Spincaster ?'s

Fish30114 · 09-10-11, 11:17 AM

I am trying to get my Pop back into fishing a bit, and he has lost a lot of his hand eye coordination and fine motor skills due to some health issues. I bought the highest quality spincaster I could find, the higheset end Zebco available, around $75. I haven't used many spincasters, and have a few tech questions.

First off all, if you overfill a spincaster slightly (when spooling it up with liine) will it cause casting issues? Specifically make the first 15 yards of line NOT pay out properly? I seem to have that issue, and I just put the same amount of line on there as it was spooled with from the factory to the best my eye could tell.

Secondly, I am figuring the easiest rig to teach (or re-teach

) is the spincaster--so, I am willing to buy as good a spincaster as I can, is there anything higher end, or better quality than this one I bought:
http://www.musketcreek.com/products/...-spincast-reel

Also, I am open to any tips re: spincasters and fishing them. Thanks for any feedback

Tavery5 · 09-10-11, 12:48 PM

Like many of us, I grew up using Zebco spincast reels, the 202, the 404 and the 33 were some that I can remember using. In fact I still have a few from when I was much younger. The Omega Pro is new this year and is the top of the line Zebco, prior to that the Omega series were top dog. Zebo has about a thousand years experience putting this type of reel together, seems to me they would be a logical choice.

Over filling the spool on these reels will cause casting issues, these reels do not hold much line comparitively speaking. I think it is somewhere around 75 yards or so. If you are haveing problems with it casting try pulling a little line off of it and see if that helps.

I think its cool you are getting your Dad back into fishing. Good Luck.

Fish30114 · 09-10-11, 01:21 PM

Thanks Tavery, I am trying to make it as simple as possible for him to get going again, he has a disease called Myothenia Gravis, and it attacks your small muscle groups, and long story short he lost a lot of strength, and his small motor function is not what it should be, so he has a tough time timing the release of a cast. He did OK with the spincaster the last time out, but he lost a really good fish because all the rig was spooled with from the factory was 10lb test, and it just popped when I tried to hand line the fish in the last bit, it was a darn good one too

He maybe able to use a spinning reel someday in the future, but no way on a baitcaster....I am trying to get good gear in his hands, and except for the drag being pretty poor, this things seems a good reel, if I can get it casting properly again, I thought that I perhaps overspooled as I put some braid on it after our last trip, so I will try and strip off 15 yards or so, and see how it does.

Thanks for the feedback--Don

Tavery5 · 09-10-11, 01:26 PM

Never tried using braid on one of these, think it would make me a litte nervous, I would stick with a good co-poly or a FC. Just my .02

islandbass · 09-11-11, 03:59 AM

I think mono is the better choice unless the FC or copoly line used is of the same diameter as the recommended # test line for the Zebco. If the line is too thin, the reel's "line grabber," for lack of knowing its true name, might not be able to pick the line.

It is a possibility not a certainty.

Fish30114 · 09-11-11, 10:20 AM

Tavery, I'm curious why you would be nervous, there arem't any issues with the reel picking up the line for sure... I did strip off about 15 yards, and it seems to function more smoothly, especially when reeling in the last 15 yards or so.
I've been flipping it around the house a lot, and it works good with very little 'power' applied to the rig. I've casted a few times this morning out in the back yard, where I can get about 40 yards before the trees, and it will get all the way to the tree line with a 5/16 oz Spot Remover heaed and a Yum Money Craw on there..... got plenty of P-line co-poly around if I need to respool though.

Tavery5 · 09-11-11, 10:28 AM

The thing that would make me a little nervous about braid on a spincaster is the fact that braid has no stretch. When you are setting the hook allot of the pressure will then be applied to the gearing in the reel. All of the spincast reels that I ever had, usually failed one of two places, either the gears busted up, or the little line pick up pins wore out. The other thing about braided line is that it is somewhat abrasive, it can wear grooves in the line guide and also on the pick up pins. I believe the guide and pins in these reels are made of some type of ceramic so it may be a non issue, and I am sure that Zebco is using a better quality gear in the Omega than what was used when I was a kid. It may be no problem at all, but it would as said before make me a little nervous.

Fish30114 · 09-11-11, 10:52 AM

Tav, that makes a lot of sense actually....I'm probably gonna run it for a few outings with Pop and see how it does, but I'll probably re-spool with some P-line CoPoly at about 14lbs and see how that does. I've gotta look in the box, but it may have acutally came with a bonus spool, if it does, I'll take both next time we go...hopefully soon!

