What is your favorite big bait reel

[Ogandrews]

For those of you guys that throw big swimbaits or those that fish for bigger fish species like I do, what is your favorite big bait reel. My main kind of fishing I do is pike and musky so I spend a lot of time throwing big stuff. Right now all of my rods either have a Calcutta D or a tranx on them. I would like to know what other reels you guys like, I’m a Shimano guy but I’m always down to try new stuff I know a lot of companies make good stuff. I’m trying to get into guiding this year so if I could find some reels that i can confidently have customers use without having to spend 300+ on the Shimano’s I like than that would be great. Let me know what you’ve had success with and what you guys haven’t liked.

[roadwarrior]

Curado 300E

 

[A-Jay]

My two favorite big fish reels are the Calcutta D and the Tranx, both in the 300 size.

Guess that really isn't much help.

Sorry.

A-Jay

[Born 2 fish]

Lews super duty 300.

[Hammer 4]

Curado 301E..

[Smalls]

I loved my Tranx while I had it. I kinda stopped throwing big baits and sold most of my swimbaits stuff while I was unemployed a few years ago. Really regret selling that reel, though. 

[Maico1]

Conquest 300......

[Ogandrews]

2 hours ago, Born 2 fish said:

Lews super duty 300.

How is the casting distance/ smoothness of that reel? Been wanting to try it a long time but I’ve never been able to convince myself to get it instead of a tranx and it doesn’t come in a 4-500 size.

 

2 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

Curado 300E

 

been thinking about trying to buy one on eBay but a lot of the time their more expensive than a brand new tranx anyway.

 

Has anyone here used the okuma Komodo ss or the abu beast x or the Maxtoro? I’ve heard great stuff in the musky circles about both the Komodo and max with both being really strong, although I know the Komodo would be stronger with the stainless steel gears.

[WRB]

Daiwa Luna is their reel equal to Shimano Calcutta and Lexa to the Tranx that replaced Shimano 300E. 

I know swimbait anglers who prefer the Luna over Calcutta's. I am a Calcutta user for over 25 years using the same 250. The newer Mirco gear Shimano's are very smooth, haven't used the new Lexa's. Bass are not fast running fish like a Musky. The Lexa offer different gear ratio's that maybe an advantage using Musky inline spinners and jerk baits. Worth looking into.

Tom

[Ogandrews]

17 minutes ago, WRB said:

Daiwa Luna is their reel equal to Shimano Calcutta and Lexa to the Tranx that replaced Shimano 300E. 

I know swimbait anglers who prefer the Luna over Calcutta's. I am a Calcutta user for over 25 years using the same 250. The newer Mirco gear Shimano's are very smooth, haven't used the new Lexa's. Bass are not fast running fish like a Musky. The Lexa offer different gear ratio's that maybe an advantage using Musky inline spinners and jerk baits. Worth looking into.

Tom

I had a lexa 400 with the the win grips that I bought from a pmtt pro musky fisherman I know last year and it started grinding terribly after 2 months of throwing big double bladed inline spinners. That was most likely the last lexa I’ll buy but if they really beef them maybe I’ll try them again. For the price though I think I would rather just stick to a tranx or Calcutta. Musky sized inline buck tails are incredibly hard on reels, it’s been hard for me to find anything outside of the tranx/Calcutta that I feel comfortable using with the really big ones. I know abu makes some really solid musky reels, I’ve been tempted to try the toro beast 60 as it comes in a 4.9.1 gear ratio. For buck tails the best reels in my opinion have really low gear ratios and giant spools, both of which help with moving these high resistance baits as fast as you can with minimal fatigue. Outside of the tranx 500pg, I haven’t fished a reel yet that makes those easy. The reels I’m looking at buying will most likely be used with big rubber, jerkbaits, top waters, and smaller 6-8 size single buck tails, none of which are super taxing on your gear. 

[FishTank]

I have been using the Calcutta 251 for years and last year I picked up the Abu Garcia Revo Toro Beast.  It's is oddly amazing for a big reel and it makes the Calcutta look like a toy in comparison.   It's more of a musky reel but I have used it for bass and its almost laughable. 

[Ogandrews]

37 minutes ago, FishTank said:

I have been using the Calcutta 251 for years and last year I picked up the Abu Garcia Revo Toro Beast.  It's is oddly amazing for a big reel and it makes the Calcutta look like a toy in comparison.   It's more of a musky reel but I have used it for bass and its almost laughable. 

You get the 50 or 60 and what gear ratio?

