New finesse baitcaster from Lew's

[redmeansdistortion]

The Custom Lite SS.  Looks like a nice reel but a little on the expensive side considering what one could get from Japan for a similar price or less.  What's interesting to me is that it uses a centrifugal brake instead of a mag brake like most other finesse reels.

 

https://www.lews.com/en/shop/reels/casting/cl1css

[dodgeguy]

I have 2 regular custom lites. They cast light lures fine. Why people say a centrifugal brake is not good with lite lures is beyond me.

[redmeansdistortion]

3 minutes ago, dodgeguy said:

I have 2 regular custom lites. They cast light lures fine. Why people say a centrifugal brake is not good with lite lures is beyond me.

I prefer centrifugal myself.  Granted, magnetic brakes do work best with the lightest of baits, but in that 3g+ range is where centrifugal really shines.  In my opinion anyway.  YMMV

[bulldog1935]

Holy cow, I had SP with Air bearings and threadline braid next to Super Duty with mono backing arbor and 20-lb 832 (twice the diameter of the SP threadline braid).  

The Super Duty mag brake consistently cast 1/8 oz 20% farther than the SP centrifugal, trying to catch up by gradually reducing the centrifugal all the way to backlash.  

 

      

I ran across this difference on the water when an over-slot red broke off the leader on my SP, noticed on the water the SD out-distanced it with the same lure, then went home to my metered back acre and proved it. 

People who can't cast without jerk or are throwing big weights will always like centrifugal better.  

Centrifugal prevents start-up backlash, and always costs distance at mid cast compared to properly set mag.  

 

No, the physics has been worked out.  Mag brake backs off as spool slows, centrifugal always makes physical contact.  Where you need mag brake is mid-cast.  Casting light lures you Never need centrifugal brake unless you cast with jerk.  And of course, my Roro-X spool on Daiwa will cast 3 g 30% farther than either reel above will cast 5 g.  

Where does limited experience with one brand compare to empirical measurement.  

[dodgeguy]

Gotta disagree. Centrifugal backs off as spool slows.

[FishTank]

This reel has been around for awhile. It's a Doyo Liger 30 with a shallow spool. I am surprised they haven't branded it for Lew's sooner. 

 

 

[FishTank]

Also, here are the brakes. Not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. 

 

 

[Tatulatard]

10 hours ago, FishTank said:

Also, here are the brakes. Not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. 

 

 

Looks like the same brake as the tournament mega cast MP LFS super speed lite pro that is highly regarded with its free casting braking profile.  This is good brake for centrifugal fans. 

[FishTank]

59 minutes ago, Tatulatard said:

Looks like the same brake as the tournament mega cast MP LFS super speed lite pro that is highly regarded with its free casting braking profile.  This is good brake for centrifugal fans. 

 

It's the same on the BB1 Pro I have. It does a good job of managing casts. I have had no issues with it casting 3/8 to 1/2oz jerkbaits. 

 

My thoughts are..... Doyo offers three spool options on this same frame; regular, shallow and super shallow.  It looks like they are using the same braking system on all three spools.  This doesn't seem to follow suit with every other BFS reel out there.  They all have their, somewhat,  unique system.  So it makes me wonder when casting, let's say, an 1/8oz and below bait, is the advantage in casting a BFS lure in the spool design,  the brake design or both? 

 

[dodgeguy]

i cast 1-10 ned heads with a trd on them with my custom lite regular spool.the shallow spool has to be able to go lighter. i also do that on a medium xf rod. that reel on a light action fast dobyns sierra finesse rod should cast fine.

[redmeansdistortion]

18 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

Holy cow, I had SP with Air bearings and threadline braid next to Super Duty with mono backing arbor and 20-lb 832 (twice the diameter of the SP threadline braid).  

The Super Duty mag brake consistently cast 1/8 oz 20% farther than the SP centrifugal, trying to catch up by gradually reducing the centrifugal all the way to backlash.  

 

      

I ran across this difference on the water when an over-slot red broke off the leader on my SP, noticed on the water the SD out-distanced it with the same lure, then went home to my metered back acre and proved it. 

People who can't cast without jerk or are throwing big weights will always like centrifugal better.  

Centrifugal prevents start-up backlash, and always costs distance at mid cast compared to properly set mag.  

 

No, the physics has been worked out.  Mag brake backs off as spool slows, centrifugal always makes physical contact.  Where you need mag brake is mid-cast.  Casting light lures you Never need centrifugal brake unless you cast with jerk.  And of course, my Roro-X spool on Daiwa will cast 3 g 30% farther than either reel above will cast 5 g.  

Where does limited experience with one brand compare to empirical measurement.  

I cast with zero jerk and prefer centrifugal for my uses.  I like it better for fishing the skinny waters I typically find myself in.  The slower spool startup makes for a very controlled cast inside of 20 yards.  What I love about it is it's more consistent for me across a greater weight range, whereas my magged reels need a little adjusting if I go up or down a size.