Level winds

[Jennie@ifish]

What is the most important feature, when you purchase a new level wind?
The feel in your hand?
The brand? How important is it that you have always used this brand?
How smooth it is?
The price?
The look?
The commercials? :smile:
Just wondering.
I know that I am always pulled by past satisfaction with that company, and I am afraid to say it, but if it is more expensive, it attracts me more..., like, "400 bucks? MUST BE GREAT!!!"
Do you buy your reels off E Bay? And if so, what questions do you ask the seller?
Jen

[Spooled]

I think the most important feature is, what kind of fishing you are going to use the reel for. Salmon, steelhead, trolling, casting, whatever.

Next would be casting and smooth drag. For casting I like the Shimano Curado. It is great for steelhead and can handle salmon when needed. For salmon ABU/Garcia 6500's are tough to beat. Great drags, cast OK, and super durable.

For trolling and pulling plugs, I bought 2 Shimano LC1500 line counter reels off E-Bay. They have, in my opinion the smoothest drag of any reel I have fished with. They don't cast worth a darn. I did not ask any questions of the seller, as he had a good descripition of how they were used and what shape they were in. They were in like new condition when I got them, and still are. No problems what so ever. I'll admit to being worried about buying them on E-Bay. They are the only thing I have bought on E-Bay, worked out great. I guess you have to have a certain amount of trust in humans to buy there. :smile:

Have a great Christmas,

Troy

[ 12-24-2001: Message edited by: Spooled ]</p>

[Thumper]

I am a sick man. In the last five years I've bought over 50 reels off Ebay. And I'm not done yet. I've come to fall in love with the high-end reels, which usually can be purchased for about 75% of retail brand new, or about 40-50% if very, very slightly used, even after shipping charges. I've never had a bad transaction; i.e., every reel has been exactly as advertised. That says something about the kind of folks who sell new fishing stuff on Ebay. They are mostly over-stocked dealers.

Of all my hundred or so reels (like I said --- sick!) my favorites are:

Casting/drag smoothness --- Quantum PR-600 CX. Unbelievable quality, 6 ball-bearings, externally-adjustable centrifugal drag. Retail about $150, Ebay at about $75-80. I use these for everything.

Overall quality --- Diawa Millionaire CVZ 253A, 8 ball-bearings, fabulous drag, in my opinion the Rolls Royce of baitcasters, my bobber reel. Retails at about $250, on Ebay at about $120.

Boat reel --- Shimano Calcutta 400, only 2 ball-bearings and 1 roller bearing, so it does not cast as well as the above reels, but with those fewer bearings it is much more comfortable in salt water. This baby is forever....Dan Ross reported to me last year that after over 20,000 Nushagak chinook he had never had to service his 92 Calcuttas, even for drag washers. That is amazing, simply amazing. Retail at $200, on Ebay at about $150.

Plug reel --- the old standby, ABU/Garcia Ambassadeur 5500/6500, mainly because their level wind tracks and allows easy distance measurement. I don't buy these on Ebay cause they are available reasonably locally (about $60, usually minus a rebate).

Best baitcaster buy --- the Shimano Bantam Curado 200/201. At $130 retail or about $80 on Ebay, this reel has earned a great reputation among steelheaders. But be sure to roll the spool backwards slightly when going to free-spool or the gear dogs will wear, making it progressively harder to push the reel into free-spool. Treated properly this is a great reel for a lifetime of fishing.

Fly reel --- I'm still gonna try some more of the nicer ones, but it will be very hard to beat the Penn International 1.5G (7-9 weight), retail $365, on Ebay at about $150. They are the only fly reel that we've found that can catch hundreds upon hundreds of Alaska salmon of all kinds with no detectable loss of drag smoothness.

Spinning --- the newer Fin-Nor Mega-Lite reels have most of the quality of the very pricy saltwater Fin-Nors, but are more affordable at about $120, or $70 on Ebay. And the Okuma Epix 30 is a dandy reel, especially if they finally have their act together regarding the reel handle, at about $60 ordered through through the Ifish site.

