Closed-face Reels

[nottskev]

There have been threads on this topic before, I know, but I'd like to hear current posters' views.

My trusty Ryobi Techno CF 100 closed-face has ground to a halt. I can't complain after 16 years of use. There's a problem with a spring in the mechanism that locks the spool and lets you twist the rotor off, which may or may not prove fixable. Two problems, actually. It wasn't working. Then it flew across the kitchen when I was removing it.

I'm up for buying a replacement, but which one?

I've had Abu 501's and 506's back in their day, and they were ok, but with larger spools with good chenille edging, the Ryobi managed line better, which is why I bought it in the first place.

Is anybody using a CF reel these days? If so, would you recommend it?

Btw, I have, and use, pins. I like them when fewer, bigger fish are the target. For bags of roach, that often move in and out, obliging you to cast here and there and fish more quickly, I like these CF's.

 

[mikench]

Hi Kev, I bought a lovely original 501 from Tigger which I really like and which I have caught several er bream to 4lb and roach coupled with the Hardy 14'

I liked it so much I bought a 507( heavier and with bb's) and love that also. I have paired it with a Mach 3 for silver fishing and have had , inadvertently several carp to 6lb on it with little fuss. It is a lovely reel to use and on windy days is perfect!

It comes with 3 spare spare spools( one deep) and some chenille strips. The spools had clearly bypassed quality control as I had to champher small bits off to smooth them off and glue on the chenille strip on one! That little click as you depress the top of the spool is addictive

So far I am delighted with both and prefer them to fs for float fishing with light lines. I have yet to try trotting with them!Go on Kev treat yourself! The 507 came from Poingdestres( spelling!) who had an offer on! You are welcome to have a try!

 

[trotter2]

I used closed face reels for over 30 yrs since the mid 70s Do yourself a favour and buy a modern daiwa or shimano open faced reel. Preferably the former they will blow you away.
Smoother trotting a drag system that works,and winding power you can only dream about.

 

[sis the roach]

both as good you can still get the spares for them and i thinck they are better than the new abu it mite just be me but i just dont like the look of the handle on the 507 with a plastic bit with two screws holding i on

 

[mikench]

I used closed face reels for over 30 yrs since the mid 70s Do yourself a favour and buy a modern daiwa or shimano open faced reel. Preferably the former they will blow you away.
Smoother trotting a drag system that works,and winding power you can only dream about.

I have a wide array of fs reels all bought in the last 18 months and whilst they all have their uses and their virtues , I still like the ABU's and who needs cranking power for roach and Rudd!

So far the Abu's haven't disappointed!

 

[nottskev]

I used closed face reels for over 30 yrs since the mid 70s Do yourself a favour and buy a modern daiwa or shimano open faced reel. Preferably the former they will blow you away.
Smoother trotting a drag system that works,and winding power you can only dream about.

Thanks for the suggestion I've got plenty of modern Shimano's. In fact I think the very latest ones are going backwards, but that's another matter. I just prefer the CF, with its beautiful simplicity and unbeatable short reach to the spool, for some types of fishing. I've used them since 1975, too, so I do know what their limitations are. Drags and winding power aren't really issues for roach fishing.

 

[trotter2]

I have a wide array of fs reels all bought in the last 18 months and whilst they all have their uses and their virtues , I still like the ABU's and who needs cranking power for roach and Rudd!

So far the Abu's haven't disappointed!

One year ago I would have agreed with you

 

[tigger]

I don't understand why a lot of people have this notion that a closed faced reel is no good for larger fish. I've had my fair share of carp using a 501, probably hundreds of them back in the day (mid 80's). Ok, size wise they weren't anything to shout about by today's standards but back then they where decent sized fish with my biggest one being a little over 26lb. I had no problem using the 501 reel to catch them. I've used the 501 for most methods of fishing in the uk including sea fishing!....not ideal I know but I caught bass, flatties, dogfish, wrasse etc when using it.
The one problem I used to get when trotting with the 501 was line bedding and it could be a genuine PITA.
Regarding using fixed spool reels for trotting, i've used them occasionally and they've been ok, but I preferred to use the 501 until I could afford a centrepin reel (and actually bear to part with the cash for one) which is IMO the bees knees for trotting so none of the others get a look in when i'm going trotting. Casting isn't really an issue for me as I can manage to cast well enough with the centrepin reel.
I recently got a daiwa 2500 TDR off a FM member and although I haven't used it yet I can see right away why many people like to use them for trotting...the reason being that they're easy to reach with your finger obviously making them more comfortable to use. I compared the TDR to my stradic FJ 2500 and the TDR spool is the best part of a half inch closer to the rod!
I've never used the modern abu closed faced reels so can't really comment on them but if they're anything like the originals they'll be very good!

