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Best Salmon Reel?

35K views 38 replies 16 participants last post by  Nor Cal Drifter 
#1 Ā·
I'm looking for the end all be all of salmon reels for drifting. The best money can buy. I own Shimano Calais DC's and have looked into the Calcutta TE DC, but don't know if the line capacity would be enough. I'm thinking a 301 series would be better for salmon.

Any ideas? Thoughts? Comments?
 
#3 Ā·
Ambassadeur Toro 50/51...200 yards of 15# line, 22 pounds of drag...both significantly better than any comparable Shimano.

Fish on...

Todd
I own one of these as well for my salmon float rod, and while the specs are great, I just can't help but think there are reels out there that will cast better. It's probably just me, and I just need to practice my casting with it.
 
#5 Ā·
.......the Calcutta TE DC, but don't know if the line capacity would be enough........
I use a TN12 for albacore and schoolie YFT and a TN30 for wahoo, they have far more line capacity than needed for salmon.
I would suggest #1 TN16DC or #2 TN20DC if you are willing to spend that much $. Fill it with 50lb or 65lb Spectra with a 100yd topshot of whatever mono you prefer and you will not have problems with being spooled. The Trinidad reels are high sped reels (6.2:1) but the large gears and handle make it east to reel in even with a load. Last weekend I was fishing bottom fish in almost 200' of water with a TN12 with out worrying about line capacity and didn't have problems reeling up a 16oz jig.

TN16DC
Mono
16/450, 20/320 (lb test/yards)
Spectra
50/530,65/330,80/250

TN20DC
Mono
20/420, 25/300
Spectra
50/710,65/375,80/310

TN30DC
Mono
25/420, 30/350
Spectra
50/1015,65/515,80/415
 
#6 Ā· (Edited)
You mentioned you are looking for a reel "for drifting" - assuming drift fishing? If so, I strongly recommend the Curado series in either the D or the E flavor. 200 size if you are running up to 12 lb or braid, 300 size if you are running 15 lb or higher. Abu's are nice, but have had better luck with Shimano and who needs 22 pounds of drag anyway!?!?
 
#11 Ā·
If you're going to be bank fishing or making a lot of casts from a drift boat the curado 300 is the way to go. That's what I use on my 17 lb salmon rod (coho, springers, bank salmon above tidewater). If you're not going to be casting all day and weight isn't an issue the 300 and 400 calcuttas are great reels.
 
#12 Ā·
I was reading Keta's posts. If you want to go the overkill route and money and reel weight aren't an object you may want to take a look at the new talica reels. I was playing around with one about a month ago and they are unbelievably smooth reels. You definitely wouldn't want to be casting one all day on the side of the river but if you wanted the nicest salmon trolling reel around that would easily handle tuna as well it would be worth looking at.
 
#17 Ā·
Baitcaster for salmon drift fishing.

I would want something light, low profile, decent line capacity and a disengaging levelwind.

Light, so I can flog for hours if necessary.
Low profile because that design gets my thumb at a more comfortable angle than a round reel.
Line capacity.....self explanatory.
Disengaging levelwind for easier casting and longer range if needed.

The two I would look at would be Curado 300E and Revo Inshore.

The Revo Toro is like a low pro Ambassadeur with a non-disengaging levelwind and the advertised 22 lbs of drag has been proven false by Alan Tani's testing of these reels.
I believe that he recorded 8 lbs of drag out of the box and was able to tweak the drag stack to produce around 15 lbs. His opinion was that any more drag than that would tear up this reel. The report is here in Tech Tips and Keepers.

I wouldn't be happy driftfishing with a reel such as Toro, that does not disengage its levelwind mechanism when in freespool. I prefer this type of reel for boat techniques such as backbouncing, running plugs, trolling, etc.

:twocents:
 
#19 Ā·
Baitcaster for salmon drift fishing.

