PRACTICE AND TOURNAMENT LINE

Member Joined: Jan 28, 2005 Posts: 6

Hi all,
I was just wondering,when practicing would you use the same diametre and poundage line when in tournaments?
Is there a dfference between say 18lbs and 8lbs in casting distance,Is there a minimum limit when in comps?
Also why do people convert their reels into mag reels?why not just use mag reels in the first place?
A casting instructor giving me a lesson had a abu 5500 converted to a mag,what woulld the benefit be?
I think thats it for now,I feel like a kid in class happy

thanks, any replies welcome cheers.
wyleyboy.............................

Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2005 10:30 am

hi wyleyboy, TJ could probably give more accurate info but as far as i know;-
diameter of main line is really the govening factor when it comes to line affecting distance cos of the rate that the spool unloads ie with multi's large diameter lines will progressively reduce the effective diameter of the spool as it unloads requireing more spool rpm per given length of line cast .
with fixed spools obviously as the depth of line reduces on the spool there's greater drag over the spool lip.
in competition i believe that the min permissable diameter is 0.035mm
for main line.
i would use the same line for practice and tourny if only to save changeing it and re bedding new line on the spools.
As to mag conversions one reason may be possibly expense, or
praps to retain the caracteristics of an old favorite reel but add the benifit of mag breaking
don't know fer sure but the opperation of mag brakes generate drag but no friction in use and can be more finely tuned
also they can be adjusted in mid cast ie set to required mark to prevent initial backlash then when the leads away , back right off to zero reduceing drag on the spool yet more for that extra yard or three.

just my thoughts, regular tournement casters will know more.

Gee jay.

Member Joined: Feb 02, 2005 Posts: 44

I met a guy a couple of weeks back who has attended the Weymouth Casting club and passed on some tips to me. To add to what GeeJay says as well as .35 line it will probably need to be high vis as well. The guy recommended Daiwa Tournament 15lb line which is fluoro yellow and .35. Its relatively cheap if you buy it in bulk. (about £8-11 for a mile of the stuff).

Member Joined: Jan 28, 2005 Posts: 6

Thanks for the reply guys,
Am already using daiwa tourny 15lb,as for the reel conversions i think he said it was £35 to £40,the reel about £55 to £60,which takes it to ct 6500 and close to 525 mag territory.
I know from other sites theres a lot of guys out there doin it,just wondered what the benefits were.
The mag control for the 6500's are on top and are quite easy to get to in mid cast ( just find it hard to keep my eye on the lead ) but the conversions are on the side, and seem a tad more difficult to get to, but i guess you'd get used to e'm.
:?: when setting up the magnets what does +-+- mean and how do go about arranging them? can anyone tell me cos i havn't got a clue.
thanks again guys, see ya's...........wyleyboy...........

Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2005 7:18 pm

hi wyleyboy,
as geejay has pointed out already, a lower line diameter will give you more distance because the spool retains a higher level of line throughout the cast.

with the magnetic conversions on reels they give you more adjustment than blocks and you can vary the braking to suit the conditions.

it would be a good idea to practice and compete using the same diameter lines. this will get you used to how each reel will behave with each different lead cast.

as regards to competition rules regarding line diameter they are as follows:-

125grm lead----0.28mm +0.65mm shockleader.

150grm lead----0.31mm +0.75mm shockleader.

175grm lead----0.35mm +0.75mm shockleader.

with your choice of line you are already using in my own personal oppinion the best line you can get at the mo for casting.

Member Joined: Jan 28, 2005 Posts: 6

Thanks for the reply tj,
can you explain to me tj why you would put your magnets in + - + ive seen it mentioned a few times on various sites.I gather all mags are + + + or + + + + in my case,in this I mean set in the reel + + + + , but why would you make them + - + - does it improve the smoothness of the reel, surely you'd have the mags set higher to cmpensate for the 2 - -Do you run your own reels in ths fashion, or is it only on the field that its viable for?
Hope iv'e made sense here,
thanks for any advice. wyleyboy.................. big grin

Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 9:36 pm

there is no hard and fast rule as to how you have your magnets set out in your reel. some people set there reels up with the mags in the reel set at pos+, neg-, pos+, neg- and so on. some have the mags set pos+ all on one side or some have them set the other way round with all the neg-.

this is all down to personal preference and what you find works best for yourself. those that run a single rare earth magnet in there reels have less to choose from in the way the magnet is set up in the reel. alot of the magnet settings are down to trial and error, and of course your choice of oil.

i believe that how you have your magnets set up in the reel, this does not determine how smooth your reel runs.

smooth running requires a couple of factors to be taken in to account, and they are good condition spool, smooth set of bearings and a balanced spool.

i have three reels that i run the mags + - + - and one with which i use a single rare earth magnet.

hope this help explain things a little.