 

[trotter2]

Over the years I have had 501s, 506s ,507s,1044s,704,706s, 506 Mk 2s,gold max507s
There all about the same they will do the job.
The early mk1s are better build quality.
My personal favorite was a good 1044 single pick up pin model.
I had a look at the new 507 but thought there were too big.
Its a personal thing but if you really want an Abu replacement the 1044 with the quality metal body is my choice.
I don't have any now just my 2 Daiwa tdrs.
The Ryobi techno match first version in a green body takes some beating.
Hope that helps

 

[sam vimes]

Having started out fishing with one, I have a bit of a thing for closed face reels. I persisted with them for many years, especially when it was breezy. However, I haven't used one seriously for many years now, despite owning a few. I occasionally look at old Abu 507s and anything current I come across. I always manage to resist temptation because I just know I wouldn't really use one.

 

[bracket]

I have float fished the Trent for over fifty years. In the early days we used ABU 506/507's, which were OK, but needed extensive modifications to make them perform just right. Around 30 years ago I bought a Daiwa 125 and it was faultless, absolutely no issues at all, bearing in mind I keep the clutch locked tight and play bigger fish off the backwind. I now have two and use them for all my stick float fishing. In my opinion this reel will out fish a centre pin any day of the week. That, coming from a Nottingham Lad must tell you something. Do yourself a favour, buy one. Pete.

 

[robcourt82]

I'm not sure if they're 506's or 7's (the newish smaller one) I have but I love them for fishing when speed is important. The only time I don't use them is when I'm expecting lots of bigger fish. For waggler or stick float fishing where you're constantly opening and closing the bale arm/pins the closed face reels are so quick and simple to use.

 

[trotter2]

I have float fished the Trent for over fifty years. In the early days we used ABU 506/507's, which were OK, but needed extensive modifications to make them perform just right. Around 30 years ago I bought a Daiwa 125 and it was faultless, absolutely no issues at all, bearing in mind I keep the clutch locked tight and play bigger fish off the backwind. I now have two and use them for all my stick float fishing. In my opinion this reel will out fish a centre pin any day of the week. That, coming from a Nottingham Lad must tell you something. Do yourself a favour, buy one. Pete.

Regarding the Daiwa closed face reels never had the 120 or the 123 model but I did have s couple of 125m reels there not bad the drag system which is on the rear is probably the best of the lot, its relatively smooth for a closed face reel.
The down side to the Daiwa is the gears are brass and are easily stripped.
They never really caught on up north shame really as there not bad.
Which brings me on to another angle the worst closed face reel
That would go to the Shakespeare which had gears which would strip as soon ad you look at them to much monkey metal.
Another bad one is the dam coffee grinders load of junk.
A good one often over looked is the Mitchel lightning and its clone the silstar same reel different outer case that's all.
Bracket don't get me started on centrepins vs closed face reels we have been there.lol.

 

[flightliner]

Never had a c/f reel save for a tiny zebco one that a neighbour gave me asking if I could use it (I gave it to a young lad) .But, if Pete says ok then they must be .
I have to say tho that kevs post on c/f reels reminded me what one of the old original Barnsley Blacks was suposedly have said about them ( tongue in cheek I'm sure) " Only fit for door stops and paper weights" .

 

[mikench]

Was anyone from Barnsley( apart from ****y Bird) renouned for finesse and subtlety?

 

[108831]

Buy until you find what you want,search for the holy grail mate.

 

[mikench]

Well you did ask Kev!:wh

 

[trotter2]

Buy until you find what you want,search for the holy grail mate.

Yep that's why I have had so many

 

[nottskev]

Thanks for all the comments.

As it happens, my broken one is the original green model, and it works a treat. Or did. The spring in question is the tiny thing - think mini paperclip- that holds the pawl off the gear when the rotor lock is off. But, of course, the whole reel is jiggered without it. Ironically, I'd just spent a couple of hours recently rubbing a washer down to half it's depth to replace the one that invariably falls off the rotor spindle when you unscrew it to change the spool or sort the line out. The first time it fell off, I didn't know it had even been there. I spent hours with the reel in bits figuring out why it would no longer trip the winding pin when you turned the handle, and deduced there must have been one. You can tell I like this reel, or it would have been a paperweight by now. I'll take it to my reel guru at Gerry's and see what we can do about the spring.

As for replacements, it was interesting to hear the Daiwa is so good. I had no knowledge of that model, so I'll have a look at one. And nice to hear you can do pretty well anything with a 501. I actually had one when they were first out, but can't remember what it was like to fish with. I think I bought it because anyone who was anyone had one.

I don't use CF's much, but for some things they are just the job.

 

[tigger]

In my opinion this reel will out fish a centre pin any day of the week. That, coming from a Nottingham Lad must tell you something. Do yourself a favour, buy one. Pete.

It may well out fish a centrepin reel if the centrepin is being used by a novice or someone who's never bothered to master the use of it.
At the end of the day the centrepin is the king when it comes to trotting :w.