# Casting Reels



## dcfishman (Dec 20, 2002)

OK guys I want to here from you --I have used a few diffrent reels , but I would like to know which conventional reels you guys feel cast the best and produce the best distance for practice My abu big game 6500 cast very well but i here people say that the abus will out cast the 525pen mag any day can you shed a little light on this as i have only cast with the reels that I have -slosh 30 -abu 6500 never used abu mag I recently purchased a Avet SX 5.1 but have not had the pleasure of casting this reel. Let me know how u guys feel. Thanks dcfishman


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## DFORKMAN (Oct 21, 2003)

*CASTING REELS*

OKOK OK WHAT MODEL CASTING REEL IS BETTER I KNOW SOME SPORT CASTERS USE ABU SOME DAIWA ,PENN GIVE ME SOME GOOD REASONS TO SPEND MY MONEY ON THAT PATICULAR MODEL.I HAVE OLD 5000 ABU I TRIED SATURDAY COULD NOT BELIEVE I HIT 115 YDS ON FIRST CAST WITH 3 OZ SINKER ...


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## dcfishman (Dec 20, 2002)

come on guys want to here about the maged abu-gacias compared to the penn 525 mag any info guys will help !
thanks dcfishman


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## Black Beard (Jan 25, 2001)

On the field the 6500 has the edge on the Penn for distance, although I did make an 821ft cast in Texas with a 525 Mag T and won the 2000 National with one also. Abu will cast smaller leads say below 4oz due to smaller spool, 6500 is 38mm wide x 38mm diameter while 525 Mag is 40mm x 40mm.

On the beach whole new story! Much more winching power, smoother, stronger drags and gears a whole new ballpark. Casting a 525 can be a little hairy for the uninitiated but thick oil and a couple of extra mags will solve that problem, or go to a Mag T. BB


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## Connman (Apr 14, 2001)

back when I first got into casting I started with a penn525mag slidy and a abu mag elite . I had an identical pair of bass pro ocean masters 10' . I stuck with ground casting at this stage and day in day out with .35mm big game the penn outcast my abu by about 5 yards every time . I was ground casting 500' with this outfit at the time . For tournament work I now use abu's but this is because the line diameters have dropped to .31mm and .28mm and the penn IMHO is a tad large for these lines . For my fishing the penn is still my go to reel , i have used it for bass and drum to 50lbs and bluefin to 65lbs , I wouldn't want to try a bluefin on a abu drag.....


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## dcfishman (Dec 20, 2002)

Thanks for the responses guys, the information given is very informative Mr. Conman how long have you been casting in the competitions and if i may ask how long did it take you to reach 600 ft. as for me, since I have learned the so call right way to cast, it seams as though my distance is going in the wrong direction. MR. Blackbeard if I was to buy a new Abu Garcia for casting practice wich one would you suggest I use to practice with??? thanx in advance dcfishman


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## FishRung (Nov 26, 2002)

dcfishman.

I'm not BB, but I'd take time to go visit Tres Irby at Hatteras Outfitters and have him make up a 6500CT with ceramics and a mag. brake. There's nothing finer IMHO.

I use a 6500C3CT Blue Yonder with those add-ons and it sings - even at the beach.

Fishrung


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## dcfishman (Dec 20, 2002)

Fishrung-- I have an older model 6500c3ct I think its a 96 model and I orderd abec 5's from Tres and I swaped out the old black side plates with the side plates of a custom chrome rocket. I run this set up straight with out brake blocks gets a little hairy sometime, I plan to have it magged by the summer But thinking of buying a newer model with the additions to it,plus the extreme smothies cause i would like to know how the smoothies improve the drag system. I just wanted some feed back of wich model abu I should get. thanks for your response . dcfishman


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## FishRung (Nov 26, 2002)

dcfishman

I also run without brake blocks, but find them unnecessary because the mag system is so good. I use 4 magnets, I start the cast with them 3/4 on and run them all the way off during the cast. Works really well.

