what's your one and only favorite reel?

[CHUMSALMON]

mine would have to be the reel i started baitcasting with my bantam shimano 100, still works today, not the best one i have but still my favoite! images/icons/smile.gif images/icons/smile.gif

[Backlash2]

Chronarch Super Free.....hands down the smoothest, sweetest casting reel I have ever used. Holds plenty of 8-12 lb. mono, and if you need to get stouter, it still holds more than enough 50 lb. superbraid....

[Threemuch]

I have a Penn 320 GTI that I took the level wind off of when I wore it out. It's a cheap reel, but has been bulletproof. 7 years and 3 drags later, I use this reel more than any of my others.

[Bobberdown]

Out of all the freeking reels I have that cost me an arm and a leg, my favorite is a used reel I bought at a garage sale. It is an Abu Garcia 522 syncno drag. Love this dang thing.

[Perfect Drift]

Abu's 2500c, I have 3 and would be 3 more if they still made them. I love that little reel.

[Tanner]

I just bought the Curado Free and it is a sweeeeeeeeeeet reel. I must say though. I own like fourteen Ambassadeur 5501 and 6501 reels and they have been the most dependable reels I have ever owned. I use all of them for steelhead, coho, chinook and walleye and they just last longer than any reel I have ever owned.

[willierower]

Shimano Bantam 201 SG.

[Ramstrong]

I would have to say the ABU 5500. That reel has never let me down. Ever. I wouldn't recommend a calcutta. Mine is absolute garbage and I will never buy one again. I was able to play with a curado the other day and they seem nice though.

[Kenia]

Abu 6500 cs
Best reel I have ever used.

[Sand Shrimp]

Shimano Curado.

[Deleted User]

Any of my ABU Ambassadeurs pre-80's. Best baticasting reel ever made!My second choice would be Shimano 201 Curado a better reel for me than the Calcutta at about $50 less.
Stew

[ 09-05-2001: Message edited by: BIGSTEW ]

[Richter]

I'm with you willierower, Shimano Bantam 201 SG

[mic4fish]

Shimano 251 hands down. "I cant get it out of the rod holder"

[Deleted User]

Hey guys I have a Shimano 201 SG that I would trade straight across for another Curado 201. It's in excellent condition.
Stew

[willierower]

Stew and Ramstrong,
May I ask what problems you have had with the Calcuttas?
I have a 151 and a 251. Tey both have held up better than my Curados.
And stew, I will part with my 251 SG when Im dead, So you will have to wait images/icons/grin.gif

[FishinMission]

Can I have 2 fav's?? Ambasseduer 5501, and 6501. Also got a Shimano 251 Bantam Mag, but that would make it 3 images/icons/wink.gif

[larry]

Very happy with my Ultra Cast 5601 c Abu Garcia. It has been very dependable. Best of luck to all........ images/icons/grin.gif

[invader]

daiwa 50H.....16 years and still tickin!

[Firedog]

I guess my fav would be my old 5600AL, although I dont use it much anymore. This was my first casting reel 20+ years ago.This was also one of the first to come out with the thumbbar for spool release. My favorites that I still use have to be my old 6001's can't hardly hurt them and they just keep on catching fish. Oil them once in awile and change drag washers when needed and you can't go wrong. Can't beat an ambassaduer for durability images/icons/smile.gif

[ 09-05-2001: Message edited by: firedog ]

[Pete]

My one and only steelhead casting reel: Shimano Bantam Mag Plus.
My one and only salmon/shaker reel: Penn 965
My one and only fly reel: Marryat #56...22 years and going strong (cuz I can't afford an Abel TR/2

[Deleted User]

Uh....willierower I don't want your 251 SG. I have nothing against Calcutta's as a matter of fact I have a 151 but I like the Curado better. Now the Calcutta 400 (Do they make that in LH?) is another story! I've used them and for a large salmon boat reel they are the best I've used. The smaller 200 series type reels my first choice is the old ABU's. For the newer styles I like the Curados.
Stew

[SSPey]

Sage 509

[Ramstrong]

PWillie,

My calcutta has had some problems with the spool. The metal pieces where the centrifugal brakes connect to the spool crack from the plastic in the spool and come loose. This has happened to me twice when trying to lay out long casts and the whole rod seizes up with the little plastic and metal pieces loose in there. never ever had anything like that happen with the 5500's and I've trashed them while babying the calcutta.

[ 09-05-2001: Message edited by: Ramstrong ]

[Trick]

Used my ABU 6501 for a decade. Replaced a Bantam that I cut my teeth on in the late 80's. Never missed a beat. Never has it been torn down completly to clean. It helped my son land his first steelhead this summer.

Picked up another 5501 c3 this summer and abused the hell out of it this season. It was rode long and hard Sunday landing 4 20-30lb chinooks. Along with a half dozen that broke off or threw the hooks. These reels take the abuse and don't miss a beat.

What more can I say?

[willierower]

Stew,
I meant 201 not 251.....Sometimes my fingers work faster than my brain.....
Ramstrong,
Thats the first time Ive heard of any kind of problem with a Calcutta. The only complaint I have about mine is, The drags wear out way too fast.

[First Bite]

Shimano Curado is my choice. I've landed Chinook over 40 pounds and countless steelhead and it's never failed me.
Mark

[Eric]

BANTAM 201 SG OR BANTAM 251 !!!!!

