Reel Question

[EVERREADY]

I'am going to be buying a couple of reels this year for halibut and tuna. I noticed that a lot of people use non-levelwind reels for halibut and tuna. Is there a reason for this?

[Master Baiter]

Everready,

The level wind is a weak point when those tuna take those screaming runs! Imagine the line peeling and the level wind trying to keep up.

Thomas

Ever get a finger caught between the level wind and frame? :shocked:

[Beer Waggin]

It's just one more thing for the salt to get to, remove it and you remove a potential problem.

[Gregotis98]

Keta, I can't believe that you mentioned that! This happened to me yesterday for the first time while ling fishing. I had a nice jig hung up that I didn't want to lose and was trying to pull off the bottom, then a swell lifted the boat a little and WAM!!!!!! My finger was crushed in between the frame and level wind. Imagine cutting the line lose and then standing there with a rod and reel stuck hanging on a finger, this was soooo painful. I couldn't pull it out for the life of me, and even tried taking the side plate off the reel, but it still wouldn't come so I just gritted it out and pulled like hell until a smashed bloody mess was pulled out. I gave some serious thought about posting this, but felt like it might prove how dumb I really am. Thanks for letting me know I'm not the only one this has ever happend to.

It happened to my oldest daughter but I can see it happening to anyone. :depressed:

[Orca]

I am going to line up on the level-wind side, with everyone else facing off on the other side.

When I take out my novice friends and family, I suppose I could eventually train them to do their own line leveling, but why bother. Same for me, I have other things to worry about.

Since it has never happened yet, the first time my level wind mech. falls off or corrodes shut or shreds off from a raging tuna I will report back.

[puffins crew]

I have seen first hand just how hard the pull, and how much line can be peeled off in just a short time while fishing for flattys.

I have hung my finger up in the level wind action on a garcia 5500c while salmon fishing, not a pleasent sight.

I agree with orca about inexperenced fisher people using level wind reels.

I prefer to use my thumb, witch is getting more and more edcutated every trip I make to the salt.

The Tuna we caught on standup gear last year peeled line out sooo fast, I would be afraid to use a levelwind .

Peace, Tom

[Master Baiter]

Orca: It is not a matter of the level wind falling off during a tuna sprint but rather the line seeing excess friction and wear because the spool wants to move faster than the gearing of the level wind.


I have had my finger stuck in an ABU. I was drifting along and hit a snag, I grabbed the rod by the reel to pull it out the holder and the level wind ran my finger into the frame and kept it there as line kept on peeling. Hurt for few weeks!

Thomas

:depressed: Ouch :depressed:

[Salmonator]

I haven't had any problems yet with level winds and halibut although I've only been at it a few seasons. As far as the tuna go, we used 6501's (80lb tuff+) on our only trip last year and they performed just fine. That jammed finger thing sounds painful but after using levelwinds for over 20 years (last 5 guiding) I have never had anyone on my boats smash a finger in one. I think the benefit and convenience far outweighs the negatives.

[Master Baiter]

I always wondered about Everready's question too. Someone asked this question at a Tuna seminar and that is where I heard about the that. Salmonator, good to know about your experiences! Between the costs of rigging the new boat and sharply rising fuel costs, it is going to be a while before I can get any proper tuna gear so the salmon and sturgeon tackle will just have to do!

[Hook-up]

I have not seen anyone else mention this, but we have noticed that some of the better reels without the levelwind seem to be able to reach the bottom quicker. We think it because they do not have any of the drag from the gears that run the levelwind? This is especially important when you have a really bad drift and can make the difference between getting to the bottom before being blown off the spot you are trying to hit (especially bottom fishing and halibut). I know we do not use live bait here but if you ever think you might, almost all live bait reels are non levelwind (less drag for live bait to pull line from the spool).
My two cents....

[Orca]

When I open up any of my Penn levelwinds, the levelwind is directly geared to the spool. Whether you are in freespool, light drag, heavy drag or whatever, the levelwind and spool are hard locked (geared) together. I see no way for the levelwind to not keep up with the spool., it has no choice but to keep up, they are geared together.

Mechanically, I am sure the extra gears/levelwind do add some extra drag, but you will end up with some total drag lb's just like you would with a non levelwind (ie. you set your drag a little lighter, say 13 - 14 lbs instead of 15, and on a 30 mph running whatever-fish, you end up with 15 lbs total drag). I am absolutely confident that the line on my 345GTI will run out just fine at 50 mph.

If someone cares to do a test or knows of previous test results showing that a levelwind can only accomodate a 15 or 20 mph run, or that the extra levelwind drag increases at an exponential rate relative to line speed, then I (and everone else) would love to see it and could then make an objective and unbiased decision based on the evidence.

My current thinking is that this debate is one of those cultural rather than scientific things (except of course for getting your finger or whatever caught in it, that has been scientifically proven!).

What would one be doing to get their "Whatever" caught in the levelwind :shocked:

[Orca]

Well you see I was..., and then a big swell came in..., and then my pole went down. Well never mind.

[DB_Cooper]

:shocked: [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

[Hook-up]

I may have used the wrong word when I said that there would be "less drag" on the spool for live bait fishing. Maybe I should have said "less resistance" or "easier to pull line out". I am not sure on all of the non levelwinds but on most of the ones I have seen the gear to crank in line totally disengages and since there is no gear for the levelwind, you get a honest "free spool". I am not sure of the debate about levelwinds vs, non levelwinds holding up to hard fighting fish. In my experience the big difference there is drag and that is a whole different subject. I can tell you that when bottom fishing the guys with levelwinds seem to need more weight to get down at the same time (last week 6 oz vs. 8 oz) and hali fishing in 600' with 48 ounces our non levelwinds beat our levelwinds to the bottom. This may not seem very important but you get first shot at the biters and then at the end of the day in a big wind or bad drift you have had a lot more fishing time "in the zone" and usually more fish.

Levelwind has 6 or more parts extra to break.

[Marty]

Level winds for tuna, halibut and other species in the big blue are like training wheels on a bike. Once you are experienced or need to step up.............get rid of them.

Marty

[tady]

Everready:


I suggest you look at the Penn GS 555 or the Diawa sealine series. I have both reels I feel that they are comprable to each other. The Diawa SL**SH series uses a wet drag system that uses teflon grease. The Penn uses a dry drag system that uses graphite disks. The Wet drag is a bit better for rough conditions when your reel sees a lot of water, the grease keeps the water out. If you really want to go top class, look at the Shimano Trindad series. a Super reel but really pricey.

Tady

[DriftR]

I own (2) Accurate Boss 270M reels and one Accurate Boss 665H Mag twin drag reels. They are non level wind and the finest reels I own. Yes, they are expensive but I feel well worth it. I own and have used a wide variety of Daiwas, Ambass., Penns. These Accurate reels with the twin drag system are just FANTASTIC-Period. E-mail me if you have any questions.

Don't you mean FORD

Level winds are ok for salmon but I wouldn't realy want them on a butt or tuna reel.

[Master Baiter]

Keta, I would not want a level wind on my butt either, the finger was painful enough!

:grin: [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

Having one on your "Whatever" would be worse :blush:

[seasquid]

I'm with you Orca!!!

I have used Penn GTIs (levelwinds) for halibut and tuna the last 10 years -- no problems whatsoever.

I hate guiding line back on a reel.

I have had a couple of close calls on the finger thing, but....

ss

[Pilar]

This is the ford - chevy argument.

I say chevy. There is no level wind on a Penn 4/0 or a Diawa 50H. Nor is one needed.

Next time you are at the tackle counter, look at the saltwater reels for >$100. Compare how many have a level wind and how many do not.