View Full Version : Desperate Need of Help on Musky Reel Ratio's!!!
Augie
08-05-2002, 07:42 PM
Which Abu Garcia reel would be best for Musky fishing. The 6500C4 with a ratio of 6.3 to 1 or the 6500C3 with a ratio of 5.3 to 1?
If there are different uses for the ratio's of the reels I would be very pleased if you filled me in. Such as, surface lures, to buck-tails, crank or jerk baits. This would be extremely helpful for my Musky Hunting trip in 2 weeks. Also i was wondering if anyone could help me with a good choice for poles, such as the weight of the lure it can hold as well as the line it can hold. As well, as the correct pound test of line which would be good for catching musky. Thank you for all of your Help and Time.
Augie
Sponge
08-05-2002, 08:24 PM
Dude...the higher the gear ratio the greater line length retrieved + the faster the retrieve. The lower gear ratio reels take in less line but generally have more cranking power for the bigger baits...take 1 of each if you can. I like Power Pro in 80 lb. test personally but there are other lines that perform equally well I'm sure; Power Pro is my personal choice. I also use the above line in 65 lb. for bucktails + smaller baits...make sure you take some quality leaders also...have fun, others will reply I'm sure! :)
Turgeon
08-05-2002, 08:55 PM
The C-4 with faster ratio is more suited to speed baits such as topwater /Bucktails etc. Some concerns have been raised about the durability of the c-4 gears by those who fish a lot but I think they are fine for a casual user.
Most people will feel comfortable with a 7 to 7 1/2 foot medium action musky rod for a general purpose rod. After you get the bug and have money to burn you can get a few different rods for more specific presentations.
Most super braids in the 65 to 100lb test range such as Power Pro, Tuff Line or Whiplash will work well for you. Whiplash if chosen should be used in the higher tests by comparison.
Murph
08-05-2002, 09:33 PM
If you are going to have only one reel, go with the 6500 C3. The C4 is a reel used in situations where you want to burn a bucktail, or they are also good on jerkbaits. They do not have much power with the high gear ratio. They are also a bear to reel in on larger baits.
Trend is to use longer rods. If you are going to have one rod a 7 footer will be a good choice.
I use Tuff line and recommend it. I have not used Power Pro, or any of the other superbraids so I can't comment on them.
Be sure to have a good set of release tools, and a large net. Use the net as a release live well, and be careful.
Good luck, Murph
Always remember that when you increase the speed of a reel you loose some cranking power. What that means to you is that although a c4 reel with 6.3:1 gears is fast and therefor desirable for bucktails it tends to make them hard to crank. A nice muskie reel at roughly the same cost is the 6500tcm wich is a c4 reel with the 5.3:1 gears from a c3, that means smoother because of the extra bearing and easier cranking because of the gears and still plenty of speed for most lures. Plus the bonus is that you get 2 handles with it the standard double paddle handle and the power handle. If you really want to smooth it out more you can order the worm gear and cover from a c5 and add the extra bearing .
Larry
Patrick
08-06-2002, 06:03 AM
Remember that a higher gear ratio also means more weariness on your part at the of the day. I like to burn bucktails with my C4, but Jeez... What a pain in the shoulders it can give you! My favorite applications for the C4 are quick jerkbait presentations, Bull Dawg casting in shallow water and trolling (line out alarm). For slower presentations and application that require more power, I have purchased a Calcutta, but the C3 would also suit your needs. Tight lines! Pat
HerbB
08-06-2002, 07:38 AM
One important thing to add - Power Handles!!! Power Handles make cranking so much easier. I have power handles on all my reels and wouldn't fish without one.
I have both C4 and C3s and they are both good reels, but there may be a better option. Thorne Bros sells a Muskie Special ABU reel with the C3 gears (5.3:1), the C4 bearings (four instead of three with the C3), and a Power Handle. I believe it costs about $80 dollars and would be my first choice if I needed another reel.
Oh, if one doesn't have Power Handles on your ABU reels, you can order them directly from ABU. Its about $15 a reel and is well worth it.
Good luck.
Herb
The 6500tcm (about $80)is the same reel that herb mentioned as the muskie special. Combine that with a Tony Rizzo model south bend rod in a 6'9"xheavy( costs about $40-$50 at most shops) and 50 or 80 pound cortland spectron line and you've got yourself a nice do anything setup that will cast everything from bucktails to heavy jerkbaits for about $150.00 . Nothing fancy just good durable all around equipment at a great price.
Larry
HerbB
08-06-2002, 01:59 PM
Yeti,
Thanks for clarification on the 6500TCM model. I couldn't remember the exact model name.
Is that a 6'9" heavy or a 6'10" heavy Tony Rizzo Rod? I've looked at them and was wondering about getting one for an extra backup/loaner rod. I probably wouldn't use it much, but it would be nice to have just in case.
Herb
sorry it is a 6'10" xheavy got mine on sale at bass pro in chicago for like $35.. I've got 4 st croix premier musky rods and to tell the truth I think its just as good.
Augie
08-06-2002, 04:58 PM
Well that particular pole you were discussing, was the exact pole i have just picked up recently. However, the pole itself says that you can only use 17-40lb. line. You said put on 50-80lb., so does it just not matter. And thank you for all of the information on the reels, the TCM's are most likely going to be my choice.
according to custom rod guys and st croix, that line size number refers to the average diameter of mono lines that will work well with the guides on the rod. That was before superlines, an 80 lb superline has the diameter of most 20 lb mono line. So load it up with the superline and dont worry.
I have heard that the good super-line has different color line, or something of that case. Is this so? And if it is does it actually matter what color line you use? Do these super-lines have a higher rate of bird nesting then with the normal mono-filiment or dacron line? What line is the best Power-Pro, Whiplash, or Tuff-line?
Thank you for any help on this subject matter.
Ryan
HerbB
08-07-2002, 07:22 AM
Ryan,
Line color doesn't seem to matter to Muskies, exept maybe in very clear water. If they want the bait, they will take it. Rats nesting? I've found I get much less backlashing with superlines of at least 17 lb diameter than with any other type of line. But that is probably more dependent on how a person casts than anything.
It seems to me that all three lines are very good. The most important thing is not to get confused by the weight rating, but instead look at the line diameter. I have Whiplash on several rods right now and I like the 100 lb for jerk-baits and heavy bucktails and 80 lb for the smaller baits. From what I understand, 65 to 80 lb Power Pro is really good and a lot of the guides won't use anything but 80 lb Tuff-Line. Tuff will absorb more water though and has a little bit of stretch whereas Whiplash and Power-Pro have almost no stretch and shed water better.
Seems you'd be OK with any of these three lines. But you still have to check the line occasionally for frayed spots and then cut and retie when necessary. The super lines are a lot tougher than dacron and mono, but they still can get damaged.
Hope this helps.
Herb
The only one I've used is cortland spectron and love it both the green and the black spot, color seems to make no difference. It's actually easier to use than mono line because it has no memory, have found in my case anyway that its less prone to birds nests and seems easier to untangle when it does. Over time the color of the line will fade but that doesnt seem to affect the strength, the water and sun tend to bleach out the color. The nice thing is how long it lasts depending on how you care for your equipment and where you store it. the line will last at least a year and in most cases 2 years which helps offset the cost compared to mono. hope this helps.
Larry
Musky Mike
08-07-2002, 10:10 AM
Another advantage of the super braids is since they have no memory retention, they can be respooled from one reel to another after a season or two so that the unused line which remained spooled after the cast now becomes the usable end. Just another form of savings.
HerbB
08-07-2002, 10:43 AM
I've switched over totally to super lines this year because they are the only lines that can take a great deal of abuse. Lines stand up way better when one casts over weeds and rocks, but when one starts running those baits through the weeds and bouncing baits off the rocks, normal lines get chewed up very quickly. For me, it was either go to super lines or keep respooling every couple of weeks. And I catch way more fish putting the baits into cover rather than over it.
So far Whiplash is standing up pretty well for me.
Herb