Anyone for starting a letter writing campaign to get shimano to pull their heads out of their arsses and start manufacturing these beautiful reels again?

My 201 finally died and I am babying my 251 to keep it pumping in the steelies.

Best reels I've ever used and that includes all the space-age crap they produce today.

[Pilar]

I guess you guys are talking about 'little' reels. There are 2 which are indispensible to 'Pilar'.

Bar none the Diawa 50H is the king. When they quit making them a few years ago I spent $200 buying every one I could find at $50 each. Diawa has started producing them again but the price has tripled.

This reel has a one piece frame made of aluminum and is very simple in design. It can hold 350 yds of #80 tuffline. Nothing beats it in the Ocean or on the bank below Bonneville Dam. Bolt a 50H onto a 17' Lamiglass sturgeon rod and launch your gear 1/2 way across the river. Then drag big daddy to the bank. Or go to sea and fight 40mph Albacore. Or Chinook Salmon in T Bay. Or Halibut in 600' of water. The eldest one I own is 14yrs old. Cost me $39 at GI Joes. 3 drag packs and a set of gears later this reel killed a dozen Tuna with ease.

Having said all that I like the Penn 4/0 senator also. If you can find an old one at a garage sale, buy it.

[Bobberdown]

For all you Ambassador owners that like the smooth drags in the Shimano reels you can put the Shimano drag washers in the Ambassador reels and it makes the drags smooth as silk. Also they last longer. You can buy the washers up in Portland at that reel repair shop I think its called Ali Damons (prob spelled wrong) for about 4 dollars. I have changed all of mine out and about half of my friends.

[STRIKE ZONE]

Calcutta 151 for steelies.
Calcutta 251 for salmon.
Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

[TH]

This one comes up a few times each year amd my answers never seem to change.

Chronarch 100 ... by far the smoothest reel out there under $200
Calcutta 400 for big chinook
and my father and I have a wonderful collection of Bantam 100, 200, 300's...
for hatchery steelies every year I bring out a few rose-handled 100's just for old time sake... and they are still as smooth as ever.

Spinning reel has to bethe Sustain 2500.. I fished the Stradic 2000 for a number of years but once I broke down and spent the money ... the Stradics stay home and the Sustains make the trip... I wonder what the Stella is like?? would I leave the Sustains at home? I may have to find out this year!

I gues I am a shimano guy!

Thanks for letting me play

[Crusin]

Calcutta 400 and of course when i want to have fun my calcutta 400 gt...favorite reel? thats like asking for favorite fishing day..

[Robert]

By far tyher best sturgeon bank reel is the 50h. It cast really far and has a really fast retreive. It is way better then the penn 209 and 309's When you cast a long ways for sturgeon, or hook big ones its great. The reel is also great for plunking for salmon on the columbia.

[alwyze fishin]

All I got to say is Shimano Calcutta and then you pay for what you get. 5 years in use for salmon and steelhead so I guess for those that have the money or the talk to say they got
3 + X what ever. that would make 10 years for MY and it is still not to where I like the drag to be

GOD MADE YOUR THUMB FOR A REASON

Lose them then blame the reel

Jeff

[fishbait]

1. Ambassadour 6501 C4 (the blue one)
2. Ambassador 6001C/5001C
3. Shimano 251SG

I have a 5001C that has literally landed ton's of fall chinook over the last 20 years. Honest. I use Penn drag washers, and usually can get a full season on one set, not always vs. 4 sets of the ambassador drag washers per season. Have not tried the shimano....anybody tried both and have a favorite...Penn vs. Shimano

[smilesforu]

bantam 1000p for big water/ 350 bmp bantam for the small stuff .....love the direct drive switches.

Before them it would have been the Penn 109 for big water /plueger supreme for rivers.

BTW them old ambassaduers can be modified so they are a direct drive switch reel images/icons/smile.gif.

[hustlerrjim]

shimano 251sg I found 2 of them in the box at a garage sale- 10 dollars each I screwed them down to 15 dollars for both as they didn't have line on them,also got enough parts to rebuild 4 reels at a salem sporting goods store ;only problem is post gets loose but have built a tool to tighten that up.

[Deleted User]

You can modify an old Ambassadeur by removing the dog on the anti-reverse cog but I wouldn't recommend it. It would be better if you replaced the drag set-up to the kind that came with the 5000D.
Stew

[boater]

[ 09-08-2001: Message edited by: boater ]

[smilesforu]

Actually Stew the modification I am speaking off doesn't remove the cog. But you do need to have the case cut for a switch that attaches to the cog and extends through the side case. I never have really like the drag setup on the 5000D prefer the bantam direct drive switch.

[SuperT]

My Ocean City model 76 fly reel. It was the first reel my grandpa gave me. Soon it will be resting above my mantle mounted on his first fly rod, a custom 3 piece bamboo. Boy, do I wish he still had it. images/icons/frown.gif

[Tinman]

My favorite reel is the Daiwa SL20SH. It has the smoothest drag I've ever seen, and a possum-belly gearcase that gives it a 6:1 gear ratio. It literally gulps line as you spin the handle. It's perfect for 12 and 15 pound line. Mine have endured 10 years of saltwater, and are in great shape