Best Match/Pleasure reel for £50, also for £100

[DorsetTangler]

Hi

Any thoughts on best reels for float fishing in the £50 bracket and the £100 Mark?

Ive got a drennan series 7 float fish which I think is pretty good, better than my old epix pro okuma's anyway.

Also do people prefer front or rear drag for float and why?

Thanks.

 

[mikench]

I agree with the Drennen ( i have the feeder reel) and also like the Greys GFS30.

I bought a Diawa Procaster evo 2506 for £49.99 and like that also.

I wouldn't like to say about £100 reels but have recently bought a Diawa TDM 3012 much reduced from rrp at £89 but have yet to use it! It looks and feels lovely.

It is for a new pellet waggler rod which has yet to arrive!

 

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

Shakespeare MACH 3 XT .. PACKAGE plus FREE DELIVERY & CASE

I've had the Mach 3 RD reel for about 4 years now - can't fault it for the price

 

[Keith M]

For waggler fishing I currently use the Drennan FD4000 which is advertised as a feeder sized reel (the FD3000 is the float reel) but it is perfect for both small and larger wagglers coupled with reel lines from around 2.5lb upwards to 5lb-ish.

I prefer the larger front drag discs of a front drag reel for waggler fishing as I find them a little more sensitive than a rear drag on most float fishing reels; having said that my Diawa 2550 has a rear drag and I can't remember having any problems with that on the float.

Keith

 

[shane99]

I think I updated rather than upgraded when I bought a couple of Drennan Fd's - 3000 & 4000 for my (new) float & quiver rods.

Fair reels but a lot of tangles I have noticed, the line can easily get behind the spool which is not good.

Just servicing my Shimano 3000 XTR & 4000 Super X with WD40 & a toothbrush

 

[Ray Daywalker Clarke]

I think I updated rather than upgraded when I bought a couple of Drennan Fd's - 3000 & 4000 for my (new) float & quiver rods.

Fair reels but a lot of tangles I have noticed, the line can easily get behind the spool which is not good.

Just servicing my Shimano 3000 XTR & 4000 Super X with WD40 & a toothbrush

WD40 is not a good thing to be using on your reels. Wd40 is great for many many things, but, WD40 can do damage to your reels as it rots metal. You may have to use it a lot for it to rot the reel workings, but your better off cleaning the reels with warm soapy water, then oil the reels with the correct oil or sewing machine oil.

I have seen tools go rusty after WD40 has been used on them. I only use the stuff to help ease bolts, Nuts etc.


The procaster reels are very good had mine since they first came out, 4000 and 3000 i think the two sizes are. I have the 400's and use them for my ledger fishing, method feeder.

Waggleer fishing, i still use my Mitchell match, and haven't found a reel that can match it.The auto bale arm is the best, and so easy to use. Not the greatest clutch, which isn't a problem if your keep it oiled, and i can always backwind if i need to.
Many still use the ABU 501 closed faced, which i could never get on with, but each to their own.

 

[Keith M]

WD40 is not a good thing to be using on your reels. Wd40 is great for many many things, but, WD40 can do damage to your reels as it rots metal. You may have to use it a lot for it to rot the reel workings, but your better off cleaning the reels with warm soapy water, then oil the reels with the correct oil or sewing machine oil.

I have seen tools go rusty after WD40 has been used on them. I only use the stuff to help ease bolts, Nuts etc.


The procaster reels are very good had mine since they first came out, 4000 and 3000 i think the two sizes are. I have the 400's and use them for my ledger fishing, method feeder.

Waggleer fishing, i still use my Mitchell match, and haven't found a reel that can match it.The auto bale arm is the best, and so easy to use. Not the greatest clutch, which isn't a problem if your keep it oiled, and i can always backwind if i need to.
Many still use the ABU 501 closed faced, which i could never get on with, but each to their own.

I ruined one of my bearing centrepins using WD40 on it back in the 80's. I didn't realise the damage I was doing then.
It is not a lubricant and it left a sticky residue as it dried out which clogged all the bearings up. I eventually managed to clean most of the sticky residue out of the bearings several years later but it was a long job and it still doesn't turn as freely as it did before.

I still have my Mitchell Match in the back of a drawer and I often mean to get it out and try it again after over 20 years so after reading your post Ray I definately will.

Keith

 

[shane99]

Not these days, its ok for us weekend Anglers

---------- Post added at 13:23 ---------- Previous post was at 13:17 ----------

Keith, I have a Mitchell 324 of all things at work, runs like a crock of poo, until I get my WD40 & a toothbrush on it

 

[robtherake]

WD40 is for water displacement and penetration of stuck metal parts. Even the website states that it's not intended for use as a lubricant.

Fun WD-40 Facts - Read WD-40 Myths, Legends and More!

 

[maggot_dangler]

WD40 is for water displacement and penetration of stuck metal parts. Even the website states that it's not intended for use as a lubricant.

