straight line reel

[kc_]

which would you guys choose: eagle claw ecilirb or frabil 621? And why?

[3300]

i choose eagle claw because thats what my buds distributer brings him

[jbird68]

I ordered an eagle claw reel from Amazon.com but the outfitters who was actually selling it sent it somewhere in NY. Was supposed to be 5-8 days for delivery. It's been 16 days now. They said it was an issue with UPS and would have the postal service take it over and finish delivery. Then I get a notice that it had been delivered to the porch...just not mine.

[frostbittin]

Good 'ol amazon marketplace, i always try to make sure if i buy something on amazon it says "sold by and ships from amazon.com", otherwise it's from a storefront seller.

[spikes]

I have two eagle claw I bought early last season.   I really like them other then the drag is problem.  It goes from one extreme to the other.   

[DJA222]

I have 3 of the EC and 2 of the frabills, I took all apart before using them and added cold weather grease to the drag washers to smooth up the drag and it definitely helped. after using them a couple times now I will say that the EC are the smoother of the two and they cost less.

[kc_]

thanks for the help guys.

[jbird68]

I finally got my Eagle Claw today. I watched the video on youtube for how to change it to be right hand reel. Everything was going good until I got to the part where you change the anti reverse bearing. It won't come out so I can change it. I don't want to pull too hard and damage the reel. The video shows it coming right out using a paper clip. I think mine is glued in. FRUSTRATED!!!!!!!!

[eyewinder]

I ordered an Eagle Claw without playing with one first.

Unless there is a release somewhere that I have not found, it appears that I cannot backreel with it--the spool only turns, when engaged, to take line in. 

Can anyone tell me how to make the spool turn in reverse and release line while the handle is engaged (not in free-spool).

But, that said, it's a keeper.  I'm a little concerned about line wrapping when I retrieve (space between spool & frame, and no level-wind).  I haven't used it enough to know.

[jbird68]

It looks nice. But after trying to change to right hand reel it doesn't feel very durable. I was afraid I was going to break it.

With regards to the free spool, it spins so fast you would think it could get a backlash tangle like a baitcaster.

[3300]

I ordered an Eagle Claw without playing with one first.

Unless there is a release somewhere that I have not found, it appears that I cannot backreel with it--the spool only turns, when engaged, to take line in. 

Can anyone tell me how to make the spool turn in reverse and release line while the handle is engaged (not in free-spool).

But, that said, it's a keeper.  I'm a little concerned about line wrapping when I retrieve (space between spool & frame, and no level-wind).  I haven't used it enough to know.

there is no anti-reverse switch to shut it off. if you want to crank line down, you will have to replace the anti-reverse to a ball bearing from detroit ball bearing or whom ever you choose.  you need the bearing to keep the sleeve in the center of the side bearings

[eyewinder]

Thanks 3300. . .looks like I'll be drag dependent on larger fish and won't be able to backreel with it. 

[3300]

maybe you would like the no 8 fishing code blue reel. has no drag, but 1/1 retrieve on a large spool
25 bucks
they put notches on the outer lip of the spool tho

[tiptoe]

Eagle Claw. I've got one of each and used them side by side 4x this year. The look similar but the Eagle Claw has a smoother drag for some reason.  I also like the double paddle on the EC. And it is $10 to $15 less.  In fact I bought another one today. 
I do like the longer stem on the 261 but it has not proved to be a real practical advantage.

[jbird68]

I finally got the eagle claw switched to right hand reel. But now what rod do I pair it with? Will it work well for Sauger or just panfish? What line are you putting on these? Mono or superline? I use both trilene micro ice  mono and fireline crystal. Usually in 4 pound test.

[3300]

I finally got the eagle claw switched to right hand reel. But now what rod do I pair it with? Will it work well for Sauger or just panfish? What line are you putting on these? Mono or superline? I use both trilene micro ice  mono and fireline crystal. Usually in 4 pound test.

good job!
i used 10lb nylon line to fill the spool enough to hold 33 yards of 10lb asso sinking braid and a flouro leader.
can change leader to match your fish
used albright special knot to join fill line to main line and j knot for leader
they have a 5lb drag on them, so what ever that does for your kind of fishing

[jbird68]

After disassembling it and seeing that the drag just uses a "curved" washer to put tension on, I was wondering if I could use something else to make the drag any better.

