Black betty 6061 owners, i have a question...

[frostbittin]

Does your spool have front to back loose play in it? Mine does, and i was pretty disapointed that it does for the price tag. I called 13 fishing and they said it is supposed to be like that because they haven't figured out a way to design it without that freeplay. Does it bother you at all, or do you not notice it when fishing? I am debating whether to send it back for a teardrop, or just not worry about it. Any feedback is appreciated.

[vandy19]

I bought one last year and have not had any problems with it.That is my GO TO ree,l and I purchased another one this year.
The free play has not bothered me at all.

[FISHFORPIKE]

I'm in the same boat as Vandy. Got one last year and got one this year.  Don't even notice the free play while in use.

[frostbittin]

Thanks, i was even thinking it might be less noticeable with line on it vs. just out of the box unspooled. I guess i'll keep it, i have a couple slv 2/3's that i love but wanted a reel that could free-spool to get baits down fast in deeper water.

[esox_magnum]

Never noticed on my 2, if it does it must not bother me they are my go to reels....

[saskriverman]

I feel your  thought when I got mine was worried about the play in the spool when I spooled it with line put it on the rod and actually fished with it didn't even notice the free play in it  keep it try it

[poorfisherman]

I don't notice it at all while using it.  You have to keep it.  They are the sexiest reels around.

[frostbittin]

I am, just never had it on the ice yet with line so i wanted input on those who used the rells already. It's going on a 32" tucr quick tip with a split grip and recoil guides, gonna be a nice setup.

[frostbittin]

Ok, just spooled it with line when i noticed....the spool spins opposite of the direction of the reel handle which feeds the incoming line over the top of the spool . This is the opposite of my okuma slv reels. I am trying to like this reel, but am almost ready to box it up and send it back.

[esox_magnum]

I prefer it over the top, even know a few guys that spool their SLV's this way and reel backwards

[frostbittin]

Yeah, i'm sure i'll get used to it. It's just the opposite of what i'm used to, maybe change is good...

[coreyd]

I have this reel, granted I haven't had safe ice to try it out yet, but the only thing that really irks me about this reel at this point is the seemingly double stage engaging when you crank the handle after the free spool. It seems like the free spool button pops out partially and then fully after cranking a few more degrees.

When I found a similar Eagle Claw for $30 to my $80 6061 I was a little curious of the difference between the two of them wondering why I paid so much more for mine but then I found the difference in materials used to make them. The 6061 is all aluminum with a better drag apparently than the EC. Anyone else looked into this?

cd.

[3300]

Ok, just spooled it with line when i noticed....the spool spins opposite of the direction of the reel handle which feeds the incoming line over the top of the spool . This is the opposite of my okuma slv reels. I am trying to like this reel, but am almost ready to box it up and send it back.

 four eagle claws  for the price of one 6061

can change the anti-reverse to use with either hand
i had the 6061 in my hands a few times now and the gears are loud and grindy and not smooth at all and the center pin wobbles and tons of back play on the gear system. it's at my buds store on the shelf and even the distributer said its junk but getting better the more people play with it. it acts like the it has burrs  on the gears or wrong teeth for them to try to mesh or to close together or shimmed wrong. either way i'll pay 100 dollars for four reels, not 400 dollars for four reels. the money talks

the eagle claw does the same thing for a quarter of the cost
what would you do with four rods with in lines on them, i would have four jigs tied and ready to go instead of tying double surgeons knots out in the cold in a tiny fiska eye that barley allows a 2lb line to pass one time.
easy choice for me and have two eagle claws now and will get more if i like that type of reel. i bought the aluminum version to see what the difference in them is, no difference in them at all, only the spool is different and interchangeable. not worth the extra cash. my gripe with all of these reels is the off center weight to them. in a rod holder they lean bad. if you loose grip them the same thing happens. you have to keep a death grip on it to keep them centered. thought maybe the aluminum reel would help with that, but it doesn't. we need like a center weight/knob to try to balance these things or an aluminum handle and less weight on the handle side

[3300]

I have this reel, granted I haven't had safe ice to try it out yet, but the only thing that really irks me about this reel at this point is the seemingly double stage engaging when you crank the handle after the free spool. It seems like the free spool button pops out partially and then fully after cranking a few more degrees.

