High capacity eggbeater

[nonibbles]

I was looking at the reel cupboard in my local takle shop a couple of days ago and saw a reasonably cheap but large capacity reel called 'the machine' does anybody know anything about this reel. I know it holds about 600m worth of 20lb but it won't be worth buying if I get something decent on it and the gear gets stripped! I am wary because of the low price and am sure not all has been said. Can't remember who makes it ?surecatch.

[jeffo]

if you are looking for a reel to hold lots of fairly heavy line on threadline gear you are obviously planning on chasing considerable fish, so i wouldnt buy anything but the best! you get what you pay for. u would be better off saving a few more $$ then looking at buying a penn spinfisher or 6500bait runner or tss4 speedmaster. all of the above have a large spool capacity. my TSS4 is loaded with 8kg pink and i have never been in the situation where i looked like getting spooled (caught tuna,blacks).

[nofrills]

hey nonibbles
id agree with jeffo .you get what you pay for.the shimanos mentioned above are all great,ive got penn 850 & 950 spinnfishers which have been cained for the last six years and their bulletproof,the 6500baitrunner is a legend of a reel and if the budget is tight you can usually find one second hand and give it a service.
good luck
nofrills ;)

[nonibbles]

Thanks guys. I thought it was false economy. A friend of mine has the Penn, I'd love one but the department of finance believes that I have enough gear. Something to do with outlay vs opportunity. Guess who also controls the opportunity!

[jeffo]

you can NEVER have enough gear ;D

[NeilD]

It does'nt matter what the question is. The answer is always MORE TACKLE.

Cheers Neil

[Gorilla_in_Manila]

Hi,
Have been looking at getting a large capacity threadline myself for salt water use. Have basically narrowed it down to either the penn or one of 3 shimanos.
Penn Spinfisher 9500; 30lb/300yds, retrieve 4.2:1, BB's 4, weight 910g, best price $265
Shimano
Big Baitrunner BTR LC; 20lb/330yds, retrieve 4.6:1, BB's 6, weight 790g, best price $319
BTR 6500B; 30lb/220yds, retrieve 4.2:1, BB's 4, weight 870g, best price $229
Thunnus TU 16000F; 30lb/220yds, retrieve 4.6:1, BB's 6, weight 880g, best price $379

Anyone in a position to advise on the relative merits?

Pretty wide price range for essentially similar specs. Would be interested in the durability in salt conditions and if someone has given one a real work out i.e has regularly got big hard or running fish on one and has found it still performing smoothly. Does the heavier weights equate to more robust construction?

Whilst not as rough as some, I'm certainly not planning to spend more time polishing and maintaining it than I do fishing with it.

OR, would I be better to get a reel under $100 and use and abuse it for a few years and then either refurbish it or chuck it. If the cheaper pens or shimanos have the same drive gears as the more expensive one but just don't look quite as sexy, would that be the way to go? (inferior drags I should think).

Anyway, would appreciate any advice.

Cheers
Jeff
PS Have had a mid sized waterproof Mitchel for about 2 years that I think is a top little reel except for the corrosion on the little cap over where the handle screws into the body, but biggest drama is the main gear just developed a little tic, which soon grew to a click, and then a crunch and then a grind and has to be replaced. Not bloody happy when the reel cost over $200. Can't understand what i could have done to it since it was only pulling in bream, whiting, flathead, etc A big fraser Island dart is about the hardest it had to work.
So I'm particulary worried about the thinking that $$$ equals adequate quality.
PPS Sorry if I have hijacked you post Nonibbles but looks like any answers would be benificial to both of us.
PPPS Or maybe I should just buy all 4 and find out for myself??? Can never have too much gear!

[Heath]

Jeff,

Not knowing the type of fishing you intend to do, the BTR6500 seems your best bet.

I'm not one for the Penn SS series. I find them a bit heavy & that constant ticking sound would drive me insane.

All 3 shimanos are very similar. We've always had a BTR6500 & more recently a Big baitrunner. The differnences is a slightly larger spool capasity 35yards & also the spool is touted as a longcast spool for the Big BTR. The big difference was the infinate backwind, which now of course is available on the BTR6500B, so now they are very similar. #
One other thing with the Big BTR is the baitrunner leaver is in the down position during normal use. I reckon this is how they should be. We have had a few occassions where the baitrunner leaver was accidently activated while fighting fish using a BTR6500, causing hassels & lost fish.
The Thunnus, IMO is a premium product that you pay big bucks for. I can not fathom why someone would actually buy one over a normal BTR6500 or the Big BTR.

The drags will hold up to being drenched & the reels are made tough.

I have had to replace a main bearing on my oldmans reel which was in excess of 8 year old. Also replaced a bearing where the handle goes through the body on another BTR6500, but it was bought from a hock shop ( again at the right price 8) ) and was well used, but none the less still a reliable, well performing reel.

