Author Topic: Black Betty Freefall??  (Read 6587 times)

Offline flatironfisherman

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Black Betty Freefall??
« on: Sep 06, 2017, 08:17 PM »
I just got a smoking deal on a 13 Fishing Whiteout UL rod during Gander's GOB sale and was wondering about what reel to slap on it.  I'm thinking an inline more so than a spinning reel.  Has any of you guys/gals had any experience with the new Black Betty Freefall?  I figure with the $ I saved on the rod, I'd splurge on the reel.

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Offline holehopper

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #1 on: Sep 06, 2017, 10:03 PM »
I've fished with the FF and the 6061 and am more of a fan of the 6061.  I'm probably in the minority but don't mind fishing with 2 hands just old habits are hard to break I guess.  The FF is a nice reel don't get me wrong but the 6061 just had a better overall feel for me. 
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Offline IFF

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #2 on: Sep 06, 2017, 10:16 PM »
I love the 6061's I got at my Gander GOB sale, both left hand.  Couldn't be happier.
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Offline Gator800r

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #3 on: Sep 08, 2017, 07:08 AM »
Im interested in putting a Freefall on my new Tuned up custom bull whip rod I just ordered. I ordered a split grip, has anyone paired up a freefall on a split grip TUCR 32" Bullwhip? Also IM reading that there is a new Freefall Ghost coming out for the 2017-18 season but there is no information on 13 fishing website??

Offline Junkie4Ice

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #4 on: Sep 08, 2017, 08:17 AM »
You won't be disappointed with the BB freefall or the 6061. Personally, I prefer the freefall because of the convenience of the trigger but the 6061 is a top notch reel as well. The BB freefall ghost that is supposed to be coming out this fall is going to have a lower price point as well ($90 vs 110 I believe) compared to the original freefall.

Another one to look at is the frabill 371. They have some awesome deals on them right now and I honestly like the freefall on the 371 better than the BB. The only reason I would take the BB over the frabill is because the button to release the bail on the frabill gets pushed inside my hard case and I end up with a tangled mess. I was hoping they would come out with something this year to compete with the trigger of the freefall but I haven't seen anything yet.

There are other inline reels on the market that people will talk up because of the cost difference, but if you aren't too worried about the cost then the BB freefall, BB 6061 and frabill 371 are the 3 best out there.
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Offline Gator800r

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #5 on: Sep 08, 2017, 08:36 AM »
You won't be disappointed with the BB freefall or the 6061. Personally, I prefer the freefall because of the convenience of the trigger but the 6061 is a top notch reel as well. The BB freefall ghost that is supposed to be coming out this fall is going to have a lower price point as well ($90 vs 110 I believe) compared to the original freefall.

Another one to look at is the frabill 371. They have some awesome deals on them right now and I honestly like the freefall on the 371 better than the BB. The only reason I would take the BB over the frabill is because the button to release the bail on the frabill gets pushed inside my hard case and I end up with a tangled mess. I was hoping they would come out with something this year to compete with the trigger of the freefall but I haven't seen anything yet.

There are other inline reels on the market that people will talk up because of the cost difference, but if you aren't too worried about the cost then the BB freefall, BB 6061 and frabill 371 are the 3 best out there.

I agree 100% with you on the Frabill 371 I have two of those reels and absolutely love them. My ThornBros tripwire and 371 is my favorite combo. I also have had some bad rat nest because of the button getting pushed in the case. That being said I wouldn't hesitate to buy a 3rd 371 but im just looking to try something new unless someone could argue a good case on why not to buy a Freefall. Thanks for your feedback! thats exactly what IM looking for! I must say I feel the Frabill 371 is the most underrated inline out there. I almost feel bad not getting another.

