650bcvrr Alvey Question

[NeMo84]

hey people i recently bought my first alvey, a 650BCVRR and was just wondering if anyone who owns one or has used em knows if its normal for one of the washers between the handle and spool to be a little loose and rattle when the reel is shaken, i thought that perhaps there was a spacer missing in the assembly but i work at a shop that sells tackle and checked another reel and it was the same, i have no experience with alveys so hopefully someone can let me know if i should swap it for another...Carlos

[rockfisho]

It sounds fine mate.
That big grey knob just under the handle is the drag adjust knob. When it is fully wound out towards the handle, there will probably be enough space for one of the washers to rattle a bit. This is no problem though, because when you're fishing you tighten it up abit, which compresses the washers.

cheers
rockfisho

[bordeaaj]

Me too! My new Alvey 6500BCVRR and 12' Alvey rod just landed on my doorstep today and a couple others are on their way. I heard my washers rattling and was wondering the very same thing. Nice to know nothing is wrong. I do have a couple of questions as I did find a post somewhere (I can't find it now) from someone complaining the new drag system and the fish alert ratchet on this model has been troublesome for him and his mates. Would you recommend going ahead and sanding the washers flat or replacing them with the teflon variety before use as some recommend? Any clarifications/solutions for the troubles with the fish alert ratchet?

Any other last minute advice concerning line type, swivel types, rigs, etc before I spool it up would be welcome!

Since I will be fishing in areas with lots of lava and coral, I was thinking of spooling it with the very abrasion resistant 25-30lb Sufix Tritanium Plus line (too stiff?), Tritanium shock leader at 10lb per ounce of sinker weight, and Owner or Sampo ball bearing swivels. I do see that one of the distance casting sites recommend the open box swivels as they are easy to keep free of sand. Any other preferences for me to consider?

[Tangles]

What are you fishing for? for general beach stuff 30lb sounds a bit heavy, the Platy Platinum 8lb -15lb is fine depending on what your going for. Some guys swear by Nacrita, ive got some on one of the Alveys, its ok but id probably go back to the standard Platy mono.

As for general rig, each to their own, Ive been trying those Shogun Rolling swivels lately, very small and help with windage with casting, recommend them. My general rig is swivel.. about 2 foot of same line with sinker.. then swivel then 1 -2 foot of same line to hook, usually an extra long shank No2 or No1 ( Mustard). These are approximate lengths, i sorta eye it.

If your targeting specific species of course different rig, but thats my start rig on the beach. Each to their own, but that works for me,, light as possible is the best advice

cheers
mike

[peterbo3]

Bord, I have found that a softer line works better on the Alvey. Does not jump off the reel like the stiffer lines. Are you planning to use ball sinkers? Perhaps 2-3 foot of leader under the swivel with the ball above. Too long a leader will reduce your casting distance.
If the wind is behind you, consider a balloon rig. Tie a balloon to your swivel with a longer leader & let the wind take it out into the wash. This will often save a lot of snags if you are rock ledge fishing.

[bordeaaj]

I am fishing off the island of Lanai, Hawaii mostly for various mid-size fish usually ranging from 1 to 30 lbs but commonly getting much bigger. Many shorecasters recommend at least 30 lb mainline or even larger for this unpredictability and in fact, some think anything less than 50-60 lb line too light if you're only targeting the big ones. I have been told that the Tritanium Plus co-polymer line is the best for abrasion resistance and low stretch and it is supposed to be thinner than most similar lines and still casts well...but only one of these people have ever used an Alvey before. The one who does uses them extensively for both surf and freshwater and is a professional fisherman and this was his recommendation for me. I sure don't want the line springing off the reel so maybe I will try to find some compromise between abrasion resistance and suppleness like Sufix Siege or P-Line. And/or maybe go a little lighter for the mainline...20 lb? Suggestions are welcome. The heavy shock leader used with distance casting techniques is supposed to go from the tip of the pole and around the reel 4-5 times or even longer to prevent dangerous high speed breakoffs while casting. The weights and rigs I was planning on using are listed here at the Breakaway site:

Weights
http://breakawayusa.com/shop/weights.htm

Rigs
http://breakawayusa.com/shop/rigs.htm

Also, as far as balloon fishing goes, I bought a fairly high capacity Alvey boat reel I will be using to try balloon and kite fishing.

[NeMo84]

hey now my post has been resucitated i was just keen to know what everyone thinks of the wilson heritage rods, i was at work checkin out a 13"6 model and for the price it seemed great, im mainly into estuary fishin with SP's but what want to set up an outfit for surf and rockfishing, i know its a stretch but im kinda lookin for something to fit into the bream, tailor, flathead and at least a chance of landing a jewie category, in my experience the bream have been less finnicky in these areas so im glad to go a little heavier, thinking of spooling up with 20-25lbs platy platinum, i have a choice between livefibre, garyhoward or wilson heritage rods, and have a 650BCVRR but have seriously been contemplating swapping it for a rockhopper special, purely for the winching capabilities which im assuming the 650BCVRR doesnt have because it's not direct wind, please correct me if im wrong. Thanks in advance for any advice or recommendations people, it's very much appreciated...

[bordeaaj]

... have a 650BCVRR but have seriously been contemplating swapping it for a rockhopper special, purely for the winching capabilities which im assuming the 650BCVRR doesnt have because it's not direct wind, please correct me if im wrong. Thanks in advance for any advice or recommendations people, it's very much appreciated...

I wanted the Rockhopper for the same reasons as well but the only Alvey dealer I could find in the US that actually seemed to know anything about Alvey reels said the 6500BCVRR is a little more versatile and just needs to have the drag cranked all the way down to give it about the same winching power as the Rockhopper. Not sure if that is actually the case...I hope someone with experience using both can clarify this one!

[rockfisho]

Yep, the dealer was right Bordeaaj.

I often crank the star nut right up on my 650 C5 when i'm winching fish up ledges and bringing them in with the wash, i don't have any problems with this, except when i forget.

rockfisho

[CHRIS aka GWH]

if you fully crank the drag down you mark and flatten the compressed and rubber washers - buy a direct wind for direct wind applications.

I think the greatest concern in the new polymer alveys is the increased tolerance between the back plate and the spool - a real hazard in slappy sea.

still the best reel though - today i broke down a tss4 and an alvey 750C after a rough night that filled the both with sand - the alvey took 15 minutes to break down clean and reassemble (it doesn't need lube) - the tss4 took about 55 minutes and was very fiddly ...

chris
chris

[bordeaaj]

Yep, the dealer was right Bordeaaj.

I often crank the star nut right up on my 650 C5 when i'm winching fish up ledges and bringing them in with the wash, i don't have any problems with this, except when i forget.

rockfisho

if you fully crank the drag down you mark and flatten the compressed and rubber washers - buy a direct wind for direct wind applications.

I think the greatest concern in the new polymer alveys is the increased tolerance between the back plate and the spool - a real hazard in slappy sea.

still the best reel though - today i broke down a tss4 and an alvey 750C after a rough night that filled the both with sand - the alvey took 15 minutes to break down clean and reassemble (it doesn't need lube) - the tss4 took about 55 minutes and was very fiddly ...

chris
chris

Thanks for the reassurance. I guess compressed washers are easy enough to replace if necessary. If I like the Alvey enough this trip maybe I'll get the Rockhopper for the next one!