BFS - Round reel vs Low Profile?

[Jeffrey Walker]

Round reels to me, seem to be more oriented for power fishing, large fish, saltwater, etc.  I dont know why i think that way, its just my perception/misperception.  

 

In regards to BFS, I see a lot of suggestions about the calcutta round reels and can someone please elaborate why a round reel over a low profile baitcaster?

 

. 

 

PS -i love small profiles and the attraction to BFS for me is the super-ultralight, micro fishing, so to speak and I cant understand why I would go or a large "fat" round reel?

 

Thanks!

[WRB]

What is your point of asking a question you have no interest in?

The Father of Finesse is Hall if Fame bass angler Don Iovino.

Don earned his title using round finesse casting reels.

The Abu Garcia 2500C Ambassador is a small round casting reel that Don supper tunes for today’s BSF anglers. The Calcutta 50 is another small round reel that can tuned to cast light weight lures. These reels are not light weight compared to current Low profile BSF reels.

Tom

 

[Jeffrey Walker]

6 minutes ago, WRB said:

What is your point of asking a question you have no interest in?

The Father of Finesse is Hall if Fame bass angler Don Iovino.

Don earned his title using round finesse casting reels.

The Abu Garcia 2500C Ambassador is a small round casting reel that Don supper tunes for today’s BSF anglers. The Calcutta 50 is another small round reel that can tuned to cast light weight lures. These reels are not light weight compared to current Low profile BSF reels.

Tom

 

I thought my thread was pretty clear but if not - My interest is - as I stated above - What is the attraction to Round reels when it comes to BFS.   If they are not light weight, and as compact as low profile reels, why do pople choose them?  What are the advantages or disadvantages> Is it cosmetic or functional?

[RDB]

I think it may be a little harsh to ask why you are asking the question.  I read the question as asking for help in clarifying your perception/misperception and I think it’s a fair question.  Personally, I have some older round reels but they are not my preferred style for a number of reasons including comfort and palming.  Just like almost every question on this site, personal preference trumps most everything.  Back in the day, most high end reels were round, so you would find many choosing that style.  As the market grew and evolved, the current lower profile styles became the most popular.  There still are some great round style reels on the market.  The market trend toward lighter rods and reels has also impacted that popularity somewhat as well.

 

[QED]

The old Lew's BB-1 seemed to have been the inflection point.  It was teardrop shaped with the teardrop point facing forward and sat a little lower than typical at the time.  Shimano, Ryobi, and others iterated that type of design philosophy to arrive at the modern low profile casting reels.

[Jeffrey Walker]

33 minutes ago, WRB said:

What is your point of asking a question you have no interest in?

The Father of Finesse is Hall if Fame bass angler Don Iovino.

Don earned his title using round finesse casting reels.

The Abu Garcia 2500C Ambassador is a small round casting reel that Don supper tunes for today’s BSF anglers. The Calcutta 50 is another small round reel that can tuned to cast light weight lures. These reels are not light weight compared to current Low profile BSF reels.

Tom

 

I dont understand your sentence in asking a question I have no interest in? If i Dint have an interest, I wouldn't have asked the question.  Perhaps I could have been clearer but I think the question is pretty direct, no?

[WRB]

Lew Childre patented the low profile BB1 and used Shimano USA bicycle mfg to manufacture his original series followed by Ryobi in Japan. Shimano Japan copied the Childre design introducing the Bantam 100.

The design goal was moving the level wind further away from the+reel spool. That is the basic history.

My 1st “round”  reel was Langley Target 340 weighing 4 oz, drilled shallow aluminum spool that came out in 1947. Light and small and learn to bass fish in the 50’s.

Todays BSF reels are not lighter they are lower profile.

BSF is popular trend and using light tackle with diameter line is more sporting catching 1 to 3 lb bass, the tackle matches the fish.

Composites, lighter weight aluminum alloys and magnesium are used to make reels lighter weight giving up strength and durability not necessarily needed with light line.

Why do anglers today use the older design round reels...strength and durability would be 2 reasons.

Tom

 

 

[Jeffrey Walker]

9 minutes ago, WRB said:

Lew Childre patented the low profile BB1 and used Shimano USA bicycle mfg to manufacture his original series followed by Ryobi in Japan. Shimano Japan copied the Childre design introducing the Bantam 100.

The design goal was moving the level wind further away from the+reel spool. That is the basic history.

My 1st “round”  reel was Langley Target 340 weighing 4 oz, drilled shallow aluminum spool that came out in 1947. Light and small and learn to bass fish in the 50’s.

Todays BSF reels are not lighter they are lower profile.

BSF is popular trend and using light tackle with diameter line is more sporting catching 1 to 3 lb bass, the tackle matches the fish.

