Bought me a new reel today!

[Synful]

I had been thinking of getting a baitcaster reel for quite a while as I had heard and seen people being able drop a bait on a 5c piece. The one thing that had put me off was that it was so easy to get a 'birdsnest' in the reel which could take forever to untangle :(

Since returning from Brisbane last weekend, I had in my possession a rod which had a pistol grip and was just screaming out to get one of these reels onto it. The top runner required replacing but this was a minor consequence as I had had a top runner replaced previously for about $5.00 on my Barra rod.

I took little Matt along with me as he likes to see the little Barras that they have in the tank in the tackle shop. When I walked in I went to the rear of the store where the rod repairs are done.

The rod is an old one that I picked up in my teens in Brisbane for around $20.00.
I wasn't sure if it was going to be of any use for anything as it was a cheap and nasty one from memory; I asked the question and they had a look advising that the rod was in good nick essentially and that the pistol grip was a rare item today and that it was definitely worthwhile to get it repaired.

At this point I enquired about a suitable baitcaster to go with the rod advising him that the reel would be going on the rod that I gave him and that I had to learn how to use them being a total novice with baitcasters. He walked me to the reels section of the store and advised me that there were probably two reels that would be suitable for the job.

The first was the 'Abu 5600 C3 tribute' and the other was the C4 model.
I will admit that Bransfords have been my favourite store for purchasing bait and that I had only bought one other item there; Courtney's combo outfit which I got for $49.00 about 6 months ago and it was a excellent purchase which we've never regretted.

What I feel sets Bransfords apart is that they could have said the rod was a piece of crap and tried to get me to purchase a combo outfit that they had for around the $169.00 but they didn't; another reason in my books to support your local tackle shop with the locals who know their stuff. Instead he gave me some quality advice and I ended up taking the Abu Ambassadeur 5600 C3 tribute reel for $139.00.

The rod tip cost me $6.00 fitted and Bransfords also spooled the new baitcaster with 135m of Amnesia braid for a further $49.00. All up I spent a total of $175.45 on the new reel, braid and rod tip. Yes I could have got a new combo pre spooled for around the $169.00 mark as previously mentioned but they were right as I later found out by keeping the pistol grip rod.

While this was all being put together, I took Matt around to watch the 4 new little Barra that Bransfords have in their tank. Keith Graham came round and spent a few minutes talking to Matt about the barra; good to see that one of the guys that is a true pro in the area giving a few minutes of his time to speak to a little kid that doesn't know him from a bar of soap. Something else that you don't get from a major chain making the local tackle shop a worthwhile place to visit. :)

Road Test:
So off I go to "Spot X" which shall remain nameless to give the reel a road test.
Spot X has a nice wide area that is about 40m wide at a guess and minimal mangroves to get caught up on. I've never caught a fish at this section but then again; I wasn't there to chase fish today, I was there to try out the reel!

After about 8 casts I managed to get the brake setting on the reel right in regards to the lure that I had on, a medium sized silver minnow. That of course didn't include the 7 birds nests that I had to clear and I was beginning to curse spending the $139.00

By the tenth cast I managed to get a cast happening that didn't result in me having to untangle about 10m of line. I managed to understand that you have to let the reel and rod do the work for you and not to flick my wrist and things started to come together to the point that I could get a good idea of how the reel was performing.

I still get birdnests every now and then but the reel was real nice and smooth in it's operation and I can see why hard core lure fishermen like these reels. Casting (when I got it right) was a dream; 30m with next to no effort and the ability to get the lure into the zone in the mangroves was impressive.

Retrieval was equally impressive as well; a nice smooth retrieve and with a nice deep diver on the other end of the line I can see several fish falling victim to this combo come the warmer months. The lure that I had today was only a shallow diver and as such was probably not suited to the environment I was using it in; whack a gold bomber on the end and I reckon things may have been different.