Offline hardwater diehard

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Offline Junkie4Ice

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #7 on: Sep 08, 2017, 08:49 AM »
I agree 100% with you on the Frabill 371 I have two of those reels and absolutely love them. My ThornBros tripwire and 371 is my favorite combo. I also have had some bad rat nest because of the button getting pushed in the case. That being said I wouldn't hesitate to buy a 3rd 371 but im just looking to try something new unless someone could argue a good case on why not to buy a Freefall. Thanks for your feedback! thats exactly what IM looking for! I must say I feel the Frabill 371 is the most underrated inline out there. I almost feel bad not getting another.

I hear ya! I started using inline reels 3 years ago and I will never go back, I love them! The frabill 241 was my first and I upgraded to the 371 that same year. Best choice I ever made. I'm planning on getting a TUCR precision noodle and putting my freefall on it this year. You'll have to let me know how you like the split grip because I'm torn between the split and solid cork handle right now.

I'll be picking up a second 371 this year to throw on my ticklestick, for $40 it would almost be a crime not to!
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Offline Dakota-Lew

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #9 on: Sep 08, 2017, 11:33 AM »
I first got a black betty when they first came out  and then upgraded to a black betty free fall i got from one of my customers as a gift.

But really I been using the No 8 CGI reel on everything else, its amazing for the price point. I switched everything else over to it.

Offline Junkie4Ice

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #10 on: Sep 08, 2017, 11:53 AM »
Not sure if i can trust this web site

I've never used their website, but I stopped at this bait shop frequently when I was in college in Waukesha. One of the nicest/friendliest ones I've been to. I would think their website would be at reputable as their shop...
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Offline Chris338378

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #11 on: Sep 08, 2017, 04:26 PM »
There was a post on here last year where a guy took apart a No 8 CGI reel  and the Eagle Claw free fall inline reel and other than the body colors every part looked exactly the same between them.  These two are around the same price and I'd go with either one of them because of the price.  Don't get me wrong the Black Betty Freefall is a really nice reel and if the price wasn't so much more I'd probably go with it.

Offline addicted to ice fishing

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #12 on: Sep 08, 2017, 05:55 PM »
I have both the 371, and the bb free fall.  I have the 371 on my Thorne Bros panfish sweetheart,  and the free fall on my Thorne Bros perch sweetheart  rod. 

As has been said the release button on the 371 can be  problematic.    Both are good reels, and it is hard to beat the price point on the 371.   I  do prefer the free fall as I really like the trigger release as it just seems easier to control when fishing suspended fish, or the instant stopping of line when fish rise on the drop.


Offline fishyholes

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #13 on: Sep 08, 2017, 10:26 PM »
I own the Freefall, No8 CGI and a buddy i fish with has the 6061 that I used. We fished these reels every week last season.

General thoughts

Inline reels are much less headaches due to line twist and or pulling line out of the front of the reel/rod. Typically ice reels are small and exacerbate the line memory issue. Inline reels you can simply push a button and let your jig drop with out this problem. One of the tradeoffs is that you might need to watch for over runs on the spool but it is well worth it over the spinner for me.

-6061 seems very solid, It has the tightest tolerences and well built but heaviest of the three (I didn't weigh this reel). Aluminum spool. We were having problems with this reel's antirevese out of the box where it wasn't always engaging.
-Freefall is very convenient with faster drops. It is light in weight and has a "graphite" feel meaning its slightly hollow overall feeling. Aluminum spool. The arbor of the spool is larger than the CGI meaning it releases more line with each revolution than those with a smaller arbor. The reel is 6.72 oz and spool is 1.15oz
-No8 is a decent inline reel but things feel quite loose in the knobs and general tolerances. I personally don't mind the clutch on the knob and for the price it is a nice reel. It has a palm rest for the pencil grippers (vs Eagle Claw that lacks this feature) and plastic spool. The reel is 6.3oz and spool is 1.12oz

If you do decide to go with one of the reels about, and this is a note to all inline reel owners regardless of the brand, take the time to flush the bearings and replace it with something like 321 lube or something non viscus and cold resistant. In the start of the season I flushed and re-lubed all the moving parts in the No8 CGI but did not in the Freefall. The CGI dropped significant faster than the stock FF and 6061. This season I have flushed all the reels and will be a more accurate comparison of the two.

