MXL MC Casting distance ????

[RickK1948]

I've read a lot of good and bad reports on the Avet MXL MC as far as casting Distance.
I'm seriously thinking of buying one for 8 & Bait Surf Casting on a Rainshadow 13 footer. I like
the line capacity of the MXL MC but will I be disappointed as far as casting distance. Even at the lowest setting

Thanks
Rick

[akfish]

The free spool is absolutely amazing and I doubt very many people could cast any farther with a different reel.

[SoCalAngler]

If your using weight along with the bait you should be fine.

Here in So Cal much of the time we flyline bait (no weight) from boats. With medium sized sardines or larger the reels with MC's are alright for this.

With that said I have 2 Avet reels in my line up and neither has the MC. These reels do have awesome freespool but their spools are heavy, that is to be expected with LD reels.

For maximum distance in casting star drag reels are the way to go because of their lighter spools.

[Swami805]

I had that same reel and it didn't cast very well even with the MC at it's lowest. About  third less distance than my trusty star drag. Good reel for many things but not casting. That's just me, others might get better results.

[Rivverrat]

With 8 & Bait that reel will work fine.  Most who do not like the MC feature are live lining bait.   As mentioned by SoCal star drags do this sort of thing better most of the time. When it comes to getting the last few feet from my cast I love the Penn Torque star drags. The 15 or even the 25N would work for this. Just throwing another option out there.

I have to believe throwing what you describe you will be very happy with the Avet. I can only imagine any issues that may come up with this reel not casting far enough could be handled by changing your form & or timing & maybe some practice... Jeff

[RickK1948]

Thanks for all the info Guys. I'll have to do a little more research on what reel to buy.
I already have more then anybody should ABU Reels mostly 6500 CS's, a few 6500 CT's and a
7500 Big Game addition CT and a CS 7000. The 6500's are already assigned to specific rods
but I want something along the size of a 7000 but with more Line capacity. I'll be moving to Stuart Fla. within a month or so
and want something that could handle Sharks and Big Rays from the surf, I would like something that would hold at least 400yds of 30# mono with heavy shock leader.
I was even looking at the LX MC Avets the line capacity is just right but then again it's the casting ability. You would think Avet would take heed and
update their MC cast controll to allow better free spool.

Thanks Again
Rick

[Swami805]

The cast control slows the speed of the spool to prevent backlashes. If you want a reel with cast control that still gets maximum distance try a shimano Trinidad dc if you can find one. Magnets and centrifugal cast controls all affect casting distance to some extent. The Trinidad has the least effect. If you're casting something heavy it will be less noticeable

[Rivverrat]

 If you're casting something heavy it will be less noticeable

x2  
For the weight with bait your thinking of using I think it's a non issue.

There are reels from the Penn Fathom & Torque lines in either the star or lever drag flavors that will do anything you want. The Fathom star drags have cast control. Which I dont use. Regarding Torque star drags I've never personally handled any reel that cast as well out of the box with it's strength & durabilty. In fact I've never witnessed any one toss one perfectly with any good distance with their first few casts. The spools are very fast. Takes a very good thumb. No better star drag made in my opinion.

 Another option is the formerly Truth, Seigler reels. There surf, star drag comes in a version with & with out magnetic cast control. Will hold 400 yards of 50 braid. This reel will be well within it's element using 30 - 40 lb. line. I went with the Torque because I wanted the ability to fish heavy line & drag. The frame on the Seigler star drag is not as strong as Penn Torque.

Also the the Seigler SG lever drag has a lot of merit for the surf. The line capacity is less but they are very fine casters.

Any one who cannot within reason reach the distance they want with these Penn or Seigler made reels needs to practice more.   $600 price range & below there are no readily avaiable, better reels for distance surf casting made when strength & durability come into play. Not my opinion just simple fact ... Jeff
 

[Rivverrat]

I'm hoping Jeri will post here he is our resident surf casting specialist here on this site... Jeff

[SoCalAngler]

There are reels made that have magnetic braking where when the mag's are backed off all the way they have no influence on the spool and casting distance. Unfortunately the Avets with MC are not one of those. The Seigler's surf reels with those huge knobs for the braking are a deal breaker for me in just the way they look. They may pay off if you need make adjustments to the mag in mid cast but for me I never seem to need that.

I have played with the Seigler surf reels a couple of years ago in a shop but never cast one and I don't remember if the mag braking backs all the way off or not.

The Penn Torque's and Fathom's don't have magnetic braking but some of the Penn reels do. The older Penn Mag's had it on several models. I had a Penn 525 Mag that I gave to my son that when the mag is fully backed off there is no influence of it on the spool. Penn dropped that line but some of the Squall reels come with mag breaking and those fully back off as well.

Unless your going for long casting distance records IMO it is better to teach your thumb to be your cast control.

[Rivverrat]

Unless your going for long casting distance records IMO it is better to teach your thumb to be your cast control.

Good point I agree.

