Lever Drag reels

[nelz]

I'm looking to buy a lever drag reel in the 30lb / 300yd capacity. I remember reading something about side pressure on bearings being an issue with these. Never owned a LD before, so looking for recommendations for models that have resolved this bearings problem without needing any modification.

[SoCalAngler]

Stay within the reels specs and you should fine for all of the top manufactures.

[Bryan Young]

What type of fishing will you be using it for? (casting, tossing live bait, deep drop, jigging,...)

Do you prefer narrow, average or wide spools?

[nelz]

Using for long casting of bottom rigs from pier, and occasional head boat drift/bottom. Also looking for one that the handle turns without alot of resistance. Most LD's I've tried seem way too hard to turn compared to stars. Must have a good, loud clicker too.

[Bryan Young]

The handle being hard to turn has to do with the pinion bearing, and the reels that you may have felt probably had damaged pinion bearings.  It's easy to do if you are not careful.

My recommendation would be PENN® Fathom™ Lever Drag, MODEL # FTH15LD


Mono Capacity yd/lb - 355/12 305/15 200/20
Braid Capacity yd/lb - 550/20 415/30 290/50
Bearing Count - 5
Max Drag lb - 20
Gear Ratio - 5.3:1

Retrieve Rate - 27
Weight - 15.10

[alantani]

they are all going to need some level of modification.  spectra with a mono topshot?  or just straight mono.  an avet mxl single speed would be a good choce. for a levelwind, a shimano charter special TR 2000.  i'd stay away from the daiwa leverdrags because the degree of difficulty in servicing them.  i have a pfleuger with a lever drag and levelwind that was just donated.   it's about the same size as the penn 320 leverdrag/levelwind.  

[nelz]

Fathom looks good, how about the Marquesa?  Straight mono.

Forgot to mention, must have metal frame. Plastic by any other name is still crap!  

[Bryan Young]

Fathom looks good, how about the Marquesa?  Straight mono.

Forgot to mention, must have metal frame. Plastic by any other name is still crap!  

If I recall, those Marquesa reels from Fin Nor are beautiful reels, but are a bit heavy to be tossing bottom rigs from the pier or bounding jigs all day on a boat.

Avets are reasonable, easy to service and very nice durable reels, but the clicker is not very loud.
Daiwa are very nice reels, but are difficult to service for the common person to service
Accurates are very nice reels but the drags are either on, on more, or off, and the clicker is not very loud.

Release Reel (I think LG) would be an appropriate size.  Actually, these are very nice reel designs with a bowed front and rear support for those of us that forget to guide the line during the heat of the moment.  This is one feature that is not found on any other LD reels that I can recall.

[SoCalAngler]

Release reels are nice but as I have stated in other posts I'm not a fan of their handle knobs, others seem to like them but they just don't feel right in my hands. One other thing I don't like is no detent or stop going from strike into full.

Avets are nice reels and I have a few but the SX thru the MX non Raptor reels max out at around 9 lbs at strike and if you are like me and set your reels at or close to 1/3 of the lines breaking strength 30 lb text will be maxing out those reels. A Avet JX single speed would give you more drag pressure but those a larger than the MX line but still comfortable in that line class too me. A nice 30 lb test option if spectra backing the reel if not look at a LX but those may be a bit big in overall size. These reels offer great value for machined aluminum reels. I do own a JX2 speed, I do spectra back the reel and use it for 40 lb topshots.

Edit: If you do go with a Avet say MXL and you do set your reel at around 11-12 lbs at full you will still be below their max specs. I like to set my LD reels at or close to the 1/3 of the lines breaking strength at strike just in case I get bit by a monster and need to really hammer down my drags.

IMO Penn has stepped up with nicely with their Torque reels, yes a bit costly but very nice. I also like the Fathom line but I don't own any of their LD reels though I do own a star drag. I like these cast aluminum reels much better than others in the cast aluminum market.

I know you stated that composite reels are not for you and I can understand that but in the 30 lb test range and below composits from major manufactures should hold up just fine and at a very good price point.

[Alto Mare]

Nelz, many of the reels mentioned above are good reels, for the money, you might want to give this a shot:
http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=10800.0

Not favoring any manufacturers, you be your own judge of it.

As you, I'm also not a fan of composite reels.
Sal

[SoCalAngler]

A two speed reel for 30 lb test IMO is over kill but can come in handy if looking to bump the reel to 40 lb toppers but he stated straight mono. For long casts off a pier the heavier two speed spool would not be my first choice. Also at around $90 to $100 less for a Chinese knock off of an American reel I'm not fully sold on Omoto reels. Let me state I have never fished, played with or let alone seen any of their Triple reels and I trust what you think Sal, but in the past Omoto has made claims about their reels that fell way short of what others have found.

[nelz]

Thanks guys for the heads-up about the Daiwa, it was high on my list to get. I'm leaning towards the Avet over the Fathom now only because of the frame being machined. How does the Avet do on that bearing side-pressure problem?

[Bryan Young]

The Fathom does a better because the Fathom is also provided with a thrust bearing and Avet does not.

[nelz]

What about the Okuma Metaloid?

[Bryan Young]

What about the Okuma Metaloid?

I don't have any experience with one although I held one at a fishing expo.