How I did this was I very carefully disassembled the reel and cleaned everything (pinion, main gear, etc) off in denatured alcohol. I coated all the metal parts in a touch of 321 and one drop of 321 in each bearing. I then spun the bearing to distribute the oil then blew out the excess with compressed air. I put it back together and the reel handle and spool spun like a top. This is how to you can do all of your bearings for baitcasters, spinners, etc. *Special note- if you decide to disassemble the CGI, there is a super small spring in it and can get lost easily. You have been warned.

I hope this helps with your decision.


Offline CMS

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #14 on: Sep 09, 2017, 09:11 AM »
I have been looking at the free fall for awhile now, I like the looks of the trigger release. I've tried palming the reel like alot of people do, but I prefer do hold the rod and reel traditionally. My question on the freefall is if you hold it like you would a spinning reel can you still utilize the trigger with your finger or do you use your other hand?

Offline Chris338378

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #15 on: Sep 09, 2017, 09:21 AM »
Fishyholes, thanks for the tips.  I'm going to do them and see how much of an improvement it makes.

Offline flatironfisherman

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #16 on: Sep 09, 2017, 08:07 PM »
You won't be disappointed with the BB freefall or the 6061. Personally, I prefer the freefall because of the convenience of the trigger but the 6061 is a top notch reel as well. The BB freefall ghost that is supposed to be coming out this fall is going to have a lower price point as well ($90 vs 110 I believe) compared to the original freefall.

Another one to look at is the frabill 371. They have some awesome deals on them right now and I honestly like the freefall on the 371 better than the BB. The only reason I would take the BB over the frabill is because the button to release the bail on the frabill gets pushed inside my hard case and I end up with a tangled mess. I was hoping they would come out with something this year to compete with the trigger of the freefall but I haven't seen anything yet.

There are other inline reels on the market that people will talk up because of the cost difference, but if you aren't too worried about the cost then the BB freefall, BB 6061 and frabill 371 are the 3 best out there.

First of all, thanks to everyone for all the input!!  I absolutely love this site for the simple reason that if I have a question about a product or just general knowledge, I can count on a bunch of you to give me your honest opinions!

I'll definitely be looking into the BB Freefall Ghost and the Frabill 371.  I may get one of both and mount the 371 on the Whiteout and the BB on the Perch Sweetheart custom I'm going to get soon.  Thanks again guys!

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Offline fishyholes

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #17 on: Sep 09, 2017, 09:09 PM »
I have been looking at the free fall for awhile now, I like the looks of the trigger release. I've tried palming the reel like alot of people do, but I prefer do hold the rod and reel traditionally. My question on the freefall is if you hold it like you would a spinning reel can you still utilize the trigger with your finger or do you use your other hand?

It definitely works but it is not the ideal ergos.

Fishyholes, thanks for the tips.  I'm going to do them and see how much of an improvement it makes.

To me the my CGI went from "par" to a "great reel" just with the tear down and re-lube. I recommend everyone to do this and I hope you see a difference! I spun the spool yesterday and I had at least a minute of freespool  ;D. I can't say the same about the Freefall unfortunately, but i might pull some magnets out to increase this.

First of all, thanks to everyone for all the input!!  I absolutely love this site for the simple reason that if I have a question about a product or just general knowledge, I can count on a bunch of you to give me your honest opinions!

I'll definitely be looking into the BB Freefall Ghost and the Frabill 371.  I may get one of both and mount the 371 on the Whiteout and the BB on the Perch Sweetheart custom I'm going to get soon.  Thanks again guys!

No problem, I have found ice anglers the most open and friendly of all fishing that I do and it is much appreciated.  :thumbsup:

I have truly enjoyed watching 13 Fishing develop in the tackle world. They have really pushed the status quo in rod and reel innovation and especially ice fishing. From the Teardrop to the BB, 6061, FF and now the Ghost FF, these are finally giving us options that are making ice tackle exciting. I am happy to give my money to a company that has this much investment into our side of the sport. The Ghost ($70), hopefully has a lighter spool and will be an even faster drop and who can argue with a price drop from the standard FF($110)?