When I found a similar Eagle Claw for $30 to my $80 6061 I was a little curious of the difference between the two of them wondering why I paid so much more for mine but then I found the difference in materials used to make them. The 6061 is all aluminum with a better drag apparently than the EC. Anyone else looked into this?

cd.

aluminum weighs more and holds cold longer. i prefer plastic/carbon/graphite material, lighter and warms faster when holding it.

also, you can get these ec's for 20 -25$
the ec uses a teflon disc sitting on side main gear (brass) and some discussion on it on here already. i cleaned mine and had it apart to look into using PTFE disc instead of the teflon used and cleaned out the vasiline ec used in the bearings (5) with hot sauce
the discs are 1 mm thick x 5/16 x 11/16" if you want to mess with it, but you will have to order them in. i put mine back together and cleaned the disc and will try it that way first. if it's bad, then i will lube it and try again, if it's still bad, then i will use PTFE disc/washer on it

[esox_magnum]

But you will buy more EC reels in the long run as they dont last....Mailman just dropped off a box with a 2013 6061 and Teardrop.....

[coreyd]

aluminum weighs more and holds cold longer. i prefer plastic/carbon/graphite material, lighter and warms faster when holding it.

also, you can get these ec's for 20 -25$

True on the aluminum, but I like it better than nylon, which is what the EC is.

I am in Canuckistan.... $30 is the price up here

[frostbittin]

I just sent my 6061 back today, it's not what i thought it would be. I ordered a sahara 500 FE instead.

[openingact]

But you will buy more EC reels in the long run as they dont last....Mailman just dropped off a box with a 2013 6061 and Teardrop.....

Gotta disagree with you there esox. They last plently long. Going on my second full season of normal use with these and after actually temporarily owning the 6061s only to return them after seeing the minimal differences, I'm happy I have a few brand new ones still sitting for the future years.

They may breakdown after several years, but considering I got these for $15 each and the cheapest I've ever seen a 6061 is $70, I'm pretty thrilled.

[esox_magnum]

Well yours have outlasted those my friends bought last season, based on what they experienced during limited use I wont be owning one...

[openingact]

Well yours have outlasted those my friends bought last season, based on what they experienced during limited use I wont be owning one...

Like any Chinese products and poor QC there's bound to be some out there. The Gander mountain by me had a 6061 that I was feelin out before I purchased the ones I did have for a bit. Drag didn't work at all. Tightened and loosen the wheel all the ways and the drag wouldn't engage. Obviously didn't tear it down since it wasn't my concern, but just shows that it can happen to any of them.

With that said the Teardrops feel and look awesome. If It had felt better on the Black Betty Rods I use I wouldn't have looked into them, but just wasn't for me.

[esox_magnum]

Just got a Teardrop today either going on a DH Perch Pounder or ordering a TUC Quick Tip for it....Also got the new 2013 6061 today to to add to my collection....

[3300]

Just got a Teardrop today either going on a DH Perch Pounder or ordering a TUC Quick Tip for it....Also got the new 2013 6061 today to to add to my collection....

hope you enjoy it!

the tear drop felt solid in my hands when i checked it out, but was worried about icing at the hole the line comes in. it's kind of a thick opening too. maybe put some thing like silicone spray or reel magic to it

[esox_magnum]

I only fish outside when it's nice out or I'm not on my local lakes, fishing in the open here draws to many univited guests...It will be used for walleye anyway, my 6061's are my hole hopping reels....

[FISHFORPIKE]

hope you enjoy it!

the tear drop felt solid in my hands when i checked it out, but was worried about icing at the hole the line comes in. it's kind of a thick opening too. maybe put some thing like silicone spray or reel magic to it

It's generally about 80 in my shantie and the teardrop functions just fine. 

[3300]

It's generally about 80 in my shantie and the teardrop functions just fine. 

sounds like my shanty. too bad i am not in it very much. don't like sitting around waiting for fish to come to me

[FISHFORPIKE]

sounds like my shanty. too bad i am not in it very much. don't like sitting around waiting for fish to come to me

Me neither - It's portable. Very portable.