breaking in a new reel

[Bankc]

I just got a new BPS Tourney Pro 2 reel and took it out for the first time today.   It was my first time with a dual brake reel, though I've used both magnetic and centrifugal brake reels before.  I don't own many reels, and most of the ones I use are quite old (for instance, a couple of Shimano B-100 Mags, three Abu Ambassador 5000Ds, etc.).  Anyway, for the first hour or two, it wanted to backlash on every cast!  The only way I could get it to stop backlashing on me was to make the centrifugal brake completely engaged (all six pins) and set the magnetic brake to Max.  Also, I had to tighten the cast control down so far that the lure wouldn't even drop under its own weight.  Without those settings, or some extreme use of my thumb (which I was trying to avoid as only my 5000D requires much thumb) it would backlash almost immediately when I cast.  I was angry and thought for sure that the reel was broken.  But, a few hours later, I was able to cast normally using more normal settings (three pins on the centrifugal, magnetic at three, and cast control where it just started to slow the drop).  By the end of the day, I was quite happy with it's performance.

 

I seem to remember having a similar issue with my Tatula CT and when I replaced the bushings with hawgtech bearings in my B-100 Mag (and cleaned, polished, and lubricated it).  At the time, I just chalked it up to learning the new reels, so I didn't really think anything of it.  And I won't rule out user error.  But seeing as I don't buy (or super tune) reels that often, I also don't have a lot of experience breaking in new reels.  

 

So my question to you is, has anyone else had a similar experience?  Where the first several casts on a new reel don't represent what the reel will act like after a few hours of fishing?  Do reels need to be broken in?

 

[dodgeguy]

What kind of line ? New line can do that. 

[Bankc]

1 hour ago, dodgeguy said:

What kind of line ? New line can do that. 

suffix 832 this time.  But I've also used various other brands of braid, like Spiderwire. And that might be it.  I fill the spool and hold the spool the line comes on with a pencil, so it tends to go on pretty loosely.  I put a bit of tension on it with my fingers, but between the heat from the friction and the mess it makes, I don't put a lot of pressure on them.  I might want to find a better method of that's what's causing it.

 

I usually spool my older reels in mono and my spinning reels in fluoro, so that is a common thread between all of the reels I've had problems with.  And I've been known to use the same braid for years.  I don't respool braid until the spool starts to run bare from constantly retying knots (and sometimes cutting off the last few feet that get frayed).

[Tywithay]

Some manufacturers pack their bearings with grease to make reels quieter and smoother feeling. Unfortunately, if it's the spool bearings it can be a pain. I imagine you just had to get them spinning a bunch of times to break through excess grease/oil.

[Manifestgtr]

I’ve experienced this here and there. The two things that have gotten rid of it are time and/or making sure the line is tightly spooled. Braid that’s loosely spooled will backlash a lot easier.

[dodgeguy]

10 hours ago, Tywithay said:

Some manufacturers pack their bearings with grease to make reels quieter and smoother feeling. Unfortunately, if it's the spool bearings it can be a pain. I imagine you just had to get them spinning a bunch of times to break through excess grease/oil.

greased bearings woud shorten the cast and prevent backlash

[MN Fisher]

20 minutes ago, dodgeguy said:

greased bearings woud shorten the cast and prevent backlash

Ya - if the bearings have been greased, flush them out and put just a couple drops of light oil on them.

[OnthePotomac]

When I bought a Pro Qualifier a few years ago it gave me fits, so I spooled it with 14 lb mono, turned on all the brakes then fine tuned it down.  I ended up with braid on my frog rod, but not before I got real used to the reel.

[Bankc]

1 hour ago, BaitFinesse said:

Was it overfilled with line?  Did you have to cut some line to get the backlashes out?  When it was backlashing was the line flying out of the top of the reel in a big loop?

