Inline reel reviews

[RebelSS]

[Moon Lake Refuge]

well just got the 13 descent.... out of the box it doesn't reel at all.  Going to take it apart soon and see if the gearing is loose at all but may be taking that one back tomorrow if its not just something loose. Called them and they recommended returning it and if cabelas doesnt take it back he said they would ship it back and send me a new one.  Good service but hate to have to use it before I have even gotten it home from the store.

[eyeguy 54]

6 hours ago, Hawg said:

 

I was just putting new line on all my ice rods and I was reminded once again why I hate in-line reels.  If there’s anything from a handle to a nut to a spool that stupid line will find its way around it. And this was in my living room, it’s a real pain in the Fishhouse or out on the ice.  I will admit that the lack of line twist is a real plus but I’m not sure all the rest of the problems with the things are worth it. 

oh the humanity ! !  lol  

[rundrave]

got mine delivered this afternoon. That was fast especially for free! Looking forward to trying them out, just need the weather to cooperate now.

[huntnfish]

I stopped at the local Scheels today to pick up a CGI. Said they were in stock online at the store. When I arrived they said the system is saying they've got some but no employees can find them. 

 

I bought a clam version a few year back back and hated it. It had no gearing or drag and was basically just a spool of line on a peg with a little handle. I hated the thing. Thought about giving it away but didn't want anyone else to have to fight with it. The worst was peeling line off the thing when the vexilar was lit up. 

[eyeguy 54]

I had that reel also and sold it. thought it had a drag.  I have learned to call the stores and see if they have what it says online then just have them hold it. Quite a few times it  product not at store when online says it is. 

[AlwaysFishing23]

I bought a CGI last spring and didn’t get to use it much but it wasn’t that bad not perfect but still Not sure how I like it. I do however have the clam spooler combo I got about 2 years ago and honestly I love it! Caught many many big gills  and slab crappies even a few walleyes. It’s smooth no tangles and works great and even in deep water (50+) its great and I don’t mind having to peel line off of the  spool. Over all it’s been great and the CGI seems great to just haven’t had a lot of time with it yet. I’m thinking of trying the decent this year to but waiting to hear how others think of them seem like the same as the CGI just updated and black.

[eyeguy 54]

Just got it today.  Looks like a nice replacement for the cgi#8. The quick release button for the spool is redesigned so line tangle should not be a problem for those who struggled with it. Spooled it up with 3 pound micro ice on the 27 inch UL tickle stick. Maybe take it for a test run after the cold temps that are coming soon. I think this reel will be a winner. 

[RikkusWI]

I have been using the In-Line Reels for 3-4 Years and like them.  I started out using Frabills years ago for Pan Fish; and then migrated to Walleye.  Today I have 5 In-Lines, Frabill and Eagle Claw; and are my Go To Rigs.  I will admit they do take some fine tuning and time to get used to.  But, I liked them right from the start.

[tinker]

On ‎12‎/‎3‎/‎2017 at 5:13 AM, RikkusWI said:

I have been using the In-Line Reels for 3-4 Years and like them.  I started out using Frabills years ago for Pan Fish; and then migrated to Walleye.  Today I have 5 In-Lines, