Reels for new Tuned up BW and Noodle

Just curious on what guys are using on their Tuned up BW and PN rods? I just purchased 2, both in 32″ and ill use them outside jumping holes and also in the house. I have a Black betty, not happy with how with just a little ice the spool gets suck, thinking of moving to spinning reels. Wondering what size guys like, similar to the ones the guys use on the show maybe? Thanks for any help!

Shimano Sienna 500s…inexpensive and have a good drag (only thing that really matters)

^^

I am running the same rods with siennas. Fantastic setups

Shimano Sienna, Pflueger trion or president, Okuma ceymar 10.

I really like the sienna 500 for panfish or 1000 for walleye setups. Can’t go wrong for the money great reels! The Trion or president are really nice as well.

Sienna 500 for pans and 1000 for eyes

Ben Taatjes wrote:

Just curious on what guys are using on their Tuned up BW and PN rods? I just purchased 2, both in 32″ and ill use them outside jumping holes and also in the house. I have a Black betty, not happy with how with just a little ice the spool gets suck, thinking of moving to spinning reels. Wondering what size guys like, similar to the ones the guys use on the show maybe? Thanks for any help!

Okuma Ceymar 10. Smooth as buttah!

I just switched from a Sienna to the Ceymar 10 on my Bullwhip. It is super smooth and “feels” high quality. I had trouble with my Sienna where I would close the bail and my line wound’t get into the groove correctly. Then when I would pull drag the line would snap. Didn’t happen a lot, but only happened with my Siennas.
BTW, I also LOVE the Pfluger President size 20.
Dan

James Holst wrote:

Okuma Ceymar 10. Smooth as buttah!

James, these look like very nice reels. I’ve been looking at them but I have a question for you. Do you have to completely tear the reel down to strip the reel of it’s factory grease and add new hot sauce to make them work?

I know many have said that’s what they do to their Shimanos and Pfluegers to make them work in cold weather. I’d rather avoid this step and get a reel that works out of the box. Thanks for the info.

Joe Scegura wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>James Holst wrote:</div>
Okuma Ceymar 10. Smooth as buttah!

James, these look like very nice reels. I’ve been looking at them but I have a question for you. Do you have to completely tear the reel down to strip the reel of it’s factory grease and add new hot sauce to make them work?

I know many have said that’s what they do to their Shimanos and Pfluegers to make them work in cold weather. I’d rather avoid this step and get a reel that works out of the box. Thanks for the info.

I have not found any reel that works out of the box in temps down near 0. They will work but be really stiff. Most the grease that they use in production just is not designed to work in those temps. The hot sauce is also Hydrophobic witch most factory greases are not. This forces water away and prevents corrosion. It normally only takes a few minutes to open a reel up and use a Qtip to remove the majority of the factory grease and replace with hot sauce. a small bottle last a long time and does many reels. once it in there you only need to clean and replace once every few years

Love me a Ceymar C10. For the price I cant imagine anything else being a better buy. Close second would have to be a Sienna.

Joe Scegura wrote:

Do you have to completely tear the reel down to strip the reel of it’s factory grease and add new hot sauce to make them work?

In all honesty I’ve never done this to any Okuma or had any cold weather issues with them running “factory” lube. Pat and I, and many others, have fished the Okumas in some freaky cold temps and I’ve never experienced even a hint of hard cranking.

Wow. Thanks to you all for the help. James, keep up the work on the show, I’m a fan, and I can watch it with my kids and never have to worry about it. Now if you could get some better looking guys on there, my wife might watch it too??!! just kidding. keep it up!

fishthumper wrote:

I have not found any reel that works out of the box in temps down near 0.

Then you should try a Tica. I have many Ticas that spend the entire winter in the back of my truck. They have been flawless. Same drag settings at 80 deg or -20 deg and always turn smooth.

James Holst wrote:

In all honesty I’ve never done this to any Okuma or had any cold weather issues with them running “factory” lube. Pat and I, and many others, have fished the Okumas in some freaky cold temps and I’ve never experienced even a hint of hard cranking.

Thanks James! I use Ticas now but I plan on getting one of the Okumas to test out. The Okumas give you more reel sizes so it’d be nice to have more options. I appreciate the feedback.

fishthumper wrote:

It normally only takes a few minutes to open a reel up and use a Qtip to remove the majority of the factory grease and replace with hot sauce. a small bottle last a long time and does many reels. once it in there you only need to clean and replace once every few years

Ok lets say I wanted to play “fishing reel repair man” and do this. How do you fix the poor (herky jerky) drags that the Shimanos have? I had Sedona 500’s, Sahara 1000’s on my ice rods and when I tested the drag in temps above freezing they worked great. Then once the reels were cold the drag would be much tougher and the line would come off the reel very poorly.

Joe Scegura wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>fishthumper wrote:</div>
It normally only takes a few minutes to open a reel up and use a Qtip to remove the majority of the factory grease and replace with hot sauce. a small bottle last a long time and does many reels. once it in there you only need to clean and replace once every few years

Ok lets say I wanted to play “fishing reel repair man” and do this. How do you fix the poor (herky jerky) drags that the Shimanos have? I had Sedona 500’s, Sahara 1000’s on my ice rods and when I tested the drag in temps above freezing they worked great. Then once the reels were cold the drag would be much tougher and the line would come off the reel very poorly.