Fun WD-40 Facts - Read WD-40 Myths, Legends and More!

Humm more myths from the mouths of the makers "Very fishy indeed " you want fun with your mortice locks squirt them with WD40 and let the sun and dust do their thing soon have stuck Levers/detainers all nicely gunged together but carry on using it folks we only charge £55 per hour plus parts to un WD gunged up locks .

Only yesterday i was out on a lock out caused by this very problem Oh dear ..

If you must use something them make sure it is PTFE or better still Graphite powder and keep it DRY .


PG ...

 

[trotter2]

Humm more myths from the mouths of the makers "Very fishy indeed " you want fun with your mortice locks squirt them with WD40 and let the sun and dust do their thing soon have stuck Levers/detainers all nicely gunged together but carry on using it folks we only charge £55 per hour plus parts to un WD gunged up locks .

Only yesterday i was out on a lock out caused by this very problem Oh dear ..

If you must use something them make sure it is PTFE or better still Graphite powder and keep it DRY .


PG ...

I thought Graphite powder was slightly abrasive ?

 

[Keith M]

The now deceased centrepin wizard Keith Speers told me that he used to use sewing machine oil mixed with a little powdered graphite (from a pencil) on some of his true centrepins and I've tried it several times on my true pins with good results.
I haven't tried using it on one of my bearing pins though.

Keith

 

[DorsetTangler]

Thanks to those who replied actually mentioning reels, not WD40.

Been looking at Exage 3000 or 4000 single handle rear drag and drennan's so far. maybe a complementary drennan of the next a size up or down to the one I have might be a plan.

I do miss my old shimano aero match from 20 years ago.

 

[qtaran111]

I'd welcome some more input on this thread on reels, not WD40

I'm also looking for a new float fishing reel for around £50. Should be light, prefer a shallow spool, not too fussed on front or rear drag (but slight pref for front) and should include at least one extra spool.

I did have my eye on the Drennan FD3000 but it doesn't seem to be getting ringing endorsements.

 

[mikench]

Greys GFS 30 would be perfect and only £36 or so. I think I will still buy one. It feels very smooth and looks very well made.

I bought a Diawa TDM 3012 for a twin handle and the bling!!! The Greys would have been just as good I am sure.

 

[Keith M]

I did have my eye on the Drennan FD3000 but it doesn't seem to be getting ringing endorsements.

The Drennan FD3000 is a nice reel which comes with 3 different capacity shallow spools.
It is virtually identical to the Greys 3000 (other than the decals and the fact that the Greys reel only comes with 2 spools)

My only mis-giving with these reels is that you can get line trapped behind the spool if you put a little too much line on them or fish into a gusty wind.

I can't remember ever having these problems with the old Mitchell Match Lol.

Keith

 

[DorsetTangler]

I'd welcome some more input on this thread on reels, not WD40

I'm also looking for a new float fishing reel for around £50. Should be light, prefer a shallow spool, not too fussed on front or rear drag (but slight pref for front) and should include at least one extra spool.

I did have my eye on the Drennan FD3000 but it doesn't seem to be getting ringing endorsements.

I think Ive got the FD3000 and tbh, I quite like it. I think it depends how often you are going to be using it. If you're a once a week, if it's not raining or windy sort of bloke (like me) then I think it'll probably be absolutely fine. This is why I'm pondering getting another or forking out a bit more for something "better" like a shimano.
I also think if you're in the habit of occasionally getting a tangle round your spool, you're better off getting a quick release push button spool as usually found on rear drag reels. and once youve bought one style of reel, front drag or rear drag, probably best to stick with that type on all your reels so, in the heat of the moment, you'll always reach for the correct end of the reel to adjust drag during a fight. If the reels are both/all from the same maker then probably even more so.

Anyway a summary so far seems to be:

Daiwa Procaster evo 2506 (?)
Drennan Series 7 3000 or 4000 (rear drag, RD)
shakespeare Mach 3 (Front drag FD)
Greys GFS30 (FD, I think)
Shimano Exage 3000 or 4000 , 3000 seems to have shallow spools which are better for low diameter line loading (RD or FD plus a "fighting drag lever")

 

[tigger]

Why nof look out for a clean second hand stradic on ebay?... they're always popping up for sale in your price range.


Only just noticed your top budget, you can get a brand new stradic for that.

 

[DorsetTangler]

Why nof look out for a clean second hand stradic on ebay?... they're always popping up for sale in your price range.


Only just noticed your top budget, you can get a brand new stradic for that.

Cheers

Do they do versions with shallow "match" type spools do you know? cant be doing with winding on 100's of yards of old mono and trying to guess when there's room for 100 metres of 3lb/4lb/6lb left to go.

 

[ken more]

I don't know for sure, but there must be loads of very decent reels in your price bracket.