For the record I only got the Big BTR because it was at the right price #8) :-*

[Gorilla_in_Manila]

Thanks Heath,
I am thinking of using it for jew fishing from beach rocks or breakwalls by either live bait or casting lures or land based game fishing for pelegics (had 2 great seesions off the rocks at Waddy Pt with a bait balls coming right in against the rocks and cobia and mack tuna and sharks smashing everything we threw at them). I think the threadline would have a better casting ability and I would like the bait runner feature to let a jewie run with it a bit first. Have got a 6inch star drag alvey but find casting a bit hard with light lures and to let the fish run a bit first, I either have to let it free wind backwards, palm the spool and then hope I can get hold of the handle in the middle of a run, or I would have to back the drag right off, let the fish run and gradually tighten up the drag (and just hope I don't over do it).
Was wondering which of the reels would best hold up to this sort of punishment. I had the feeling that the thunnus would be just a premium version with essentially the same guts as the other reels.

Thanks for your advice.

Others still appreciated!

Cheers,
Jeff

[mackmauler]

the 9500 spinfisher is great it is a much better reel than the other ss models, and they are easy to service, unlike a baitrunner :o i have 2 9500 spinfishers that have caught many a nice fish, i own plenty of shimano gear as well but for serious spin work i prefer a spinfisher ;D

[nonibbles]

Gorilla, you haven't hijacked it. Your question is actually providing some good feedback that helps us all and is in similar vane anyway.
I went on a reef charter recently and the only reels the skipper had on board of his own were spinfishers and TLDs

[neptune]

If you don't take great care of your reels then a spinfisher is the way to go, real metal inside, not that alloy garbage. I own a few fin nor ahabs, they are also great reels.

[Gorilla_in_Manila]

Mackmauler, Nonibbles and Neptune,

Thanks for comments.

I guess the spinfishers don't have the baitrunner system, so do you just leave the bailarm open if you want to give the fish a bit of leash? Snapping this back would obviously go from 0 resistance to drag setting instantaneously with a load much higher than drag initially being imparted to the line.

I guess snapping the baitrunner lever off would effectively do the same unless you had set the baitrunner tension a bit higher than freespool (i believe that is one of the functions - if it uses the same drag mechanism as the main drag, then the drag washers would be moving already and it would mean less shock load to the line).

Anyone know if this sort of shock load is what screws up the gears on the thread lines?

I suppose the infinite anti-reverse was designed to minimize the effect of this to stop the spool slamming back against the ratchet. I always assumed the ratchet acted on the bail arm rotor assembly so should not involve a shock to the gears. The only way I can think that the gears should get loaded is if the rachet acted on the drive gear itself. Still trying to understand what happened with my mitchell or whether, as you mentioned Neptune, it is just a case of alloy not being up to required strength. I would much rather grease and maintain a strong ferrous metal set of gears than have a set of supposedly low maintanance alloy gears that need replacing every year. (But boy that baitrunner feature sure seems the goods to me though).

Cheers and Beers,
Jeff

[mackmauler]

Jeff, dont think you are getting 0 resistance from a baitrunner in "freespool" not even close till the inertia of the spool is overcome, to float an unweigted cube down a trail even in current can be impossible with a baitrunnner, until you open the bail arm :D

when you engage the reel, just lower the rod at the same time, do it quickly and you have a second or 2 of slack to play with.

Rob

[banshee]

G'day Gorilla,I own a Big Baitrunner and a Thunnus 16000,my son just purchased a 6500B,in my opinion the Big Baitrunner is a piece of shit.Mine is just over two years old and the spool centre has floged out and the handle has a lot of movement that dose not transfer through to the spool.The Thunnus has had as much work and it is fine.The 6500B hasn't been out long enough for me to form an opinion,but my mate has two 6500A's that are eight years old and they are brilliant,he has replaced the main bearings in each of them and apart from serviceing them he's done nothing else.When in baitrunner mode the main drag is inoperative,it stays in situ with the main shaft wich spins and is tensioned by a seperate smaller drag at it's base.

[Heath]

Banshee,

I'm interested to know what sort of work you've done with your Big BTR to have caused the problems you are having with it.

[banshee]

G'day Heath,I use it most week ends,in winter it is used to float for Snapper,in summer it is used for floating baits to squire or live baiting mackeral.I think the problem with the spool comes from the large diameter of the spool,when it is loaded up the leverage tends to pull the spool over on it's axis.The handle drama is probably due to me triping the bail arm with the handle instead of doing it by hand,still I think a good reel should handle this.Although "slopy" the reel still works,it just dosen't feel like it is going to last much longer,it's spooled with 25 lb line.

[Gorilla_in_Manila]

Cheers Again Guys,

Rob, Dip the tip! Got it thanks!
And i guess as you bring the rod back up the tip is then going to flex and take some of the load as the spool get up to speed. Haven't heard to much bad press about the penns.

Banshee, great to hear some hands on experience and being able to compare a couple of the models. I would have thought that they would be using the same drive gears in the 6500B as they use in the Big Heap O Shit? Hope for your son's sake they haven't changed from a perfectly good set up in the A model and fitted the B out with new, sexier, developed-in-the-space-shuttle totally inadequate stuff.

