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What do you guys think of....
Okuma reels? I'm losing my faith in Shimano and am looking into the Okuma
VS series and possibly the Quantum Cabo PT series. Anyone have any
experience with these? I see the Okuma has a 5 year warranty (awesome) on
their reels and a bit of a slower retrieve speed though. Do they have the
something like the Super Stopper for quick hooksets or the old way? Their
site doesn't say anything about it at all.Looking at getting a bit of an upper level reel that's going to last! I
have 2 Shimano Sustains and they have both developed the same problem,
sporadic tension on the retrieve and then all of a sudden, normal and
smooth again. Quite annoying. AND what sucks is that I've had a cheap
Sidestab for river fishing for going on 12 years and that thing just keeps
on catching! *figures* So any other suggestions on light spinning reels that'll handle 4, 6, 8 lb
test line and are reliable, smooth and balanced?? Thanks for the insight guys! Doug *Wishin I was fishin'* |
Doug
Mar 11
2005
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| Ever had them professionally serviced? Sounds to me like the roller bearings
need help. |
Illinois
Mar 11
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| Well the one was only a season old when it started doing it, the other made
it about 2 seasons.... I wouldn't think reels that new would need servicing
already especially when used properly and lightly as I do. Unfortunately,
I have been reduced to weekend fishing and 2 major week long trips a year
only and it just doesn't make sense that they would fail after just after
one season. Their definitely worth servicing, but I was going to look for
an alternative for my next purchase to see what kind of luck I had and just
to see if I like something else better possibly. I don't know, maybe I'm
working them harder then I think too, wishful thinking, but I guess I do
put them to the test during smallmouth season. Anyway....
I appreciate the time for the response though.... Doug |
Doug
Mar 11
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| I have 2 Stradics that are 5 and 8 years old that run like the three that
are 1 year old. I tear them apart after every season and clean / lube them.
During the season I use a half a drop of oil on a toothpick to drop oil on
the anti-twist roller bearing every 4 weeks or so. Occasionally rinse your reels off in warm running tap water to get the fine
dust and dirt off of it. Let dry or wipe off the water, then oil that roller
bearing with a half a drop of oil. I bet it will make a world of difference
as long as the bearing is not scratched on the inside. The lubrication the factory uses is thick - they do not know how long a reel
will be left on the shelf before being sold or when the first maintenance
will be done on it. So they really over lube the reels to begin with, which
means cleaning and regular maintained is essential to prolong the life of
any reel. I just bought a new Abu Garcia baitcaster that I thought there had to be a
grease explosion at the factory. The Anti-reverse bearing was packed so
heavily in grease that it was hard to crank. The grease had migrated into
the drags and was all over the cover plates etc.. Needless to say I had to
degrease the whole thing and relube everything properly. Factories make mistakes on a regular basis. The last time I checked it was
roughly 3 to 6 percent of all manufactured products get returned because of
workmanship or defects. Anything that creates friction needs cleaning and lubricants on a regular
basis to maintain a certain level of performance. So get out your
instructions and clean and "lightly" lube all the factory recommended parts.
And for those that are screwdriver challenged, please find a good reel
repair person and spent the few bucks to have then do it for you. It is well
worth the time and money in the long run. |
Illinois
Mar 11
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| Well, I've been doing some research and have read from other fisherman and
gotten opinions and it seems that maybe I was being a little hasty in
switching my loyalties. I think I will have all my reels thoroughly cleaned
and serviced and maybe see about bearing upgrades and see how they hold up.
Once I have exhausted every effort to restore my confidence in Shimano, then
I'll look into something new. After fishing with Symmetry's for years, I thought going up the extra step
in price would get me a longer lasting smoother reel, but it seems like the
Sustains lasted only as long as the cheaper cousins. Definitely smoother
and more balanced, but the same decline after a season or 2. As I have stated, maybe I'm just harder on my equipment than I think
reeling in fish and I should expect this? I haven't really fished with much
of anything but Shimano, Zebco and a couple Diawa's so my experience is
limited with other manufacturers. I ususally find something that works and
stick with it for years. When I was fishing tournaments more, I would usually just buy a couple new
rigs at the beginning of the season and semi-retire the others or use them
for spares. Anyway, this is getting lengthy, I will hang in there with Shimano and see
what I can do price wise for servicing and if it's going to be justifiable,
start rebuilding them each season along with my regular maintenance through
out the season. Thank you for the reply's guys! Doug |
Doug
Mar 12
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