sure ballistics, that reel will cost a fortune. Damn I want one already. LOL

[outdoorguy61]

I respectfully defy anyone to point out a mass produced reel with a body, made to withstand the tolerances commonly seen in industrial, military use using plastic at the present time. I stand by by comment and welcome being wrong.

 

I would actually love to be proven wrong. It begins with the body and how it is constructed. Simple, functional performance driven, fully capeable for a prolonged period of use, is not as common as one might think.

 

I see a tiny amount of people, mainly in the US that tweek their reels to make them perform better, and for that I am greatful. Taking or accepting sub par materials or " fun with machining" plastic, or some other weak link like gearing, is no longer worth it. I wish more people would do this or at least begin to challenge most of what is currently available.

 

If you bring it all back to the basic fundamentals and know what to ask, and how something should trully feel with better than average parts and machining.... and are really serious about wanting a performance reel that will last, your choices are greatly reduced.

 

Make no mistake that you do get what you pay for, but knowing that true value in the middle ground is next to lost for most consumers. It is interesting to watch and fool around with, but I honestly see very little out there.

 

* On a light note to Irishfield, you might be interested in noting that at least one former Canadian parts aircraft company made a few fishing reels. The Coates Aircraft company from Vancouver made them for a brief period of time following WW2. I suspect that they must have been doing a bit of machining for Boeing. Also....on a southern Ontario note...... the Bata Show company helped make bomb sites or some such thing during WW2 and actually made a nicely machined baitcasting reel (2 models if memory serves me correctly).

 

outdoorguy61

Edited November 20, 2008 by outdoorguy61

[MJL]

I was always told to put my faith in 2 things

1. The Lord

and

2. Shimano or Daiwa spinning reels

 

I've seen a few Okuma baitrunners end up in the drink because the baitrunner somehow malfunctioned when the carp took. I briefly owned 1 quantum hypercast II for about 5 months. Within 3 months the trigger mechanism for the bail wore out and at 5 months my first chrome chinny of the year smoked my drag (Literally). Smoke could be seen coming out from underneath the knob and the first washer on the spool was very warm to the touch. After that, the drag was very jerky and pretty much shot.

 

You get what you pay for. Still using my Shimano Stradic from 1999 and it works like new.

[CLofchik]

You get what you pay for. Still using my Shimano Stradic from 1999 and it works like new.

 

Heh I had the exact same thing happen with the drag actually melting.........only it was my 2nd or 3rd Stradic and it broke on the first fish. Granted it was a 35lb fresh chinny hen on 8lb line, but still I was irked. Now when I say "2nd or 3rd Stradic" that doesn't mean I'm a proponent of Shimano......I just went through four Stradics in one year until the original warranty ended. And it wasn't even the same design flaw, anti-reverse went on the first, blew two drags (one melted, one just refused to apply tension) and the worm gear became double threaded on the last. It was plastic. Not exactly impressive on the first spinning reel I spent more than $100 on.

 

I'm more than happy with Okuma Avenger's, mine lasted four seasons pier chucking and landed in the neighbourhood of 500+ salmon.

While definitely a budget reel it performed about 3500% better than the last half dozen Shimano reels I've owned. I've run into a few carpers this year that HATED the baitrunner version, but the front drag performed admirably for me.

 

Honorable Mention goes to Quantum Energy (since morphed into the PTi line), decent spinning reels that never broke until dropped a canoe on one and drove over the other.

 

If you want to help Bob Izumi on payments for his 5th house and never stress your reels past 50% of capacity......by all means Shimano's are perfect for you.

If you want a functional reel that performs as good or better than Shimano's at 1/2 price, go Okuma

 

Now if only Daiwa would drop the crazy markup on 25 year old reels I might pickup another of my beloved Whiskers......premium pier chucking goodness.