I did see a good sized fish jump twice over the 2 odd hours I was road testing the reel; although I didn't get a good look at it I could almost have sworn it as a good size Barra. Yep - that's right a Barra jumping in July; I can't wait for the summer months, it's looking good!!

Back to the pistol grip issue; in hindsight I was so glad that I listened to Bransfords and kept the rod. Trying to cast this reel with the pistol grip feels so natural it's uncanny; I can't contemplate trying to cast the reel with a normal rod now that I've used this rod. The more I think about it a "normal rod" would be so much more difficult to cast this type of reel; I shudder how many more birds nests I would have had to untangle as well!

In summary, if you're itching to give a baitcaster a go, then the Abu 5600 C3 Tribute reel will not disappoint. Main features on the reel are as outlined below:
5:3:1 gear ratio
3 ball bearings
Instant anti-reverse
Line out alarm (ratchet)I am not employed by, have no affiliation with, nor was I paid by Bransfords for this story; they provided good advice and friendly service hence why they were named in the post.

[Wahoo]

good one Andrew, great set up by the sounds
Keith is a great bloke, 98* of my shopping is done there, he was telling me that they are getting a few GTs of the jetty, went for a drive this morning and seen very large scales on the jetty, someone nailed a large barra


Daz

[Tailortaker]

Nice reel mate, I've got an abu 6600 and love it...
________
VAPIR NO2 (http://no2vaporizers.com)

[blaze]

nice honest apraisal with good old fashion service

[metaloid]

Welcome to the dark-side... er, I mean the world of bait-casting! I still remember buying my first abu (6500C4) a few years ago. Many many casts (and bird nests) later, it's still as smooth ,even smoother, as day one despite a lot of beach work with the occasional swim in the drink! My only regret is that I miss the magic song of the egg-beater when a fish is pulling line. In fact I tend to under-estimate the size of fish because the abu is so smooth and so quiet!

[hbenlulu]

Hi,

The Abu looks really good. My question is why to use baitcasting reel when spinning reels are much easy to operate?

Hanan

[thatp1g]

Nice mate. That little rod isnt a 'silstar' is it? Some of them had those grips and they were mighty little rods.

[Synful]

good one Andrew, great set up by the sounds
Keith is a great bloke, 98* of my shopping is done there, he was telling me that they are getting a few GTs of the jetty, went for a drive this morning and seen very large scales on the jetty, someone nailed a large barra


Daz

Evening Daz,

Good to hear from you again; thought you may still have been thawing out from chasing Macks around Double Island recently ;D

I didn't want to put specifics in the original post as when I reviewed it before posting it sounded like a bit of an Ad for Bransfords (and didn't want it to look any worse), but Keith's son Matthew sold me the reel.

Matthew is pretty good with a rod and reel himself and we're pretty privileged to have people of Matthew and Keith's skills so accessible.

I spoke to a guy today who went to the jetty and he said he nearly got blown away so that Barra must have been pretty unlucky to have been caught both in the last 24 hours and in these temps; then again a Barra is a Barra 8-)

Matthew was saying on Saturday that all the macks should be coming in close when the wind dies down and be able to be easily caught from the jetty with an ounce of luck.

My little bloke caught a little GT on a bait jig around the pylons (his first fish) there off the jetty a month or so ago now.

The rig is pretty good and went out again today to try an blood it but didn't do any good till I went to the rock wall at Yorky's on the way home from a dump trip (Minister for Finance had a cleaning bug today). Managed to nail a little hair tail ('bout 40cm) that decided my Gold Bomber looked like dinner and sent him back to the water to grow a bit bigger. :)

Although not a good work out to push the reel, at least I have christened it 8-)

Looking forward to it warming up so I can go get me a nice fat Jack on it once the temps reach 30 degrees again which isn't far off. ::):)

[Synful]

Nice mate. That little rod isnt a 'silstar' is it? Some of them had those grips and they were mighty little rods.

