# 6500 for drum fishing?



## jerkjigger (Oct 22, 2006)

right now i have a daiwa saltist 20H, but i want to sell it to get the new abu, the 6500 c3ct mag. i was wondering if a 6500 would be a ok reel to drum fish with off the surf/pier?


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

yeah it'll work,aftermarket cabon drag washers.
Doesn't really have the line capasity,but many a fish has been and will be landed on em.. Course that biggun (on a pier)where you can't walk but 15 or so feet right or left,could very well dumpya..
Jmho,you're better off with the 20 for drumin..


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## rob762 (Oct 22, 2007)

The new Abu 7000 mag is a kick a$$ reel. I'd take a hard look at that if you're an abu fan. Unfortunately, not sold in US yet, so the Daiwa is a better cost/value deal.


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## Newsjeff (Jul 22, 2004)

Maybe Rolland will chime in here.

He's landed quite a few bull drum with a 6500.

From the pier and the beach.


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## jerkjigger (Oct 22, 2006)

what im tryin to get at is should i get rid of my saltist for that new abu?


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## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

Thats all up to you. There are those that love the Abu and those that love the Diawa. Just can't answer that for you. If you are not sure then I would keep what you have.


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## jerkjigger (Oct 22, 2006)

AirDown said:


> Thats all up to you. There are those that love the Abu and those that love the Diawa. Just can't answer that for you. If you are not sure then I would keep what you have.


thats what i was thinkin. i gess when i get some extra cash, i'll buy it.


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## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

jerkjigger said:


> thats what i was thinkin. i gess when i get some extra cash, i'll buy it.



Are you having trouble casting the Diawa?


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## jerkjigger (Oct 22, 2006)

no, i just like the mag option on the reel. i dont really like my 525 or slosh's because of the gear boxes, but i like the saltist because of the quality and the gearbox is moved forward.


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*6500 vs daiwa 20*

for Drum you'll probably be good to go with an Abu ..... but if you hook a cobia or something larger the Daiwa is the better choice ......


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Newsjeff said:


> Maybe Rolland will chime in here.
> 
> He's landed quite a few bull drum with a 6500.
> 
> From the pier and the beach.


 Yeap,Rolland is a good fisherman. Most of the time that I've seen him fishing he's using a 7000 .
Not sure if you have seen it or even Rolland,but they do dump reels with a stiff current,no side to side (as in the surf),and some deep water,promise..  As in the above post,a 6500 has caught many a drum,and will catch many more,but also get dumped or the angler will break it off trying to stop it..
Jeff,if I hadn't seen this before I would not post it..


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## Newsjeff (Jul 22, 2004)

Drumdum said:


> Yeap,Rolland is a good fisherman. Most of the time that I've seen him fishing he's using a 7000 .
> Not sure if you have seen it or even Rolland,but they do dump reels with a stiff current,no side to side (as in the surf),and some deep water,promise..  As in the above post,a 6500 has caught many a drum,and will catch many more,but also get dumped or the angler will break it off trying to stop it..
> Jeff,if I hadn't seen this before I would not post it..


Kenny, I'm coulda swore that Rolland uses a 6500???

For me, I won't use a 6500 off the beach let alone a pier. 

I won't use a Daiwa 20 either. 

It's either a Daiwa 30 or Abu 7500 for me.

Not that it can't be done. I just prefer as close to 300 yards of 20lb as I can get. 

All I'm using this season is either a Saltist 30H or a 7500C3CT.


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## ffemtreed (Mar 29, 2007)

If I was fishing for drum on that reel, I would be using semi heavy braid (like 50lb) for capacity and also if I started getting spooled a little extra thumb pressure on the spool to turn the fish may be needed. You won't break the 50lb braid this way. 

just becareful of your thumb on top of the braid! And becareful casting, watch out for those nests


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## jerkjigger (Oct 22, 2006)

so i should stick with the 20, or look at a 7000


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## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

I think you should find someone with a 7000 that will let you throw it then decide. Unless you just want to spend the money


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## Lightload (Nov 30, 2007)

I've got both the 6500C3CTMag and the Saltist 20. For drum I'd definitely go with the 20. Sure drum have been and will be landed on the 6500 but you'll stand a better chance of consistently landing drum with the 20.


