Another one for the memory book.

[eyeguy 54]

So I'm fishing with my friend Steve on the mighty sippi and I make a cast and as soon as I hit the handle to retrieve the bail wire breaks. Dang it! So I start to pull it in hand over hand and Steve casts. As soon as his lure hits the water BAM, northern hits it, his bail wire breaks! LOL So I get mine in and he hand over hands a 5 pound norski to the boat and I net it. LOL Had to take a pic of the reels. What are the odds???

[reinhard1]

i've never had that happen once. that is a one time event i think. heck i still use Mitchel 300's i had as a kid along with cheap newer stuff. good luck.

[Stick in Mud]

I've had that happen a few times, actually, all of which happened on hooksets in much, much colder weather and while using braid. I'm impressed you actually got the northern in the boat, though!

[OnAFly]

I've had the bail wire break on 2 different Shimanos. It's very annoying that his happens repeatedly on a $100 reel. I haven't had it happen on my Pfluegers yet, but those have other annoying tendencies.

[eyeguy 54]

I think I have 4 or 5 bail breaks now and Steve about the same. I have never had one break on a hook set and I use mono most of the time. The orange line is Stren Mono. Many many many casts tho. :>) All Shimano but Steve bought a Cabela reel to try and that's what broke yesturday when mine broke. I like the trigger for casting but might have to switch brands.

[LPCrowRiverFisherman]

I fish pfleuger reels and have never had a problem with them. I put them through the abuse of catfish, carp, and pike a lot and have never had a problem. They will just get worn down, nothing ever breaks.

[mainbutter]

weird! Only thing that comes close to me is bending one a tad from stepping on it.. doh!

Never seen a bail wire break before.

I use shimanos, daiwas, quantums, and pfleugers all without issues for the most part.

[eyeguy 54]

these reels are used to catch the mighty smallmouth bass in the mighty mississippi river. probably why they wear out. ;>)

[mrklean]

At least you landed the fish

[TRZ II]

Junk reels break easy, get what you pay for.

[Rick G]

these reels are used to catch the mighty smallmouth bass in the mighty mississippi river. probably why they wear out. ;>)

I wear out a new reel or three on the sippi every summer, never broke a bail wire though. But then again I likley don't catch the size of fish eg2 does

[Stick in Mud]

Now that I think of it, I've never broken a Pfleuger reel like that before. Shimanos, however, have broken. But never this time of year...only in open water during late fall / early winter, and usually on something that swims in the Mississippi. Or a rock that feels like it swims in the Mississippi!

[eyeguy 54]

Problem is that I like the rear drag. It comes with a pop off spool so i can change spools easily when needed. And I also like the trigger for casting. Havn't found anything but the shimano that has it all. So I buy the cheaper 40 dollar reels and use them till they are shot. Took the bail off a different reel that the insides went bad on and it's good to go till it's dead. :>) My body won't let me fish as much as i used to so I'll probably stick with the ones i am used to. The mighty sippi is hard on reels, rods, boats and bodies... lol

[Brad B]

believe it or not I run the cheap Shimano IX series that have the trigger and the rear drag and have never had one break on me. they are like $9.99 at fleet farm so if one does break it is no big deal. even thou they are cheap they last, atleast for me anyways. check them out if you ever get to a fleet farm.

[eyeguy 54]

does the spool pop off?