Evening - the rod is a cheap and nasty Neptune (from memory) that I bought in Brissy when I was around 19 or 20, so it's around 15+ years old at least.

Using it you wouldn't think so; it is a real dream to cast - possibly it could be a re-badged Silstar? :-/

[Synful]

nice honest apraisal with good old fashion service

Thanks Blaze - you probably could save the dollars by buying at a chain; but when you take into account the service that you get from the local tackle shop and the experience of the person serving you, the extra dollars are definitely well spent!

[Synful]

Nice reel mate, I've got an abu 6600 and love it...

Yep!!

Definitely enjoying the reel but also having my fair share of frustrations with it; to be fair though it's all my fault not the reel's. Baitcasters are definitely a learning curve :)

[Synful]

Welcome to the dark-side... er, I mean the world of bait-casting! I still remember buying my first abu (6500C4) a few years ago. Many many casts (and bird nests) later, it's still as smooth ,even smoother, as day one despite a lot of beach work with the occasional swim in the drink! My only regret is that I miss the magic song of the egg-beater when a fish is pulling line. In fact I tend to under-estimate the size of fish because the abu is so smooth and so quiet!

Evening Metaloid,

Yes I have found that - the noisiest that that reel gets is when i am casting it.
Got to admit I am really getting hooked on the soft 'zzzzz' when it casts and I don't cause a birds nest :)

Definitely a nice smooth reel which seems to be the hallmark of the Abu's; glad I spent the dollars and I will be out there every chance I get trying to master the thing. If you see someone in Cairns on the bank cursing at their reel and un doing a birds nest it's probably me ;D

[Synful]

Hi,

The Abu looks really good. My question is why to use baitcasting reel when spinning reels are much easy to operate?

Hanan

Evening,

Well yes, spinning or egg beaters are much easier to use but I wanted to have a go with a baitcaster all the same.

Loads of people I know have them so they can't all be bad; my experience with the little Abu so far is that the reel while taking some time to get to use properly is a pleasure to use and with the rod, requires much less 'oomph' to cast long distances if you need to.

I'd be lying if i said that I don't get frustrated with it at times but like most things in life and fishing - it's a case of perseverance ::)

[thatp1g]

Mate I used to get birdsnest after birdsnest irrespective of what baitcaster i used (9 in 10 casts) until a old bloke at the burrum ramp told me to rig the rod with my bait and sinker or lure and then press the cast thing down - tighten the main bearing cap until the weight stops dropping then loosen it off a tad so that it drops if you jig the rod but not if you hold it still. do this every time you change lures or switch bait type.

After that i found it a bunch easier. (1 in ten:? )

(i dont know if my explanation makes a lot of sense but )

[Synful]

Mate I used to get birdsnest after birdsnest irrespective of what baitcaster i used (9 in 10 casts) until a old bloke at the burrum ramp told me to rig the rod with my bait and sinker or lure and then press the cast thing down - tighten the main bearing cap until the weight stops dropping then loosen it off a tad so that it drops if you jig the rod but not if you hold it still. do this every time you change lures or switch bait type.

After that i found it a bunch easier. (1 in ten:? )



Thanks Thatp1g,

Those instructions are in the manual for the reel, being an IT tech I tend to read manuals being the untrusting ba$tard that I am ;D

I found that the problem is mainly in my casting technique which has improved out of sight over the last 2 days but every now and then I still go back to old habits ::)

There's a major difference between casting bait and lures (even with adjusting the brake as you advised) but I'm getting there 8-)

[kingtin]

Andrew, I swear by Abu. I've got 2 x 7000's that I've had for over 15 yrs, 2x 6500c's and a 5600. I've had 'em all upgraded by having Erskine drag washers put in 'em. talk to your local tackle shop about it and you'll find that upgrading will allow you to apply more drag than you would otherwise, without the modification.

kev

[Synful]

Andrew, I swear by Abu. I've got 2 x 7000's that I've had for over 15 yrs, 2x 6500c's and a 5600. I've had 'em all upgraded by having Erskine drag washers put in 'em. talk to your local tackle shop about it and you'll find that upgrading will allow you to apply more drag than you would otherwise, without the modification.

kev

Hi Kev,

Thanks for that advice.

Being a Cairns local I was going to get Jack Erskine (http://www.jackerskine.com/index.html) to give it a service after the Summer once it had accounted for a few Jacks and maybe a Barra or two; you've just re-enforced what a good idea that was. ;D

Tight lines - Andrew.

[Piscatory Pursuit]

Nice reels the Abu's. I have used them for years. I am a die hard bait caster but there definitely is a learning curve. Someone asked why baitcasters instead of spinning. My answer is there are several advantages. One is no line twist! I hate line twist and it is a fact of life with spinning outfits. Another is casting distance. I can cast much farther with a good baitcaster. Baitcasters also have great cranking power as they are designed like a winch. This is especially helpful when you are trying to yank a fish out of cover, weeds, pilings, bridges, etc. And the last is accuracy. Because you can stop the line with your thumb whenever you want you really can put your lure exactly where you want it, yes it takes a lot of practice but if accurate casts are a must then a baitcaster is definitely the way to go.

One part of the learning curve with baitcasters is casting into the wind. With most baitcasters, even properly adjusted the wind slows down the bait but the spool is spinning faster and you get the rats nest. Until you are more experience you should always try to cast with the wind.

For beginners I highly recommend the Shimano Citica. This is a low profile Bass style reel but it will still hold alot of line. This models sells in the US for $120.00. This reel has two braking systems, one for the beginning and middle of the cast and one for the deceleration end of the cast. Properly adjusted it makes rats nests virtually a thing of the past, and you can cast into the wind with it. My son had never used a baitcaster before and I taught him to use my Citica, and in about 15 minutes he was casting like a pro with no rats nests. There are a lot of models out there now that use this type of braking system. Shimano is not the only one with this technology. Many beginners also find casting overhead more difficult than if you cast sidearm. I recommend learning by casting side armed and then gradually learn how to go directly over your head once you have a very good feel for it. You have to learn the release points for each kind of cast. Where you release the spool with your thumb is critical to where the cast will go, but anyone can catch on quick.

I use baitcasters for both fresh and saltwater fishing and over the years it has become my main reel although I do use spinning outfits in certain situations.

For a beginner that doen't want the big learning curve a reel like the Shimano Citica is a great choice, and no, I don't work for Shimano!
Good Luck!

[Synful]

I am a die hard bait caster but there definitely is a learning curve. Someone asked why baitcasters instead of spinning. My answer is there are several advantages. One is no line twist! I hate line twist and it is a fact of life with spinning outfits. Another is casting distance. I can cast much farther with a good baitcaster. Baitcasters also have great cranking power as they are designed like a winch. This is especially helpful when you are trying to yank a fish out of cover, weeds, pilings, bridges, etc. And the last is accuracy. Because you can stop the line with your thumb whenever you want you really can put your lure exactly where you want it, yes it takes a lot of practice but if accurate casts are a must then a baitcaster is definitely the way to go.

Well put PP - Not having used a baitcaster before the Abu, I agree with and can vouch for all your comments above.


One part of the learning curve with baitcasters is casting into the wind. With most baitcasters, even properly adjusted the wind slows down the bait but the spool is spinning faster and you get the rats nest. Until you are more experience you should always try to cast with the wind.

This is pretty much where I am at currently.


This reel has two braking systems, one for the beginning and middle of the cast and one for the deceleration end of the cast. Properly adjusted it makes rats nests virtually a thing of the past, and you can cast into the wind with it. There are a lot of models out there now that use this type of braking system. Shimano is not the only one with this technology.

