Which bait cast reel would you want in distance cast contest?

[michael1]

Just curious here, if you had to enter an Olympic event style casting distance contest with a bait cast reel (say with a large crank bait) be it from personal experience or reputation which reel would you choose? Lews BB1? Shimano Core? Abu Winch? Daiwa Zillion? Something else?

 

And yes, I know the skill of the angler and what type of rod is extremely important to a bomber cast. So the question assumes all things are equal. Just asking about the reel itself and what you personally would choose.

[brophog]

If the pursuit is pure distance, I’m not taking any bass reel. Several companies make conventionals for this purpose, including but not limited to Penn, Abu and Akios.

[Tywithay]

If it was 5oz or so, I'd pick a Daiwa Millionaire 7HT Mag. Those surfcasting reels are absolute missile launchers. With 1oz-ish, the furthest casting reel I have ever owned is the Daiwa Z2020. 

[Catt]

Rules?

 

Straight up distance or hitting targets at various distances.

 

I've several competitions hitting targets at various distances with a Calcutta 100A.

[jimmyjoe]

   Distance reels are specialized. As @Tywithay suggested, surfcasting reels come closest in distance while still retaining the features necessary for practical, everyday use.

   When you get down to baitcasters designed for bass, distance is a lower priority. It's not that there is no consideration of it, but that there are other things that are equally or more important, too. Line management, weight, ergonomics and reliability are necessary factors. Couple that with the simple fact that setting a hook at long distance from a boat is nothing like setting a hook at long distance from the beach, and you can see why manufacturers don't emphasize distance with bass reel designs.

  The reel I'd use for distance competition that is still an actual BASS reel would be a heavily-modified ABU 6500 series. The cost of modifications would probably double the cost of the reel, but I haven't looked into it for quite some time so I am not sure what costs are now.

   And what the accuracy of that setup might be, I don't know. Some competitions have accuracy as a component, and some don't.

   If you absolutely HAD to go with a low-profile design, I'd use a heavier leader that would roll on the reel, and then very fine running line. I know that's not good for everyday fishing, but you're asking about a distance competition, not everyday fishing.

   And none of this .... absolutely none of it .... has anything to do with crankbaits. They're like trying to throw a wad of paper.       jj

 

   P.S. - just did a little checking. One guy who used to do ABU mods has passed away. Prices also seem to have skyrocketed. I take the ABU suggestion back. Go with a small-frame surf-type reel and put a band-aid on your thumb.   ???    jj

[Fishes in trees]

Didn't know distance casting was an Olympic event.  Probably ought to be.  Make as much sense as jumping horses over obstacles - or golf for that matter.  I'm pretty certain that fir it was an Olympic event, the gear would be pretty specialized - as unrecognizable from regular fishing gear as Olympic archery gear is from regular archery equipment.

 All that being said, the version of the A-rig that I'm currently throwing weighs around 3 1/2 ounces and I get what I consider decent distance with my Curado 300E.  I'm throwing 20 lb test, using a 7' MH to Heavy rod.  I could get somewhat better distance if I dropped the pound test of my line or went to a 7'9" casting rod, however I think I'd lose too many A-rigs if I dropped to 15 lb line or less and I don't like the way a 7'9" rod stores in my fishing truck.  The 7' rod (a late 90's Team Diawa Muskie rod rated to 2 ounces) is a decent compromise and I like the way it stores in the rod rack inside the truck.

[clh121787]

Ok lets revise the rules. 

Casting competetion for all BR members

7'6 heavy rod everyone will share (supplied by the T.D.)

1 oz casting plug or 1 oz sinker with line tie  

 

3 different events 

1. Pitching to targets out to 35 feet. 

2. Casting to targets from 40 to 150

3. Long distance.  

Events will not be weighted equally

Events 1&2 will count for 50% of total score and event 3 will count for 50% of total score.

Can bring 1 reel spooled with line of choice.

Can use any stock, not modded bass baitcasting reel limited to a 300 spool size no performance upgrades allowed. Any line type or size allowed. What are you bringing to the competition? Go

[garroyo130]

zebco 33 and 2lb test line

[brophog]

54 minutes ago, clh121787 said:

Not intended for saltwater use .

 

That eliminates a lot more reels than I think you’re intending to eliminate with that clause. Everything from BFS reels on up would be affected by that.

 

[clh121787]

43 minutes ago, brophog said:

 

That eliminates a lot more reels than I think you’re intending to eliminate with that clause. Everything from BFS reels on up would be affected by that.

 

Ok fair enough cross that rule off the list then 

[redmeansdistortion]

Abu 6500CT, mono mag, some low viscosity oil and a good thumb.  You can watch people on YouTube with rigs just like that throw in excess of 200yd, some will even cast all the line off the spool.  Most are throwing 4oz of lead or more.

[jimmyjoe]

2 hours ago, clh121787 said:

Can use any stock, not modded bass baitcasting reel limited to a 300 spool size no performance upgrades allowed.

