Need a new froggin' reel

[Mhan7]

I'm needing another froggin' reel, and I'm willing to pay a penny for it, if I have to.

 

High drag and fast retrieval is king here.  I currently have a Quantum Smoke S3.  Mine is the 7.3:1 gear ratio, and that has about 25lbs of drag.  I'd want something similar, but thinking about trying out something else.  I've looked at Revo Beast, Quantum Smoke HD PT, and a couple of the Bass Pro house brand reels. 

 

Can anyone tell me the real difference between the Quantum S3 and HD (do I really care about 11 bearings vs 7)?  And how would the Abu Garcia reels compare, in a real world fishing scenario?  I see the noticeable difference is the lesser line capacity, but maybe they're just super great reels.

 

All suggestions welcome. 

 

UPDATE: Shimano reels are a non-option, due to the drag numbers.  They produce nothing over 12 lbs in a low profile reel.  This reel is a snakehead reel, not a bass reel.

[Fishes in trees]

Don't mess around - if you're gonna upgrade - UPGRADE.   Take a step up in quality from what you're currently looking at.   Look at the Shimano 200 size TRANX.  Look at the various grades of Calcutta reels.  From 1998 to 2005 I purchased a number of Calcutta and with the exception of 2 that got lost under extraordinary circumstances, they all still work great now - 15 to 20 years later and counting.

[Mhan7]

But those Tranx reels are HUGE.  They don't really come across as something that a guy throwing baits 75 feet would want to put on a 7' rod.  Maybe I'm wrong...

 

I actually don't see a 200 size offering on their site, at the moment.

 

EDIT: managed to find one on another site.  It's got 12lb of drag.  Not what I'm looking for.  Especially for something that costs that much.  20# is minimum.

[Mhan7]

I would have bought a curado over one of the Tranx models all day long.  But that's just not the reel for me.  Thanks for the suggestion, but the drag is a deal breaker on ALL Shimano reels in a size that I'd use.  Quite frankly, their drag just sucks.

[GaterB]

I use a Curado 70 XG with a larger handle installed. Loaded with 50lb braid it will LAUNCH a frog. It’s also light weight and very compact, which makes walking frogs easier. 
 

You certainly won’t find this reel has a huge max drag statistic. I will caveat this by pointing out that any frog fishing I do sees the drag locked down completely. The Curado 70 does this just fine. I have yet to experience any drag slip on a hookset. It easily managed pulling a 5-7lb bowfin out of thick duckweed with no issues last weekend (paired with a Megabass Orochi XX Perfect Pitch). 
 

This won’t be everyone’s top choice but I certainly think it’s one to consider!

[Mhan7]

The drag is a deal breaker, because this is a snakehead rod... not a bass setup.

 

Not saying that the Curado isn't a great reel otherwise.  It's nice.  It's just not got enough nuts for this job.

[Jaderose]

Sounds to me like you want a Revo Rocket.  18 lbs of drag.  10.1:1 gearing.  41 IPT.

[Double__Digits]

8.3:1 gear ratio, #20 of drag.

Lews Tournament Pro LFS.?.?

[Mhan7]

2 hours ago, Jaderose said:

Sounds to me like you want a Revo Rocket.  18 lbs of drag.  10.1:1 gearing.  41 IPT.

 

25 minutes ago, Double__Digits said:

8.3:1 gear ratio, #20 of drag.

Lews Tournament Pro LFS.?.?

 

Why might I choose one of these over the other?  What is the real standout feature?

 

The Revo family has reels that have up to 30# of drag. To be able to hold that kind of drag, means that all of your components have to be able to withstand that kind of force continuously, as well.  Are the Revo reels that good?

[PhishLI]

On 9/20/2020 at 1:04 AM, Mhan7 said:

Can anyone tell me the real difference between the Quantum S3 and HD (do I really care about 11 bearings vs 7)?

The HD has an aluminum gear-side sideplate, and ACS 3.0 brakes instead of ACS 4.0. Nothing at all wrong with 3.0. It's actually quieter and just as good in use. IMO. The bearing issue is moot as the HD has it's bearings in the right spots like the driveshaft and pinion gear. However, it won't be as versatile with the greater line cap and heavier spool. Deep spools that are full of line are not going to be better at throwing lighter frogs or other baits. What do you think you're missing in the Smoke S3?

 

Regardless of which reel you're recommended or ultimately choose, you're asking alot of any 100-200 sized reel if you're jacking fish constantly with a locked down drag. The only thing between the drag stack and the fish is a tiny pinion gear's teeth along with the main gear's teeth. So start with a reel with a fully supported pinion, then hope for the best. There are several stress and wear points in the chain, so what loses it's build tolerance first is hard to predict, regardless of who builds it. Anyway, no bass reels are built with this expectation. 

