Ever had a graphite reel break?

[low_pro]

I was just wondering...  I am in the market for a new bc and was wondering if the graphite frames are junk or will last a long time?  what's your experience.  Graphite is lighter too, correct?  So why is aluminum so much better?  Perhaps a stupid question, if so leave a stupid answer...    :-X

[Raul]

Stay away from graphite frame reels, they break, I 'm telling you by experience. My first BC was a graphite frame Silstar I purchased in a local store many years ago, one day it slipped from my hand at home and it fell on the reel foot which obviously broke.

Graphite reels are not lighter than aluminum, they weight about the same give or take a few tenths of an ounce than an aluminum frame reel of the same size.

[low_pro]

good to know...  thanks!

[scbassin]

Raul, after it slipped from your hand did you purchase a Japanese reel? ;D

[Raul]

Raul, after it slipped from your hand did you purchase a Japanese reel? ;D

Nope, actually I purchased an Abu Ambassadeur 521 XLT Plus, one of the best purchases I 've ever made, it 's old, quite heavy, nowhere near as sophisticated as modern reels but I bet I can squeeze another 10 years of use and abuse out of it and from his twin brother a Abu Ambassadeur XLT Plus.

Back then when dinosaurs roamed the Earth it wasn 't easy for me to purchase Japanese stuff, it was even hard for me to purchase any kind of stuff. Gotta love the Internet.  

[flechero]

Nope.

While I won't recommend you seek out a graphite or nylon or whatever combo material some of the reels are made from...  I've beaten the tar out of a few Abu 4600's, for over 15 years, with the "plastic/nylon/graphite" feet and never broken one.  That includes my 250 lb self stepping on them while night fishing.

What is your price range and intended use for the reel... I bet we can come up with some suggestions to fit your criteria.

[dodgeguy]

i agree with raul %100!!!i've had graphite spinning reel necks break and my buddy has had baitcaster reel feet break and got smacked and cut across his face by the reel flying off.i will never buy a reel with a graphite frame again.they are not made as good as rods are.i've never seen aluminum or magnesium break.graphite also flexs causing bearing and gear misalignment.

[.ghoti.]

The only graphite framed reel that I've had break was slammed in the tailgate of my truck. A truly graceful moment. For some strange reason, it never worked just right again. > >

I only buy machined aluminum bodied reels now. Don't have any magnesium reels, so I can't comment on those. I've retired all the old graphite reels. Over time they just don't seem to maintain a precise alignment of all the moving parts.

But, that doesn't mean you couldn't get a few good years of service out of one. If that's what fits your budget, don't let the graphite frame scare you off. There are several quite decent graphite bodied baitcatsers in the $75 range. If you take reasonable care and clean and lube every year, you should get at least five years out of one. That's only fifteen bucks a year. What else you got that only costs you fifteen bucks a year?

[Guest muddy]

I have stepped on, closed in my tailgate and dropped my Pflueger President down a steep river embankment, other then the resulting scratches: NOTHING NO ISSUES ZILCH. I can see, but I am not as experienced with bait casting , as I have only been at if for a year, that frame twist may be an issue, but i don't know. The way the gears are attached to the handle may be affected by frame twist, someone with more experience will have to answer this.

When talking spinning reels, I had a friend help me and we could not bend the President on any kind of torque load. This is just one of the equipment myths in the fishing world. Todays well made graphite bodied spinning reels can stand up .

[JayW]

I had one with a graphite base (where it mounts into the reel seat) snap off once.    I wasn't rough on it either... not quite sure what happened. Maybe a factory defect?

[dodgeguy]

I had one with a graphite base (where it mounts into the reel seat) snap off once. I wasn't rough on it either... not quite sure what happened. Maybe a factory defect?

that's where they break.it's the stress point.muddy,if you hold your spinning rod and grab the reel body and twist it will move.as far as spinning reels goes if you are fishing light line with a light drag you'll never notice it.it's when you start using heavier line or braid and tighten down the drag that issues start to happen.i have a friend who used to fish frogs on 30 lb braid on spinning equipment because he hates baitcasters.after breaking numerous reels he went to all aluminum frames and the problems stopped.he has finally added baitcasters to his line up.