Sorry to hear of your misfortune, sounds like you're right with the Big HOS about to pack it in. A fair bit of play in the handle without moving the rotor sounds like the gear teeth getting worn or the main gear has slipped back a bit on its axle and only the tips of the teeth are meshing. Not far off the grinding noises if this is the case unless you could pack a washer behind it somehow to make sure the teeth completely mesh.
Don't suppose you have had the various reel apart and noticed any obviously different metals or systems being used in the various gears? (don't mean to be a pain in the ring ;))

Any more advice still very much appreciated.

I'm sure I will be one of the mose well informed guy's that goes in and buys a heap of shit soon. ;D

Cheers and thanks again.
Jeff

[Heath]

Interesting Banshee,

Your use, will be exactly the same as I plan to use it for.

Will keep an eye on it, thats for sure.

[Gorilla_in_Manila]

Heres a blast from the past, coz I'm getting close to actually buying something.

Banshee was a great help in getting the big baitrunner and the thunnus out of the equation, so now its down to the shimano 6500B or the penn 9500.

Neptunes comments about real metal inside and Robs endorsement (obviously plenty of good fish caught on his reels) and a couple of other mates who have them, has got me leaning toward the penn. Also I heard this has come out with a baitrunner feature now; true?

But then again Heath and Jeffo are pretty solid behind the 6500. Shimano will no doubt have the smoother drag, has a proven baitrunner system and 10 year warranty.

But I'm not the easiest guy around on fishing gear and its going to be banging around on rocks and beach moreso than sitting pretty in a boat. So big heavy old fashioned metal and general hardiness sounds like it would be better for me.

Any more comments or late mail? Anyone know if the penns have the baitrunner and what they are like?

Cheers
Jeff

[flattymattyb]

Hi gorilla & nonibbles,

Before you spend the extra on the shimano have a look at the abu freeliners, I don't know about the 6000 series I have a 4000 only cost $99 bucks I fish it with 15lb braid, It is a bit over 1 year old know just pulled it right down yesterday for a service (rainy day) they are exactly the same design as a baitrunner . Everything inside was fine no obvious wear just a tiny bit of surface rust on the outside of the anti reverse bearing that wiped off with a paper towel. I use the reel at least once a week and all it gets is a rinse and spray with inox after a trip so I am very happy with it so far. Hope this helps.

Cheers
Matty

[Gorilla_in_Manila]

Thanks Matty,
Will try and have a look at one. Have you had it loaded up on a decent fish? i was thinking of casting big lures or swimming livies for jew. Guess I can hope I'll hook up to a good one.
Cheers
Jeff

[Tony_N]

Just to add another reel into the mix - I have recently bought a Daiwa Emblem pro 5500 - 200 yards 30 lb line,5.1:1, 690 gr. I paid $280

Biggest fish so far only a 2kg salmon - so can't really vouch for it yet - but since your first post there has been some discussion on this forum about this style of reel and I decided on the Emblem pro as a result of this. There was also some discussion on the WA forum some months ago. A Google search is worth doing. There is also a search facility on this forum

BTW have you decided on a rod for the type of fishing you are intending with the reel? I have bought mine for boat fishing - but it comes with a spare spool - so I intend to put some mono on that and give some LBG stuff a go

[flattymattyb]

Gorilla,

Have had the abu loaded up on a few of decent fish including a 700mm trevally and 730mm jew but the biggest test has been a stingray that busted off 60lb leader. The drag is nice and smooth under load as well. I couldn't be happier with it.

Cheers matty

[fishy_phil]

gday
with penn they have just released new series of reels the slammer and the live liner i think it is. both reels designed to be used with braid. and the live liner has a similar system to the baitrunner but has not got the crap materials in the internals. but proper steel gears etc. not sure about the line capacity but if you are using braid would be worth considering. the slammer that a mate has, henry uses 50lb braid and locks it up and breaks it with no damage and he is very hard on his reels. also both the penns are basically the same reel but one with a 'baitrunner style' mechanism. prices around the $300 mark for a suitable size with appropriate line capacity.
then at the other end of the market you have the daiwa Saltiga Z. VERY expensive but has the best warranty ive heard of, a replacement warranty if it needs to have anything but a cleaning done to it. costs over $1000 but with that sort of warranty could be worth it.

# # # # # # #cheers
# # # # # # # # # # # # # #phil
ps he fishes for jew with the penn slammer with soft plastics and has caught some real good sized fish as well. and the drag has not needed to have anything done to it since he got it. its got at least 100 jew upto about 50 lb.

[Gorilla_in_Manila]

Tony, thanks for that. Will try and have a look at one of those as well. The rod will be some sort of long LBG type suitable for rocks and beach. Not sure what type yet.
Matty,
Good to hear it takes the load. Big stingrays certainly take a bit of moving. Will be looking around this week sometime, so hopefully I can find one to have a play with.
Phil, yeah just seen the liveliners in a catalogue, will be checking them out as well. Smaller spool capacity, wasn't planning on loading it with braid. Think the capacity rating for the line was based on 12 lb, so hope the rest of the internals aren't designed for the same. Hope to check one of them out also.

Thanks for all the help guys, Good of you all to take the time to respond. Will let you know which one I decide on and how it holds up.

Cheers
Jeff