[steelfish]

few years ago the common question about small reels for 6&bait or 8&bait for surf fishing was Avet sx or dawia saltist 20h/30h reels.
both have aluminum bodies and feel like tanks, avet is LD reels while saltist is SD, I also have a rainshadow surf rod for 6&bait mine is a SUR1505 12.6ft   6oz lure, I ended up getting a saltist 20h and use 50# braid with 50# mono for shock leader but I also use a sealine-x 40HV that cast also great, I dont use that combo of rod and reel much because the local fisheries for surf fishing are pretty small to I opted to fish lighter gear.
anyway, getting back to the original comment, most guy preferred to use bigger mono line and got the avet Mx for the same reason some guys got the saltist 30h, as my pal SoCal said, if you are not after a world record the avet is good with heavy weights (6oz or more) just train your thumb and use any kind of thumb protection cuz the burns on the finger with braid line are the worst.

[thorhammer]

Hey Rick,

MXL is about 2/3 capacity of what you are asking for. Looking at your existing stand of Abu's and throwing 8 n bait on Rainshadow's,  if I had to bet you are fishing my redneck of the woods...OBX. Could be wrong. In any case, you might hunt down a 990 Magpower. Way stronger than a 7000, with 4/0 Senator drags, solid cross bars and six hole stand; mag control and probably holds about 350 yds of modern 30lb. It will get you plenty of drag on 30 lb line especially with greased carbontex.

As you know well, regardless of reel, 8 plus bait in a wind is only going so far, and even less far with 30 mono. Age-old trade of line diameter vs. distance: which do you need more?

Other candidates might be 555GS and mag it if needed; it's very castable but probably less strong than 990; or a Fathom.

A Daiwa SL 50 is full aluminum and could fill this bill; Jeri will comment thusly they were used in that application in SA prior to spinners getting a lot more use. 

You could find an Avet LX 4:1 and get Ryan White or a member here to mag as another option. That may be your best bet.

Just my .05. that was more than .02.

[Rivverrat]

Alex, I had a brain fart leaving out the Saltist. But one flirts with that danger when making such bold statements as I did in my prior post. Though I do still stand behind them. The two reels I mentioned the Penn & & Seigler are only going to make noticeably longer cast in certain well defined situations & then only with someone who is devoted & put in the time.

I am above average with a coventional casting reel. However what I've found is real world use is an equalizer.  Standing in a football feild or at the waters edge tossing a sinker has little to do with tossing weight & bait with wind & other things that come into play. Few people & I mean very few people, my self included can always use a good casting reel to it's full potential regarding distance..... Not if we are fishing to catch & not just out tossing for the longest cast. Most reels made today lever or star drag will work excellent casting weight & bait for distance.

I've found a good number of people wether it be fly rod or conventional gear can easily get caught up with distance. People sharking from the beach while they dont cast but Yak their bait out, have had this " get it out past the second or third bar " mantra teached & preached to them so much that any one doing different clearly isnt in the know. This works a lot of times. But yet some times the bigger bait fish can be found behind the first bar.

My grandpa is long gone now. I always will remember after launching a rod bending, rocket of a cast the question that would follow " What are you doing ". His question wasnt based on my long cast being wrong. But instead came from.... WHAT GOOD REASON DO YOU HAVE FOR DOING IT.  

Grandpa would answer many questions while fishing by saying nothing & pointing at the waters edge. Made me mad at the time.... Grandpa how come they quit biting ? With out looking he would raise his arm & that index finger would straighten out pointing where the rivers water met the sand. This was way to much for an easily frustrated 8-9 year old boy who wanted things explained & easily understood. Unworded answers were a nemesis to this.

It wasnt until a bit of time later, when by myself that I began to notice the wet sand sometimes a few inches sometimes a foot or more above the water & the effect it had on my fishing. The river dropping is a simple thing but could have a big affect.

Some of the best things I ever learned that has caught many fish also more important in most cases than distance cast came from my grandpa.They hold true regardless if it's lake, river or ocean beach.  
These two I've found are huge...    It all begins at the waters edge & if you arent looking you arent fishing.    Books of encyclopedic length could be written on these two seemingly simple topics... Jeff

[steelfish]

Alex, I had a brain fart leaving out the Saltist. But one flirts with that danger when making such bold statements as I did in my prior post. Though I do still stand behind them. The two reels I mentioned the Penn & & Seigler are only going to make noticeably longer cast in certain well defined situations & then only with someone who is devoted & put in the time.
.. Jeff

of course you're right compadre, the Seigler reels and torque will outcast the saltist anytime.
the Seigler surf casting reels model have me drooling when I just saw them, the color and stance make a reel look like stealth firearm, somehow I found that formula really appealing but the cost put the reel on my "reels to buy when I have lots spare money list", if I have a real need for such a nice reel I would have bought it already, same deal with the torque 15, but as I said, for my needs I have now using light tackle for my shore fishing trips, I good salmon/steelhead 10ft 2oz fenwick rod with a abu garcia 6500c3 is 3x more fun to fish than the saltist/sealine and raishadow 6oz lure rod, which I still own for when I feel the need to fish relaxed "cast and wait and have a beer on a shade".