Composites, lighter weight aluminum alloys and magnesium are used to make reels lighter weight giving up strength and durability not necessarily needed with light line.

Why do anglers today use the older design round reels...strength and durability would be 2 reasons.

Tom

 

 

Do you really need strength an durability when dealing with ultralight tackle?  Serious question

[QED]

On 6/20/2022 at 8:31 PM, Jeffrey Walker said:

Do you really need strength an durability when dealing with ultralight tackle?  Serious question

 

One always prefers strength and durability in fishing rods and reels, but in the case of ultralight or BFS gear, it's a difference in degree and not in kind.

[JustJames]

No round reel doesn’t really have any advantage whatsoever compare to low profile especially with BFS fishing. But why? PASSION. There are a lot love in classic look of round reel. There a BFS guy in Japan can fish with old Abu with push button release (not thumb bar) for trout very effectively and fluently. He loves fishing and he love his gears. Why ppl still collect and drive in antique car?

 

[Tatulatard]

The conquest bfs is tiny.  Also it's a conquest so it's super smooth and precise feeling.  It's just a nicer feeling reel than an aldebaran.  Some people will gladly pay more for the conquest over an aldebaran so it exists.  There are also trout rods with a traditional appearance that the round reels pair with nicely.  Short answer is that its a nice thing and looks cool.  That's it.  

[redmeansdistortion]

6 minutes ago, Tatulatard said:

There are also trout rods with a traditional appearance that the round reels pair with nicely.

Yes indeed!

 

[redmeansdistortion]

10 hours ago, Bass_Fishing_SoCal said:

No round reel doesn’t really have any advantage whatsoever compare to low profile especially with BFS fishing. But why? PASSION. There are a lot love in classic look of round reel. There a BFS guy in Japan can fish with old Abu with push button release (not thumb bar) for trout very effectively and fluently. He loves fishing and he love his gears. Why ppl still collect and drive in antique car?

 

Angler Saito is a very skilled trout fisherman.  He runs glass rods made by Anglo and Company.  Most of his reels look pretty tricked out having a multitude of Avail parts.  It's very easy to empty the wallet doing up a 2500C.  For poops and grins, I added all the Avail stuff to my cart on Hedgehog Studio and I was over $700 including the low profile frame, and that doesn't include the reel itself.  The rods he runs cost anywhere from $900 on up.  Anglo rods are built to order.  One guy I talk to on another forum bought one and the lead time was almost a year.  I won't lie, I'd love to do up a combo like that myself but it just isn't in the cards at this time with another kid on the way.

[new2BC4bass]

I have stock Black Max 1600C.  Doesn't feel heavy or overly large to me, but I must admit I prefer a Pixy.  The 1600C is an inexpensive reel without the tolerances of reels costing several times its price.  Years ago I got a package deal for 3 of them for $100.  One of my better deals. 

 

However, there is no getting around the fact that the 1600C will handle fairly light (for me) weights with aplomb.  I've cast a small fluke on an unweighted 3/0 hook straight into a wind strong enough to create whitecaps, and the only backlash I had was when I tried for the other side of the lake.

 

Your question makes me want to get out with mine and compare it to one of my Pixy reels to see how they compare.

 

[redmeansdistortion]

 

12 hours ago, new2BC4bass said:

I have stock Black Max 1600C.  Doesn't feel heavy or overly large to me, but I must admit I prefer a Pixy.  The 1600C is an inexpensive reel without the tolerances of reels costing several times its price.  Years ago I got a package deal for 3 of them for $100.  One of my better deals. 

 

However, there is no getting around the fact that the 1600C will handle fairly light (for me) weights with aplomb.  I've cast a small fluke on an unweighted 3/0 hook straight into a wind strong enough to create whitecaps, and the only backlash I had was when I tried for the other side of the lake.

 

Your question makes me want to get out with mine and compare it to one of my Pixy reels to see how they compare.

 

The spool on the OG Black Max weighs only 10g, which was a feather back in '91 when the reel came out.  I bought a couple from you some years back, they'll throw 3/16 Hot n Tots for steelhead really well.  I haven't tried anything lighter, but I fully feel they'll throw in the 1/8 range.

 

[bulldog1935]

What's left out of the Lew's BB-1 discussion above is that patent was the first reel to separate LW from freespool (since 1918 Douglas patent), letting it cast like the NLW reels of the nineteen-teens. 

 

It was never a low-profile reel as often gets suggested.  The only thing it has in common with LP reels is separating LW from freespool.  In fact, my 4600C is an easier thumb reach on straight-reel-seat than a BB-1

 

 

@redmeansdistortion the spool and lightweight LW rider (throw in Mike's zirconia pawl) are the most important changes to Ambassadeur (though Mike's pawl won't work on 1500/2500C).  Air spool bearings, BB LW and idler gear are gravy.  As you know, you can do most of the LW-slick with polishing bushings and mating spindles. 

