Reel seats?

Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:22 pm

I picking up a new shimano catana rough ground rod next week. I'll be strapping a 525 slidy mag onto it but...I'm not exactly fussed on the adjustable screw fitment reel seat they come with, though the rest of the rod looks very capable.

I'll be looking to bully some decent straps and rays.... but I fancy using coasters. I've read before that coasters should go in the bin and fix/araldite a proper reel seat in place of it.

What's your opinions? Coasters will be ok or should I use the adjustable screw fitment seat to where it feels comfortable and then glue it in place?(which I don't really want to do if I'm honest)

Thanks

Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 2:07 pm

I wouldnt bother with coasters at all. They really are pants.
Your best bet would be an Abu Griplock or fuji real seat. If you hooked into a decent sized ray or conger, i wouldnt fancy the chances of coasters holding the reel securely at all.

Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 7:42 pm

coasters ar elike marmite "you either love em or hate em",i have found the fuji reel seats a blessing,just tape them on or insert them into your winch wind seat.

all the best

Andy

Guest

i hate coasters with a vengeance, am not too keen on screw fittings either, i have whipped on Fuji sliders to my rods they are quite cheap, easy and quick to use and have never let me down in over 20yrs of use, Tim. smug

Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:46 pm

I'm going to buck the trend here ... I use nothing but coasters on my casting rods and quite frankly I've never found anything else that holds the reel on securely enough for hitting a lead out. If you've had troubles with coasters then you've not given them a fair crack, haven't got a decent set or are just simply fitting them wrong.

Put your reel on with coasters and its going nowhere. Ignore the old wive's tales about them going on too tight and cracking the rod butt as its tosh (unles you have a completely pants rod) ... in nearly 40 years I've never seen this happen.

The other thing about coasters of course is they don't get in the way if you have small hands and you have the top of the rear coaster to use as a trigger. Over the years I've tried fixed seats (no good if you find you need to adjust your reel position), adjustable seats (which all seem to move to some degree or another), zip seats (absolutely crap, the zip bit always wears out and the reel ends up loose) and even the Talon (god what a bl**dy useless monstrosity they are) and I've always ended up back with the good old reliable coaster. A rock solid, comfortable fixing that weights next to nothing and can be removed in a second for a clean and lube.

The only downside is they are a bit fiddly to get the reel on when your hands are cold ... but you get used to it. Try a set of Century ones, they are the best yet, nice hyperlon finger pretector ... and set the coaster at the butt side of the reel slightly to the right (with the reel on the top), that way you can get your hand wrapped around the reel and get your thumb right over the spool for the cast ... there's no other reel fixing you can do that with if you have small hands.

Oh and plastic coaster ..... they go in the bin ... they are utter rubbish.

Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:54 pm

essexkenny wrote:

If you hooked into a decent sized ray or conger, i wouldnt fancy the chances of coasters holding the reel securely at all.

Sorry, but that is utter nonsense .........

I've had cod to 15lb, Bass to 12lb, Tope to 50lb (on the boat) and all with coasters that didn't even flinch .. a friend from Scotland specialises in fishing for Skate from the shore, he's landed two 200lb plus specimens ... with coasters!!! i've also seen a 40lb Stinger brought in ... on a rod with Coasters!

Its casting that is the most likely time for a reel fitting to remove itself and coasters are the most popular fixing on the court ... that says it all.

Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 9:47 am

i myself use coasters and have never had a problem with them so im with reel_wizard on this 1. other friends have used other reel seats like the adjustable 1's and how much fun they had tryin to undo them when my stuff was all packed away. coasters are user friendly not as good for fixed spools as the reel seat on them is a lot bigger but for multi's you cant beat them iv never had my reel move when power casting or even when reeling in.

so its coasters all the way
simon

Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 5:40 pm

I've only just made the transition over to multi. I've been using a bass rod and a 6500ct with coasters and i've had no problems with it so far. If I had a proper reel seat on it i'd rip it off...coasters weight about as much as a fart compared to the traditonal screw fitments.

I was just wondering if there'd be problems using them on a rough ground rod. Thanks for the advice everyone.

Coasters it shall be happy

Guest

never said coasters are a problem to hold down a reel, said I hate them, personally.
I build my own I use Daiwa Supercast Beach Casters, have re rung them both and fitted fitted Fuji Sliders as they are my first choice every time.
don't know why you would want to alter your reel position unless you are changing your casting style or are unfamiliar with the rod you are using, anyway each to there own,
Tim. cool

Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 10:21 pm

I'm using the bass rod with the reel up and i'll be using the rough ground with the reel down probably...i'll see how the balance feels. Won't be forever moving it up and down.
.

Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:23 am

If you want to alter reel positions frequently coasters are the only way forward until you decide the best position, then if you want you can fit a perminant reel seat.
I personally use both methods, my bass rods had factory fitted seats, My main beachcasters I changed from coasters to Penn adjustable reel seats, they are not the best seats Ive come across but they hold the reel well and are quick and easy to set up.
I use an old Conoflex for Conger fishing which probably involves more stresses and strains than most other forms of shore fishing, my reel for that is permenantly fixed to the rod with coasters, its rock solid and never moves.

Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 5:07 pm

Oh well as regards to the caster not being very secure issue.......... I stand corrected, i just couldnt get on with them at all and didnt think they felt very secure, so personally i prefer the reel seats.
Each to their own i guess big grin

Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 8:28 pm

essexkenny wrote:

Oh well as regards to the caster not being very secure issue.......... I stand corrected, i just couldnt get on with them at all and didnt think they felt very secure, so personally i prefer the reel seats.
Each to their own i guess big grin

Depends on the coaster and the handle material as well ... the cross hatch shrink tube is without a doubt the best stuff to use.

Member Joined: Sep 11, 2009 Posts: 96

I only use Abu Griplocks - purely because they work.

I've used coasters in the past, but I found they are a faff to align the reel with the rod rings and the screw-down clamps break off (Uk Hooks and Daiwa - shame on you).

Never had a problem with comfy coasters (Breakaway) but I prefer Griplocks.

Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 4:35 pm

I've been out and had a few throws now and decided it's best I keep the "Slide and grip" (adjustable screw top and bottom) seat.

Going against what I said I know, but after using it with the reel down I've decided it's more comfortable. Think the coasters would get in the way and I wouldn't be able to grip the spool properly. Combination of a pretty much fully loaded 525 and small hands (glad I didn't get a 'Slosh'). On the other hand though..the bass rod and smaller 6500 is nice to use with the coasters.
cool