Round Reel Help! 2024
Matthew2000 reply :
I am stuck on which round reel to get! I have zero experience with them. I will be using the reel to throw swim baits. The largest I will be throwing is a 8 inch Huddelston Trout, and the smallest being a Mattlures U2 Bluegill. So my range would be from about 1-5 ounces. My max budget on this is 150$. I have fairly large hands (I can palm a NBA size basketball) so the size is no issue. So here are my questions. Will all round reels handle these baits well? What is the best reel for the money? Will one reel cover all of those weights? What will have the least amount of mantinence? What size should I get? I'm pretty sure I will be using braid as my main line with a Mono or Flourocarbon leader. So will I need a lot of line capacity?
Thank you in advance for you're help.
John G reply :
I don't throw any swimbaits but I have read some swimbait Threads and my guess is a lot of guys will reccommend the Shimano Cardiff 300.
Tim Kelly reply :
For your budget I would be looking for a secondhand curado 300, lexa 300/400 or Revo toro 50/60. Non of them are round, but there's nothing inherently stronger that's relevent to bass fishing. An older Abu 6500 would be a less refined choice, the newer round Abus seem to be less well built. I'm gun shy of cheaper round Shimanos after buying one of their corsair reels a few years ago. The Calcutta and conquest reels though are excellent.
Big C reply :
Don't buy an Abu Garcia Ambassador SX 5600 (the cheap one) it's what I have for that, and it's pretty bad. If I could do it over again I would go with one of two things.
1.Lews BB-1 or BB2z
2.Abu Garcia Orra Inshore
I would lean more towards the Lew's, but it seems the Inshore reel would be tough as nails.
FishTank reply :
Shimano Cardiff 300 would be my pick or a save a few bucks and get a Shimano Calcutta. Both are no brainer reels that will through those weights fine. They are built like a tank and will last you a lifetime.
Josh Smith reply :
Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 5500c3 or 5600c4.
These are not the cheap S or SX models referenced above. They last forever.
My baitcasters are exclusively modified 5000, 5500, and 5500c3 models. Large hands here, too!
Josh
Catt reply :
Shimano Cardiff CDF300A $109.99 
John G reply :
American Legacy Fishing has the Cardiff at the price that Catt posted plus they offer a $25 gift card if you sign up for their newsletter.
Drew03cmc reply :
I had a Calcutta 100 that I strongly regret selling. It was fantastic!
John G reply :
On 7/10/2015 at 10:16 AM, Drew03cmc said:I had a Calcutta 100 that I strongly regret selling. It was fantastic!
Buy another one.
*Hank reply :
On 7/10/2015 at 4:20 AM, John G said:I don't throw any swimbaits but I have read some swimbait Threads and my guess is a lot of guys will reccommend the Shimano Cardiff 300.
Ya the Cardiff is great for swimbaits!
Maxximus Redneckus reply :
Grab a 5500c3 Abu Garcia.i recommend this reel over a cardiff anyday.not because im a abu guy but because i used a cardiff before and the abu blows it away in all comparisons.
oldschoolbasser reply :
I'd go with a 5600C10 MaxximusOn 7/10/2015 at 1:18 PM, Maxximus Redneckus said:Grab a 5500c3 Abu Garcia.i recommend this reel over a cardiff anyday.not because im a abu guy but because i used a cardiff before and the abu blows it away in all comparisons.
Maxximus Redneckus reply :
How long will a c10 spin i gotta try this stuff ..i just change out gears handles and sideplates now.im a greenhorn with plenty of patients though.can i drill out my cog wheel myself?? I know where to add bearings and such just aint done that yet
BASSPATROL247 reply :
On 7/10/2015 at 6:37 AM, Big C said:Don't buy an Abu Garcia Ambassador SX 5600 (the cheap one) it's what I have for that, and it's pretty bad. If I could do it over again I would go with one of two things.
1.Lews BB-1 or BB2z
2.Abu Garcia Orra Inshore
I would lean more towards the Lew's, but it seems the Inshore reel would be tough as nails.
X2 those new s,sx and stx i dont even consider abu's.theyre just like the bcx's wich l,think they replaced they are not made in sweden and they have cheap junk parts and are all around garbage!!! I was sick to my stomach when they came out..(HUGE ABU FAN!!).