I have to agree with you that the drags on shimano reels are not the best. I know some who replace the washers in them with Carbontex washers. I believe their higher end reels already come with the better washers. I’ve once again had better luck even on the shimano reels once I’ve replaced the grease and oil with the hot sauce. I believe there are several of the reel manufactures who use Hot sauce or some other form similar to hot sauce in their reels right from the factory. I myself have only used 1 Tica reel and it was many years ago and a rather cheap one as well. I do have 2 of the Okuma Ceymar reels on order right now. I hope to have them to try before this weekend. I hope they are as good as others say they are. Doesn’t sound like others have had problems with them getting stiff in cold temps either. I may give then a try 1st to see if I can avoid having to replace the grease with hot sauce in them.

Joe Scegura wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>fishthumper wrote:</div>
I have not found any reel that works out of the box in temps down near 0.

Then you should try a Tica. I have many Ticas that spend the entire winter in the back of my truck. They have been flawless. Same drag settings at 80 deg or -20 deg and always turn smooth.

I may have to give a Tica a try. I have only tried one and that was long ago and it was a cheaper model. The problem I had with that one was when you backed the drag off enough to work on light line, The drag knob keep working loose and falling off. I think I finally had it fall off and go down a hole or get lost somehow.

you guys looking to get a ceymar should look into the stratus v at dicks for $25
https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/okuma-stratus-v-spinning-reel-15okuustrtsv10spnree/15okuustrtsv10spnree

Its the same reel. I would HIGHLY recommend taring either of the Okumas down and relubing with a good oil and sparingly with good grease. It makes a world of difference – lube that drag too, its practically dry out of the box. The trions and presidents have a bit better drag setup than the okumas, however, multi disc.

James – if you’ve never relubed those reels you’ll be blown away at how much better they are with the factory grease completely removed and good stuff put in its place.

Joe Scegura wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>fishthumper wrote:</div>
It normally only takes a few minutes to open a reel up and use a Qtip to remove the majority of the factory grease and replace with hot sauce. a small bottle last a long time and does many reels. once it in there you only need to clean and replace once every few years

Ok lets say I wanted to play “fishing reel repair man” and do this. How do you fix the poor (herky jerky) drags that the Shimanos have? I had Sedona 500’s, Sahara 1000’s on my ice rods and when I tested the drag in temps above freezing they worked great. Then once the reels were cold the drag would be much tougher and the line would come off the reel very poorly.

remove the spool, pop the lock ring off the drag, remove the steels and felt waters, oil the felts – if you want to go all out you can polish the steels

reassemble, never fully tighten the drag, back off the drag adjustment when not in use (keeps the oil in the felts)

okuma breakdown

pfluegers (trion and president) have 3 oiled felt discs vs the single large disc on the okumas

I just bought a abu Garcia ice max. Brought it to Mille on Saturday and caught 6 eyes with it. Performed flawlessly. I like the compact size and the pitch of the spool. It points toward the stripper guide better than most reels.

bull whip,tucr noodle,quiver stick,dh al dente, and a walleye sweetheart, trip wire, all have those black eagle claw folding handle reels, power ice 500, good little reel, for the money.Eagle Claw , did me a big solid years ago, broke a steelhead rod on a sunday called them on a Monday and they had a rod to me on a Friday, i dont forget things like that. DK>

What is the oil and grease you use to replace factory grease?

Mat Peirce wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Joe Scegura wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>fishthumper wrote:</div>
It normally only takes a few minutes to open a reel up and use a Qtip to remove the majority of the factory grease and replace with hot sauce. a small bottle last a long time and does many reels. once it in there you only need to clean and replace once every few years

Ok lets say I wanted to play “fishing reel repair man” and do this. How do you fix the poor (herky jerky) drags that the Shimanos have? I had Sedona 500’s, Sahara 1000’s on my ice rods and when I tested the drag in temps above freezing they worked great. Then once the reels were cold the drag would be much tougher and the line would come off the reel very poorly.

remove the spool, pop the lock ring off the drag, remove the steels and felt waters, oil the felts – if you want to go all out you can polish the steels

reassemble, never fully tighten the drag, back off the drag adjustment when not in use (keeps the oil in the felts)

Thanks for all the info! You seem to more know about this stuff than anyone! I appreciate it.

Mat Peirce wrote:

you guys looking to get a ceymar should look into the stratus v at dicks for $25
https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/okuma-stratus-v-spinning-reel-15okuustrtsv10spnree/15okuustrtsv10spnree
Its the same reel. I would HIGHLY recommend taring either of the Okumas down and relubing with a good oil and sparingly with good grease. It makes a world of difference – lube that drag too, its practically dry out of the box. The trions and presidents have a bit better drag setup than the okumas, however, multi disc.

That’s a steal on those reels. They also have 20% off and Free Shipping on all orders so it makes them $20 a piece.

I use synthetic reel oils and greases. Right now I have a bunch of close out Gander Mountain lube which is exactly like Hot Sauce but a different color. White lithium can be used in place of synthetic reel grease but you need to use it very sparingly…a little bit goes a long, long way on ice reels.

Sienna 500 for me, I’ve never had a problem

Replace the drags washers with carbontex washers and a good winter drag grease. My favorite is Cal’s light purple grease. We use it in all our conversions.

Joe- I agree some Sienna’s are just sticky. I have one in my freezer now, that is a ugly reel when it gets cold.

John

Joe Scegura wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>fishthumper wrote:</div>
It normally only takes a few minutes to open a reel up and use a Qtip to remove the majority of the factory grease and replace with hot sauce. a small bottle last a long time and does many reels. once it in there you only need to clean and replace once every few years

Ok lets say I wanted to play “fishing reel repair man” and do this. How do you fix the poor (herky jerky) drags that the Shimanos have? I had Sedona 500’s, Sahara 1000’s on my ice rods and when I tested the drag in temps above freezing they worked great. Then once the reels were cold the drag would be much tougher and the line would come off the reel very poorly.