Super User A-Jay Posted September 9, 2021 Super User Posted September 9, 2021 Round reel was my weapon of choice on the rocks as well. #400Btugofwar Fish Really Hard A-Jay 1 Quote
Super User T-Billy Posted September 9, 2021 Super User Posted September 9, 2021 My old Pro Qualifiers look pretty much identical to those Calcuttas. Right down to the handles. Shimano may not have made them. Dunno, but same or very similar design. I bought them used for $50 each. Quite a bargain. Quote
Super User J Francho Posted September 9, 2021 Super User Posted September 9, 2021 9 minutes ago, Catt said: I had Delaware Valley Tackle add ABEC5/7 ceramic bearings & Carbontex Drag Washers. Mike does nice work. Mine has bearings and Carbontex from Smooth Drags along with a star, handle, and knobs from a Curado 200e. No Chinese "dress up" junk here. Just simple improvements for the reel's purpose. There really isn't much to improve on anyway. 2 Quote
Captain Phil Posted September 9, 2021 Posted September 9, 2021 35 minutes ago, Ski said: Only for "Big Game" Not necessarily. Here's a big game fish I caught on 8 pound mono with an Ambassador 6500C. I was a lot younger then. 3 Quote
Ski Posted September 9, 2021 Posted September 9, 2021 1 minute ago, Captain Phil said: Not necessarily. Here's a big game fish I caught on 8 pound mono with an Ambassador 6500C. I was a lot younger then. My best Sail was on 14lb Andi But the Marlin is a different animal completely. 2 Quote
Captain Phil Posted September 9, 2021 Posted September 9, 2021 4 minutes ago, Ski said: My best Sail was on 14lb Andi But the Marlin is a different animal completely. Nice! If you caught a white Marlin too you would have had an offshore Grand Slam. 1 Quote
Super User new2BC4bass Posted September 9, 2021 Super User Posted September 9, 2021 Like T-Billy I haven't used mine in awhile. Primarily because I kept buying new and new-2-me reels that had to be taken out and used. I have 3 Black Max 1600C and 2 of the Morrum Mag SX...one in 1600C and one in 1601C. I especially like the Black Max for some of the lighter lures I use although I bought a couple aftermarket spools for my Daiwa reels to try the really light stuff. (Light for me = < 3/16 oz.) Quote
Super User NHBull Posted September 9, 2021 Super User Posted September 9, 2021 I have a few calcutta conquest.....100, 200 and 300. LOVE them and it feels good knowing they will be in the family lone after I have passed on 2 Quote
redmeansdistortion Posted September 9, 2021 Posted September 9, 2021 I have a few round reels. 7 Quote
Super User FishTank Posted September 9, 2021 Super User Posted September 9, 2021 I have two Calcutta 251s and a 101 TE GT. One of the 251s I have had for almost 15 years. The thing takes a beating and still feels like it's new. I updated the drag and the spool bearings and that's it. I get the since it will out live me. In general though, there is something special about how they feel.... slow and smooth.... like me. ? Quote
Super User Mobasser Posted September 9, 2021 Super User Posted September 9, 2021 I'll always be a fan of the ABU 4600C. My old one is I believe 24yrs old, and has been a great reel. I had to have the AR repaired once in all the years I've had it. It was actually a little hard for me to make the switch to newer low profile reels, especially with all the mag adjustments on some of them. I always liked the older ABU- one knob adjustment. Tie on your lure, push down the thumbar, and adjust the tension as the lure falls, until you have no over run on the spool. Then your ready to cast. Fast and simple. These reels are also pretty easy to take apart and lube/clean too. I have two 4600C, and one mid 80s 5500C, which I've retired now. These are a good way for a novice to learn the basics of a baitcasting reel, and how to thumb the spool. Newer low profile reels are lighter, but I'm convinced that some of them have too many bells and wistles. Older round reels are just what they are. A standard baitcaster. They still get the job done. 4 Quote
Captain Phil Posted September 9, 2021 Posted September 9, 2021 Anyone remember the Ambassador 2500C? When those reels came out in the seventies we thought they were great. After a few big Florida bass those nylon gears would strip like butter. They probably would have held up longer if we didn't string them with 20 pound mono and hammer the drags down. ? 2 Quote
Super User J Francho Posted September 9, 2021 Super User Posted September 9, 2021 I've built a couple and the only nylon gear I recall was the idler for the levelwind. The rest were brass. Pretty much the same for all Abu reels of the era. 3 Quote
redmeansdistortion Posted September 9, 2021 Posted September 9, 2021 1 hour ago, J Francho said: I've built a couple and the only nylon gear I recall was the idler for the levelwind. The rest were brass. Pretty much the same for all Abu reels of the era. Furthermore, the nylon idler gear is a safety feature. If a finger gets caught, teeth strip off saving your finger. If the idler were metal, it would be much more difficult to free a stuck finger. The people who engineer these reels think ahead, unlike others who proudly proclaim the reels as being junk because not all of the gears are metal. Part of engineering is ensuring the user of the product doesn't get severely injured. 5 Quote
Super User bulldog1935 Posted September 9, 2021 Super User Posted September 9, 2021 Mike's reel repair offer's a drilled alloy BB idler gear. The idler gear has to be light - the LW is driven off the spool during the cast. While the original was nylon, newer aftermarket idler gears are also offered in delrin. The idler gear is never driving the spool, only the LW - really not much chance of the gear stripping even in nylon. They offer aftermarket parts to really work wonders on reducing LW inertia - as well as spool inertia - my racy 1500C will cast 2g to 80', and the inertial is so low, I removed the centrifugal brake, because it's not needed and is just wasted mass. The LW parts offered alone can remove 1/3 oz from the LW mechanism and add ball bearings to the worm gear and idler gear. My next project may be a 4600C using Momo parts from AMO store. 4 Quote
moguy1973 Posted September 9, 2021 Posted September 9, 2021 I have an older AB Ambassador my dad handed down to me I have spooled up with some 50lb braid but I've never used it. Quote
mrpao Posted September 9, 2021 Posted September 9, 2021 I love round reels for all my slow gear ratio power techniques. 4 Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted September 9, 2021 Super User Posted September 9, 2021 Have several CTE 100 & 200GT. More recently Conquest 100 and Conquest BFS 1 Quote
redmeansdistortion Posted September 9, 2021 Posted September 9, 2021 46 minutes ago, roadwarrior said: Have several CTE 100 & 200GT. More recently Conquest 100 and Conquest BFS How do you like the Conquest BFS so far? It's quickly becoming my favorite reel. Quote
Crankin4Bass Posted September 9, 2021 Posted September 9, 2021 I have a couple Calcutta 200d's and a 300d. Bought them after reading @A-Jay review. Awesome reels! 1 Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted September 9, 2021 Super User Posted September 9, 2021 6 minutes ago, Crankin4Bass said: I have a couple Calcutta 200d's and a 300d. Bought them after reading @A-Jay review. Awesome reels! Cool ~ A-Jay 1 Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted September 10, 2021 Super User Posted September 10, 2021 14 hours ago, redmeansdistortion said: How do you like the Conquest BFS so far? It's quickly becoming my favorite reel. The reel is exceptional and matches perfectly with a Megabass Destroyer. 1 Quote
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