09-10-11, 11:17 AM	#1
Fish30114 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 120	Spincaster ?'s I am trying to get my Pop back into fishing a bit, and he has lost a lot of his hand eye coordination and fine motor skills due to some health issues. I bought the highest quality spincaster I could find, the higheset end Zebco available, around $75. I haven't used many spincasters, and have a few tech questions. First off all, if you overfill a spincaster slightly (when spooling it up with liine) will it cause casting issues? Specifically make the first 15 yards of line NOT pay out properly? I seem to have that issue, and I just put the same amount of line on there as it was spooled with from the factory to the best my eye could tell. Secondly, I am figuring the easiest rig to teach (or re-teach ) is the spincaster--so, I am willing to buy as good a spincaster as I can, is there anything higher end, or better quality than this one I bought: http://www.musketcreek.com/products/...-spincast-reel Also, I am open to any tips re: spincasters and fishing them. Thanks for any feedback

09-10-11, 12:48 PM	#2
Tavery5 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 2,427	Like many of us, I grew up using Zebco spincast reels, the 202, the 404 and the 33 were some that I can remember using. In fact I still have a few from when I was much younger. The Omega Pro is new this year and is the top of the line Zebco, prior to that the Omega series were top dog. Zebo has about a thousand years experience putting this type of reel together, seems to me they would be a logical choice. Over filling the spool on these reels will cause casting issues, these reels do not hold much line comparitively speaking. I think it is somewhere around 75 yards or so. If you are haveing problems with it casting try pulling a little line off of it and see if that helps. I think its cool you are getting your Dad back into fishing. Good Luck. __________________ They call me Ishmael

09-10-11, 01:26 PM	#4
Tavery5 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 2,427	Never tried using braid on one of these, think it would make me a litte nervous, I would stick with a good co-poly or a FC. Just my .02 __________________ They call me Ishmael

09-11-11, 03:59 AM	#5
islandbass BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: WA State Posts: 1,783	I think mono is the better choice unless the FC or copoly line used is of the same diameter as the recommended # test line for the Zebco. If the line is too thin, the reel's "line grabber," for lack of knowing its true name, might not be able to pick the line. It is a possibility not a certainty. __________________ ARX "If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles." Doug Larson (Shimano 2005 Reel Catalog)

09-11-11, 10:28 AM	#7
Tavery5 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 2,427	The thing that would make me a little nervous about braid on a spincaster is the fact that braid has no stretch. When you are setting the hook allot of the pressure will then be applied to the gearing in the reel. All of the spincast reels that I ever had, usually failed one of two places, either the gears busted up, or the little line pick up pins wore out. The other thing about braided line is that it is somewhat abrasive, it can wear grooves in the line guide and also on the pick up pins. I believe the guide and pins in these reels are made of some type of ceramic so it may be a non issue, and I am sure that Zebco is using a better quality gear in the Omega than what was used when I was a kid. It may be no problem at all, but it would as said before make me a little nervous. __________________ They call me Ishmael

09-10-11, 01:21 PM	#3
Fish30114 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 120	Thanks Tavery, I am trying to make it as simple as possible for him to get going again, he has a disease called Myothenia Gravis, and it attacks your small muscle groups, and long story short he lost a lot of strength, and his small motor function is not what it should be, so he has a tough time timing the release of a cast. He did OK with the spincaster the last time out, but he lost a really good fish because all the rig was spooled with from the factory was 10lb test, and it just popped when I tried to hand line the fish in the last bit, it was a darn good one too He maybe able to use a spinning reel someday in the future, but no way on a baitcaster....I am trying to get good gear in his hands, and except for the drag being pretty poor, this things seems a good reel, if I can get it casting properly again, I thought that I perhaps overspooled as I put some braid on it after our last trip, so I will try and strip off 15 yards or so, and see how it does. Thanks for the feedback--Don

09-11-11, 10:20 AM	#6
Fish30114 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 120	Tavery, I'm curious why you would be nervous, there arem't any issues with the reel picking up the line for sure... I did strip off about 15 yards, and it seems to function more smoothly, especially when reeling in the last 15 yards or so. I've been flipping it around the house a lot, and it works good with very little 'power' applied to the rig. I've casted a few times this morning out in the back yard, where I can get about 40 yards before the trees, and it will get all the way to the tree line with a 5/16 oz Spot Remover heaed and a Yum Money Craw on there..... got plenty of P-line co-poly around if I need to respool though.

09-11-11, 10:52 AM	#8
Fish30114 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 120	Tav, that makes a lot of sense actually....I'm probably gonna run it for a few outings with Pop and see how it does, but I'll probably re-spool with some P-line CoPoly at about 14lbs and see how that does. I've gotta look in the box, but it may have acutally came with a bonus spool, if it does, I'll take both next time we go...hopefully soon!

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