Reel
- Duncan Holmes
- Barbel
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Re: Reel
Abu 6501 c3, reel for life, no need for banksticks, superior cranking power and clutch. Loud clicker, easy accessible parts and easy to service and repair.
Avoid the S model like the plague.
Avoid the S model like the plague.
"The opinions expressed in any of my posts are my own and do not reflect the view of the any organisation that I may be associated with."
- Andrew Croft
- Bailiff
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Re: Reel
Duncan Holmes wrote: ↑I'll attest to that. S stands for s**t, its truly aweful and £80 isnt all that cheap. Spend about the same on a good used c3 and still have a superior reel than the model SAbu 6501 c3, reel for life, no need for banksticks, superior cranking power and clutch. Loud clicker, easy accessible parts and easy to service and repair.
Avoid the S model like the plague.

Whats your take on rods for float fishing with a multi Duncan. Might be what i need to get fishing for pike again... being a bit more mobile and less weighed down.
Let me ask you one question. Is your money that good. Will it buy you forgiveness. Do you think that it could. I think you will find When your death takes its toll All the money you made Will never buy back your soul.
- Duncan Holmes
- Barbel
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Re: Reel
Andrew Croft wrote: ↑Unless i am fishing a strong flow or after dark all my bank fishing is with floats and multi's. P1's, 6501s and a neutral braid will cope with almost any condition. If you dispense with heavy leads and aim to fish up to, say 40 yards 2.5 or 2.75 is all you really need. ( for years i fished with 2lb tests and caught plenty of big pike with no problems)Duncan Holmes wrote: ↑I'll attest to that. S stands for s**t, its truly aweful and £80 isnt all that cheap. Spend about the same on a good used c3 and still have a superior reel than the model SAbu 6501 c3, reel for life, no need for banksticks, superior cranking power and clutch. Loud clicker, easy accessible parts and easy to service and repair.
Avoid the S model like the plague.![]()
Whats your take on rods for float fishing with a multi Duncan. Might be what i need to get fishing for pike again... being a bit more mobile and less weighed down.
I fish unloaded pencils, liftstyle, no banksticks, rods on the deck. Banksticks are psychological barrier to moving, same with chairs, stoves and brollies.
Obviously some conditions and waters don't suit this style, but I find it incredibly effective. I can't remember the last time I spent more than 2 hours in one swim, bank or boat.
"The opinions expressed in any of my posts are my own and do not reflect the view of the any organisation that I may be associated with."
- MarkBerrisford
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- davelumb
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Re: Reel
MarkBerrisford wrote: ↑Shimano 6000 oc baitrunners, rock solid and a good drag

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- Jack Pike
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Re: Reel
Duncan Holmes wrote: ↑Spot on in ref to fishing paraphernalia..Andrew Croft wrote: ↑Unless i am fishing a strong flow or after dark all my bank fishing is with floats and multi's. P1's, 6501s and a neutral braid will cope with almost any condition. If you dispense with heavy leads and aim to fish up to, say 40 yards 2.5 or 2.75 is all you really need. ( for years i fished with 2lb tests and caught plenty of big pike with no problems)Duncan Holmes wrote: ↑I'll attest to that. S stands for s**t, its truly aweful and £80 isnt all that cheap. Spend about the same on a good used c3 and still have a superior reel than the model SAbu 6501 c3, reel for life, no need for banksticks, superior cranking power and clutch. Loud clicker, easy accessible parts and easy to service and repair.
Avoid the S model like the plague.![]()
Whats your take on rods for float fishing with a multi Duncan. Might be what i need to get fishing for pike again... being a bit more mobile and less weighed down.
I fish unloaded pencils, liftstyle, no banksticks, rods on the deck. Banksticks are psychological barrier to moving, same with chairs, stoves and brollies.
Obviously some conditions and waters don't suit this style, but I find it incredibly effective. I can't remember the last time I spent more than 2 hours in one swim, bank or boat.
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- Perch
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Re: Reel
Why not try a Centrepin, good fun.
Regards
Martin
Regards
Martin
- John Milford
- Barbel
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Re: Reel


"He's some sort of lure savant. Or just has an unhealthy addiction to old lures. We are not quite sure . . . . . "
- davelumb
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Re: Reel
Banksticks are only a hindrance if the ground is hard or you must have them perfectly lined up. Most times you only need one per rod anyway when piking.Banksticks are psychological barrier to moving, same with chairs, stoves and brollies.
Besides, they let you use Delks and remotes so you can hide your snide rod/s...