I would want something light, low profile, decent line capacity and a disengaging levelwind.
...
Disengaging levelwind for easier casting and longer range if needed.
i'd have to completely disagree with you on the disengaging levelwind unless you don't mind being REQUIRED to make an extra long cast every so often to get your line evened out again. also, i've never seen a properly maintained and lubed reel, with a full time levelwind, make any appreciable difference in normal conditions as far as distance is concerned. if a reel with a disengaging levelwind has the line guide stop at either side of the spool, it WILL drastically affect the distance of the cast...

as for the BEST salmon reel? i'd say personal preference would play a huge role in the final answer. some guys don't like round reels, so that would kinda make them a poor choice for the individual don't you think?

all that being said,personally, i'd probably choose a curado 301 (with the drag washers upgraded to carbon fiber) for drift/spinner/spoon fishing. an abu record 60/61 hc for bobber. both choices are more than adequate. i don't need a status symbol, just a good reliable tool. haven't used the revos or several other reels so can't include them in my choices. :twocents:
 
#21 Ā· (Edited)
yep, all just our opinions. not trying to pick on you, just telling it how i see things.

your right. the biggest river i fish on a regular basis would be the wilson. guess my opinions and experience show the fact i do mostly fish small water.

the 301 would be a poor choice for people reeling with the wrong hand, but i was just saying what my own choice would be. LOL
 
#22 Ā·
To answer a few questions:

The reel will be used for drift fishing. It will be seated on a Lami TI2000 TBC 86 H. I'll be fishing quite a few different rivers... Sandy, Clack, Wilson, Wynoochee, Deschutes, JD, etc... Cost isn't a factor, I want the best of the best and yes, in this case, the reel will be a status symbol.

Thanks!
 
#30 Ā·
No offense to Keta (like stated above these are all personal opinions) but if you put a Calcutta TE on that setup you are going to kill the sensitivity of that Lami Ti rod and be fatigued at the end of the day. I'm fishing a very similar rod (IMX 1025c) and I have a Curado 200 E on there. Amazing setup for drift fishing...small/easy to palm, light as a feather, and the high speed retrieve and high efficiancy gearing make casting and retrieving all day long a breeze. I'm fishing either 12 lb mono or 20-30 lb braid and I get plenty of line on there. Anything above 100 yds when you're drift fishing is just backing anyway. You could step up to the new Chronarch, but I don't think they're that much better. Calais is nice, but the drag on the Curado is going to be beefier and no high speed retrieve avail on the Calais. Anyway...my :twocents:.
 
#31 Ā·
The more I think about it, I think I might just get another Calais DC. The Calais DC has a 7.0:1 gear ratio, that seems high speed to me. The drag may be on the weak side, but I don't want to crank it down too much with that rod anyway.
I'm just worried about the lack of line cap... According to Shimano.com, I can get 150 Yards of 30# Power Pro. I wonder how much of 20# PP I can get on it? Or a small diameter copolymer.
The Calcutta TE DC's gear ratio is pretty low, and the weight is slightly higher than the Calais, with similar line caps....
All signs are pointing to a Calais DC.

Thanks guys!
 
#34 Ā·
No offense to Keta (like stated above these are all personal opinions) but if you put a Calcutta TE on that setup you are going to kill the sensitivity of that Lami Ti rod and be fatigued at the end of the day. .
The Calcutta CTE200DC is 9.9 oz Gear Ratio 5.0:1, Max Drag 10lbs the Calais CL200DC is 9.5 oz, Gear Ratio 7.0:1, Max Drag 12lbs. You don't need the high gear for salmon.
 
#33 Ā·
I had a cousin who is in love with his Daiwa Luna's cast a revo winch the other day, and his next reel will be a WInch.. We were casting a little half oz eye bolt an easy 80 yds on a range finder... ANd I am going to have to say that if they tested a Toro to have only 8lbs of drag force in it then he either had a bad one reel, or a bad scale.. JUst got a 20+ lb springer at Drano and it had one of the best drags in it I have ever fished.. THe drag was at 10lbs and was barely turned.....
 
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