Received my Ace Hawk Double C602UL/L today.

[new2BC4bass]

This is a 3-piece casting rod with 2 tips.  They included a lure with it.  OMG!!!  I have a 7'2" River Runner spinning rod rated 1/32-5/16 oz. and I doubt I will be able to cast this lure with that rod (using 10# Sufix 832).

 

The UL tip is very thin and thus very flexible, but....OMG.  I thought it would be a fun rod for learning how to cast some very light lures, but what reel to use?  I figure my best bet is to start with my tuned and upgraded Airy Red.  BUT I know I will need an aftermarket spool.  I am just not a good enough caster to stick with the factory spool.  Haven't researched spools yet, but maybe a few of you guys already have experience with this type of self inflicted craziness/pain.  Maybe point me in the right direction for a cheap spool.  DIY?

 

It looked very nice in the pictures.  Looks just as good in real life.  Guides are all straight.  Wraps all look great.  What looks and feels like a plastic reel seat.  Comes with a bag.  Sweet looking rod for just under $38.  Will have to handle with care considering how thin the tips are.

 

Any other reel suggestions?  I can't phantom casting something as light as the lure they sent me.   Can I say OMG again?  OMG!!!!

 

EDIT:  Light tip is Fast with lure rating 2-6g (.07-.21 oz.), UL tip is MF with lure rating .5-2g (.018-.14 oz.).  Rod blank IM8.  Will add lure weight they sent after my scale warms up to room temperature. Lure weight 1.41g = .05 oz.

[jimmyjoe]

   Please ..... don't hold back. Tell us how you REALLY feel.   ??       jj

[JustJames]

You have plenty of option there with a whole bunch of your collections. Me on the other hand cannot cast a dime with linear mag brake but with air brake I can whip it good and don’t worry much about backlash. On opposite end, with a little more weight like 1/8oz total weight, I prefer linear mag brake or centrifugal brake where I can got an oomph into the cast.

I would start off with pixy and Ray’s spool. I found smaller diameter spool cast better than bigger spool or if you want get ASC custom spool for fix inductor. 
Two of my ultralight group friends bought new alphas air TW and like it a lot too. I think one of them own that ace hawk as well and he usually use 1/32-1/16 bugger jig.

[HazeRVA]

Dang it...subscribed. Want to hear the suggestions....been looking into UL lately.

[NOC 1]

15 hours ago, Bass_Fishing_Socal said:

You have plenty of option there with a whole bunch of your collections. Me on the other hand cannot cast a dime with linear mag brake but with air brake I can whip it good and don’t worry much about backlash. On opposite end, with a little more weight like 1/8oz total weight, I prefer linear mag brake or centrifugal brake where I can got an oomph into the cast.

I would start off with pixy and Ray’s spool. I found smaller diameter spool cast better than bigger spool or if you want get ASC custom spool for fix inductor. 
Two of my ultralight group friends bought new alphas air TW and like it a lot too. I think one of them own that ace hawk as well and he usually use 1/32-1/16 bugger jig.

It might be just my lack of "finesse" but I have found that the Ray's spool won't get you there if you are trying to throw much under 7 gm. They work great for 1/8 oz. stuff though. I have the PX- 68 reels so they should be similar enough. I had a Daiwas Finesse Special spool that did a little better, but it was sort of a sketchy deal in my hands, lots of almost over-runs.

 

The Pixy reels are great reels and I love them, but I think that they are best with the stock spool using them 1/8-3/8 oz. stuff. An SS Air might be just the ticket or maybe one of the Aldebaran BFS reels?

[new2BC4bass]

I have the Airy Red, PX68L and PXL Type R, but if the upgraded Airy won't work, then none will.  The Airy has ZPI SiC spool bearings:

 

I also have Curado 51E and Scorpion 1001 4X4 SVS.  Maybe the Scorpion with a different spool?

 

Was hoping to use a reel I already have.  Didn't expect to need another reel for $300-$450 to use on this $38 rod.    I may have to seriously consider an Air Stream Custom.  Just what I need....another reel. 

 

[JustJames]

On 3/4/2021 at 2:37 PM, NOC 1 said:

It might be just my lack of "finesse" but I have found that the Ray's spool won't get you there if you are trying to throw much under 7 gm. They work great for 1/8 oz. stuff though. I have the PX- 68 reels so they should be similar enough. I had a Daiwas Finesse Special spool that did a little better, but it was sort of a sketchy deal in my hands, lots of almost over-runs.

