MyFishFinder.com Just like iceshanty but warmer
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.
http://www.dicksmithslivebait.com/store/products/new-for-201718-13-fishing-free-fall-ghost-inline-ice-reel-pre-order/
Not sure if i can trust this web site
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?
Fishyholes, thanks for the tips. I'm going to do them and see how much of an improvement it makes.
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!
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 thoughtsInline 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 1.12ozIf 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??
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?
Its all over the web, just google TSI 321 and you will find some.
X2