But if your gonna get a round reel imo it has to be an abu, they will work until yoh die if you take care of it.. the 5000 and 6000 dont use a thumb bar and for casting alot it can get old using two hands to disengage the spool. Same with the C3's but the C4's have thumbars and are right at what you want to spend. I have several round abu's but for any kind of bass fishing i would use my 5600 or 6600 CL rocket as it has a thumbar and the ones i have cast a lil better than my C4's but any of them will work. Not sure what you mean by drilling out the cog wheel but when i added cog wheel bearings i used a box cutter to cut the little nippleon the cog that holds it on the shaft..think catfish connection has a video..
oldschoolbasser reply :
. I wouldn't drill out the cog wheel myself as there are plenty of them available on the market. I can get my 4500C's to make over 50-60 line guide passes, but for practical purposes it's not what you really need, but the added smoothness, and castability make it worthwhile. The most bearings I have on a reel is 12.On 7/10/2015 at 2:28 PM, Maxximus Redneckus said:How long will a c10 spin i gotta try this stuff ..i just change out gears handles and sideplates now.im a greenhorn with plenty of patients though.can i drill out my cog wheel myself?? I know where to add bearings and such just aint done that yet
J Francho reply :
I use a Calcutta 200b. Yes, I come close to spooling it, but it's rarely an issue. The biggest I'll throw is an 8" Hudd, but I generally stick to hard gills, 68s, slammers, and HPH.
Maxximus Redneckus reply :
Francho did u see my mess to ya a few weeks ago
J Francho reply :
No, I asked you to resend it. It was lost with the rest of my fan mail.
WRB reply :
Cardiff 300 series is good reel for swimbaits and reasonable priced. I also suggest using Sunline Armilo Nylon 25 lb test line, a standard 160 yd spool fills this reel.
Tom
Maxximus Redneckus reply :
Sent Francho
Dan_the_fisher reply :
I use a lews bb2 for 6" Huds and 6" triple trouts, and I feel as if the power is not there in the reel. I would lean more towards a used Calcutta b, you can find them all day on eBay.
Big Bait Fishing reply :
On 7/11/2015 at 6:28 AM, Dan_the_fisher said:I use a lews bb2 for 6" Huds and 6" triple trouts, and I feel as if the power is not there in the reel. I would lean more towards a used Calcutta b, you can find them all day on eBay.
What gear ratio are you using ??
iceintheveins reply :
I'd go with a cardiff 300 or 400 for a budget reel, or the bigger Curado E if you don't mind spending more money.
Dan_the_fisher reply :
I was using a 6.3 reel
will954 reply :
I have an abu record 6600. I know it is $50 more than you are trying to spend but it's all solid aluminium and made in Sweden. Maybe that or a c3 or 4 like others have recommended. If you are going round reels I would go Abu for sure.
Big C reply :
Almost forgot about a Curado. They are expensive new, but maybe you could find one used. That's what Larry Dahlberg uses (sometimes).
sprint61 reply :
Revo toro 60 or okua komado 350 orbosbly a bit overkill but both are very nice and will last a long time.
jtesch reply :
How about a used Daiwa Luna??
Big C reply :
What about a Lexa 300?
Maxximus Redneckus reply :
Not trying to start a reel war but at least with the abu if you ever needs parts which is very rare you can get them the rest of the reels life and yours.
Cgrinder reply :
I don't think parts are an issue for any widely used domestic reel.
I don't have anything productive to add. Buy a Conquest 301. 
Maxximus Redneckus reply :
On 7/12/2015 at 6:30 AM, Cgrinder said:I don't think parts are an issue for any widely used domestic reel. Some shimanos get changed 2 times a yr and discontinued. They discontinued a lot of abus over the yrs but many parts are available even on 30 yr old reels and many are interchangeable.
I don't have anything productive to add. Buy a Conquest 301.
hatrix reply :
On 7/12/2015 at 2:14 AM, jtesch said:How about a used Daiwa Luna??
That would be my choice for sure. Lots of the reels people are mentioning you wont get for $150 unless its used anyways. If I was going to go and buy a new reel like a cardiff I would just spend the little extra and buy a c4. That is if you cant find a used reel for a good price.
CJIII reply :
Get a Abu Garcia 4600C3
CJIII reply :
I have a new model Abu Garcia 6500C3 still made in Sweden, I used for catfish and striped bass.
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