gaffa Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Being thoroughly depressed about poor weather and lack of suitable fishing opportunities on the weekends I decided to listen to my female side and take the female option and cheer myself up by buying something new. I Thought it was time to up the anti and buy a new multiplier reel. Tackle Tart as I am. Initially I was going to go for an ABU 7000 Series but got swayed at the last minute by the Fladen Maximus 3/0 lever drag "gold" According to Fladen This is a "Rock solid" CNC machined from solid aluminium reel which I managed to purchase New at the knockdown price of just Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted August 21, 2008 Report Share Posted August 21, 2008 Hi Pete I am sure the reel will do just fine for what you want it for, but with respect... A Penn International (and equivalent Shimano, Avet, Accurate etc etc) cost many hundreds of pounds. This is not just a rip off based on reputation, this is becasue they are not just "machined from a solid aluminium block" (which is all very nice), but they are built to take a pounding and use heavy duty, proper gears and drags that cost a fortune in their own right. At the end of the day, you will always get what you pay for and whilst the reel looks fine alongside Smoothies, the odd Conger and Tope (everything you plan to use it for), I wouldn't want to point it at any blue water fish in a hurry. ....I recently as lucky enough (or unlucky enough?) to find myself at the cranking end of a huge fish on a Penn International 50 (a veritable cotton reel for the fish on the other end). That got so hot that it was smoking from the side plates and you couldn't touch the sides at all.... If there had been any plastic in there, not only would the gear teeth have shredded on the first run, but I imagine the whole lot would have melted. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted August 21, 2008 Report Share Posted August 21, 2008 Nice report Pete especially good of you to relay your obvious dissapointment with the internals of the reel. For not much more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plaicemat Posted August 21, 2008 Report Share Posted August 21, 2008 If anyone is interested, Gerry's of Morcambe are doing Shimano TLD15's for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted August 21, 2008 Report Share Posted August 21, 2008 Tom has a good point, but I am sure if Marlin ran in our local waters we would all be using the very best kit and spending more on lures and fuel. Charlie Sorry Charlie Didn't get the point across very well. I was trying to say that whilst the reel will probably be fine if used sensibly against normal fish it cannot be compared with "the real macoy" and the fact that they make the same model up to a size that would be considered suitable for Big Game is a dissapointment as it will melt in front of you. Tom PS: You are right, the Shimano TLD or Penn 320LD or 330LD are a far better suited and a better investment if longevity is required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted August 21, 2008 Report Share Posted August 21, 2008 Hi Tom I did get the point and although rushed at work was trying to agree. I was also pleased to read that pete was letting others know what he found inside these reels. I have only been lucky enough to try proper big game fishing a couple of times with little success. I don't think any of my tackle would stand up to that style of fishing on more than the odd occasion. While 60lb congers and 45lb tope can be landed on uptiders and light boat gear I would not recomend them as the best kit to catch them on regularly, especially to newer anglers. That said I personally would rather catch them on that gear than my 50lb all roller rod and 6/0 reels. Kit that is now kept for very serious deep water angling and the odd try at Sharking. Charlie, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaffa Posted September 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 Guys, I believe I have done Fladen a diservice. My plastic gear dissappointment was limited to the end which contained the Level Wind gearing. I stripped the handle end down today and Found Metal Gears used for the main drive and feel far more satisfied with my purchase. It was very easy to take end plates off and no springs jumped out to bite me, Construction seems very robust for price, the handle end plate looks like it is diecast and machined as necessary. The reel reassembled easily and everything worked first time with no readjustments necessary . I did take some photos if anyone is interested I can email them. Got to Christen it now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 Nice one Pete - bet you smiled when you saw that you had made a good purchase! Good luck putting it to task. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 Hi Pete When lowering, lobbing or casting, does the levelwind disengage and stay put or does it go from side to side? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaffa Posted September 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2008 Tom, Level wind is permanently engaged and is slaved off the gearing at the opposite end of the spool to the main drive gears. Not worried by this as the majority of the reel load is taken up by turning the spool via the main drive gears. All in all it looks a great peice of kit for the Price! I would not try to compare it to the "Look Alike" Penn internationals which start at 4 times the price but as an alternative to the ABU 7000 or Shimano charter special or TLD 15 or even some of their even more expensive lever drag models. I'll keep you up to date with how it fishes or any issues If I ever manage to get out to wet a line It fits the ALba Rod fine. The ABU5500 struggled a bit when wrecking with Dan the eel god Peteg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted September 7, 2008 Report Share Posted September 7, 2008 It sounds OK Pete. Hope it works better than the Abu's, I'm sure it will! And if it comes close to the TLD's then it sounds like a nice reel. Good luck with it. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manic Moore Posted September 13, 2008 Report Share Posted September 13, 2008 Peteg I am not 100% certain but I believe Adam had one up to not too long ago, before he sold it. Although it was a bit prone to external corrosion (so wash every time and wd40 ) I happened to use it a couple of times on conger trips and the gearing anf power of the reel was quite impresive. I have TLD20s on my heavier gear but the this unit of Adams felt a lot heasier to wind up a heavy Good luck Gordon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaffa Posted September 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2008 Thanks for the feedback Gordon I haven't used it yet and when I do it will be for general all round fishing on the Alba IGFA 6lb rod I bought from Tom For my heavy fishing I use an ABU20(again lever dag) on an Uglystick All Roller 30lb class, the combination act like a crane and will handle most if not all uk fishing requirements. Although around 30years old they still work a treat! Peteg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manic Moore Posted September 13, 2008 Report Share Posted September 13, 2008 Definately not the same reel. Adams was a TLD 20 + class reel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaffa Posted September 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2008 Gordon , It might well be the same reel as the IGFA6lb rod is equivalent to a 12-2olb class Photo of size 4 reel is on link.Mine is smaller size 3/0 http://www.whitbyanglingsupplies.com/catal...77de5f188010b1f Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manic Moore Posted September 13, 2008 Report Share Posted September 13, 2008 I thank Adams was a 6/0 or 8/0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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