.02 take care all and I hope for a long and cold winter bec/ bass fishing is getting boring. haha

Offline flatironfisherman

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #18 on: Sep 12, 2017, 03:54 PM »
I own the Freefall, No8 CGI and a buddy i fish with has the 6061 that I used. We fished these reels every week last season.

General thoughts

Inline reels are much less headaches due to line twist and or pulling line out of the front of the reel/rod. Typically ice reels are small and exacerbate the line memory issue. Inline reels you can simply push a button and let your jig drop with out this problem. One of the tradeoffs is that you might need to watch for over runs on the spool but it is well worth it over the spinner for me.

-6061 seems very solid, It has the tightest tolerences and well built but heaviest of the three (I didn't weigh this reel). Aluminum spool. We were having problems with this reel's antirevese out of the box where it wasn't always engaging.
-Freefall is very convenient with faster drops. It is light in weight and has a "graphite" feel meaning its slightly hollow overall feeling. Aluminum spool. The arbor of the spool is larger than the CGI meaning it releases more line with each revolution than those with a smaller arbor. The reel is 6.72 oz and spool is 1.15oz
-No8 is a decent inline reel but things feel quite loose in the knobs and general tolerances. I personally don't mind the clutch on the knob and for the price it is a nice reel. It has a palm rest for the pencil grippers (vs Eagle Claw that lacks this feature) and plastic spool. The reel is 6.3oz and spool is 1.12oz

If you do decide to go with one of the reels about, and this is a note to all inline reel owners regardless of the brand, take the time to flush the bearings and replace it with something like 321 lube or something non viscus and cold resistant. In the start of the season I flushed and re-lubed all the moving parts in the No8 CGI but did not in the Freefall. The CGI dropped significant faster than the stock FF and 6061. This season I have flushed all the reels and will be a more accurate comparison of the two.

How I did this was I very carefully disassembled the reel and cleaned everything (pinion, main gear, etc) off in denatured alcohol. I coated all the metal parts in a touch of 321 and one drop of 321 in each bearing. I then spun the bearing to distribute the oil then blew out the excess with compressed air. I put it back together and the reel handle and spool spun like a top. This is how to you can do all of your bearings for baitcasters, spinners, etc. *Special note- if you decide to disassemble the CGI, there is a super small spring in it and can get lost easily. You have been warned.

I hope this helps with your decision.

Where can I find some of that 321 lube??

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Offline Dakota-Lew

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #19 on: Sep 12, 2017, 05:43 PM »
I own the Freefall, No8 CGI and a buddy i fish with has the 6061 that I used. We fished these reels every week last season.

General thoughts

Inline reels are much less headaches due to line twist and or pulling line out of the front of the reel/rod. Typically ice reels are small and exacerbate the line memory issue. Inline reels you can simply push a button and let your jig drop with out this problem. One of the tradeoffs is that you might need to watch for over runs on the spool but it is well worth it over the spinner for me.

-6061 seems very solid, It has the tightest tolerences and well built but heaviest of the three (I didn't weigh this reel). Aluminum spool. We were having problems with this reel's antirevese out of the box where it wasn't always engaging.
-Freefall is very convenient with faster drops. It is light in weight and has a "graphite" feel meaning its slightly hollow overall feeling. Aluminum spool. The arbor of the spool is larger than the CGI meaning it releases more line with each revolution than those with a smaller arbor. The reel is 6.72 oz and spool is 1.15oz
-No8 is a decent inline reel but things feel quite loose in the knobs and general tolerances. I personally don't mind the clutch on the knob and for the price it is a nice reel. It has a palm rest for the pencil grippers (vs Eagle Claw that lacks this feature) and plastic spool. The reel is 6.3oz and spool is 1.12oz

If you do decide to go with one of the reels about, and this is a note to all inline reel owners regardless of the brand, take the time to flush the bearings and replace it with something like 321 lube or something non viscus and cold resistant. In the start of the season I flushed and re-lubed all the moving parts in the No8 CGI but did not in the Freefall. The CGI dropped significant faster than the stock FF and 6061. This season I have flushed all the reels and will be a more accurate comparison of the two.

