HELP.shimano ultegra 5500 or 14000

nik saunders · Mar 26, 2009

hi people, i have been looking at these reels on my computer for a while now and cant choose between the two/forum/smilies/i_dont_know_smiley.gif, reason being is i have greys rods with a 40 mil butt ring ,should the 14000 go with a 50 mil butt ring and the 5500 with a 40 mil ring , i really like the 14000, but worried its not right for the rod ,cheers/forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif

Alan Roe · Mar 26, 2009

To be perfectly honest unless you in the top 10 of europes tournement distance casters you wont notice the difference go with what you fancy

nik saunders · Mar 26, 2009

def not a tournement caster alan, just heard that bigger spool size with a 40 mill butt ring gives you something like line slap or something like that/forum/smilies/i_dont_know_smiley.gifmaybe people are trying to confuse me cheers alan/forum/smilies/wink_smiley.gif

Ian Gemson · Mar 27, 2009

I have just brought a set of the XTB 5500's and used them the other day with an identical set of rods set up with XTE-A10000 reels both rods were used to cast to a 90 yard mark both reels were loaded with the same 12lb line and identiacl rigs and baits.

The diffference in the ease of cast on the 5500's and the amount of line lost by the XTE-a bait runners meant I have become a huge fan of the little XTB5500 reels very quickly.

The clucth is very very smooth and easy to use. I would have no problems useing these reels on rods with 50mm eye paterns and would agree with Alan that the 1400 would not add any extra range to your cast all they would achive is in making the rod heavier to use.

Tight Lines

nik saunders · Mar 27, 2009

thanks ian,its lookin like the smaller 5500,s now,are they bigger than the 10000 xtea ,s which is what i used to have on my rods/forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif

Ian Gemson · Mar 27, 2009

Hello Nic

The reels do not feel bigger however the spools are definatly larger and deeper they take loads more line. I loaded some .29mm dia 12lbline onto the two reels I own and used 1000m spool.

A mate of mine went onn a cast coaching session and the guy was using Free spirit rods and XTB 5500 reels and he was easily doing 165 yards no problems at all and he ranted about how good they were.

I have to admit they make my long range DiawaBasia reels look a very very exspencive for what they are.

Tight Lines

nik saunders · Mar 27, 2009

cheers ian your a top bloke, should i ask the wife for some free spirit hi,s as well lol, sorry to pick your brains again what 15lb line would you recomend as im fishing bills lake france in aug and its mininum of 15lb main line cheers mate/forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif

Ian Gemson · Mar 27, 2009

Hi Nik, Hold off on the Free spirits just yet the new rods from Greys look great, I have been able to play with a few sample rod and they are slim and have a great action.

Regarding Line I would strongly recommend Pro-clear in 15lb its thin supple and knots very well. Its not floroucarbon but sinks like a stone. I have been on it for about 12 months now and I just cant fault the stuff.

Nik feel free to call me on 07864 959163 its a lot quicker than e-mail and I dont bite LOL

nik saunders · Mar 28, 2009

will take you up on that mate, as for your coaching leassons its a shame your not in kent, out of intrest what sort of money does it cost for a leasson , cheers/forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif

Ian Gemson · Mar 29, 2009

Hello Nik

My coaching costs are here http://www.smartcarping.com/pricing.htmlI can do week days and weekends.

My prefered venue is only an hours drive from you so not that far mate.

See here for a reveiw or two

http://smartcarping.blogspot.com/2009/01/poacher-turned-game-keeper.html

http://smartcarping.blogspot.com/2007/12/anglers-mail-feature-mission.html

I can let you try the Shimano XTB 5500 and the Diawa basia reels on Greys Platinum 13' 3.5 TC casting rods, these are very similar to the Hi S rods you mentioned.

nik saunders · Mar 29, 2009

will def be intrested ian, as for the free spirit rods the wife would never let me tlol, i have greys prodidgy 2.75 test curve, im looking to improve on a vast amount of fishing ie spod work, marker work , finding the right spots to fish on, as i never really know what im fishing on, and def one thing is feeling the lead down after a two years of fishing i still havent got it, sad i know . i have caught plenty of carp pb of 27lb but im starting to think most of my fish have been down to luck instead of watercraft. can i give you a call during the week as i work shifts, cheers nik/forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gifps my old an might be intested as well we are a bit of a father and son team.