Seriously, when I was barbel fishing one river I'd move every half to three-quarters of an hour. I had banksticks, chair, brolly when it was likley to rain, and I broke my rods and net down for each move. No problem if you cut the rest of the gear down and get organised.
I find the real barrier to being mobile is using too many rods. Two is easy, three manageable, four and I'll stay put. Obviously being in a boat means you can fish eight rods and stay mobile.

- Steve Moore
- Chub
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Re: Reel
I've managed to get my roving gear down to the bear minimum by using a korum multimat, the one with the pockets on.
Scales and tools go in large pocket, unhooking gear etc in other pocket, landing net, handle, and two rods in the middle. Along with deadbait, flask and grub.
No need for a seat, I use the mat, don't bother with banksticks, if I'm fishing rods up due to debris or fast flow I use these.
Rods are 10ft 3lb broadland rods, with Abu 6501 c4s, and i use cheap s**t polysteryne floats.
Scales and tools go in large pocket, unhooking gear etc in other pocket, landing net, handle, and two rods in the middle. Along with deadbait, flask and grub.
No need for a seat, I use the mat, don't bother with banksticks, if I'm fishing rods up due to debris or fast flow I use these.
Rods are 10ft 3lb broadland rods, with Abu 6501 c4s, and i use cheap s**t polysteryne floats.
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- Bob Watson
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Re: Reel
Roving on a river and one rod does it for me. I've found that if there's a pike in your swim and it's feeding, it'll have your bait just about instantly, if it's not feeding, stick four baits on its' nose and you'll still struggle for a bite.
One rod cast into any likely looking spots after a few minutes of each other should produce.
I also agree with Duncan about the psychological barrier bit, the more gear I carry, the less inclined I am to move, but that's probably down to a bit of laziness aswell!
I use my boat rods for roving about now, they have daiwa regal z 4050BRT on them, the free spool is an alarm in itself. I also use a ground spike like Steve (from Eddie Turner) instead of banksticks when float fishing, which is 99% of the time when roving.
One rod cast into any likely looking spots after a few minutes of each other should produce.
I also agree with Duncan about the psychological barrier bit, the more gear I carry, the less inclined I am to move, but that's probably down to a bit of laziness aswell!
I use my boat rods for roving about now, they have daiwa regal z 4050BRT on them, the free spool is an alarm in itself. I also use a ground spike like Steve (from Eddie Turner) instead of banksticks when float fishing, which is 99% of the time when roving.
- Duncan Holmes
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Re: Reel
Bob Watson wrote: ↑"I've found that if there's a pike in your swim and it's feeding, it'll have your bait just about instantly"Roving on a river and one rod does it for me. I've found that if there's a pike in your swim and it's feeding, it'll have your bait just about instantly, if it's not feeding, stick four baits on its' nose and you'll still struggle for a bite.
One rod cast into any likely looking spots after a few minutes of each other should produce.
I also agree with Duncan about the psychological barrier bit, the more gear I carry, the less inclined I am to move, but that's probably down to a bit of laziness aswell!
I use my boat rods for roving about now, they have daiwa regal z 4050BRT on them, the free spool is an alarm in itself. I also use a ground spike like Steve (from Eddie Turner) instead of banksticks when float fishing, which is 99% of the time when roving.
That's the theory that I work on most of the time, there are occasions when a sit and wait, ambush style works, but 90% of the time I don't let my baits dwell in the same spot for more than a few minutes. Twitching the baits back towards you is a lot easier with a float as you pick up less debris, and you don't have to reset alarms, etc.
I also tend to immediately repack anything that isnt being used, helps with the psychological barrier bit.
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- Jack Pike
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Re: Reel