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

ffemtreed said:


> If I was fishing for drum on that reel, I would be using semi heavy braid (like 50lb) for capacity and also if I started getting spooled a little extra thumb pressure on the spool to turn the fish may be needed. You won't break the 50lb braid this way.
> 
> just becareful of your thumb on top of the braid! And becareful casting, watch out for those nests




if you thumb that reel with 50lb braid your gonna do alot of hurt on the internals


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

Lightload said:


> I've got both the 6500C3CTMag and the Saltist 20. For drum I'd definitely go with the 20. Sure drum have been and will be landed on the 6500 but you'll stand a better chance of consistently landing drum with the 20.


The 6500 will catch drum all day long. Now don't get me wrong given certain conditions, im sure getting dumped is a reality.

however, i think its unfair to say you'd have a better chance at catchin a drum with a 20, I've caught the majority of my drum on a 6500 and know alot of other guys that fish them too.


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

ffemtreed said:


> If I was fishing for drum on that reel, I would be using semi heavy braid (like 50lb) for capacity and also if I started getting spooled a little extra thumb pressure on the spool to turn the fish may be needed. You won't break the 50lb braid this way.
> 
> just becareful of your thumb on top of the braid! And becareful casting, watch out for those nests




if you thumb that reel with 50lb braid your gonna do alot of hurt on the internals


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## jerkjigger (Oct 22, 2006)

are you putting backing on the reel? and could i use 17 mono that i normally use?


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## justinfisch01 (Feb 19, 2006)

Now I can comment on drum (yet) bc/ I have yet to catch one from the beach. But All i use is Abu 6501 (lefty) Besides Avet there really isn't any other options for a lefty. But he is a pic of the largest I have caught on a 6501. 
In the pic is a Knobby magged 6501c3 with the levelwind removed and and a CT bar in its place matched with a OMCP










I find myself always stickin up for these little reels. But they have been good to me. 17 lb Sufix Tri 

By the way, you can always pack a little braid under you mono as backing.


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

A little drag upgrade goes a long way with the 6500's 

I'm an Abu guy but I will admit, My "drum" set up is a OM Light and a 525 Mag...But fish in FL so it's a bit different  I guess.


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## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

I pack on some PP braid backing. 100 yards or so will do it. I don't know the exact total yardage but it's plenty of line.


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

I haven't used either reel lately, but did use the 5500 series for bass fishing in Louisiana and Texas more years ago than I want to admit. Just a question for all. It seems the Saltist would tolerate sand better than the Abu. Not that sand is good for any reel, but am I wrong in my supposition?


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## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

jerkjigger said:


> what im tryin to get at is should i get rid of my saltist for that new abu?


I would not do it. I would keep what you have and use it then determine weather this is what you want or to defect to the other reel



jerkjigger said:


> no, i just like the mag option on the reel. i dont really like my 525 or slosh's because of the gear boxes, but i like the saltist because of the quality and the gearbox is moved forward.


The gearbox on the Saltist is at a different angle than the other reels mentioned


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## jerkjigger (Oct 22, 2006)

Fishman said:


> I would not do it. I would keep what you have and use it then determine weather this is what you want or to defect to the other reel
> 
> thats what i was thinking, i havent cought a fish on it yet, and if i dont like it after i fished it, i'll look at diff reels


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

jerkjigger said:


> are you putting backing on the reel? and could i use 17 mono that i normally use?












when i got my new custom BY from tres, I had a 525 i had gotten from a member of this board. He had new line on it for me and i figured i wanted to test cast the BY but would rather use the red line to test and save my chart to fish with. so i wanted to transfer the line. 

Now honestly speaking the 525 was a tad underfilled(meaning it wasnt to the lip, but i dont know many people who fill to the lip anyhow). but you can see in my case, this is how it turned out. I've seen pictures showing differently, but as you can see its enough to catch a fish or plenty.


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## Fishbreath (Nov 11, 2004)

Lots of good advice here from some very knowledgable people. I love the abu's but when I'm hunting a biggun', the 7500 is the bomb! 

