Lew's Team Pro SP Speed Spool

[Big Rick]

Anyone have experience with this shallow spool reel?  While it is designed for skipping and pitching I have seen some BFS guys casting some very light baits on light line with it. I wonder if the drag would be too powerful for lighter applications. 

 

I intend to buy one Tuesday in anticipation of using it for lighter/smaller frogs on 30# braid and feel the drag would be suited for that. 

 

Your thoughts in general would be appreciated. 

 

[T-Billy]

I'm happy as can be with mine. 40# 832 on it. Plenty of capacity for anything you want to do when spooled with braid, and no need for mono backing.

[bulldog1935]

@Big Rick

I bought this reel for my salt ML application, and was actually why I visited BR forum for the first time. 

Last May, I under-estimated an over-slot redfish, and before I could get my drift sock in, he was wrapped and broke off. 

(My buddy saw me leap out of the kayak and go after the tangle just before the break-off, and thought hornets were after me.)

I came back casting 1/8-oz Z-man on my MH Super Duty, and quickly discovered it would out-distance the SP., because of the difference in mag brake v. centrifugal brake.

It's the only reel that embarrassed me for buying it. 

I'm sure it works great for intended skipping and pitching, but no, it's not a light-lure reel, because the centrifugal brake is not a light-lure brake.  It's a perfect brake for skipping. 

 

When I got back to lawn-casting trials, the SD on MH rod would cast 1/8 oz farther than the SP on ML rod with centrifgual brake gradually backed to start-up backlash. 

I sold the SP and bought my Zillion (added Ray's SV honeycomb spool). 

First Daiwa I'd bought since they wouldn't support parts on my Millionaire 6H in 1984. 

 

 

[new2BC4bass]

No experience with the SP, but drags are adjustable.  Doesn't have to be locked down.  Set it where you want it.

[Big Rick]

4 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

I came back casting 1/8-oz Z-man on my MH Super Duty, and quickly discovered it would out-distance the SP., because of the difference in mag brake and centrifugal brake.

Very interesting observation!  I appreciate your sharing your experience. As stated in my original post, I am not getting this reel for BFS fishing but had seen some trying it for that. I intend to use it for a lighter/smaller frog presentation. We'll see how it goes. 

 

As a side, you'd think Lew's would've use mag braking on this reel. Maybe they've determined skipping and pitching to be better served with a centrifugal brake. Curious. I'll find out. It's an experiment as I have owned many Lew's with good success but have really come to like the Daiwa SV spooled reels. 

 

I also am anxiously awaiting the arrival of the honeycomb spool I ordered from your suggestion in an earlier thread to get my feet wet in the BFS world. Looking forward to that. 

[PhishLI]

4 hours ago, Big Rick said:

As a side, you'd think Lew's would've use mag braking on this reel. Maybe they've determined skipping and pitching to be better served with a centrifugal brake. Curious. I'll find out.

I'm guessing that because they went with a very light spool it works well as a system. The 2020 Tournament Pro LFS works fine with nearly as light of a spool as the SP when using the prescribed skipping settings of the SP.

 

I believe if a person is committed to skipping, most reels are up to snuff. I skip a lot using a Pflueger Supreme XT which has a 19 gram spool that's nearly double the weight of the SP's, centrifugal brake, and I can manage skips just fine while using typical casting settings. The reason I like using this reel for skipping is its spool's width and low thumb bar position. Combined with its frame size/ergonomics my grip and thumb position allows just about perfect thumb control for the way I grip and my hand size. In contrast I have a terrible time trying to skip with the current Chronarch as my fat thumb often ends up riding the rim of the spool instead of the line. So for me anyway, a good skipping reel needs to have a combination of elements beyond ideal spool weight and brake specs.