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[legend]

Any one have one ? . How do they compare to abu 6500 ? . Are they as good of a product as ,  the calcuta ? . Army and navy has a combo with this reel and a 10' 6" convergence on for $ 229.00 good deal or not ? .

[DionJL]

Definatly not as good as the calcutta. Why would there be a $100 price difference if they are the same lol. Thats a good deal for that combo but i bet your local shop could come close to that plus add in some service that you wouldn't get from A&N

[MERC]

I've got one, and it's a nice reel.  More refined than my 6501 C3 overall.  Better drag, smoother and better casting controls built in, especially if you're learning to use a baitcaster (Shimano has these little adjustable sliding weights built in plus the backlash contorl knob.)  Good deal for that combo.  You're looking at  average price about $170 for the reel normally and about 90-100 for the rod normally.  So figure you're saving about $40-50 average or more.  Most local tackle shops might have a hard time matching that and I don't know what kind of extra service you would get from your local tackle shop. So, it might pay to comparison shop.  I'd be curious to see what IH8XC could offer as a price point in the shop where he works and what kind of "added servcice" you would get.

[All Tangled Up]

I'd be interested in what this 'service' would be too. I hate to support the big box stores but I work too damn hard for my money to not chase a good deal when I see one.

[legend]

So what makes the calcutta so much better IH8XC ? . Just because something cost  $100.00 bucks more it's better LOL back at you . I have 3 6500 c3 and I'm lucky to get a full season out of one before something screws up on it . Last year I tried my buddies Callcutta and hands down a way  more Superior reel smoother drag , casted further and quieter and for a reel i only used once never had one backlash. As for local shops i purchase plenty of stuff there as for my bigger ticket items A&R all the way I don't crawl around asbestos ridden pulp mills full of deadly chemicals and gases to just through my hard earned bucks away . IH8XC you work in a shop could you please explain why the calcutta is better what features make it better.

[TrophyHunter]

The Calcutta is the most refined smoothest reel you will ever use IMO.. nothing I have comes close, the drag is perfect, the retrieve is fast and quiet and the finish is amazing.. there is really no comparison to the Cardiff... totally different league

[Eagleye]

The new Cardiff A gives you a big bang for the buck (available for less than 100 in the US) from what I have read about it on the net.  Apparently it is not quite as "solid or refined" as the Calcutta and has a flexible dartanium drag that offers 11lbs drag pressure rather than a hard dartanium drag which offers 17.5.  But from the reviews I have read the drag is smooth and the body is a one piece die cast aluminum like the calcutta.  The only other difference I could find is that the gear ratio is 5.2 instead of 5.1 which will give you a faster retrieve with less torque.  But with only a .1 diff it is probably not noticeable.  If you want to see a big difference in performance you would find it in the TE.  The TE gives you a high speed retrieve without sacrificing torque because it has oversized gears and is a very smooth/refined reel.  My friend has the TE and the difference in smoothness and torque is substantial compared to the Calcutta.  I aslo have a millionaire CVZ (now called the Luna)  which is a very smooth reel.  The drag is much smoother than my Calcutta but only has 11lbs pressure like the Cardiff and it doesn't have oversized gears like the TE but the retrieve is fast and smooth.  The only time I have found myself maxing out the drag is when I hook a vedder white when the river is high but the I just use some thumb pressure.  I also prefer the level wind system on the CVZ for preventing birdsnests.  Another neat thing about the CVZ is the brake weights can easily be adjusted on the flow by simply unscrewing the sideplate (no screws involved) and turning a small blue ring to either the left or right and since it has the centriflex braking system rather than centrifugal the brake blocks back off when the spool speed decreases which gives you more distance when casting lighter stuff. I know I strayed off topic here but thought I'd let you know my experience on what the two major competitors have to offer in their lineup.  You might want to check if the reel is the new Cardiff A or old Cardiff because the new model apparently is much better and can be had for about 100 US online. 

[legend]

It is the 400 A. Purchased it and it seems to be a good deal. Thanks for your input all.

[Eagleye]

The new Lunas in the smaller sizes (below 300) have an externally adjustable Magforce-Z (magnents rather than brake blocks) braking system with 10 different settings.  I have a diawa advantage with the same braking system and it does a great job of preventing birdsnests and with 10 different settings it is ideal for casting light lures.  I let a friend of mine use it whom has never used a baitcaster and at the highest setting he was able to cast without getting a birdsnest (with a little coaching).  The narrower and lighter the spool the better it is for casting light stuff.  For casting heavier stuff I prefer a larger spool because it will let out more line with less rotations of the spool.  The spool on my advantage is quite narrow and I will soon be upgrading to the Super Tuned spool because it holds less line and is drilled to reduce weight.  A lighter spool will start up with less inertia and slow down with less braking.  Low profile reels and some small round reels have a disengaging levelwind so the narrower the spool is, the less friction you will have on the line guide.  The advantage of a disengaging levelwind is your spool is not slowed down by having to move the level wind back and forth while casting which is not needed on a narrow spool reel.  Off topic again  but it applies to the need for different sizes of reels.

[DionJL]

Free clean and service after a year. is the service i speak of. Price may be a little bit more but normally a shop will toss in a full spool of line for free (mono) or take the price of mono off the price of a braided line.

[Nostro]

Get your Abu 6500 pimped up at Mike's. You will get a superior casting reel for $80, IMHO. I had mine done, and it's incredibly smooth and easy. Just a flick will send past everyone else.

[legend]

Tested out my new reel  this week a couple of times casted great no back lashes used 1/2 oz crocs and it went a long way smooth retrieve quiet all good a great deal now i would love to test the drag on a Chinook . !!!!!

[Hiker]

So, did any of you guys actually purchased rod/reel online from USA? Is there anywhere on the net an info about duties you would have to pay when buying from states? I tried to find it, but no leads except a phone # to call. Can not believe customs wouldn't have an online information about duties???

[Hiker]

To reply to my own question and easy the pain to anybody who is looking for a correct link, I think I have found a link that looks promising:
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/tariff/

[fishinfrenzy]

 Hey Fellas,

 With all due respect to peoples opinion, as the Store Manager of Army and Navy (Langley) It is really disheartening to continue to hear people cut down my store and the company I work for, so here goes again.  Why would someone hate to support our "Big Box" store, when it is Canadian owned and operated, has a group of young guys that work full time in the fishing department, work long shifts trying to take the department to or close to a pro shop simply because of a sense of pride, and to carry and learn about as much product as possible?  These guys fish regularly, all frequent the fishing sites, and MAKE THE IMPROVEMENTS THE CUSTOMER ASKS FOR
If you are receiving less than stellar service, I will personally assist you. I am not an expert, but a passionate fisherman that works for a department store, that buy all comparisions has the best combination of price,selection and service of any other Canadian Department Store.

 We spool line,sell bait,sell liscenses,offer repairs and returns, play instructional video, donate to the Pacific Salmon Foundation, attend product seminars and classes, require fishing experience for core department staff, huge expansive fly fishing and tying materials section that increased by over 100% in square footage in October of 05' as a direct result of the public request for more fly fishing products and selection.


  This is not a "Department Store" mentality. We are working to get better every day. Although it is your right if you choose, please don't knock our company, when these guys are trying this hard. Please introduce yourself to Ryan,Dayton,Stuart or Kevin and others. I am sure you will like what you hear from them.


  Thanks.

  Fishinfrenzy   Joe (604) 514-1774