fixed spool reels

[ralph]

do fixed spool reels have a place in sea fishing any more?if so are they any good for rock fishing?

[mark]

depends on the situation really. I use one all the time, when spinning/plugging etc from the rocks, and I Also prefer em for float fishing from the rocks.

I have used one when bait fishing from the rocks as well with no problems, although I do prefer the extra muscle of a multiplier in anticipation of the 20pound lunker cod that\'ll I\'ll never catch!

[Chris_Hughes]

When I lived in North Wales I used to fish a lot in the Menai Straits and venues don\'t come much snaggier. Tired of loosing gear all the time, I ditched my multiplier and moved on to what was at the time the state of the art heavy fixed spool reel - the Mitchell 498. 20 years on I still have that reel (and three more 498s). The reel was still in production in 2000. In comparison to todays technology they are somewhat agricultural, but that is their strength. I am not aware any shore/beach fishing reel available that can beat them regarding retrieve rate (over 3 foot per turn of the handle) and when fishing dirty ground speed of retrieve is what makes the difference between keeping or loosing your terminal tackle. Yes on the tournament field a highly tuned multiplier will out cast a fixed spool, but when fishing other factors knock a lot more off the distance, such that there is negligible difference in casting distance. In fact the fixed spool may start to get the edge as you don\'t have to worry about overruns etc. so when the weather is foul you take the reel out of the bag set up and fish, there is no fiddling with the breaks etc. The day they bring out a multiplier which will not birds nest under any circumstance and retrieve line at more than 3 foot per turn of the handle is the day I shall go back to a multiplier for shore fishing.

Perhaps you should turn the question around and ask do multipliers have a place in shore fishing - definitely not in my tackle box.

As for boat fishing, I wouldn\'t go anywhere near a fixed spool other than for some shallow water up tide work.

[Edited on 13/10/2003 by Chris_Hughes]

[Tat]

hip hip hooray

[Tat]

It might look like it but I am NOT taking the p35s

[ralph]

wahey(or is that hip hip huray tat?)think ill keep the three decent ones iv got then!thanks alot guys-saved me a bomb now i know i dont have to have the biggets strongest(heaviest) multiplyer i can find!

[Tat]

I have 2 Abu Cardinals and an Abu 7000 for the beach and the piers.Had no problems at all with them.

[Edited on 13/10/2003 by Tat]

[5150]

i\'ve a load of fixed spools in various sizes, i prefer to use them when fishing short range, especially with light gear for flatties..

[micky-quayle]

a lot depends what you\'re fishing for and where you\'re fishing. sometimes i use multis sometimes f/s its just down to personal preference. don\'t be put off using f/s just because most other anglers snigger at you, dare to be different its to easy to become a tackle tart by following the masses.

[mark]

don\'t be put off using f/s just because most other anglers snigger at you, dare to be different its to easy to become a tackle tart by following the masses.

Amen to that!

[BriH]

Penn 525 mag & Penn 535 mag will both retrieve 3ft per turn of the handle - and will outcast a fixed spool- but its horses for courses , canny thread , i have never given a second glance to anybody using a fixed spool, so dont paint me with a tar brush. :P :P

[Tat]

Can someone explain to me why a multi will always outcast f/s as they have more moving parts when it\'s casting,i.e.spindle.A f/s just loops over the spool/

[BriH]

the line that is being cast out reduces inwards towards the centre of the spool on a f/s so producing more drag (friction) against the rim of the spool - no suface drag with a multi - and as you lose line due to snap offs and snags , on a multi at least you can still get your distance ,but as the line starts to drop down on a f/s you will be increasing the friction / drag, thus losing distance.

[Chris_Hughes]

It\'s all to do with friction as the line peels off the reel spool. With a fixed spool, there is friction as line peels over the rim of the spool and because the line release is absolute chaos there is further friction as the line is fed through the rod guides. With a multiplier the line peels off relatively cleanly so there is no friction as the line feeds through the rod guides. There is however some friction in the spool spindle but with todays free running bearings this much reduced. On Balance the friction losses with a multiplier are less than with a fixed spool. It is worth noting that the difference in casting distance records between the two types of reels are less than 10% with the multipliers in front. But these are at distances of some 250 yards or more. At fishing distance, say circa 100 yards, the difference is negligible and may go in favour the fixed spool as the fisherman does not have to worry about the overrun goblin sitting on his shoulder.

[alan]

Hi Ralph.i use both from the rocks,but it depends on the conditions etc etc.if you are fishing into heavy kelp you\'ll probably have problems with a fixed spool but \"suck it and see\" m8.There\'s no fixed rules in fishing,if you have lots of problem then consider a multiplier set up.