Why aren't rear drag spinning reels more popular.

[limeyangler]

It has front and rear drag and looks super smooth. Take that front draggers lol.

 

You adjust the front drag to the strength of the line then use the rear drags for fish fighting. Freaking awesome. 2nd fishing thing I've learned today.

 

LOLOL...i just watched it too....take that front draggers indeed!

 

I'm just gonna go back to the site and check the weight on the thing...see if the front drag adds a lot of weight...

 

 

I think i know what to ask the wife for for my birthday in March.....

[CLofchik]

The center drags disappeared as fast as they came out. I managed to get the Suveran 2000, 3000, 4000 and the cheaper CD6 3000. Now they are in my collector reel collections. They are bullet proof with a wicked drag.

 

You suck.

 

I've had my eye out for a Suveran as a salmon reel for awhile but never ran across any. Now they're going for $400+ on Ebay. Damn.

[JPD]

That reel is kind of like having a tiller and a console in your boat..

 

looks pretty cool!

[Dara]

Front or rear, you drag should be set before you start fishing.

[Syn]

Front or rear, you drag should be set before you start fishing.

 

Set it, and Forget it!--Ron Popeil Dial-o-matic drag

Edited February 10, 2010 by Syn

[fishinguypat]

i find that front drag can be a bit smoother and come off more cleanly as some rear drag's have a little more of stop randomly drag's...although a new daiwa rear drag for steelhead and trout has very smooth drag so i don't really know...nuff said

[supernaut]

The old black Abu Cardinal C3 is still my favorite reel, I'm still using it today gotta be like over 20 years old. Best drag! Like butter!

Abu came out with a rear drag a couple of year ago, nice but not as good as the original.

Edited February 10, 2010 by supernaut

[dave524]

The old black Abu Cardinal C3 is still my favorite reel, I'm still using it today gotta be like over 20 years old. Best drag! Like butter!

Abu came out with a rear drag a couple of year ago, nice but not as good as the original.

 

Supernaut, that's the last model of the classic Abu Cardinal 3, they were marketed by Zebco for a lot of years before that, in mostly cream and green without the skirted spool.

Still got my black Abu Garcias but lost my old Zebco's when my van was broken into

 

Yeah, they are the ones that converted me to rear drags, best drag on the market at the time, now everyone seem to be saying front drags, what's old become new again.

Edited February 10, 2010 by dave524

[solopaddler]

You suck.

 

I've had my eye out for a Suveran as a salmon reel for awhile but never ran across any. Now they're going for $400+ on Ebay. Damn.

 

Me too. Back in the day I couldn't see beyond the heavier weight and passed them up. I don't think there's been a spinning reel made before or since that's as well made. It's the quality of a rolex watch.

Would love to find one myself.

 

 

The old black Abu Cardinal C3 is still my favorite reel, I'm still using it today gotta be like over 20 years old. Best drag! Like butter!

Abu came out with a rear drag a couple of year ago, nice but not as good as the original.

 

I've got an old Abu Cardinal C3 sitting here at home in pretty much mint shape. Hasn't been used in probably 18 years. Make me an offer and it's yours.

[bigfish1965]

I still have a few Abu Trigger Drag reels. Totally awesome. They came out in the 80's for maybe a year or so. You just grab the trigger and adjust the drag by pressure as you fight the fish. Takes a few times to get the hang of it, but for really big fish, the best system I ever found. It was the best thing for fighting big fish in rivers!

[dave524]

I always thought that was the main idea of the skirted spool spinning reel when they came out in the 80's, you could use the exposed skirt like the exposed rim of a fly reel like the old Hardy Marquis or like the rim of a float reel with a bit of finger pressure to momentarily increase the drag.

[okumasheffield]

what about ones like this?

 

apply your own drag like a centerpin!

 

http://www.etuoh.com/products/products_sho...0&fmenu=297

 

wonder why it would never get popular in North America

 

anyone?

[jace]

I always thought that was the main idea of the skirted spool spinning reel when they came out in the 80's, you could use the exposed skirt like the exposed rim of a fly reel like the old Hardy Marquis or like the rim of a float reel with a bit of finger pressure to momentarily increase the drag.

[jace]

I always thought that was the main idea of the skirted spool spinning reel when they came out in the 80's, you could use the exposed skirt like the exposed rim of a fly reel like the old Hardy Marquis or like the rim of a float reel with a bit of finger pressure to momentarily increase the drag.

 

 

It was to stop the line from getting the big tangles on the shaft under the spool. funny you don't remember that. I still have anxiety when i'm using an unskirted spool because it happened so frequently when i was young.

 

the other reason is improved casting. without the line whacking away inside the rotor cup, your long distance casts go farther.

[canadadude]

To almost the man, steelheaders ran those in the 70's / 80's with the odd Daiwa Whisker Tournament , also a rear drag, thrown in the mix. Now, we never had a drag problem and had fish making longer runs than the head shake or brief spurt of a bass or a walleye that didn't fight like it was on life support. My old Cardinals were Zebcos, I don't think Abu Garcia got rights to the name until they marketed a graphite skirted spool remake with the same rear drag and body housing in the late 80's. Near the end of the Zebco run there was some tannish coloured ones as well. BTW Zebco is really an acronym for the full name of "Zero Hour Bomb Company"

 

edit: the Zebcos were made by Abu, kinda strange how Garcia got the bait casters and Zebco marketed the spinners.

when did Daiwa whiskers become rear drag, I' ve been using them for 30 yrs and mine are all front drag. Cardinals were the best rear drag reels made. For me I like the compact design of front drag and it's more convient for me since I've used front drag most of my life. I don't adjust the drag while fighting fish, I've seen way to many fish lost while dudes are screwing with there drag during the fight. #1 tip set your drag when you start fishing and don't worry the rest of the day, do this every time you start because it can be different day in day out!! it only takes a second.

[dave524]

It was to stop the line from getting the big tangles on the shaft under the spool. funny you don't remember that. I still have anxiety when i'm using an unskirted spool because it happened so frequently when i was young.

 

the other reason is improved casting. without the line whacking away inside the rotor cup, your long distance casts go farther.

 

The casting thing makes sense, yes had that unfortunate experience with the line as well. My first spinner, an Airex " Spinster " and my dad's main reel a "Luxor " both had a fine pipe cleaner like wire that ran in a groove around the bottom of the spool between it and the housing, kept grit and line out.

 

when did Daiwa whiskers become rear drag, I' ve been using them for 30 yrs and mine are all front drag.

 

My mistake, never owned one, just remember the profile from river fishing and all these years thought they were rear drag. Actually considering one as a shore casting reel for trout, am I correct about the reputation as good distance casters at least

Edited February 11, 2010 by dave524

[Syn]

Sorry to dig this up but this negative point is very important to future readers.

 

This applies to the symetre and below rear drags, not the uber tri drag reels.

 

If you compare the symetre rear vs front drag you'll also notice that since the drag washers are smaller on the rear drag it consequently can only apply a fraction of the max drag of the front drag symetre eg:

 

 

http://fish.shimano.com/publish/content/gl...symetre_rj.html

SY4000RJ Max Drag (lbs) 6 <---rear drag

 

http://fish.shimano.com/publish/content/gl...Symetre_FI.html

SY4000FJ Max Drag (lbs) 15 <---front drag

 

Same thing with the spirex 9lb rear vs 20lb front drag respectively.

 

 

I don't think this would have much effect if using mono or flouro because you are limited by the thickness of the line, but when using say 45lb braid with such a thin diameter, the rear drag model will have a tough time.

Edited February 16, 2010 by Syn

[CLofchik]

Anyhow since I started using rear drag spinning reel, I find them 10X better than front drag reels...

 

For small fish they're fine.

As soon as you start targetting fish that are actually going to be pulling drag they blow chunks and will cost you fish eventually.

 

Then again I say that about front drag Shimano's too

[MuskyGreenHorn]

I'd like to mention back reeling. I know gusy who swear by it. I am not a fan, but it works. what teh point of paying for a nice mooth expensive drag just to crank it down and reel backwards.

 

Some front drag reel are now doubling up on teh drag washers as well, making them even smooth and more powerful. Okuma calls it dual force drag, washers in 2 spots esentially. I have never had a problem adjusting front drag on the fly, but if i do its a minor adjustment as I have my drag set before I start casting.