Can you name some of the other brands / models that offer this type of system?
Always nice to have a choice, particularly if there are issues with stock here in Australia.

Regards,


Andrew.

[Steve B]

Well put PP - Not having used a baitcaster before the Abu, I agree with and can vouch for all your comments above.



This is pretty much where I am at currently.



Can you name some of the other brands / models that offer this type of system?
Always nice to have a choice, particularly if there are issues with stock here in Australia.

Regards,


Andrew.


Andrew,

The systems PP was refering to can be found in the Abu REVO range. They have 3 different reels in the range from memory, with the top of the line being the REVO STX. They are a step up in quality, finese and of course price from your existing reel (by the way, your reel is an excellent reel and will serve you well, they are an awesome allround heavy duty reel). Ask your mates at you tackle shop about them.

The REVO range has probably the toughest drag around in low profile baitcasters (12kg). If you were to give it the Jack Erskine drag upgrade who knows what it could stop in its tracks!!!! I have one and love it.

Good on you for crossing over to baitcasters!! it does get frustrating at times doesn't it!! sound like you getting the hang of it though. You wont regret it when you land one of those many monster NQ fish!!

Hope this helps
cheers steve

[Piscatory Pursuit]

Thanks Steve for your input. Most major brands have the dual braking technology in their higher end reels. One of them, I think it is Shimano, has actually put a micro chip into the reel to control every aspect of the cast. I don't know any more than that and it is pretty expensive, but computer technology comes to fishing reels! Every brand has a different name for it for their technology. I am sorry I can't recall all of the different names. I know Daiwa make several. I did not know Abu did but I am not surprised as they make fantastic reels. If you read the manufacturers descriptions you should be able to determine if the reel has the technology. I don't know if you guys are familiar with Cabelas or Bass Pro Shops here in the states, but they have fantastic online catelogs with great descriptions of all of the latest reels and technology. I am sure you have something along those lines in Australia.

The Citica is the only reel I have used with this technology and I mostly use it for Bass and Muskie fishing which is real casting intensive. I don't know if I have really challenged the drag system on this unit. The biggest fish I have caught with it was a 15 pound Muskie and a 12 pound Snook. Both good fighting fish and the drag did a real nice job. I can't attest to how well it handles the big saltwater critters you guys chase in Oz.

Maybe I missed it in one of the posts, but I read you guys like to use an aftermarket drag system. Can you point me to more information about that?
Thanks and Good Luck!

[Wahoo]

PP have a read on this about the aftermarket drag
http://www.jackerskine.com/dragfrictionwashers.html

Daz

[Synful]

Andrew,

The systems PP was refering to can be found in the Abu REVO range. They are a step up in quality, finese and of course price from your existing reel (by the way, your reel is an excellent reel and will serve you well, they are an awesome allround heavy duty reel). Ask your mates at you tackle shop about them.

The REVO range has probably the toughest drag around in low profile baitcasters (12kg). If you were to give it the Jack Erskine drag upgrade who knows what it could stop in its tracks!!!! I have one and love it.

Good on you for crossing over to baitcasters!! it does get frustrating at times doesn't it!! sound like you getting the hang of it though. You wont regret it when you land one of those many monster NQ fish!!

Thanks Steve - much appreciated!

I do enjoy using the little Abu; at some stage this coming weekend i need to strip off about 10m of line as I have managed to get a knot that I just can't get out any other way :-[

With the temp these days hitting probably an average 24 or 25 degrees here in Cairns it won't be long before I can seriously start chasing fish to test the reel out properly (jacks etc), 40cm hairtail don't really count and I have never had much luck here in Winter for some reason. 8-)

Once I get these mastered over the next 12 months I'll be putting Revo on the shopping list once the "Minister for Finance" gets over my last shopping spree @ Bransfords ;D The link for the Revo range is here (http://www.abugarcia.com/prod.php?k=57102&sk=46555&p=PURREVO%20S) if anyone is specifically interested.