 

The Pixy reels are great reels and I love them, but I think that they are best with the stock spool using them 1/8-3/8 oz. stuff. An SS Air might be just the ticket or maybe one of the Aldebaran BFS reels?

I can cast down to 1/24oz jig head with 1 gram plastic about 50- 60’ away. I can’t do that with Revo ALX with AMO spool nor 70 with Ray’s spool. I alway whip cast so lob cast with free spool of Revo ALX with AMO spool doesn’t work for me.

(edit link)

I’m sorry I just talked from my experience not stay at home and use imagination or theory. Don’t wanna knock anyone down, different ppl cast differently another video show how I adjust my cast with centrifugal brake. I can do it but not long enough before I start whip it again.

 

 

On 3/4/2021 at 3:48 PM, new2BC4bass said:

I have the Airy Red, PX68L and PXL Type R, but if the upgraded Airy won't work, then none will.  The Airy has ZPI SiC spool bearings:

 

I also have Curado 51E and Scorpion 1001 4X4 SVS.  Maybe the Scorpion with a different spool?

 

Was hoping to use a reel I already have.  Didn't expect to need another reel for $300-$450 to use on this $38 rod.    I may have to seriously consider an Air Stream Custom.  Just what I need....another reel. 

 

If you want to try I can send my ray spool out your way to try out. If you have Revo ALX I can send AMO spool (linear mag brake). For your shimano, I also have Yumeya spool. I don’t recommend it for ultralight but excellent for 4-5 grams and above. I use mostly for 1/8oz hair jig or 1/16oz roadrunner or 1/8oz lipless. The centrifugal brake sometimes spool goes wild and harder to control.

I can send any or all for you to try.

[fishwizzard]

3 hours ago, NOC 1 said:

 

The Pixy reels are great reels and I love them, but I think that they are best with the stock spool using them 1/8-3/8 oz. stuff. An SS Air might be just the ticket or maybe one of the Aldebaran BFS reels?

I would agree, I love the Pixies as well but they are much more of a “ML spinning replacement” then something you would throw smaller trout lures on.  The DIY spools

lower the sweet spot closer to 1/8oz, but they are not ideal for real UL stuff. 
 

 

[new2BC4bass]

13 hours ago, Bass_Fishing_Socal said:

If you want to try I can send my ray spool out your way to try out. If you have Revo ALX I can send AMO spool (linear mag brake). For your shimano, I also have Yumeya spool. I don’t recommend it for ultralight but excellent for 4-5 grams and above. I use mostly for 1/8oz hair jig or 1/16oz roadrunner or 1/8oz lipless. The centrifugal brake sometimes spool goes wild and harder to control.

I can send any or all for you to try.

No ALX.  Thanks a whole lot.    Very generous offer, but I'd rather not use someone else's equipment.  How about an aftermarket spool in the Steez SV103?  I assume a spool for the regular Steez would fit the SV reel.  Will they?

 

I see there is a BFS spool for the T3, but am assuming the 3D braking would be a bit much for this light of a lure even at the lowest brake settings.

[JustJames]

You owe to yourself to try it man. You already have a rod and reels that capable off just need some shallow spool. Worst come to worst just sell the spool with some loss but at least you don’t have to keep wondering. All opinions are good but individual experiences make different. 
I say if you don’t expect too much out of it like casting “trout magnet”(a lot of youtubers target nowadays) it can be done. 
I told myself not to persuade anymore UL but you know what I got myself Tsurinoya Ares 5’6 a whole solid blank UL to try out this year when I’m on float tube and just because I like the color lol.

 

you might already seen this but this show two different braking system and why some can handle one better than other. 
 

 

[JustJames]

How do we know a shallow spool from Walmart lol. It doesn’t look like Ray’s spool but as long as it fit and no wobble you should be okay. From the look, it is more like Ray’s copied so hopefully it come with air brake. I use my SS SV for only bass fishing with 15lb braid on shallow spool and original spool with 10-12lb copolymer.
I use 8-10lb braid on some of shallow spool for panfish which to me is good enough. I have 6lb windtamer but I don’t think I need to go that light. If you like mono or FC, the Ray’s spool should have enough capacity (about 50yds)with 4lb copolymer or 6lb FC.

