Favorite casting real

[Corkie Monster]

What's your favorite bait caster? Mine is my Calcutta 151 for steelies, and For nooks, I'm not sure, right now I use a 6601 CB but it does'nt seem to have enough drag pressure so I'm forced to use my thumb to slow a fish with #50 Tuff line.

[Jennie@ifish]

Nothing beats my Calcutta, nuttin!

But now that I can see it, YUCK! It needs to be polished before I can wear it around my neck to church this Sunday. :smile:

[Flatfish]

Any old brown or green Abu will do.
Mark and wiggle puppy.

[Nanook]

[ 11-25-2002, 10:59 AM: Message edited by: ****** ]

[Paddlefish]

My 1960 vintage Pflueger Akron -- my first-ever fishing reel, given to me by my uncle.

No free spool. No drag -- other than the skin on your thumb. :shocked: A true knucklebanger. It needs maybe half an ounce of weight to get it in motion on the cast, but then it'll cast a mile.

I don't fish with it much anymore, but it still has taken my largest chinook and largest steelhead.

And I get a neat, warm feeling when I use it . :cool:

[ 11-10-2002, 09:09 AM: Message edited by: Paddlefish ]

[husker]

5501 c3 - 6501 c3

graemlins/applause.gif graemlins/lurk.gif :cheers:

[Thumper]

Surprisingly --- My Quantum PR600 levelwinds. Unbelievable quality, 8 ball-bearings, wiffle spool, magnesium components, etc. Ultra nice reels, but deathly allergic to saltwater. Also my Diawa Millionnaire CVZ-253A levelwind. Smoothest reel I have ever owned. But the Calcuttas are kinda nice too, even if primitive.......

[Corkie Monster]

******....

That's my reel, aint she pretty?

[Nanook]

[ 11-25-2002, 10:59 AM: Message edited by: ****** ]

[luguando]

I like my Penn 965 for salmon.

[Tanner]

My favorite casting reel is the one that I catch fish on. Oh, I guess that would be all of them. :grin:
Actually I am a die hard Ambassadeur fan I own several 5501 and 6501 reels. I have not counted lately, but if I had to guess, I would say I own. 7 or 8 6501's and 16-18 5501's.

Also, my son and I each have a Curado. He has the base model and I have the BSF. Nice casting reel with a great drag but I don't think they can take near the beating that my Ambassadeurs have.

[foxer]

Bought a 5500c3, but I like my old MAG II better

[fishing is life]

shakespere supra xt, 29.99 bass pro shops, holds 140yds 20# test. used it for 3 years everywhere and is just like new.

[onstep]

bantam 50. WAY more power than a calcutta. I have them on all of my salmon rods they flat out perform. The calcutta 251 is a wonderful steelhead reel.

[mallard0311]

Calcutta is the smoothest I have found yet. Well built and easy to cast.

[Rusty]

For Steelhead I am HOOKED on my vintage Shimano 201 SG's I own 4 of them and wouldn't take $200.00 per reel!

The problem is finding them, and secondly, parts are impossible to find. (Ask Ollie Damon).

That's my 2 cents worth. It's Shimano's for me.

Rusty

[Corkie Monster]

Anyone know how to increase the drag strength of my 6601 CB??? Besides my thumb.

[Small Fry]

I have to say my 5500 and the 6501 C3
Spinning is my old Damm Quick It's gotta be 30 yrs old. All I have ever done to it was replace the bail spring.

[timinthegorge]

Although I haven't had it long, I'm lovin' my Curado BSF......

It casts into the next county, and the drag is silky smooth........

I've only caught one 20 lb. nook on it..... but the reel looks like a keeper, just like that 'nook was! :cheers:

[Wright Angle]

Daiwa Millionaire CVZ 300A

http://www.ifish.net/uploads/244414311.jpg

X-Treme Performance System
6 Ball Bearings Plus 1 Roller Bearing
6 Point Support System
Super Speed Shaft & Dura-Loc Pinion System
Infinite Anti-Reverse Bearing
Frame & Sideplates Are Precision Machine Cut From Solid 5056 Bar Stock Aluminum
Hard Anodized Frame & Sideplates
Machined Aircraft Aluminum Spool
Sideplates Have Dura-Aluminum Rings
X-Treme Drag System With 7 Drag Washers
Titanium Nitrided Stainless Steel Line Guide
Magforce-V Anti-Backlash System
Centriflex Centrifugal System And Spool Click On Model 300A
3 Right Hand and 2 Left Hand Models

[ 11-08-2002, 02:48 PM: Message edited by: Wright Angle ]

[KingFisher85]

For my bank fishing
Chinooks=abu 6001
Silvers= abu 6001 and 5501
Steelhead= abu 5501 and 3500

For plunking
Daiwa Sealine 47H
Ocean Fishing
Daiwa Sealine 50H

For my Columbia River Sturgeon fishing
Penn 320 with #65 tuff line

Them are my reels that I use.

[oregonwrestler]

i'm with tim...i love my shimano curado BSF. super smooth, super long, and super accurate. i've caught a ton of steelies and a couple of nice nookies on it as well!