God, I am sick, but it is a good kind of feeling...........

[ 12-24-2001: Message edited by: Thumper ]</p>

[smilesforu]

Thumper...I have that reel disease too 100+. I sometimes think of selling some...can't do it. I bought most from ebay and have had a couple of bad experiences, but the majority have been outstanding. I just need to stay away from that site...always bidding on stuff.

Reels are best suited for different fishing styles. I love my 1500lc shimanos, 1000p, and the bantam plus series of shimanos. These are my bread and butter reels for various salt, river and lake fishing.
For light trout fishing I love my underspin reel by diawa. I can cast single eggs and a swiwel with it.

If you know what reel your after, Ebay is the place to be. It may take awhile to find the classic your after but it will turn up.

I even broke down and sold my first item on ebay after 100+ purchases. Worked out ok too :smile: .

[FM2]

Thumper, glad to see your a happy ebayer, I have been there for almost 3 years as both a buyer and seller and I would certainly recommend to anyone to check out this venue for ANYTHING you are looking to purchase.

I just purchased a Quantum "Iron" IC120 reel, spooled it with 20lb Power Pro and put it on my Lamiglas IM700 rod. Man, this reel cast sooooo nice with the power pro combined with the Lamiglas rod, I will be putting a dent in the winter fish soon, I hope..:-). Have only used it for a few casts so far but I'm really afraid to let it go because I don't think there is a river wide enough (just a figure of speech...LOL) the way this setup feels. A smooth reel with a different approach, it uses holes drilled in the plated end to control the speed of the toss. It feels like this reel has hydraulics attached to it.

I have always been a Garcia 5500/6500 kinda guy but this reel has changed that. I won't quit using the Garcia's for plugging but the new Quantum reel definately has a "NEW" feel.

$0.02 cents, no change needed :grin: :smile:

[Snapshot]

Hey guys, give it some thought when ordering on ebay. I have bid there on a couple reels and have been outbid by some unknow psyco that has to have every reel they put up. We are probably bidding against each other and didn't realize it. Give the rest of us a chance, Please,
Merry Christmas to all of you.


"Fish only bite wet hooks"
Go fishing

[hustlerrjim]

just about any reel is good but make sure it has the magnetic anti backlash external settings if you are a beginner quantums have exellent settings as I have taught hundreds of people to cast a level wind and it is a god send

[Pete]

For casting I sure like a light weight, low profile reel. My Shimano Bantam MagPlus has served well for a long time. When it wears out I'll have to learn about a new world of reels, and I'm sure I'll want most of them. Until then, I'm happy to keep my arsenal small and adapt what I have to suit conditions.

Yea, but Hogtide, you won't be throwing them away either after you've put them through heck a few years in a row! You will love them. What a cool Santa you must have.

Rick

I particulary like the new one Dot posted. LOL.

[HOGTIDE]

Nice pictures ******! Santa just got me a pair of the Calcutta 400's shown on the left! I couldn't believe it. So for right now... my new Calcutta's are my favorite reel. Their best feature is that they came from Santa...never would have bought that nice of a reel on my own. The 2 reels are worth as much as my first boat.

...my friend (Santas Tech. helper) tells me, " I'll never feel a smoother drag, with a big fish on."

...thanks Highwater...nice assist!

[Jennie@ifish]

******, of all the graphics in the whole wide world.... I have to say, that is the prettiest!
Ahhhhhhhhhhh!
I wear mine with a gold chain to church on Sundays!
Jen

[TH]

We buy a lot of reels off of ebay as well.

Just like anythng else, you need to know what you want first..
we buy a lot of bantam 100 and chronarch's, great deals if you are willing to be patient.
I bought a new curado for my brother in law for christmas pick it up off of ebay last Sept for $75 NIB cant beat that...