# "Catfish Pro 600 CTS"



## BeachBob (Aug 27, 2010)

Saw a YouTube vid of a feller using this 6500 size level wind reel loaded with 30# mono, stuck on a 7-1/2' catfish rod, and throwing 4 or 5 ounces of lead near 100yds. Just from its pix and description it sported a pair of centrifugal brake blocks and dual spool end cap adjusters (to both center the spool and properly set the slop). Its was s'posed to have brass gears, a pair of stainless spool bearings, 5.3:1 gear ratio, carbon drag washers with 19# drag, and a 250/16 mono spool capacity. The intriguing part was the reel sells for $69/shipped - yup, made in china. I bought one just to see for myself what it was all about. Arrived inside of a week. 

Firstly, the entire insides of the reel are slathered with a clear grease, not that it's a bad thing but way too much I'd say, and I removed most of the excess and just left a thin coating. 

The reel uses twin centrifugal brake blocks on the spool, at the handle side, like most Abu reels. The clicker side has what's been called a brake adjustment knob but that's not true at all, it's a spool alignment knob, and there's another spool alignment knob on the handle side. Dual spool alignment knobs are typically found on higher priced reels and their job is two-fold - center the spool between the reel frame side plates and to set a minimal amount of spool movement ("slop"). These knobs are NOT for slowing down the spool as that will wear out both the spool's spindle and spool spindle end plates (inside each spool alignment knob). 

The spool bearings are not in the spool, they're embedded inside the end plate alignment knobs. They're held in with a "hex" clip. I popped them out, soaked them in naphtha (lighter fluid), dried them well and then put two drops of Hot Sauce reel oil into each bearing, put 'em back into their end caps. 

I removed the level wind as I want maximum distance from this reel. It was an easy job that required removing the handle side plate, popped off the worm gear circlip, unscrewed the line guide, removed the pawl. Popped the circlip off the level wind drive gear and removed that as well (so that the spool wouldn't waste energy with friction on the level wind drive gear, robbing casting distance). Put black electricians tape on the level wind holes in the cage. 

I had ordered out a mono knobby mag - I drilled out the side plate and installed it. Loaded up with 18# Sakuma mono and a 60# shock leader. Just need to wait for a break in the weather to maiden this reel on a few different rods (Breakaway LDX 13', Akios Fury 420 14', Moonsniper 13'). More to come ... 

BEFORE ...









DURING and AFTER ...


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## Surfjunkie (Dec 28, 2015)

Did you remove the brake blocks from the spindle, or leave them since installing the mag?


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## BeachBob (Aug 27, 2010)

Brake blocks are in ... for now. As with any new reel testing I do, the blocks are all in and clicked "on", the mag set to max for the first few throws. Then I begin to incrementally lighten the mag. Eventually the blocks get removed - I see no need for physical brakes that wear both the blocks and the side plate block race, when and IF non-physical magnetic eddy currents can get the job done. For the most part, this is all about the instant the payload gets released, where the rpm can be 20k to 30k. If the cast is good and long, and there is air hang time for the payload, the magnetic force can be adjusted lighter via its knob, to increase distance. Once the line begins its spool fluffing, that's the max braking for how the brakes are set up.


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## retired (Oct 20, 2016)

Not bad....not bad at all. By chance would you give the info where you bought it? Thx!


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## BeachBob (Aug 27, 2010)

retired said:


> Not bad....not bad at all. By chance would you give the info where you bought it? Thx!





https://catfishpro.com/shop/ols/products/catfish-pro-tournament-series-fishing-reel-600-cts


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## retired (Oct 20, 2016)

Thank you for the info. I needed something for my wife. This looks to fit the bill. If it gets dunked or dropped its not like dropping a 3-400 dollar reel. Plus with her I need to leave the level wind in. For the money it looks great.


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## BeachBob (Aug 27, 2010)

It may prove to be quite a worthy reel for off the beach, as well as catfishin'. Time and use will tell!


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