[Mick Ward]

I have put this thread up for guys to please contribute to about the reel they use and its pros and cons. I will then edit the thread and post it in the library, if in the future anyone else has a reel they would like to add there views on then I will add it to the library. It will just be handy for new guys to have a good look through to see what they fancy before buying. I will start it off;

Daiwa More Than Branzino 3000

I have been using this reel for all of my lure fishing for 18 months. The reel is very light and the drag is the smoothest drag I have ever felt on a fixed spool reel. Line lay is perfect and I rarely got into much trouble with tangles etc unless of course it was my fault.

The rate of line retrieve is ideal for all aspects of UK style lure fishing, slow enough to make the slightest of twitches when wanting to walk the dog or twitch surface lures.

The Branzino does need some TLC though, it is not indestructable. I found within a few weeks I had wrecked the super smooth drag by not placing the spool on corectly before tightening the drag knob one time. This resulted in the drag washers being squashed down at one side and that allowed the first felt washer to be squeezed out the side of the metal ones! Make sure you turn the spool around on the spindle a few times before you put the drag knob back on, you will think its in but its not, it kind of drops again about 2 or 3mm and then is correctly placed.

I didnt look after my reel at all, I has managed to wreck 2 sets of the bail roller bearings, the originals and the first replacements totally collapsed due to me never washing the reel after it being dunked more than once. Yes I know I dont deserve a reel like this. My fishing buddy Bob bought his Branzino at the same time as I did, he has looked aafter his very well and it still looks and performs perfectly.

In all a beautiful reel if you look after it, I didnt, and one other word of warning is the spares, I just could not get any from Daiwa UK, the spare spool I ordered took 6 months to arrive.

 

[Mick Ward]

Well this thread is popular, I'll get my coat!!

 

[Steve Lewis]

Well this thread is popular, I'll get my coat!!

Mick,

Get over it ! after what you wrote there is nothing more to add !

 

[Mick Ward]

Mick,

Get over it ! after what you wrote there is nothing more to add !

I could do with people writing what they like good and bad about their reels Steve, then we can have a reel database so to speak

 

[Steve Lewis]

I could do with people writing what they like good and bad about their reels Steve, then we can have a reel database so to speak

Sorry Mick, I thought you were just on about that one, I will post up on the Comoran Black Star soon !

 

[Tim Murphy]

I thought you were just on about that reel too Mick!

 

[Barry Howlin]

A Van Staal report would go down a treat would love to hear some good honest pros and cons about the mighty V/S.

 

[Simon L]

A Van Staal report would go down a treat would love to hear some good honest pros and cons about the mighty V/S.

Rough as a Wimpey Cement Mixer i'm told, but when the world ends, it'll be just them and Ants that remain






I'm sure someone will be along with a sensible view soon (Si C, Bob ?) . . . . .

 

[Nathan Taylor]

sorry mick...like wise, thought it was all about the Diawa

 

[Ben Field]

If it's any consolation Mick, I knew what you meant ;-) I'm just slack.

 

[Barry Howlin]

Rough as a Wimpey Cement Mixer i'm told, but when the world ends, it'll be just them and Ants that remain


Heard that type of description befors Simon so there must be some truth to it, but if its a durable as they say its worth a look thay branzino looks and sound a beautiful piece of machinery, i would think that i treat my gear pretty well, cleaned down after every use in fresh water, drop of oil applied after every couple of trips out and i am very careful not to submerge it while fishing but as mick says it takes a lot of looking after, so where do you draw the line at is it smoothness and line lay as opposed to outright durability in the v/s, decisions decisions where would we be without em

 

[Henry Gilbey]

I have the Van Staal VSB 150 and the 100............

If you need a fully waterproof reel, they are awesome.

But I would be lying if I said that I have not had a few problems with mine, and specifically the 150 that I had first and to be honest, have used the most.

Bits literally fell off it when I was out in Argentina, and quite frankly it annoyed the hell out of me. By the skin of its teeth it kept me fishing. Van Staal could not have been better in getting it shipped back to them and mended, but in my view it should not have happened.

Nothing has gone wrong since then, personally think I was just unlucky. A more "modern" kind of spinning reel is a whole load smoother to use, but does a smoother reel make a better reel ? Personal choice, as always.

I reckon in the main that the Van Staal reels are built for purpose - I enjoy using something like a Stella a lot more than I like using the Van Staal, but a Stella doesn't like being drowned. Again, this is just personal opinion though. I know a few guys who are almost welded to their Van Staal reels......

I do think the drag systems on the Van Staal are incredibly smooth (that word keeps on coming up, sorry), and the amount of drag you can put on is fine for our bass - wanted to wind mine up further for some messing around with GTs I was doing once, but that just be me trying to horse the fish too much.

Hope this is of some use.

 

[Michael Hall]

Van staal.

I use the van staal vs100s. Superb reel, Line lay is ropy but dont effect casting at all, Built to last for sure, thought it would take time to get used to no bail arm, but quite frankly dont miss it, drag is superb on these reels and its the type of reel that you just dont mind dunking!! you know it can take it and that gives you confidence in the reel.