[NOC 1]

On 3/4/2021 at 5:48 PM, new2BC4bass said:

I have the Airy Red, PX68L and PXL Type R, but if the upgraded Airy won't work, then none will.  The Airy has ZPI SiC spool bearings:

 

I also have Curado 51E and Scorpion 1001 4X4 SVS.  Maybe the Scorpion with a different spool?

 

Was hoping to use a reel I already have.  Didn't expect to need another reel for $300-$450 to use on this $38 rod.    I may have to seriously consider an Air Stream Custom.  Just what I need....another reel. 

 

I love the ZPI ceramic bearings and have them on most all of my reels...except for the pixy's those get the lighter Hedgehog BFS ceramics. The ZPIs aren't quite as light when you need to start the spool with no weight on the line.

On 3/4/2021 at 8:10 PM, fishwizzard said:

I would agree, I love the Pixies as well but they are much more of a “ML spinning replacement” then something you would throw smaller trout lures on.  The DIY spools

lower the sweet spot closer to 1/8oz, but they are not ideal for real UL stuff. 
 

 

That is exactly my experience as well.

[NOC 1]

13 hours ago, new2BC4bass said:

Nice combo!  Love the Purple Alphas.  Before getting a Pixy I would much rather grab an Alphas than a Curado 51E for lighter lures.  Not talking finesse here.  Around 3/16-1/4 oz. total.

 

When I looked at work, Walmart had 2 spools for Steez/SS SV spools left at I believe $27 and change.  When I looked after getting home, there was one left at $24.64.  I bought it.  I also bought a Ray's Studio Pixy spool off nartotra.com for just over $40 which was enough to qualify for free shipping.  Never heard of that store.

 

No idea what I will be getting from Walmart.  Brand name is lizard.  Never heard of them either.  Compatible with my Steez 100HLA and EX 100HS.

 

Broke down and bought the next to last DIY spool from aliexpress for PX68/Pixy.  So I'll have some spools to play with soon.

 

What braid would you suggest for these spools?  10 lb. or less?

 

If none of those is what you need, I just remembered that Daiwa made a "Presso" spool for the Pixy series that was supposed to be for stream fishing. It is a very light fixed inductor spool. If you are interested, Ichiban Tackle has one for sale right now. They are a good company and I've bought many reels, lures and spools from them. I've never used one, but it is the spool that Daiwa thought worked for trout baits.

 

https://www.ichibantackle.com/products/2580-daiwa-silver-creek-presso-spool-used/

 

[new2BC4bass]

1 hour ago, NOC 1 said:

If none of those is what you need, I just remembered that Daiwa made a "Presso" spool for the Pixy series that was supposed to be for stream fishing. It is a very light fixed inductor spool. If you are interested, Ichiban Tackle has one for sale right now. They are a good company and I've bought many reels, lures and spools from them. I've never used one, but it is the spool that Daiwa thought worked for trout baits.

 

https://www.ichibantackle.com/products/2580-daiwa-silver-creek-presso-spool-used/

 

As luck would have it my first attempt at finesse was putting a Presso spool in a Sol.  I no longer need that spool in the Sol since I now have 4 Pixy reels.  So I will put the original back in and try the Presso in a Pixy.  Had forgotten about that.  Thanks for the reminder.

 

I will also look into the Hedgehog bearings for my other Airy Red or the PX68.  Thanks.

[new2BC4bass]

12 hours ago, NOC 1 said:

I love the ZPI ceramic bearings and have them on most all of my reels...except for the pixy's those get the lighter Hedgehog BFS ceramics. The ZPIs aren't quite as light when you need to start the spool with no weight on the line.

That is exactly my experience as well.

 

Went to their site.  I'm confused.  Which bearings should I be looking at?

[NOC 1]

3 hours ago, new2BC4bass said:

 

Went to their site.  I'm confused.  Which bearings should I be looking at?

They are called AIR BFS

[JustJames]

7 hours ago, new2BC4bass said:

 

Went to their site.  I'm confused.  Which bearings should I be looking at?

Lol.

depends on which spool original or shallow spool. most of shallow spool got smaller spool shaft than original pixy spool shaft. I’m not sure about Presso spool.

 

You can also order from tackle trap and ask them for the right bearing. Make sure to let them know you want bearing for shallow spool or alphas air.
Ray’s spool 

https://www.hedgehog-studio.co.jp/phone/product/630

 

original pixy spool

https://www.hedgehog-studio.co.jp/phone/product/512

[new2BC4bass]

Thanks guys.  Clicked on the links.  Maybe they will have the bearings back in stock.......................in a couple years.