Duncan Holmes wrote: ↑Im the same as Duncan my main 2 pike bait rods havent had anything but 6501c3's on them for years , i allso find they fire out float rigs in a much more controlled manner resulting in very very few rig tangles on the cast.Abu 6501 c3, reel for life, no need for banksticks, superior cranking power and clutch. Loud clicker, easy accessible parts and easy to service and repair.
Avoid the S model like the plague.
I fish a bit heavier thou as big lochs and 2ft waves+higher winds means 3-4oz leads are needed plus heavier pencils (1.5" diameter balsa 10" long)
One top tip for casting float rigs thou is make sure when you wind the stop knot onto the spool is push it over to the nearest side of the spool to stop it tearing your finger to shreds when you cast :)
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- Jack Pike
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Re: Reel
Hi, i have Korum Multi Mat (earlier one with no pocket).
However bought Nash H-Gun Multi Mat (think called Dwarf Multi Mat now), no pocket, but IMO overall lot better. Use it alot for different types of fishing.
Zips on ends for releasing fish, velcro all around, so seals, like a flat Cornish pasty. So can use as large sealed pocket to hold fish or tackle. Nicely padded.
Handles just a tad too short, so use Korum padded handle strap on it.
Bob
However bought Nash H-Gun Multi Mat (think called Dwarf Multi Mat now), no pocket, but IMO overall lot better. Use it alot for different types of fishing.
Zips on ends for releasing fish, velcro all around, so seals, like a flat Cornish pasty. So can use as large sealed pocket to hold fish or tackle. Nicely padded.
Handles just a tad too short, so use Korum padded handle strap on it.
Bob
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- Stickleback
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Re: Reel
Duncan Holmes wrote: ↑Abu 6501 c3, reel for life, no need for banksticks, superior cranking power and clutch. Loud clicker, easy accessible parts and easy to service and repair.
Avoid the S model like the plague.
I know the float is the primary source of bite indication, but do pike still run against the resistance of the clicker? Do you back the drag right off?
- Duncan Holmes
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Re: Reel
Lanky94 wrote: ↑Simply the best noise in fishing, a screaming Abu, pike will happily run against the resistance.Duncan Holmes wrote: ↑Abu 6501 c3, reel for life, no need for banksticks, superior cranking power and clutch. Loud clicker, easy accessible parts and easy to service and repair.
Avoid the S model like the plague.
I know the float is the primary source of bite indication, but do pike still run against the resistance of the clicker? Do you back the drag right off?
When in free spool the drag has no effect as the gearbox is disengaged from the spool.
There are some mods you can do to reduce the resistance off the clicker but I haven't bothered.
"The opinions expressed in any of my posts are my own and do not reflect the view of the any organisation that I may be associated with."
- Duncan Holmes
- Barbel
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Re: Reel
Stewlaws wrote: ↑The c3 model is still a quality bit of kit, whether it's the same as those from 10/15+ years ago I am not 100% sure. I have a 6501 c4 which is only a couple of years old and it's fine.Duncan, the Abu reel, is the new reels the same quality as the ones you use or like most things now the internals get cheaper, fancy buying a pair to use and wondering new or used....cheers
The S model is a pile of crap and should be avoided.
"The opinions expressed in any of my posts are my own and do not reflect the view of the any organisation that I may be associated with."
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- Jack Pike
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Re: Reel
Duncan Holmes wrote: ↑Stewlaws wrote: ↑The c3 model is still a quality bit of kit, whether it's the same as those from 10/15+ years ago I am not 100% sure. I have a 6501 c4 which is only a couple of years old and it's fine.Duncan, the Abu reel, is the new reels the same quality as the ones you use or like most things now the internals get cheaper, fancy buying a pair to use and wondering new or used....cheers
The S model is a pile of crap and should be avoided.

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- Perch
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- Happy Hayes
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