It will last forever if serviced regularly, but i just dont like the gold ones LOL. I rarely use my branzino and stella these reels are the Rolls royce!! where the van staal is the Hummer.

 

[Simon Clapham]

What do we want from a plugging reel?
Something that recovers line at a suitable rate, does not impart any twist into the line during retrieve, is relatively easy to do home servicing (if that way inclined!), does not weigh a tonne, holds up to the odd bump or two and the occasional dunk or three (we do fish in a harsh wet environment), and doesn't give up the ghost when the fish of a lifetime is pulling your string :shock:

There are lots out there which fulfill a couple of the above, even Micks beauty :wink:
For me, my stradics, although very smoooooth with terrific line-lay, have spent many moons with the shimano boys getting sorted after the odd knock and are now second choice. I use a couple of VS100, yup, they are 'sticky' when compared to shimano et al and have an odd line lay pattern, but they work flawlessly and have now provided a sometimes necessary wading stick when on the rod.

No doubt they will outlast me and the fish I might catch with them.........but I won't be changing them anytime soon :-D

 

[Luke Fox]

Now the big guns have been salivated over I thought it may be useful for the more skint of us to look my mid range priced reel. It's a Shimano technium 5000 fb and I love it. It hasn't let me down in almost 1 3/4 years of hard use i.e. at least 3 times a week(winter too!). I just wash it off after each use give it a squirt in the handy maintenance port with some decent oil every 2-3 weeks and there you are. Coupled with Power Pro braid it is everything I want for UK bass. I havent had to tighten any of the screws located on the body and has remained as smooth as the day I bought it. Line lay seems fine, very occasionally get a line loop but thats just me not paying attention. I haven't had the opportunity to use alot of other reels to compare it to but when something feels right?...
I think for the money it was well spent.


http://boddenangler.de/bilder/produkte/gross/Shimano-Technium-5000-FB.jpg

 

[kevin agnew]

shimano stella 4000 fd

Well what can i say this reel has blown me away from the minute i opened the box bought it from mick last august used it daily when weather allows. linelay perfect drag as smooth as silk the finish is still like new cant think of anything negative to say about the reel. love it

 

[Keith White]

I'll add my thoughts on the VS Mick. Just caught this thread. So much going on in loads of subsections...
Awesome but you can miss stuff which is a shame.

 

[John Morgan]

I use the van staal vs100s. Superb reel, Line lay is ropy but dont effect casting at all, Built to last for sure, thought it would take time to get used to no bail arm, but quite frankly dont miss it, drag is superb on these reels and its the type of reel that you just dont mind dunking!! you know it can take it and that gives you confidence in the reel.

It will last forever if serviced regularly, but i just dont like the gold ones LOL. I rarely use my branzino and stella these reels are the Rolls royce!! where the van staal is the Hummer.

I use a couple of VS100, yup, they are 'sticky' when compared to shimano et al and have an odd line lay pattern, but they work flawlessly and have now provided a sometimes necessary wading stick when on the rod.

No doubt they will outlast me and the fish I might catch with them.........but I won't be changing them anytime soon

I think the posts above succinctly sum up the 'finer' points of a VS. :-D

Number one priority is a reel that can stand getting dunked and still work. I used to use exclusively Shimano Stradics . . . but was going through one a season. A VS is an expensive initial purchase . . . but if you have to buy a less expensive reel more often . . . which reel works out more economical?

I have VS 200 a VS 150 and VS 150B. The latter was bought because I thought I'd be having trouble with 'working' surface lures on the bailess version; this has proved unnecessary. The VS 200 has been well abused on several trips to Montauk. Seventeen days there provides more hardship for a reel then a couple of years at home . . . I had it serviced after the third trip. Not a problem.

'Course there is the counter argument is that you could simply buy a cheaper reel (and most modern reels will will be perfectly serviceable) and throw them away at the end of your season.

John

 

[Jimmy-boy]

Shimano for me...

Well - very interested to read all of the above - and I don't have the experience (or cash!) that clearly others here do. But my twopennorths are...

1) I used to use an MG Stradic. It's the US salt water version. Not cheap ($160) but it worked well. And then died a horrible salt encrusted death. Turns out I should have been servicing it and then I'm sure it would have lasted longer. Ho hum. I've now got the std Stradic - and it's fine. Must change the double handle though which I'm not a fan of.

2) For the kayak I use a much cheaper Shimano Exage. For about £50 I think this I hard to beat. I get them to last 2 seasons, and they take an absolute beating. I've had very little problem with them - and treat them almost as a consumable. A big plus is that they always come with a zillion spare spools (being bottom not forward drag) and therefore it's not a drama to take a couple of strenghts of braid with me.

That said...I lust after a Stella. Just waiting for Mick to call me and tell me I won his raffle. Strange - my phone's been very quiet...

 

[alan mce]

i have been using the technium 4000 mgs for 3 years.love the reel the only problem is when you flip the bail arm down after you cast you have to flick the line back in to the line roller.