[3300]

thats not a drag. that was to keep pressure on the star drag adjuster

the black washer w/gray line on the brass gear is what they are calling a teflon drag
front right corner

[esox_magnum]

What will you use this for? Then we can decide on a rod...I have 4  1 set up for gills, 2 for perch and 1 for walleyes

[jbird68]

Well I would like to fish for gills, perch, sauger, crappie and an occasional bass. I bought a couple spoons this year. A VMC is one but can't remember what the other one is.

That makes sense about the washer. But doesn't that washer also have an effect on the drag?

[fosto]

I love my ec premium red reel switched it to right hand with no problems. My drag seems to be smooth. I use full spoo (130 yards or whateverthe it is)l of 3lb mono bionic ice line and landed 4 carp over 7lbs each the other day (not proud to be catching carp) but reel worked like a dream. Plenty of perch,crappie, and eyes last few weeks.

[jbird68]

I just picked up some bionic line to try this year at Farm and Fleet. Maybe I'll spool up the EC with that.

[esox_magnum]

Well I would like to fish for gills, perch, sauger, crappie and an occasional bass. I bought a couple spoons this year. A VMC is one but can't remember what the other one is.

That makes sense about the washer. But doesn't that washer also have an effect on the drag?

 Good off the shelf rod would be a Whiteout ot Wicked by 13 Fishing, light orUL would be my choice lenth would be up to you.... Mine are set up on Thorne Brothers and DH Customs but also have a couple 13 Wickeds I donated to the wife I used and liked last season....

[3300]

That makes sense about the washer. But doesn't that washer also have an effect on the drag?

it is in the mix, but it is what allows the star adjuster to put more or less pressure up against the teflon
if you bottom out the star drag adjuster, then that is the 5 pounds drag it has and the curved washer won't have any affect because it is flattened out
if you change the curved washer, you change how quick or slow the star changes the drag, but not the max

you can play and try things out and measure your results if you like to tinker
like use a lube on the teflon or use it dry or try different lubes or change the disc to PTFE. that would be 1mm thick x 5/16" x 11/16" ptfe washer. just replace the teflon washer

[eyewinder]

Concerning the "what type of line issue," the reason the EC straightline reel appealed to me in the first place was because of my desire to use mono without a spinning reel throwing loops into the line that eventually become horrible, gawd-awful, stiff-fingered kinks and knots. 

The braided line that I've used comes off all of my reels smoothly, but collects water that freezes in the guides and causes problems when I'm sitting outside on my bucket in frigid temps. . .THAT is what I bought the straightline for:  to fish mono during really cold temps without having it kink off the reel.   

[jbird68]

Well, ther one rod I don't have a reel on right now is my St. Croix that I got for Christmas last year. It has the spring bobber built into it. So I attached it and think I'm going to try the bionic line first time out.

[esox_magnum]

Good choice

[3300]

Well, ther one rod I don't have a reel on right now is my St. Croix that I got for Christmas last year. It has the spring bobber built into it. So I attached it and think I'm going to try the bionic line first time out.

that set up should do a number on the pans. i'd go with it. if the line is too heavy, tie on a tiny flouro leader like 1.5 pound for pans

what would be nice is if they gave or sold spare spools so we can have different lines ready with us like some spinning reels come with.

the reason to go in line, is line twist, to remove it so we catch more fish instead of them waiting on a jig to quit spinning or just leave or catch the dinks that are too hungry to care if it's spinning or not. the braid will help with twist on spinning reels too, so i'm spooling some new ones up with that too

i choose 10 lb braid so i can use the same spool to target pans or bigger fish and only change leaders. but a spool change would be nice too

heres a trick i use for line changes, use a drill with reverse and 3/8 or 1/2" bit in it and some electrical tape wound on the end of the bit so it fits tightly (use more or less) and use the empty plastic line dispenser spool to wind off the line you don't want to use at the moment. then its there waiting for when you want to reuse it. it's also handy for reversing lines so the fresh line is on the outside and old is on inside. just move it twice

[jbird68]

So I can just put a whole 150 yd. spool of line on my reel. What keeps it from spinning around the spool?

[esox_magnum]

Back it with whatever other line you have and just put on a couple hundred feet of the line you will fish with