The Abu 6500 WILL land a big drum or other fish from the beach but you've been advised, there is potential to get dumped anytime you step out there, especially with any reel under a 30 or 7500.

Would I go with the Saltist 20? No. I would go with a 30 or a 7500. Just my preference. Putting a bit of backing on your ABU 6500 is not a bad idea though.


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## CrawFish (Sep 23, 2003)

There's no doubt that a 6500 can't land a big drum. But I also prefer the daiwa when fighting big fish. It just has better cranking power and better drag system. If you haven't landed a big drum before, I wouldn't recommend a 6500 for it. Landing a first big drum is tough on any reel, even tougher w/ a 6500. I remember my first one, it took me around the boat anchoring on the shoal, an experience I won't ever forget. And it was on a daiwa30. Just ask DD


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

CrawFish said:


> I remember my first one, it took me around the boat anchoring on the shoal, an experience I won't ever forget. And it was on a daiwa30. Just ask DD



Kinda rings a bell....


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## jerkjigger (Oct 22, 2006)

ive cought some before, biggest being 50 inches. but that was off a pier


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

CrawFish said:


> And it was on a daiwa30. Just ask DD


if i remember correctly, i caught two while you were getting your first one in. if the rod don't look like its gonna break, you need to break his spirit.


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## New Kent Newbie (Apr 25, 2006)

Seth you know i caught 4 drum last mem day weekend on a stradic 5000 with 12lb mono had plenty of line


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

New Kent Newbie said:


> Seth you know i caught 4 drum last mem day weekend on a stradic 5000 with 12lb mono had plenty of line


 Stratic holds a great deal of 12 doesn't it??

Years ago,a friend of mine caught a 50lber at the boiler.. It was on bass tackle,a 6500 with 12,she pulled on that fish for a half hr with the coaching of her husband. On the beach ya got some options of left and right. Fish will go up and down the slough,maybe over the first bar,but usually not out into the deep to dump ya. On the planks all ya got is 15' to the left and 15' to the right.. On some piers,they have plenty of deep water,and drum don't mind using it,especially if there is a lot of current..
Yes,NTKG,I've seen it where that 6500,even with you doing "uglystick commercials" wouldn't have done the job...


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

It's the lefty problem for me. That's about all there is, without spending a mortgage payment. On my trip to False cape last year, I must of got lucky. All the big drum and the 73" shark I got all just seemed to go backward and foward, kinda like they were stuck between two bars. If they would of taken off I would have been in trouble. Also had the clutch slip and create a nest with a 47" on, but I was able to just hold the line while my friend got rid of the nest. Real lucky on that one. It's a size (that's what she said) and gearbox issue also. There isn't a gearbox to get in the way on an Abu. I would love to get ahold of a lefty that holds more line and is roughly the same size as a 6500. Anyone holding?


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## Entropy (Mar 9, 2008)

if you find one dirtyhandslopez please let me know! lol

im a lefty as well.


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## justinfisch01 (Feb 19, 2006)

I am a lefty as well, I just wish I could get a different kind of reel


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## Rockfish1 (Apr 8, 2005)

justinfisch01 said:


> I am a lefty as well, I just wish I could get a different kind of reel


ya got ABU, AVET and Shimano Calcutta's what more you want?...


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## justinfisch01 (Feb 19, 2006)

Penn 525 Mag, Abu CT's Blue Yonder, Daiwa SLosh.......


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## Entropy (Mar 9, 2008)

how would the 7001HS from hatteras outfitters compare to the 6501C3?

ive been looking at it instead of upgrading my C3, just treating myself to a top of the line setup. does it have the casting abilities for shore fishing?


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## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

A tad bigger, a tad heavier and holds about 300 yards of line


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## drumrun (Dec 5, 2007)

Ive caught over a 100 drum over 40" on a 6500. The biggest being a 54 tl down at Ocock. That big girl knotted me 3 times and I literally had to go swimming , she got in the out goign tide and kept on going with it. Ive caught numerous of avon pier and have never been dumped, can it happen, yes very easily. Esp on a pier where as Kenny said you cant move down the beach with them. I look at fishing with a 6500 as ultra light fishing, something lke trout fishing with 2# or 4# lne. It aint for everyone, but sure is fun to push the limit.


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