 

   Well, well ..... that changes things, doesn't it? "No performance upgrades" limits choices, for better or worse.

 

   Since the round ABU reels need performance upgrades for a weight that is only one ounce, I guess I'd favor the Shimano Curado 200K, with 15 to 17 lb test fluorocarbon line.       jj

[Shimano_1]

I would pick the lews out of thosr but the curado k is hard to beat for distance if setup correctly 

[crypt]

8 hours ago, Catt said:

Rules?

 

Straight up distance or hitting targets at various distances.

 

I've several competitions hitting targets at various distances with a Calcutta 100A.

this reel,or my 5500 that's set up for distance. either one,you can bomb the daylights out of em...

[Tywithay]

11 hours ago, clh121787 said:

Ok lets revise the rules. 

Casting competetion for all BR members

7'6 heavy rod everyone will share (supplied by the T.D.)

1 oz casting plug or 1 oz sinker with line tie  

 

3 different events 

1. Pitching to targets out to 35 feet. 

2. Casting to targets from 40 to 150

3. Long distance.  

Events will not be weighted equally

Events 1&2 will count for 50% of total score and event 3 will count for 50% of total score.

Can bring 1 reel spooled with line of choice.

Can use any stock, not modded bass baitcasting reel limited to a 300 spool size no performance upgrades allowed. Any line type or size allowed. What are you bringing to the competition? Go

Z2020....not even a competition, in my opinion. The Mag3D and light rcs spool allows it to do all of these things well. Only thing that ever held that reel back was the weight and size. There's a reason people have been screaming for a 1016 version for years.

[Westcoast]

I’ll pick the Abu 5500 or 6500. Even with no mods just some fast oil, long rod  and a spool of 15# maxima you can heave and oz a long ways. Second would be a Calcutta 400. And if it wasn’t only bass reels,  a tricked out 6500 or 7000 blue yonder can throw a couple oz to the middle of next week. 

[JustJames]

Curado 70 period.

[jimmyjoe]

3 hours ago, BaitFinesse said:

Where are we getting a couple of ounces from?  The bait is a crankbait.    

 

   Rules were revised. No crankbait, and no couple of ounces. Check about the eighth post.    jj

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

5 hours ago, BaitFinesse said:

Where are we getting a couple of ounces from?  The bait is a crankbait.    

 

1 hour ago, jimmyjoe said:

 

   Rules were revised. No crankbait, and no couple of ounces. Check about the eighth post.    jj

The thread got hijacked OP didnt revise the rules. 

[WRB]

My 1st bait casting reel was a Langley 330 that held 50 yards of 12 lb Dacron line and could accurately cast a 1/2 weedless spoon 50 yards...all the line tied to the holes in the spool. My second reel was a Langley 340* Target and it was a early free spool reel that I  casted 50 yards accurately. Casting isn't about the reel it's about rod-reel-one-lure and skill.

I have been casting 50 yards accurately for over 60 years with a wide varity of reels.

Like Catt I can cast into a 36" hoop 10 out of 10 times at 50 yards, skill not the most expensive reels.

Tom

* member Baitfinesse has this reel now.

Tom

[FishTank]

Which reel for pure distance.....  Shimano Antares 16 or the Antares 70A (if it had a bigger spool).  I have either fished or owned/still own all the reels mentioned by the OP.  The Antares out cast them all by a decent amount.  Most of the reels I have cast about the same, all things considered.  The Antares's stand out from all the rest on pure distance. 

[fishwizzard]

I have had a lot lot lot of time on my hands over the last few months and spent some of it casting in the field behind my house.  Using a surveyor's wheel and some stakes I marked out some distances and came to the realization that I am almost never casting more than 30-40y.  The really interesting thing is that I can get that distance range from most every combo I have, other then the finesse ones. The 7'5" rods do casts further more easily than the 6' ones, but are both still in that same max range.  

 

What I really want to know is how distance affects hook-setting power, but I don't have access to a dynamometer that goes low enough to test that.  

[Mobasser]

My old ABU 5500c. With the spool tension low, and 12lb line, it can cast a country mile.

[OnthePotomac]

Interesting question because I have three Curado 200E 7's and all three are nine years old and stock out of the box, yet one of the three will easily spool itself with a plain Senko and it has always mystified me.  All three are spooled with 15lb Invizx.  The doggone thing just goes forever.  Only that one reel.  Go figure.

[redmeansdistortion]

35 minutes ago, OnthePotomac said:

Interesting question because I have three Curado 200E 7's and all three are nine years old and stock out of the box, yet one of the three will easily spool itself with a plain Senko and it has always mystified me.  All three are spooled with 15lb Invizx.  The doggone thing just goes forever.  Only that one reel.  Go figure.

I've noticed this with some Abus of mine, same model and all.  One of my 5500s is a freak of nature and will really put it out there.  The only thing I think it could be is that maybe some reels received a better batch of spool bearings from whomever they contracted to make them.