Ian Gemson · Mar 29, 2009

Hi NikSure by all means you can call I any time in the week please make sure you tell me who you arewhen you call LOL. I am surewe can add a few yards to your casting with some casting tips and advice. Regarding your farther sure no problem we can certainly accommodate the pair of you. I am sure we will have a great time Nik.Look forward to talking to you soon.RegardsIan Gemson

Ray Daywalker Clarke · Mar 30, 2009

Hi S, best Carp rods around, as are the rest of the free Spirit range

Ian Gemson · Mar 30, 2009

Ray a very bold statement what facts do you have to back that up. Possibly Not

Ray Daywalker Clarke · Mar 31, 2009

I have the rod's to back it up and have not found any better on the market, if I did not have these then it would be Harrison's or one of Simpson's, both very good rods.

Why do you think it a bold statement ?

Ian Gemson · Mar 31, 2009

Hi Ray its just you made the statement with no supporting statments. I would say that rod at that end of the market are a very special bit of kit and the differencesbetween the top end rods are very small and subtle.

There are not many people on this forum who are lucky enough to be able to afford such high end kit let alone own it. So it is alway worth supporting your claim with a little back ground imfo.

I am not sure about the Free Hi "S" being a great long range / players rod the 13' version I played with was certainly a great casting tool but it was just so powerful through the mid section it could never be a players rod.

Tight Lines

Ray Daywalker Clarke · Mar 31, 2009

Hi Ian,

If it's a players rod then I would go for the Free Spirit "E" Class, but then you don't get the distance if you want to fish long range.

The Hi 's' S get used on Wraysbury, and you need that bit of power there and they seem fine playing fish close in. As you know with any rod, it is also down to the way an Angler handles the rod, some just reel and pull, thinking that getting a fish in fast is best.

Ian Hutchinson cast a Hi S over 200 yards, ( not that i would fish at that range) my son went on a casting day with some friend's. My son came back with an extra 30 yards or so on his casting, and he has the "E" Class.

The Harrison Torrix rod's are a very nice bit of kit also.

Ian Gemson · Apr 1, 2009

I use the Greys Platinum’s in 13' 3.5tc They certainly can place a lead a very very long distance, however they are certainly not a players rod like my century NG's are.However I know all to well rods have to be a balance or a compromise.

My Rods

I was unable to get Simeon from Free spirit to talk to me so I went one better and got a full sponsorship deal from Greys and I am very happy to use and promote there quality tackle

Ray Daywalker Clarke · Apr 2, 2009

If there is one thing wrong with Free Spirit, it's customer relations, they don't have any.

To have a rod made by them now will take around 3 months, if your lucky.

One of my sons wanted cork handles on a pair of the "E" Class rods, 2 to 3 weeks they said. 6 weeks later nothing, phoned them up, well it takes as long as it takes, but yoiurs will be with you friday. Come Friday nothing, phoned them again, well if you come to the Carp show we will bring them along, if not we will send them and you will have them next friday.

So I rang a couple of other shops who stock FS, one shop had the "E" Class with cork handles in stock, bought them. Phoned FS back and told them to stick the rods where the sun don't shine, but we have done them now, I said, SO, I haven't paid you anything and I am not going to, get your act together and get some customer relations on board.

Very nice rods, but a very Sh*t service

Ian Gemson · Apr 2, 2009

Ray so true I have heard that from so many different people and shops. Its such a shame becuase they do make a good rod. I am glad you got your sons rods in the end.

HELP.shimano ultegra 5500 or 14000

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