New Mitchell 498 series spinner

[STRIPER LOU]

Hi All,
  A few weeks ago I saw one of these at Bass Pro shops and was quite impressed. Put out a post here to see if anyone had experience with these. I know foakes works on a lot of Mitchell's and Keith, handi2 does also, but I have a feeling they're so new that few have had the opportunity to see them?
The models are 198, 298, 398, & 498. This is one of the smoothest, well balanced reels I have seen in a long time in the $100. price range.  (free shipping this week BPS)

I chose the 298 and Its roughly between the penn btl 4000 and 5000 size wise, which makes it perfect for me to use as a boat reel. Its a bit heavier as the complete frame is metal and the spool is aluminum but not the least bit clunky.
I have not had a chance to open this reel up yet but I can tell you from everything I can see on the outside I doubt if I'll be disappointed.

If one were to choose a model for surf it would probably be the larger 398 or 498. The 498 is a JUMBO reel and around $125/130.

I believe at present they are only available at bass pro shop or Amazon and on ebay from Europe and UK.

Here's the specs for the 298: 7 ball bearings
                                          5.6 gear ratio
                                          20.4 oz
                                          17.6 drag
                                          290 yds/10lb mono
                                          Eva foam grip

I would imagine its made in china but nothing in the literature or on the reel indicates it. At the price it would have to be. The box has their website listed as www.mitchell-fishing.eu.

The only oddity is the main shaft is exposed at the bottom of the rotor cup. That really didn't bother me as the overall reel for smoothness and quality was surprising!!!

Any comments?

..................Lou

[STRIPER LOU]

Here's the parts breakdown.

[mo65]

Boy Howdy! I might have to trade in my 300X...

[philaroman]

1) the words forged & machined are nowhere to be found, so I'm guessing everything is cast -- hence, the weight/price

2) drag seems weak for a 20 oz. reel -- a premium 10 oz. spinner can muster high teens, even w/ felt

3) rotor design seems RIDICULOUS: cups are stronger; skirt-over-rotor keeps sand/salt out better -- 498 looks like the WORST of both worlds...  plus (or MINUS), bail trip lever (#13) looks the same as Stradic FH attempt at cost reduction (marketed as weight reduction) -- turned out to be frame destruction, so Shimano went back to their old design

4) all the multiple claims of strength are meaningless, with such a puny drag

[STRIPER LOU]

Wow, I guess that means you don't like it!    I'll have to see how it stands up to my btl4000.
...................Lou

[philaroman]

I may not have a fraction of the expertise of some of the folks on this Forum, but I damn-well know how to read between the lines of Ad-speak & NOTHING ABOUT THIS REEL APPEALS TO ME 

seriously, when you open the reel, take a close look at how the automatic bail return is activated.  in StradicFH, the bail trip levers (RD-7795: http://www.ereplacementparts.com/bail-trip-lever-p-1547085.html) were simple heavy steel wire w/ "L" bends...  looked same as 498 part#13 in the schematics...  the sharp-edged steel hit a "ramp" protrusion on top of the aluminum frame, which eventually wore down to literally nothing & there was no practical way to fix that, other than replacing that half of the body    it took a while, but that was in light F/W sizes w/ minimal rotor weight/inertia

of course, if you plan to use the reel w/ braid & close the bail by hand, that's a non-issue...  but then, I'm not seeing/reading any indication of improvement over simple locomotive oscillation, for braid-worthy line-lay.  No, I don't expect a worm gear at this price range, but I sincerely hope you'll see some kind of off-center/two-tier disk like Okuma's "elliptical", or Shimano's Varispeed -- otherwise, HELLO WIND-KNOTS   

sorry to pee on your cornflakes, but this way you can take a look inside sooner, rather than later, & decide whether to return this possible dog before you're stuck w/ its fleas

[mo65]

sorry to pee on your cornflakes, but this way you can take a look inside sooner, rather than later, & decide whether to return this possible dog before you're stuck w/ its fleas

I wouldn't even crack a screw on that reel...I'd just go fish it. 17lb. of drag will serve it just fine. I'd say after a year's fishin' you'll still be pleased with the little $100 investment.