[.RM.]

Yes an old Quantum AC501CX reel foot.....

[dodgeguy]

Yes an old Quantum AC501CX reel foot.....

i think that's the one that smacked my friend. ;D

[Raul]

But, that doesn't mean you couldn't get a few good years of service out of one. If that's what fits your budget, don't let the graphite frame scare you off. There are several quite decent graphite bodied baitcatsers in the $75 range.

That 's the whole point, why spend your money in something that can break when for the same ammount of money you can get something you know it 's not going to break ? 75 dollars are 75 dollars, with that money you can get an aluminum frame reel you know it 's not going to break.

In Mexico we have a say: "El que con atole se quema hasta al jocoque le sopla"

The transaltion is: if you get burned with atole you will even blow at jocoque.

To make it clear.- "atole" is a bevarage prepared with corn flour and milk, served hot, the catch is, atole because of the composition gets extremely hot and doesn 't give away any steam, you take a sip of an atole cup and you get a mouth burn that you will never forget. Jocoque is the name given in Mexico to yoghurt, yoghurt is obviously served cold and obviously doesn 't give away steam either, both are served in cups, but yoghurt and jocoque look exactly the same, white and creamy so you can 't distinguish between both.

If you have ever had you mouth scalded with atole and they serve you yoghurt the first thing you are going to do as a precautionary measure is to blow to the jocoque to cool it down.

[BassinDave]

Had one too. It was an Abu Garcia. The frint side of the foot broke off. Wasn't too tight and no abuse. I was disapointed because I liked it but it wasn't very expensive so I just replaced it but now I'm very hesitant to buy another.

[Guest muddy]

Hey Raul: Ive had my Presidents and Trion Spinning reels for sometime now, when one breaks i will be the first to post it, I still say this is an over exagerated ( not by You, in general) problem

[flechero]

So far only 6 people report breakages...  For an honest comparision we should ask the other question also...

Anyone had an aluminum or metal framed or footed reel break?

I have dropped (assuming cast aluminum based on how porous the material was) that had the foot break off.  I've had several spinning reels that the neck broke over the years...  I doubt I'm the only one who has broken more metal than plastic reels.

Cheap and inexpensive are very different terms.  I still use 2 old Abu 4600's with the "plastic" feet that are older than a lot of the members and have ssen more use than most reels will ever see.  

[low_pro]

All of my spinning reels are graphite and I've never had an issue hoisting in BIG fish...  I have spiderwire on them and have hoisted in 20lb+ fish (unfortunatley not bass) with no issue.

Baitcasters are a different story.  I tried the Pinnacle Solene for a day.  It reeled extremely smooth with 8 ball bearings but when I hooked into a 10lb fish I could litteraly feel the reel flexing in my hand!  Shortly after that the drag was shot and things started falling apart...  was returned the next day.  I have an old Quantum Iron round baitcaster which has never faulted in a fight to this day...

I just purchased the Accurist CX and can't wait to try it out...   ;D

[jettech]

As an aircraft maintenance technition of 15+ years I can tell you a thing or two about graphite and carbon composite materials.   Knowing what I know I would never buy a graphite framed reel.  Composite materials are used in aircraft because of their strength to weight ratio.  They are made basically by (totally untechnical explanation follows) gluing and baking sheets of composite together with granular patterns opposing each other to help with strength.  If different shapes are needed they are pressed and formed into this shape while in the heated state.  This is all fine for flight control surfaces and flooring panels and secondary structure.  You will not find composite materials being used in areas of stress.  The materials will not hold up.   Composite materials chief enemy is MOISTURE.  If moisture gets in between the layers of laminant it will cause them to delaminate (pull apart).  All strength is lost at this point and fracture is eminent.  Seeing how a fishing reel is pretty much useless  if you are gonna keep it away from moisture I would not buy one no matter the manufacturer claimed.