[scbassin]

I  use  the Shimano Bantam mgl XG Japanese model. I have 2 of them, one on a Dobyns Champion XP DC 736 C F/H & the other on a custom build using a Shikari blank 766. Both reels are spooled with Sunline FX-2 50lb test. I frog fish in very heaver cover, mostly coontail. I lock the drag down because I don't want that fish pulling drag & wrapping me up on the coontail or stumps or what ever else is there. When I set the hook I want complete control of that fish. On the Shikari set up The on frog I fish on it is the 3/16 No Bull Frog it's 7" long. I have caught 2 L/M over 10 lbs this year so far & with the water temp coming down I am looking for another one. Those reels have a one piece frame which makes them solid, there is no movement when bringing those big girls in. You also need a powerful rod so you get them up on top quickly & that is not easy with a big fish. You usually end up with a fish & a good bit of grass. I frog fish a lot & both my set up's get the job done. 

 

[Westcoast]

Shimano bantam mgl, it’s a great frogging reel, metal one piece frame has it feeling solid as a rock. It’s smooth out of the box and drag is plenty tough enough for anything you’d want to use it for. 

[jbsoonerfan]

5 minutes ago, Westcoast said:

Shimano bantam mgl, it’s a great frogging reel, metal one piece frame has it feeling solid as a rock. It’s smooth out of the box and drag is plenty tough enough for anything you’d want to use it for. 

That's what I was going to suggest, but he has already said the Shimano drag sucks. LOL

[Mhan7]

1 hour ago, jbsoonerfan said:

That's what I was going to suggest, but he has already said the Shimano drag sucks. LOL

Snakehead are not bass.  It's the difference between towing a Ford Escort and an F150.  So in that regards, the Shimano drag very much does suck.  You can like it all you want for what you do with it, but I asked for what I asked, for the specific reason that I asked it.  I get that there are some who like to play favorites with specific brands.  I'm not really interested in that.  I'm not confused in the least about the input parameters.

 

Quite frankly, I think that Shimano is missing a portion of the market with their outdated drag numbers, but what the hell do I know.  It's not like I live in a state where I get about 7-8 more months on the water than the average fisherman who is LARPing around with their fanboy brand labels.

1 hour ago, Westcoast said:

Shimano bantam mgl, it’s a great frogging reel, metal one piece frame has it feeling solid as a rock. It’s smooth out of the box and drag is plenty tough enough for anything you’d want to use it for. 

I'm fishing with 50lb braid, in heavy vegetation, with fish that average around 7lbs, and punch well above their weight.  I'm not interested in employing drag as part of the landing strategy; I'm looking for a reel whose components are designed well enough to handle constant stress from a drag that's on full lock.  The reels that I have, are doing a fairly good job, but I don't get the impression that they're going to last for the long haul. (or much longer at all, really)  I enjoy the type of fishing that I do, well enough to write off the reel as a cost of doing the business.  But...  I'd also like to compare something that's at least like-for-like, and see if I've made the best choice.

 

The Shimanos are lightweights when it comes to drag.  For bigger or harder fighting fish that are caught on low profile reels, and bass type tackle, I think that there will eventually need to be new reel designs introduced, that are an upgrade to the existing designs.  I think that some of the low profile bait cast designs with high drag, probably won't hold up to the stress of full drag.  But I only know one type of these reels, at the moment.

[Mhan7]

2 hours ago, PhishLI said:

The HD has an aluminum gear-side sideplate, and ACS 3.0 brakes instead of ACS 4.0. Nothing at all wrong with 3.0. It's actually quieter and just as good in use. IMO. The bearing issue is moot as the HD has it's bearings in the right spots like the driveshaft and pinion gear. However, it won't be as versatile with the greater line cap and heavier spool. Deep spools that are full of line are not going to be better at throwing lighter frogs or other baits. What do you think you're missing in the Smoke S3?

 

Regardless of which reel you're recommended or ultimately choose, you're asking alot of any 100-200 sized reel if you're jacking fish constantly with a locked down drag. The only thing between the drag stack and the fish is a tiny pinion gear's teeth along with the main gear's teeth. So start with a reel with a fully supported pinion, then hope for the best. There are several stress and wear points in the chain, so what looses it's build tolerance first is hard to predict, regardless of who builds it. Anyway, no bass reels are built with this expectation. 

Thanks for the feedback.

 

I think the Smoke S3 is a very good reel... for awhile.  Mine are already showing signs of wear and tear from use.  Again, we are catching snakeheads, not bass, and there is a HUGE gulf in class between these species, in terms of fight, and landing.  That drag is a big deal.  I don't think (as you've said) that the components are really designed to hold up to the strain of constant full drag.

 

I actually used to fish with round reels, and have pondered going back to them. I just really hate fishing braid on the round reels.

