a better closed face trotting reel

J

John Broomfield

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I still use an ABU 506 with anti reverse removed. Line getting underneath the spool is prevented by small lengths of 2lbs nylon secured at regular intervals around the base of the spool with blobs of araldite.
The reel comes out every winter and is used for greyling fishing.
The reel has and continues to perform very well, although is tedious if a larger more powerfull fish than the norm grabs hold.
Very few are lost at the strike point comopared with the 'bump'created by a fixed spool on the strike.
I would, if one were available, be prepared to buy a more expensive modern closed face reel.
I also still use a Mitchell match for sea trout spinning. Prefering it to my Shimano stradic GTM!
 
S

Shrek

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I had an ABU 1044 and that was great but could do with just one pin for picking up the line as I always had a problem with one of them not releasing when I was casting.

I use a Daiwa 125m at present and can't say I'm enamoured with it but it works in a fashion.

Has anyone used an ABU 704 yet? What are they like for "perfection"?
 
S

sis the roach

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the closed face that is a copy of the contact crack is a milo tact 5403 ihave not look at one yet i dont know if there still made in france? there are three ball barrings in them cost ?85 but.. u can get one for ?65 there are two spools one deep one shallow the reel colours are ferrari red or wood grain colour
 
J

Jeff ( Lucky ) Spiller

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I've recently bought a Abu 704 ( ?55.00 )and am very pleased with it, but I have taken one of the pin's out, because if you don't press the button firmly sometime a pin stays out and you know what happens then.
I've not tried it yet with just one pin, but I'm hopping this will fix it.
 
F

Frank "Chubber" Curtis

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I used a Diawa 125M for years but now wouldn't use anything but a centrepin for trotting a float.
 
P

Paul Dillon

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Hello from the states, I have and use 507`s 506`s 506m`s 505`s and some similar non-Abu reels. We use them differently than you I believe.

The 507 is used by bass fishermen(the ones that can find them)spooled with 17# test and used for flipping and pitching light lures into cover.

I regularly use 1/8 ounce lures for this and the 507`s do the job better than a baitcaster.

For our uses the original 507 is the best, no one really likes the mark 2.

The 506 is also good but doesn`t handle the heavier line 12 pound test is about the max.

The originals would still sell here if available, the mark 2`s were pretty but poorly made, lot of problems with broken handles.
 
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Alan Tyler

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And I thought I was being brave/foolhardy when I loaded my 508 with 6lb line!

How do you get on with the stange drag system on the 507/8, Paul? I only had one decent fish on mine, and the sudden halving of the drag when I let go the handle scared the bejabers out of me!
 
M

MarkTheSpark

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That seems to be the problem with the drag on closed-face reels - operates on the handle shaft, like multiplier drag, but basically stops you winding in against a fish even when set so that it's very difficult for a fish to take line against it, if you know what I mean.
 
chavender

chavender

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the syncro drag is a double drag system.you can pre-set it or then if extra drag is needed pull the hadle clockwise against the anti-reverse and so long as its been pre-set (wound up tight it won't work) it should slip a quarter turn and reduce the drag by about a third.

but as the reels where developed from spincaster's the drag works best with lines over 5lb any lighter and the system is usless the line will either snap or the drag won't slip due to the friction pads / linnings used are too good.

which is why most Match anglers who first used them in this country removed the anti-reverse lever (pawl) and rendered the drag system in operative and relied on back winding instead .

Milo make possibly the best modern closed faced reel the " TACT 5403 "

or the RED " TACT 5403 "

which i'm saving up for as they ain't cheep at ?72
 
J

Jeff Spiller

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The problem I have with my 704 is line bedding, it really spoils trotting a float.
If they could get rid of this I'd buy it.
 
M

MarkTheSpark

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Due to the line having to exit from under the flyer, any more than 50 yards and you are really making the line work hard to escape from under it on the cast.

Overfilling closed-faces is the most common mistake - the one I made with my old Daiwa when I got it.
 
chavender

chavender

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thats why the older abu's are more popular. You can reposition the handle relative to the spools position,so that maximum spool is showing when the handle is pointing downwards.giving the best line release.carn't be done on the 1044,704,507 mk2 not too sure about other c/f's
 
S

Steve King

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As I teenager I really wanted an Abu 506 or 507. In the end and many years later, bought a 507 MK2 it was fine for a couple of weeks (if somewhat heavy!) and then it became Tanglemaster!

I got rid of it after that.

In 1998 I bought a Contact 4000 and it is still one of my favourite reels to use.

The drag system isn't bad but I wish the "fighting drag" lever operated without the anti reverse having to be in the on position. The fighting drag lever will lock the spool completely if required which can be useful when netting decent sized fish.
 
Graham Whatmore

Graham Whatmore

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With the original closed face reels it was generally accepted that you never used anything more than 3lb or 4lb line and here we have people using 17lb, amazing.

What for though I ask myself, those reels are very restricted in their ability to handle big fish, they are not very robust, the drag systems are utterly useless and for the type of fishing they do in the US I would have thought a multiplier would have been far more suitable. Their choice though and they must have their reasons I suppose.

I totally agree with him about the 507 mk2, best place for those is the nearest council tip.
 
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Pete Chapman

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Interesting to read these comments, as I have used a 501, 601 diplomat (which wore out prematurely) and a DAM silver top. I didn't know about the weird synchro drag on the 506, or the fixed anti-reverse - just bought it second-hand & gave it to the wife, who handles it just fine - never even mentioned its strange qualities.

There is one simple rule to eliminate the line getting caught under the cup - DON'T BACKWIND YOUR FLOAT. The pipe cleaner system helps - but not much. I have never had any problem with line bedding, and have caught chub to 4lb & tench to 6 on them.

Of them all, the best was the DAM - & only half the price as well! I am currently looking for one for the wife, but sadly, they are no longer made, so it looks like it will have to be the Daiwa
 
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Nick Bastock 3

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I owned the old 506m for over 20 years and it really got some hammer, from 1000's of sessions trotting for Dace to 200lb bags of Barble off the middle Severn. What a brillient reel, and i've tried all the others and fixed spools, but nothing does the job of trotting better!

Finally, after all this use a couple of years back it started to sound (and feel!) like a coffee grinder. So i traded it in for the newer model (704 Premier), which is even better!

If you are a serious float angler there is only one reel for the job, you just can't fault it. Don't try to use the drag, just back wind!

The only word of warning is that for anything else, other than trotting its crap! Can be used for waggler fishing at a push, but a fixed spool is better. Its horses for courses.
 
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