[Irie1]

shimano's Beast master w/flipp'n switch, is my goto reel. I only get it out when I know I'll catch fish. I've used it for everything!, from backbounce'n to pull'n butt's and lings from the deep. My daily work horses are calcutta's. Very hard to beat. :smile:

[Jettin' Fool]

Curado BSF for da steelies and The Calcutta 401 TE for da Hawgs.

http://www.sportfiskeboden.com/catalog/products/img/shimano-calcutta.jpg

Fool :cool:

[Stew]

Curado 201 BSF or Calcutta 151 for steelhead. Shimano Catala 401 for salmon. Catala is not as good as Calcutta but it has served me well and I have no complaints.
****** you are insane :grin: :cheers: graemlins/hearton.gif

[ 11-08-2002, 05:42 PM: Message edited by: Shane S ]

[TH]

Here is my list...

Salmon reels.. Calcutta 400 (ABEC 7) upgrade bearings w/ Red rocket fuel. The upgrade bearings and red rocket fuel (salt water grade) are just for fun... they really "hot rod" the reels, but it isn't necessary for boat rods.. the standard c400 wil be just fine.

Steelie casting reels.. Shimano Chronarch 100 (again ABEC 7) bearing upgrades... yellow rocket fuel (this sucker is a hot rod of all hot rods)

Steelie spinning reels.. I really like the Shimano Stradic 2000 but my new Shimano Sustain 4000 is the cream of the crop. .... wow..

FYI I have all of my reel work (bearing upgrades and cleaning as well as the rocket fuel) done at
Heartland Tackle Service (http://www.heartlandtackleservice.com/)

Jim is, "THE MAN" when it comes to casting reels..
I sent him (6) Shimano Calcutta C400 a week or so ago.. he'll completely go through them.. scrub the heck out of them ... clean and re-lube drags (replace if needed) clean and lube bearings with red rocket fuel (saltwater grade) for $15 a reel.. the ABEC 7 bearing up grades will cost you another $7.

I'll send in 6-8 Shimano Chronarch's next week for the same treatment.

Like I said.. the bearing in the c400 are just for fun.. but I would highly recommend them in the Curado or Chronarch or Calcutta 150-250 casting reels..

[blacktail]

I'm like Rusty. I like my old Shimano 201 SG for steelhead.

I get along fine with a 6501C for salmon.

Mike

[STEELHEADHOUND1357]

curado bsf is the only reel i would use for steelhead and salmon for baitcasting.

THOSE CALCUTTA'S :hoboy:

[TH]

One of the reasons I went away from the Calcutta 250 was that I couldn't et mt thumb into and onto the spool.. I think with the bearing upgrades the Curado BSF is much better than the Caluctta 250..

I bought my wife the 100 and she loves it.. it is a sweet reel.

I also like the lower profile of the curado/chronarch compared to the Calcutta 250, much better fit for my hand..

[Keta]

Calcutta 51

[Nanook]

TH - all the way to Kansas? If he is the man, sounds likes a great upgrade for my 400's.

Shane! graemlins/hearton.gif

Rick

[ 11-08-2002, 07:59 PM: Message edited by: ****** ]

[kenai]

Abu 5500C, I purchased 1973, rebuilt with some hot rod drag washers. smooothdrags (http://www.smoothdrag.com)

[TH]

I had trouble with the Kansas thing at first too.. but from what I have seen and everything I have heard about him.. insure those puppies and get them off to him ASAP.

I pick a time in the year when I know I won't be able to fish for a couple weeks. and send them off.

I am done fishing in the salt for now.. so I sent all my c400's off last week.. I should get them back next week..

Let me know what you think..

[Rip-a-Lip]

Curado BSF

[Tillamook Slugger]

I don't understand why the newer reels - Shimano, Diawa, etc... - freespool cast without the levelwind mechanism tracking in sync with the spool. All the old reels track the levelwind to the spool action, the new ones track the levelwind to the crank only. Drives me nuts, I can't fish steelhead with them. Give me a 1970's vintage 5500C with the two chrome endcaps for surefire steelhead casting.

[rags]

Curado BSF graemlins/applause.gif

[Timber]

BMP 251 for steelhead aand bobber fishing tide water. I have 5 an would not sell for any amount. Tim

[k9jeff]

I have a Diawa Millionaire for boat salmon,
I have a Quantam Iron for steelhead, which is not the best, but works for me (until christmas anyway)
I also have a VLX5000c that I love, its very smooth.
I also have an asst. of Penns which I have had forever.

I am a Quick fan for spinning. I many of them (collection?) and use em all the time.

[SteelieSteve]

Just because I don't spend much on newer equipment I use my Shimano 251 mag plus for steelies and a ABU 6501 for salmon. I have many others but these get the most use. Gotta love the old 251's. :smile:

[SteelieKing]

Abu Garcia

[Wog]

For Steelhead I Prefer the Shimano 201BSF.

For Salmon The ABU Garcia 6501C works well for me.

[bonker]

mooching: shimano 1000 plus