HELP.....which 50 size reel for first cow trip.

SeaBasstard · Nov-06-2008, 01:56 PM

Hey guys, looking for some advice on which 50 size reel to pickup for my first trip to cow town. I will be filling the reel up with 130lb spectra with hopes of leaving about 75-100 yards of a 100-130lb mono topshot. I've narrowed it down to either the Avet 50SDS, Shimano Tiagra 50, PENN VSX50, Accurate 50. Which one do you think is the all around best reel as far as track record, mechanical problems...value etc. Thanks in advance for your help. -Matt

GUERO · Nov-06-2008, 02:01 PM

when your ready, I have a new ATD50W for sale

Accurate ATD50W - Bloodydecks Classifieds

fshholc · Nov-06-2008, 02:33 PM

Here's another one to think about. Accurate 30 with 300 yards of 80# or 100# spectra and 150 yds of 130# spectra on top of that. Next add anywhere from 25' to 100' of 100#-135# mono/fluro top shot. This is a killer set up for sardine fishing the cows. Line capacities are estimates but you can see where I'm going.

jpfilippi · Nov-06-2008, 02:37 PM

Avet 50w , good deals on those now, remember, you only need about 30 lbs max drag, try and hang on to more than that. my setup = that reel, 130 hollow white, a shot of 200 hollow 100 ft, then a shot of 150 or 200 mono.

serenity now · Nov-06-2008, 08:08 PM

Any of those bad boys will kill a big tuna. here are my thoughts though from my experiences.

Get a 50 size reel but get a narrow and if possible get a topless reel. You will feel like less of a retard trying to thumb 100lb on a topless reel. Personally, my favorite is my trusty old bakerized topless Penn 50t. I have killed 5 fish over 200lbs with that reel and never had to go longer than 50 minutes on any of them.

Have fun & take lots of pics

JSR · Nov-06-2008, 08:29 PM

hey fsholic,
Not bad thinkin' except i am now the proud owner of the b2-30 "and" b2-50 extreme reels. just picked up the b2-50 tonight. i had the atd's but nuthin' out freespools the new extremes and super light. plus the t bar handle is a nice touch. 40+ pounds on the drags is plenty and the both do about 550 to 600 spectra in the 100/130 hollow. 25yd floro topshots of blackwater, and i'm good to go. topless and narrow, actually, they are both the same width with larger gearing for the 50. had the avets, they work, heavy, loud, heat up, a bearing that rusts out.

fshholc · Nov-06-2008, 09:47 PM

Hey John, nice set up. How do they compare weight wise to the old 30 and 50.

fishordie · Nov-06-2008, 10:19 PM

I am a true Accurate Ho and I have all the above reels from Accurate. Though the new Boss extremes are fantastic reels for 95% of the fishing done on long range I would not consider them a true Cow reel. That is strictly relegated to the Accurate Platinum series. I mostly fish my Platinum 30's for cows but for your first reel, if you can afford it, the Accurate 50 regular, not wide, is an ultimate all around big fish reel. Though this might sound too Ho like there is nothing and I mean nothing out there that compares when you just pickup, handle and stare at the reel. It is art combined with function. It is a Mack Truck in a Ferrari's body. If oohs and aahs turn you on combined with a reel that is a pure fishing machine then the Accurate is absolutely for you. The only draw back to Accurate is once you own one you want to own more. Nothing in the world compares to the Platinum series so if the purchasing of one does not affect the number of long range trips you take then by all means get the Platinum. Fill it with 130 hollow, splice 50 yds of 200 Hollow to the top, fish the appropriate pound test top shot and you are set to fish anything that swims in the ocean especially cows. As a note,
open tops are a personal preference sort of thing. If you have a chance to look at one mounted on a rod you can make your own decisions. I have them set up both ways and still have not decided which I like best. I LOVE them all.

As a note, make sure you match that reel to a rod specifically designed for cow fishing and higher drag settings. It really does make a noticeable difference.

Best of luck in your decision

Jamie

1974jim · Nov-07-2008, 09:57 AM

Now THAT'S the reply of the day, from fishordie.
I'd just like to reinforce the warning about ATDs, my one turned into five real fast.

JSR · Nov-07-2008, 08:25 PM

Here's a post from allcoast (for the b2-30, the b2-50 is a step up):

OK the reel feels very good in my hands and on the rod I will use it on. Perfect width for me. The reel is a little heavier than my Boss 665 2 speed but I would suspect that to be the case with the "beef up" they have done on the reel. 174 Stainless shaft and gears, larger bearings, power handle, harness lugs, ATD Clamp, offset handle like T bar. The reel is larger in circumfrance than the Boss 665 as well. Bigger beefier reel IMO BUT still a small package for big fish.

Line capacity is a bit more than Accurate says in their advertising. They say the reel will hold 600 yards of 80# spectra. I filled mine with 600 yards of hollow Jerry Brown Line One and still had enough room to splice in 33 yards of 130# hollow JB to make getting 100# fluro into it easier.

Now for the drag which in previous posts was an item of suspicion being that Accurate has published 30 pound drag settings. Well Accurate was right and here is what I found. I look at my drags in turns of the preset knob. Like 1 turn equals X amount of drag, 1 1/4 equals X, 1 1/2 and 2 turns of the preset knob. So with this in mind 1 turn of the preset knob gave me 19 pounds in strike and 27 pounds in full. 1 1/4 turn of the preset knob gave me 26 in strike and 32 in full. 1 1/2 turns of the preset gave me 31 in strike and 40 in full. Finally 2 turns of the preset knob (difficult to get in gear) 45 pounds in strike and 56 pounds in full. All these settings with complete free spool. I stopped at 2 turns because of the struggle to get into gear and I will NEVER fish 45 pounds of drag on this reel.
NOW one last thing, this was direct pull with a scale off the reel. On a rod you would need to add 3 pounds of pressure to each setting.

I am going to be using this reel on my 8 day 9/5/2008 on the Intrepid so I will let you all know how it works in action. I now have purchased two of these reels and will use them with 80# and 100# fluro short topshots. I would have no problem fishing for 200# Tuna with this reel and I would get a Cow with this reel. I will prove it this fall or next winter (if I am lucky enough to hook one).

As with all reels this one has it's place but I really believe Accurate have someting with this one.

And another:

It would be interesting to know the length of the handle. Allot of things play into the power of a reel but one thing I was disappointed on with my topless ATD30 and ATD12 was the length of the handles... But the Boss series handles have been longer (in fact my B2870 handle was significantly longer than the original ADT12 handle).

Here's the thing, I have had ATD's and what's cool about the the extreme's is the offset handle, weight, freespool, dreag, gearing, shaft, etc.
I can't condemn this reel yet and would fish it side by side an ATD and be sure to get picked up way before the ATD.
I remember the old days and this thing gives you more than a fighting chance, in my mind, i like my chances.

The Accurates, I have them all.

captdeej · Nov-08-2008, 05:38 AM

how do you set up your atd 6 &12

JSR · Nov-08-2008, 10:18 AM

i go 60 and 80 hollow. you get 500/ 600 yds. lays down flat, less prone to digging in. blackwater and JB have X16 hollow in mini spools and you can stagger the weight bumping up toward your topshot, which for me is blackwater fluoro at 25 yds or so. any out fit deemed for jigs or trolling i go with a 100+ topshot. not that you can cast atd's as they are clunky and don't cast well and heavy in those weight divisions. I think the ATDs come in to their own in the atd 30 on up (lower gear ratioed), now newly topless!