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.
Stay within the reels specs and you should fine for all of the top manufactures.
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?
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.
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
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.
Fathom looks good, how about the Marquesa? Straight mono.
Forgot to mention, must have metal frame. Plastic by any other name is still crap! :P
Quote from: nelz on January 27, 2015, 11:04:43 PM
Fathom looks good, how about the Marquesa? Straight mono.
Forgot to mention, must have metal frame. Plastic by any other name is still crap! :P
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.
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.
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
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.
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?
The Fathom does a better because the Fathom is also provided with a thrust bearing and Avet does not.
What about the Okuma Metaloid?
Quote from: nelz on January 28, 2015, 11:14:57 PM
What about the Okuma Metaloid?
I don't have any experience with one although I held one at a fishing expo.
As all ready mentioned the Penn Fathom lever drags are extremely hard to match for dollars spent. The Fathom star drags are also fantastic. While they claim 25 lbs. of drag I'm getting over 20 but not 25 lbs. @ full spool, from my 3 star drag 25Ns.
If you get a lever drag or to get the most from any reel you need to purchase drag scales. So you will know where your drag is set & can also set it properly. Your description of being hard to crank is indicative of a lever reel with a drag that's set to high. But you will never know this for certain with out drag scales.
At present I am not sold on lever drags as my only go to reel.
Rivverrat, I've fished stars all my life, pretty much covered there. A few years ago I actually purchased an Accurate Boss but returned it, just didn't care for the feel of the lever drag design. I've decided to give the LD's another try though, "just because", but not shellin' out $$$ for an Accurate this time.
Might try a Fathom lever drag. While I don't own one I've used 3 different ones that were loaned to me. Pretty good reels. I think they compare well to some more pricey reels.
Most of the input you are receiving is coming from guys that know far more than I do, but you might want to look into this reel:
http://www.srmo.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=srmo&Screen=PROD&Category_Code=Penn-conv-Reels&Product_Code=P009107
I can throw a 4oz. jig a country mile as well as live bait...fast as hell and a 2 speed to boot...33lbs. of max drag and very light 19.6oz ... I love mine
My 2 cents...Tim
I have one of them, nice reel but I got it too late in the season to use. I also have a star 25N with low speed gearing, thanks to Alan C.
Hey Big Tim, wow that's a heck of a deal, but I never heard of that vendor. You ever deal with them?
I have made 5 purchases from them and they are as right as rain.
I have dealt with this guy as well of eBay...all his stuff is new out of box, good price and free shipping:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/riceking704/m.html?item=171666904545&hash=item27f82515e1&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562
Tim
Quote from: nelz on February 04, 2015, 02:50:49 AM
Hey Big Tim, wow that's a heck of a deal, but I never heard of that vendor. You ever deal with them?
I've used them 4-5 times, and they have been fantastic. Good shipping and good communication if you have any questions.
the Metaloid are nice reels...I have one in for service. One thing that I don't like about this reel is that there is not lip on the spool for me to thumb the spool when casting. I don't like to thumb the line myself.
Quote from: nelz on February 04, 2015, 02:50:49 AM
Hey Big Tim, wow that's a heck of a deal, but I never heard of that vendor. You ever deal with them?
I often buy from srmo despite getting hit with NJ sales tax. Their prices are low enough to out-weigh that, and their service is good.
I have been using srmo for at least 5 yrs. I know Charter Boats up here in NY that buy from them.
Mike
Does the Metaloid have the "thrust bearing"?
Hi
For casting and lighter boat use, I would recommend either the Release SG or LG depending on your desire for capacity and huge drag capacity, or the Avet MXL MC.
I've used the SG and MXL MC extensively for surf casting and both work just fine, though a little wild in the casting due to the better free spool of the lever drag build. Both are pre-loaded with about 300 metres of 30lb braid, then a top shot of 200 metres of 30lb mono – cast like dream.
The Avet MXL MC needed some tuning of the magnet to get free spool increased, as in the standard format it was just impossible to get distance, as the placement or thickness of the magnet is too strong – we shave 0.1mm off the face, and now have a super reel, with magnetic control of the casting – the 'full blood' MXL is just a little too fast.
Both reels would be idea for boat fishing, though the Release having the stronger drag capabilities might be more tempting – depends on what your catching. The Avet drag is great, and the reel works fine if you respect the manufacturers limits on settings – haven't yet changed the pinion bearing in mine after 4 years.
Both good companies, and right there if you need spares. I wouldn't trade mine in for anything, they give me casts well over 150 metres off the beach.
Hope that helps.
Cheers from sunny Africa
Jeri
For casting you are better off with a star reel Just my HO
Quote from: SoCalAngler on January 28, 2015, 05:20:06 AM
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.
On most of my lever drag reels (if not all of them) the 1 and 2 speed reels use the same spool and the 2 speed isn't any heavier. What is heavier is a lever drag spool vs a star drag spool as a rule, giving the casting advantage to the star drag, at least a little bit.
hi jeri
you havent posted any pics for awhile,its about time mate,and keep your sharks away from our champion surfers.cheers mate
Quote...and keep your sharks away from our champion surfers.cheers mate
:D ;D
Hi All,
On the photos matter - and the reels, we are working with new rods to cope with serious distance surf casting with fixed spool reels and 50lb braid - a sample of the end result below. Fixed spool reels and the right rods cast 'miles', way easier than either star drag or lever drag, but we all make our choices. Lever drag reels spin seriously faster than star drags - so for serious distance, the right lever drag will out perform a star drag in surf castingg.
(http://rs1381.pbsrc.com/albums/ah205/JeriDr/Bronzie%20-%20112.5kg_zpspepnjbed.jpg~c200)
Continuing the theme, our sharks are taught no to play with their food - when they bite - they bite!! If the odd surfer looks like he might be edible, but you are not sure - then just nudge it with their snout, and see what happens!!! The shark in Jefferys Bay was only curious, if it had been eating, then the surfer really would have had a story!!! It's a well known shark angling area, and to hold a surfing competition there was as stupid as you can get. I wouldn't walk through the bush at night, and not expect to get viewed by lions - why do surfers think they won't get investigated when they swim in shark filled water??
Cheers from sunny Africa.
Jeri
Quote from: wallacewt on July 26, 2015, 01:19:05 AM
hi jeri
you havent posted any pics for awhile,its about time mate,and keep your sharks away from our champion surfers.cheers mate
Hi Guys,
The alternative answer is:
You have heard of 'Bait & Switch', a technique used by big game anglers for billfish, especially when fly fishing off the back of boats. Tease the target quarry with live baits, then when they appear interested, switch the live bait for an artificial.
Well, the surf competitions in Jefferys Bay are something similar, it is also the prime location for International Surf Angling competitions. Has been the venue for 2 or the last 3 between Namibia and South Africa, renowned for good shark catches, usually most successful after a surf competition.
The immediate challenge in our workshops is how we are going to build a 14' long surf casting rod that will launch out a hooked surfer!!!! ;)
Cheers from sunny Africa,
Jeri
you go in the water. Shark's in the water.
Farewell and adieu to you, fair Spanish ladies. Fair thee well......................
And they look at you with those lifeless eyes..like doll's eyes....
another surfie got taken on sat;here in oz docs are trying to save him.
very next day,beach is closed and a surfie went in
photo was taken with 2 great whites underneath his board
Still have more chance of being hit by a meteor ;) ;D
If you take the numbers of people in the sea yesterday, and compare to the singke shark bite- must run into tens of millions to 1??? I think I will start getting worried about meteors!!
Cheers from sunny Africa
Jeri