Bojangles Posted March 22, 2011 Posted March 22, 2011 Anyone tried the new Zebco Omega Pro spincast reel? As an avid spincast fan, I haven't found many reviews of this reel. Any suggestions are appreciated. Shoreliner Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted March 22, 2011 Super User Posted March 22, 2011 Great reel for kids and people that fish a half day or two a year. If you are going to be involved in the sport, buy a spinning reel and/or baitcaster and learn how to use it. 8-) Quote
Super User new2BC4bass Posted March 22, 2011 Super User Posted March 22, 2011 Well Mr. Bojangles, you will find very few people on this forum using a spincast reel. I've used one a few times. Bought a Daiwa ultralight combo about 30 years ago. Learned to dislike it. My personal opinion is you will have less trouble with a decent spinning reel. However, I am not going to try and talk you out of using a spincast reel if that is what you like. Lots of people catch fish with them. I've only been on this forum about a year, but my guess is that your chance of getting a review of that reel is slim to none. My first reel 55 years ago was a Mitchell 300. I'm sure there are many people on fishing forums who would sneer at the reel. My dad, 2 brothers and I caught a few thousand fish with them. We didn't know better. ;D Today I like better gear. Notice I didn't say easier to use gear. I switched over to baitcasting gear last year and am still trying to get good with it. I'm afraid most avid fishermen look down their nose at spincast reels. I do based on what little time I've spent with one. Many seem to be kind of big. I assume they weigh accordingly. Balance is pretty bad with one of any size. Lots of avid fishermen are looking to save every fraction of an ounce they can. Ask them which reel they would prefer to use, a 6 oz. or a 9 oz. reel. I hope that there is someone here who can help you with some information on the Omega Pro. That's one of the reasons we all participate. To help others. Who knows. Maybe there will be a few spincast men who will come out of the closet. :) Quote
Bojangles Posted March 22, 2011 Author Posted March 22, 2011 I appreciate the insight, new2BC4bass. I tend to trust reviewers here, rather than "customer" reviews on retail websites. You're right in that I may need to search elsewhere for a review on this reel. Quote
catchnm Posted March 22, 2011 Posted March 22, 2011 In the past two days I've caught 5 pond fish from the bank that have weighed from 3-5 lbs.....ish. All on a 80's model 5 1/2' pistol grip Daiwa Powermesh rod, a Shakespeare TI-10 reel spooled with Yozuri Hybrid Ultra Soft 6 lb. Fun, fun, fun! Spincasters have their place in my arsenal. They don't get used much but they are beneficial in the right situations. Quote
ah_long Posted March 22, 2011 Posted March 22, 2011 my first reel is a spincast... it's more of a reel for the person just wanting to cast with a button and catch fish... no matter how much features you put in it, it just doesn't work as well as a spinning/baitcast... I do want to know if there are any situations where the spincast would outperform the BC and spinning reels Quote
Stasher1 Posted March 22, 2011 Posted March 22, 2011 I haven't had an opportunity to use the new Omega Pro, but I've had an Omega Z03 for a few years now with no complaints. I have it mounted on an Emmrod Packer at the moment, but it's a nice general purpose, do it all kinda reel. It wouldn't my first choice in most situations, but for slingshotting small crappie/panfish jigs back up under docks or way under boat houses, you'd be hard pressed to find a better reel. Ignore the naysayers. They're most likely the same ones who think baitcast gear is somehow "manlier" than spinning gear. : It's like saying a wrench is manlier than a screwdriver. They're different tools for different jobs. No more, no less. TackleTour's review of the Omega Z03: http://www.tackletour.com/reviewzebcoomega.html My Omega Z03 on an Emmrod Packer: Quote
Stasher1 Posted March 22, 2011 Posted March 22, 2011 ^^ very very interesting rod My apologies to the OP for this slight thread hijack, but here's another pic of the Packer with the "rod" detatched for storage. The coiled portion fits down over the foregrip, allowing the entire setup to fit under seat of a car/truck, in the glovebox, or (as the name implies) in a backpack. It's not an especially sensitive rod, but it's more than adequate to catch dinner. Quote
Bassyak Posted March 22, 2011 Posted March 22, 2011 I also have an Omega Z03. I grew up using spincasters...that's what my parents, grandparents...pretty much everyone I knew fished with. Since getting back into fishing after college about 10 years ago, I've learned how to use both baitcasting and spinning gear very well and much prefer them when I'm out on the lake. However, when I lived in South Carolina, there were several small ponds near my house that I fished from the shoreline and I loved having a spincaster to do little underhand pitches and roll casts while standing under overhanging trees along the bank. I tried doing it with casting gear and just ended up spending more time picking out backlashes.... and it was just easier for me to make the kind of casts I wanted to make with that Omega over a spinning reel. Like others have said, it's a tool and it has its place. Quote
ah_long Posted March 22, 2011 Posted March 22, 2011 ^^ very very interesting rod My apologies to the OP for this slight thread hijack, but here's another pic of the Packer with the "rod" detatched for storage. The coiled portion fits down over the foregrip, allowing the entire setup to fit under seat of a car/truck, in the glovebox, or (as the name implies) in a backpack. It's not an especially sensitive rod, but it's more than adequate to catch dinner. wow.. it looks great for an ice rod as well... I was looking at some of the videos of the rod and I'm impressed Quote
MaxumBass Posted March 22, 2011 Posted March 22, 2011 I have a ZO 3 I bought for my wife and it is bullet proof...If she can't screw it up, no one can! ;D Other spincasters I have bought her ( Diawa, Abu ) all seem to have issues. I would not be afraid of the Pro model but dont like the single handle that much. Quote
Super User CWB Posted March 22, 2011 Super User Posted March 22, 2011 We probably all grew up using a Zebco 33. I still have 2 of them. Great for when the kids or rookies come out to play. I have Zebco ultralight underspins on all my ice fishing rods and wouldn't trade them for anything. No tangles, twists, and drag is smooth as silk. Not sure if the model I have is made anymore. Quote
Pharticus Posted March 26, 2011 Posted March 26, 2011 I just started using a Zebco Delta (a near twin). So far, I'm enjoying it. Quote
Super User bigbill Posted March 26, 2011 Super User Posted March 26, 2011 When i was a kid we used the zebco 202 spincast for flounder (saltwater) and with a 1oz weight we could cast all the line on the spool out. We used a very stiff 5ft rod. We also used the same setup for fresh water too. We fished so much we would burn up one reel a year. Each year we would replace the 202 spincast. Right now i still have a zebco setup on my telescopic rod setup that i kept under the seat on my motorcycle with a bag of lures. I also have two ultra-lite setups with the zebco ultra lite spincasts on two ultra light spin cast rods. I like to use these with livebait for panfishing. Now i'm 60yo and still enjoy using the zebco spincast reels. I also have a buddy who catches big bass all the time using a zebco spincast too. We grew up using this stuff when there wasn't much else out there. Were talking the early 60's now. Bill Quote
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