How I did this was I very carefully disassembled the reel and cleaned everything (pinion, main gear, etc) off in denatured alcohol. I coated all the metal parts in a touch of 321 and one drop of 321 in each bearing. I then spun the bearing to distribute the oil then blew out the excess with compressed air. I put it back together and the reel handle and spool spun like a top. This is how to you can do all of your bearings for baitcasters, spinners, etc. *Special note- if you decide to disassemble the CGI, there is a super small spring in it and can get lost easily. You have been warned.

I hope this helps with your decision.

well dammit somebody has a good idea and now i have to do it to my cgi reel, where is the tiny spring you mention? also how did you pull the bearings out, or did you just flush them in the actual spool?

Offline fishyholes

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #20 on: Sep 13, 2017, 12:04 AM »
Where can I find some of that 321 lube??

Its all over the web, just google TSI 321 and you will find some.

well dammit somebody has a good idea and now i have to do it to my cgi reel, where is the tiny spring you mention? also how did you pull the bearings out, or did you just flush them in the actual spool?

I honestly can't remember where the spring was but i don't think it wasn't in the spool, somewhere in the body. All I do remember is opening the new reel up and the spring flying into my workshop floor. Long story short, I found it a few days later and have a bit of PTSD now.

I probably pulled the bearings out and this is how to do it. On the inside of the spool there is a ribbed cap, unscrew that and take the keyed/ toothed washer that is facing inward, out. Then you can pop the bearings out of the spool. flush and re-install. Good luck and tearing the reel body and flushing was a smart move also. The reel handle and knobs spun so much faster after the cleaning. Good luck


Offline Dakota-Lew

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #21 on: Sep 13, 2017, 08:25 AM »
hmmm ok, i looked last nights at the spool bearings, and i am hoping i can break that lose without screwing up the teeth for the gearing. I will try to put a small piece of cloth on the teeth and see if i can turn it out. Thanks for the advice.

Offline hnd

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #22 on: Sep 13, 2017, 01:20 PM »
i'd go with a nice spinning reel.   i started using inline when james holst began using the okuma fly reels.   i went through those, the 6061's, black betty's, eagle claws, and last year i attempted to use a FF. 

in 5-10 feet of water they are fine but i switched back to spinning reels.  FF my foot.  while its better than other inlines, i'm still peeling line off with light jigs into deeper water, whacking the trigger with your hands and the drags are subpar. 

i still have a spare noodle with an inline in case line spin is an issue but i find 95% of the time its not. 

Offline missoulafish

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #23 on: Sep 13, 2017, 05:01 PM »
 :whistle: @HND

Offline filetandrelease

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #24 on: Sep 13, 2017, 05:05 PM »
I'd own a free fall but you need fingers to run the trigger lol , I run  4-6061s and 2 spinning reels , I only use the inlines  in deeper water for perch,walleye and  lake trout , fishing up to 10' for shallow perch and pans I still hand line
 

Offline flatironfisherman

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #25 on: Sep 14, 2017, 06:49 PM »
Its all over the web, just google TSI 321 and you will find some.

Yup, I found some.  Thanks again!!

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Offline Chris338378

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #26 on: Sep 16, 2017, 08:30 AM »
Where can I find some of that 321 lube??

X2

Offline flatironfisherman

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #27 on: Sep 16, 2017, 10:41 AM »

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Offline Chris338378

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Re: Black Betty Freefall??
« Reply #28 on: Sep 17, 2017, 12:54 PM »
Thank you.

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