[FishTank]

I got the 60 6.2:1 and it's big but pretty smooth. 

[WRB]

You can resolve the inline spinner issue by using Avet or Accurate small 2 speed casting reels; Avet MXL6/4 G2.

Tom

[Ogandrews]

13 minutes ago, WRB said:

You can resolve the inline spinner issue by using Avet or Accurate small 2 speed casting reels; Avet MXL6/4 G2.

Tom

Took a look at those and it doesn’t appear any of them have a level wind, or a thumb bar for that matter. Would make it difficult to cast for 12 hours straight but I’m sure it would pull them easy.

[JediAmoeba]

I have 5 Lexa's - 2, 300 Winns; 2, 300 HD's and 1 400 HD.  I am very happy with all of them and haven't had any problems with them.

 

 

2 hours ago, Ogandrews said:

I had a lexa 400 with the the win grips that I bought from a pmtt pro musky fisherman I know last year and it started grinding terribly after 2 months of throwing big double bladed inline spinners. That was most likely the last lexa I’ll buy but if they really beef them maybe I’ll try them again. For the price though I think I would rather just stick to a tranx or Calcutta. Musky sized inline buck tails are incredibly hard on reels, it’s been hard for me to find anything outside of the tranx/Calcutta that I feel comfortable using with the really big ones. I know abu makes some really solid musky reels, I’ve been tempted to try the toro beast 60 as it comes in a 4.9.1 gear ratio. For buck tails the best reels in my opinion have really low gear ratios and giant spools, both of which help with moving these high resistance baits as fast as you can with minimal fatigue. Outside of the tranx 500pg, I haven’t fished a reel yet that makes those easy. The reels I’m looking at buying will most likely be used with big rubber, jerkbaits, top waters, and smaller 6-8 size single buck tails, none of which are super taxing on your gear. 

I use my 300 Lexas for throwing Double Cowgirls and Super Cowgirls for hours on end.  Never have any issues.

 

 

[garroyo130]

FYI a guy on the swimbait forums letting go of a 300 DSV and a 300E for $150 a pop. Talked to him last night and he still had them. 

[Hammer 4]

To bad it's not a 301 E...

[Ogandrews]

13 minutes ago, JediAmoeba said:

I have 5 Lexa's - 2, 300 Winns; 2, 300 HD's and 1 400 HD.  I am very happy with all of them and haven't had any problems with them.

 

 

I use my 300 Lexas for throwing Double Cowgirls and Super Cowgirls for hours on end.  Never have any issues.

 

 

I know a lot of guys have good luck with them but I also know a lot of guys have had the same experience as me. I’m not saying their bad reels, I easily could have had a bad one but that was just my experience. At some point I’ll probably try another one with them being cheaper than tranx. What ratio are you throwing with the 300’s and have you noticed a big difference between the HD and the winn?

[garroyo130]

4 hours ago, Maico1 said:

Conquest 300......

From my understanding this is the modern version of TEs right? 

[Ogandrews]

7 minutes ago, garroyo130 said:

FYI a guy on the swimbait forums letting go of a 300 DSV and a 300E for $150 a pop. Talked to him last night and he still had them. 

On bassresource? Am I missing some swimbait section?

[JediAmoeba]

8 minutes ago, Ogandrews said:

What ratio are you throwing with the 300’s and have you noticed a big difference between the HD and the winn?

6.3:1 on both the 300 HD's.  My 400 HD is 8.1:1.  The Winns are ok but I mostly use them for throwing 1-2oz swimbaits, chatterbaits and large spinnerbaits.  They are not quite as refined as the HD's IMO.  I do want to get one of the updated ones though...probably this fall.  

[Ogandrews]

3 minutes ago, JediAmoeba said:

6.3:1 on both the 300 HD's.  My 400 HD is 8.1:1.  The Winns are ok but I mostly use them for throwing 1-2oz swimbaits, chatterbaits and large spinnerbaits.  They are not quite as refined as the HD's IMO.  I do want to get one of the updated ones though...probably this fall.  

I saw they updated them. If the new ones are more refined than I would give them a try but when it comes to the HD my issue is it’s the same price as a tranx so I don’t see much of a reason to switch.

[Tywithay]

Daiwa Z2020. It might be my favorite reel period, but it's crazy good with big baits.

[Big Swimbait]

I've got 3 - Tranx 300, Lexa 300 Winn & a Lew's SD Wide Spool. Not an issue with any of them but to be fair, the Lew's is the oldest followed by the Lexa and then the Tranx is new this March. Also I do not throw anything over 6 oz with any of them.