 

As to Why, few reels are more fun to cast than a raced-out Ambassadeur. 

[abzack]

Just to throw some more love to the round reels, mine are Abu Garcia: I have a Royal 1 push button (4501?) and a 4601 C4 that I cleaned, oiled/greased, added ceramic hybrid spool bearings and carbontex drag washers. On 6' ML rods with 10lb braid to 6lb flouro leader will throw 1/8 with no issues. I also have Morrum 1601C and 3601C that I cleaned, oiled/greased, added micro ceramic hybrid spool bearings and carbontex drag washers. On 6' L (1601) / ML (3601) rods with 8lb braid to 4lb flouro leader will throw 1/16 with no issues. I couldn't find the micro ceramic hybrid spool bearings for the 4501/4601. I still have a few 4601 C3s to clean up. 

I have a Kastking Zephyr BFS setup (6' UL rod and reel) and a Piscifun Phantom that I added the Phantom shallow spool on a 6' L rod.  I cleaned, oiled/greased, added micro ceramic hybrid spool bearings and carbontex drag washers to both.  I really like both of those and can throw down to 1/32 with no issues. To be honest I like the Phantom on the light rod v the Zephyr on the UL rod.

Ultimately though, I personally seem to enjoy fishing with the round reels more. Call it nostalgia or whatever, it makes me smile. I hope this helps answer your original post. 

[roadwarrior]

On 6/21/2022 at 8:58 AM, Tatulatard said:

The conquest bfs is tiny.  Also it's a conquest so it's super smooth and precise feeling.  It's just a nicer feeling reel than an aldebaran.  Some people will gladly pay more for the conquest over an aldebaran so it exists.  There are also trout rods with a traditional appearance that the round reels pair with nicely.  Short answer is that its a nice thing and looks cool.  That's it.  

This is my reel, too!

[Jeffrey Walker]

So what would be a good BFS set up with a round reel, o heard a lot about the calcutta, what model?  what rod?

[JustJames]

Doesn’t seem like you know a lot about BFS but you wanna start off with high end. Hey it is your money, why not, right? 
I make it easy for you,

@roadwarriorgot top of the cream for sale right now in our flea market, Shimano Calcutta Conquest BFS. If you don’t have the rod then buy the whole combo.

In the BFS world if you want the top doesn’t matter low profile or round reel without any modification, there is only one “Conquest BFS by Shimano”

add link to make it even easier for ya.

 

[roadwarrior]

1 hour ago, Jeffrey Walker said:

So what would be a good BFS set up with a round reel, o heard a lot about the calcutta, what model?  what rod?

 

Megabass Destroyer FOst-66X Siglett  $475

https://megabassusa.com/product/destroyer-p5-f0st-66x-siglett/

 

Shimano Conquest BFS HG  $515

https://jdmfishing.com/vault/2017-2018-calcutta-conquest-bfs-hg/

 

Spooled with #6 Tatsu

 

$990 for immediate delivery via FedEx

 

-Kent  a.k.a. roaswarrior

Global Moderator

[Jeffrey Walker]

Is this combo used or new?

[roadwarrior]

New.

I bought it last fall and fished it twice at a local pond and once on

the White River. The performance is PERFECT. 

 

The package includes reel box and paperwork, rod tube, rod case and 

I will include a couple of Japanese BFS lures and a spool of #4 Tatsu.

[Jeffrey Walker]

On 6/21/2022 at 9:58 AM, Tatulatard said:

The conquest bfs is tiny.  Also it's a conquest so it's super smooth and precise feeling.  It's just a nicer feeling reel than an aldebaran.  Some people will gladly pay more for the conquest over an aldebaran so it exists.  There are also trout rods with a traditional appearance that the round reels pair with nicely.  Short answer is that its a nice thing and looks cool.  That's it.  

 

So I picked up figuering I could easily sell it if I didnt like it.  I spooled it up and tied a 1/4oz wedight and took some casts on a Dobyns Ultra Sierra finesse.  

 

OMG does this thing cast far?  I am very impressed at the distance!  Sits a little high, but definaltye is cool and feels smooth.  Love the cliky drag sound like this and spinning reels. 

[ska4fun]

I can speak over the matter with a lot of experience.

 

01 Conquest 51 Custom BFS/Mag/Microcast

01 Conquest 51 Shallow Special

01 Calcutta 51B

01 Conquest 101 2014

01 Conquest BFS

01 Daiwa Millionaire CT SV

 

Round reels tend to be stronger built than low-profiles one. They sit really well in ultrafinesse/trout rods. These rods are shorter than 5', and the extra weight takes the setup center of mass close to you hand, making twitching and jerking very easy.

 

Equilibrated setup >>>> lightweight one.