[Diggy]

Revo Big Shooter Compact 

 

 

[NorthernBasser]

After reading through this thread, might I suggest you find a Snakehead Resource Forum. Maybe you can find the answer that you seek there. ?‍♂️

[Mhan7]

59 minutes ago, Diggy said:

Revo Big Shooter Compact 

 

 

Thanks for the suggestion.  That reel looks interesting.  Pricey, but interesting.

 

The first catch this guy makes, is exactly why we use heavy line and drag locked...

 

 

He's a little dramatic, and not used to big ones...  but you get the idea.

 

 

42 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

After reading through this thread, might I suggest you find a Snakehead Resource Forum. Maybe you can find the answer that you seek there. ?‍♂️

And what's to say that I haven't already asked this question in multiple places?

 

THANKS for your suggestion...

[Str8BraidPowa]

16 hours ago, Mhan7 said:

But those Tranx reels are HUGE.  They don't really come across as something that a guy throwing baits 75 feet would want to put on a 7' rod.  Maybe I'm wrong...

 

I actually don't see a 200 size offering on their site, at the moment.

 

EDIT: managed to find one on another site.  It's got 12lb of drag.  Not what I'm looking for.  Especially for something that costs that much.  20# is minimum.

Don't discount the Tranx 200 for a drag stat. I have caught a bunch of 30"-36" wide rays in salt water that will routinely pull drag off a Cardiff 400 on my Tranx 200 with minimal drag slip. It will perform just fine for snakehead. As far as the sizing it is very similar to my SLX DC 150's, very comfortable to fish with for hours. If you are that concerned step up to the Tranx 300, a little bigger but still very comfortable to fish with especially with the power handle.

[dodgeguy]

11 hours ago, Double__Digits said:

8.3:1 gear ratio, #20 of drag.

Lews Tournament Pro LFS.?.?

Yup. Can get for 139 at sportsmans outfitters.

[Double__Digits]

Have you considered giving a Popeil Pocket Fisherman a try?

[OnthePotomac]

I have been using a Curado 200 I HG, 7.2:1 spooled with 832 simply because I had it available and so far it has worked really well.  I forgot to add that I did change the drags to Carbontex and so far it has handled a 10lb snakehead and a couple of big cats with no problem.  The spinnerbaits did not fare well though LOL.

[Mhan7]

1 hour ago, Double__Digits said:

Have you considered giving a Popeil Pocket Fisherman a try?

Haven't even heard the words since I left the trailer park.  Thanks for the memories. Say hello to everyone for me.

4 hours ago, Str8BraidPowa said:

Don't discount the Tranx 200 for a drag stat. I have caught a bunch of 30"-36" wide rays in salt water that will routinely pull drag off a Cardiff 400 on my Tranx 200 with minimal drag slip. It will perform just fine for snakehead. As far as the sizing it is very similar to my SLX DC 150's, very comfortable to fish with for hours. If you are that concerned step up to the Tranx 300, a little bigger but still very comfortable to fish with especially with the power handle.

 

I'm quite certain that you've landed those fish just fine.  The real issue is that I don't fight my fish on drag.  It's more or less a matter of winching them out.  Where we're fishing, if you don't do that, then you get a salad with your protein.  If you have a reel that will hold the drag, you can pull them up over the green stuff, and they'll almost launch themselves out while they're thrashing.  But I'm definitely not looking to let them make any runs.

 

 

1 hour ago, OnthePotomac said:

I have been using a Curado 200 I HG, 7.2:1 spooled with 832 simply because I had it available and so far it has worked really well.

That was actually the first reel that I looked at, before I bought the Smoke.

[Diggy]

My main snakehead reel was a Gen 2 revo that came in a 6. something gear ratio mounted on a veritas. I have upgraded my fishing gear many times over, but I have never caught as many as I caught on that setup. I quit doing the tournaments and I have fished for them far less. Looking through Corey's profile he seems to fish 13 Concept A's and Lexas.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCI0mdGnRld/

 

[Mhan7]

3 minutes ago, Diggy said:

My main snakehead reel was a Gen 2 revo that came in a 6. something gear ratio mounted on a veritas. I have upgraded my fishing gear many times over, but I have never caught as many as I caught on that setup. I quit doing the tournaments and I have fished for them far less. Looking through Corey's profile he seems to fish 13 Concept A's and Lexas.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCI0mdGnRld/

 

 

I actually bought a 13 Fishing reel, in the course of this conversation.  Waiting to test.  Still looking.  That recommend for the Japanese Revo seems pretty solid.  I think I might pick up one of those, also.

Also, the guy is right about being able to use just about any bass baits, but they d**n sure will do a number on wire baits. I've had them twist spinners into knots, and pull the blades off of chatterbaits.  When the water gets warm, they get especially lively.  I have heard the bullseye are harder fighters than the other species.  Just watching that other video that was posted, that Asian snakehead looked pretty docile, compared to these down here in SoFL.  I've never seen one of ours sit still like that when landed.