I have smoothies too. They're much better than the original Abu drag. You can't lock them right down, which is a good safety factor. I have them on all my Abu reels.

I'd switch to ceramics from the Abec 5s - you'll notice a difference.

I bought a 6500C4 w/ levelwind last year. That's is a seriously long reel, although the levelwind does limit the distance. I'll consider a C4CT later on, and expect it to outcast my C3.

Good luck


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## dcfishman (Dec 20, 2002)

FishRung--- does that c 4 Abu Garcia your talking about allow you to remove the worm of the level wind?? It seams as though that would be all u need 2 do I must take a look at this reel have'nt been keeping up with new stuff i would really like to try one of the abu mags I brought a 525 Pen and I dont see what all the hype is about i dont like the reel that much, I prefere my Abu-Garcia just my 2cents thanks dcfishman


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## Custer (Jun 14, 2001)

I have several abu's and sloshx30-shvs...

the 6500c5 flat smokes 4n outta site...out of the box....

the -c4 is my metal reel (thanks to high-speed retireve)

I am not a tourneyment caster by any means...

but I can git them out far enuff fer the fish...

Tommy


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## Connman (Apr 14, 2001)

Dc , I think my first tournament was the NE regionals in 1999. I hit just under 500' that day but it was with a St croix and diawa emblem 6000t . I didn't understand reel tuning well at that stage and cracked off every cast on my abu 6500 elite as i reduced the magnets to two ,used yellow rocket and cast at the 2 setting .A good recipe for disaster .The following year I up graded to a penn inxs 12'6" rod and converted a ultra mag reel to my own specifications. Tried low mount reel and pendulum and 600' came immediately with the better rod and I maxed this rod out at 690' in practice and 668' in tournament . It took me a few more years to brake 700 in tournament but I was doing it in practice often, but that was due to law of averages and better practice conditions than what we usually see in tournament .


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## dcfishman (Dec 20, 2002)

Conman --you are the man I truly dream of the day i reach 700 ft at this point i am haveing a problem getting to 600 ft no practice time lately will see what new rod brings .see ya dcfishman


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## Black Beard (Jan 25, 2001)

DC - if I were to buy an Abu 6500 for casting I would look for either one of the original black 6500CT UltraCast - circa 1989 or the siver Special and convert it with an original CT cage. 

You know, I made all my big casts on the field with a 6500 and thick oil in place of brakes blocks. If I were starting up I think I would go that route before looking at mag convesions. 

Just a thought - BB


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## dcfishman (Dec 20, 2002)

MR. BLACK BEARD Thanks for your comments. 
I have I believe a 97-98 model 6500ct but I swaped the side plate with a custom crome rocket --have been useing 40/50wt motor oil without brakes and it really works well for me received a new blank late Jan from allstar bgsw1688 when Orderd, the stat sheet says it weighs 16 1/8 oz. I have allready fixed a light weight reel seat to it wich I intend to take off but the rod weighs 26oz. now thats reel heavy for me will prob. get the chance to throw a little sat . I let you know how things worked out. Hope to see u again at the cast clinic, thanks for your help .Tony Q. dcfishman


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## dcfishman (Dec 20, 2002)

Black Beard --- HI NIEL---I just put the rod on my digital scale 2lbs 10 oz. this on a rod blank thats says is 16 1/8 oz. i am sorry that i did'nt scale it before i put the guides and the reel seat on it scaled with my abu rocket spooled to the lip with 17 lb. Andy rod weighs 3lbs. 11oz. W O W thats weigh to heavy. I just had my rotator cuff repaired in 2000 that just might reinjure my sholder.
Do you feel this is too heavy for me I am thinking about trying to return it to allstar . But if i could get use to throwing with this monster of a rod i guess when i get something lighter I will really be able to send it a nice little distance!! what do u think??? dcfishman


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