It wasn't overfilled.  Probably 100-125 yards of 30lb.  I bought a 150lb spool and had a bit left over.  I didn't have to cut any out.  I usually keep my thumb just above the spool and can feel it start to fluff up, so I can slow it down or stop it.  With my Abu 5000D's, which require some thumb to keep under control, I usually just have to give it a quick touch to keep it under control.  With this reel, it was like an instant explosion of line.  I hadn't ever seen anything like it.  It wasn't so much flying over the top as the whole spool was just fluffing out.  

 

I'm thinking it might have been a combination of problems. It was probably a grease/oil issue where the spool ran inconsistently until it flung enough junk out to run properly, and me not getting the line on tight.  

 

Whatever the case was, it's fine now.  I'll probably clean it out and relubricate it this winter, if not sooner. 

[JustJames]

30lb,120yds can it be braid?

I think it is not seldom the reel but yourself. When you change to new reel of course you need to get used to with the reel first. Some spool can run faster than other especially with braid line. You cannot really compare with old reel that might have old line coiled up or bearing never been cleaned. Now you switched to the whole new braking system, you would need more time with the reel, beside that I can say that linear mag brake on Abu is also pretty week.

Like yourself mentioned after a few hours you got pretty good result. It is not the reel that need broken in but your thumb.

[Tywithay]

5 hours ago, dodgeguy said:

greased bearings woud shorten the cast and prevent backlash

If it's overgreased, grease can get on the spool shaft and it'll spin faster than the bearing that's gummed up. Causes a lot of inconsistencies. 

[dodgeguy]

23 minutes ago, Tywithay said:

If it's overgreased, grease can get on the spool shaft and it'll spin faster than the bearing that's gummed up. Causes a lot of inconsistencies. 

Have to disagree with that. Grease is way to thick to allow that. I've also never seen a reel that came with grease on the bearings and I've been Baitcasting since 1990. I've owned Shimano Abu Diawa Pflueger Bass Pro Shop and Lews reels. Not one of them came with grease on the. Bearings.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Bait casting reels are not designed to be casted with no thumb. 3 centrifugal brakes on and magnet set for wind conditions is where I’d expect to end up. 

[Bankc]

10 hours ago, Bass_Fishing_Socal said:

30lb,120yds can it be braid?

I think it is not seldom the reel but yourself. When you change to new reel of course you need to get used to with the reel first. Some spool can run faster than other especially with braid line. You cannot really compare with old reel that might have old line coiled up or bearing never been cleaned. Now you switched to the whole new braking system, you would need more time with the reel, beside that I can say that linear mag brake on Abu is also pretty week.

Like yourself mentioned after a few hours you got pretty good result. It is not the reel that need broken in but your thumb.

yeah, it was braid.  My thumb was fine.  I've been fishing with baitcasters for 30 years.  Like I said, I went from full breaks and heavy spool tension with lots of thumb, to less than half breaks, light spool tension and little thumb after an hour of use.  

 

4 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Bait casting reels are not designed to be casted with no thumb. 3 centrifugal brakes on and magnet set for wind conditions is where I’d expect to end up. 

That's where I ended the day.  3 centrifugal, about 3 on the magnetic, light spool tension, and just thumbing the spool right as the lure touched down.  That's how I like to set up my gear.  No thumb until the end, unless something went wrong.  Of course, some of my vintage reels need lots of thumb, and there's no way around that.  And I'm okay with that. But all of my reels made after the late 80's don't need much thumb, so I was expecting the same from this new one.

 

There could have been an issue with the spool tension knob.  Maybe it needed to develop a bit of a groove or had a rough spot?  I don't know.  But thinking back, I do seem to remember it stopping and starting a lot, even when I was setting it to the lure's weight.  Anyway, the problem is solved. It was just a weird first hour, which is why I was so perplexed.

[NavyVet1204]

I noticed this as well on my new lews tournament SLP I bought a couple weeks ago. It too seemed to disappear about an hour after use. I spooled some Seaguar Red Label 15# and with only adjusting the tension and brake dial I was able to tune it properly the way I liked.