Dobyns Maverick Reel

[BigLeagueFishing]

I’ve come across almost no information on dobyns maverick casting reels. Do any of you guys have experience with them, if so how do they compare to other reels in the $100 price range. 

[PhishLI]

Might be wonderful, but you don't need to settle for an unproven plastic reel at $100 these days. Plenty of proven metal framed options out there.

[Tatulatard]

Looks like a kastking reel.  Probably from the same place.  

[FrnkNsteen]

5 hours ago, PhishLI said:

Might be wonderful, but you don't need to settle for an unproven plastic reel at $100 these days. Plenty of proven metal framed options out there.

I haven't been able to find much information on them. Agree they may be fine, but I'd have a hard time bypassing proven Fuego, SLX, or Lews LFS reels that have aluminum frames and proven reliability for the same priced Maverick.

 

Don'tget me wrong... I like my Dobyns casting rods, but hesitent on the reels til I hear more.

[Columbia Craw]

I have two.  Both right hand with a 6.5 a 7.2 gear ratio.  The frame is graphite pressure molded poly resin carbon. Side plate are also carbon Fibre.  The reel come in at around 7.2 ounces with an alloy 100 mm handle and an 11 stainless steel ball bearing system.  The cast control is achieved via side spool controlled knob with clicker control and an arc of five placed magnets.  The spool starts incredibly fast and the cast long.  Both are very  good pitchers.  Ergonomics is very good. Drag is also powerful.   Tolerances. Fit and finish is very impressive.  I had on glitch.  The cast control side plate was stuck. A frizz of of WD40 around the seam and all was good.  The tolerances are tight and it’s braid friendly.  Casting performance has been excellent for control and distance. They are rigid.  I’ll be a crash test dummy on these.  They feel great so far. 

[Columbia Craw]

Sorry guys!  I was half asleep when I typed the response if that wasn’t hard to tell.  The images here will clean up my foul ups. 
 

CC

[Aaron_H]

Looking forward to more reviews coming out, I've heard great things about its casting performance. Composite frame isn't a deal-breaker for me if the quality is there, plenty of mid-higher end reels with composite frames. Just would relegate it to certain techniques.

[WRB]

What about the Dobyns Maverick Spinning reels?

Tom

[PhishLI]

1 hour ago, Aaron_H said:

Composite frame isn't a deal-breaker for me if the quality is there, plenty of mid-higher end reels with composite frames. Just would relegate it to certain techniques.

My particular issue with plastic reels isn't durability, but re-assembly. I breakdown my reels several times during a season. Cycling coarse thread screws into and out of plastic is always risky, and there's a limit.  There isn't at all with metal frames, and I haven't cross-threaded a screw since I was 9.

[newapti5]

An all carbon reel weighs at 7.2oz. Hmm, it must have a BIG brass main gear. Personally I'd rather it uses a heavier aluminum frame; I don't mind BC reels around 8oz.  I wonder how much the spool weighs?

 

 

7 hours ago, PhishLI said:

Cycling coarse thread screws into and out of plastic is always risky, and there's a limit.

 

Been there, done that, completely agree. 

[garroyo130]

13 hours ago, PhishLI said:

My particular issue with plastic reels isn't durability, but re-assembly. I breakdown my reels several times during a season. Cycling coarse thread screws into and out of plastic is always risky, and there's a limit.  There isn't at all with metal frames, and I haven't cross-threaded a screw since I was 9.

 

I have the same issue and the Curado K now screws into graphite (*edit - whatever they call their plastic) side plates vs metal frame. 

[FrnkNsteen]

On 8/19/2022 at 3:05 AM, Columbia Craw said:

I have two.  Both right hand with a 6.5 a 7.2 gear ratio.  The frame is graphite pressure molded poly resin carbon. Side plate are also carbon Fibre.  The reel come in at around 7.2 ounces with an alloy 100 mm handle and an 11 stainless steel ball bearing system.  The cast control is achieved via side spool controlled knob with clicker control and an arc of five placed magnets.  The spool starts incredibly fast and the cast long.  Both are very  good pitchers.  Ergonomics is very good. Drag is also powerful.   Tolerances. Fit and finish is very impressive.  I had on glitch.  The cast control side plate was stuck. A frizz of of WD40 around the seam and all was good.  The tolerances are tight and it’s braid friendly.  Casting performance has been excellent for control and distance. They are rigid.  I’ll be a crash test dummy on these.  They feel great so far. 

Thanks for all the information. More information in your review than I had been avle to find elsewhere!

 

Just not a fan of graphite frames,.. And worst yet,.. The handle's on the wrong side!! ? 

[garroyo130]

Rivetted handles? 

[Tatulatard]

Dobyns or Kastking?  Which would you rather have? ?

[newapti5]

3 hours ago, Tatulatard said:

Dobyns or Kastking?  Which would you rather have? ?

 

I have to admit, this kastking reel looks pretty nice. They have come a long way from the Royal(?) series reel I first tried several years ago. 

[ironbjorn]

On 8/20/2022 at 9:03 AM, FrnkNsteen said:

Thanks for all the information. More information in your review than I had been avle to find elsewhere!

 

Just not a fan of graphite frames,.. And worst yet,.. The handle's on the wrong side!! ? 

It will be biased information, but the Dobyns Facebook group is a great place for Dobyns questions and information.

 

I'm considering getting a fleet of these reels just to match my Dobyns rods (I'm essentially exclusive to Dobyns rods). I honestly don't care too much about a reel. I get as much out of my $50 Black Max/Max X reels as I do my SLX XT and Tournament Pro reels. After awhile you can cast any respectable reel. It just puts out and picks up line. Durability is the bigger factor. Money into rods is far more important imo.

[WRB]

Most composite frame reels use molded in thread inserts or Helicoil thread inserts in lieu of directly threaded composite materials. 

Tom

[Friggs]

I bought a Dobyns baitcaster. My first one was defective. Sent it back and got the new one. I have only been using a baitcaster for about 2 years. So I'm no expert. At first I hated it. It has so many bearings and is so smooth it backlashed all the time. I quickly realized I needed to add a lot more brakes then I do on my other reels. Which are a Daiwa Tatula CT. And 2 Runcl reels. Now that I have used the Maverick for a couple of weeks I no longer hate it. Even with a lot more brakes on it, it out casts my other reels. I will say this about my Runcl reels. They are a lot better than their $40 pricetag would make you think. I really think they are close to the quality of the Maverick at a fraction of the cost. I'm forcing myself to continue to use the Maverick. It is not close to the build quality of my Daiwa. If I knew what I know now, I would have bought another Tatula CT. I thought of selling the Maverick. But I'm hoping with more use I will grow to love it. Not sure I will. It's a decent reel. But I don't think it's worth the $100 price tag. Not comparing it to my Tatula and Runcls. To be able to get the Tatula for just $30 more, to me that's a no brainer. I doubt this post will be helpful. But I tried to get my thoughts and experience into understandable sentences. I hope I didn't waste your time reading this.

[Aaron_H]

57 minutes ago, Friggs said:

I bought a Dobyns baitcaster. My first one was defective. Sent it back and got the new one. I have only been using a baitcaster for about 2 years. So I'm no expert. At first I hated it. It has so many bearings and is so smooth it backlashed all the time. I quickly realized I needed to add a lot more brakes then I do on my other reels. Which are a Daiwa Tatula CT. And 2 Runcl reels. Now that I have used the Maverick for a couple of weeks I no longer hate it. Even with a lot more brakes on it, it out casts my other reels. I will say this about my Runcl reels. They are a lot better than their $40 pricetag would make you think. I really think they are close to the quality of the Maverick at a fraction of the cost. I'm forcing myself to continue to use the Maverick. It is not close to the build quality of my Daiwa. If I knew what I know now, I would have bought another Tatula CT. I thought of selling the Maverick. But I'm hoping with more use I will grow to love it. Not sure I will. It's a decent reel. But I don't think it's worth the $100 price tag. Not comparing it to my Tatula and Runcls. To be able to get the Tatula for just $30 more, to me that's a no brainer. I doubt this post will be helpful. But I tried to get my thoughts and experience into understandable sentences. I hope I didn't waste your time reading this.

 

Getting to hear someone's hands-on experience is never a waste of time. Thank you for sharing.

[T-Billy]

On 8/18/2022 at 2:51 PM, PhishLI said:

Might be wonderful, but you don't need to settle for an unproven plastic reel at $100 these days. Plenty of proven metal framed options out there.

100% agree. LFS, SLX, Fuego come to mind. Also, you can find NOS reels on the auction site at great prices. I just picked up a new in box Gen 2 BPS JM Sig Series for $64. That's over $100 off it's price when it was introduced.

[garroyo130]

I gotta level with you guys ... for me all it takes is the font the selected for the word "Maverick". I know its just aesthetic but it screams cheap selected off-a-list font. Paired with the ultra-inferior branding on the brake sideplate its enough for me to never consider it. 

[ska4fun]

On 8/18/2022 at 4:15 PM, Tatulatard said:

Looks like a kastking reel.  Probably from the same place.  

Banax. The same one making Quantum reels.

[Darth-Baiter]

my friend got a 30% discount on one.  maybe a veteran discount.  dunno?  I dont participate.

 

he seems to like it.  he is using it as his punch reel.  should paint a good picture because I kinda think the punch reel has to be on point.  it is where I loosen up the line on the spool the most.  I'll let you know If I hear him cussing in the weed mats

[choppertime]

I have a 7:2.1 ,wish I would have not purchased it, seems like the brakes have no resistance an to cast I have to tighten spool control knob down alot,,,can't cast it without major backlashes unless I have the brakes an spool control all the way on....it is now just a flip pitch reel,so it doesn't get used very often.

[new2BC4bass]

On 8/21/2022 at 3:35 PM, Friggs said:

I have only been using a baitcaster for about 2 years. So I'm no expert. At first I hated it. It has so many bearings and is so smooth it backlashed all the time. I quickly realized I needed to add a lot more brakes then I do on my other reels. Which are a Daiwa Tatula CT. And 2 Runcl reels. Now that I have used the Maverick for a couple of weeks I no longer hate it. Even with a lot more brakes on it, it out casts my other reels.

Welcome to the forum.  I see you are about an hour-and-a-half drive from me.  A quick look showed more lakes near you than I have near me.  Any good fishing in them?  Sucks here mainly due to pressure and the fact I fish from shore.

 

I'd enjoy it more here if I had a boat capable of using on the Delaware River.  Excellent Smallmouth fishing there.  Or so I've read.  Have read of 100 fish plus days.  Shore access is very limited to the best of my knowledge.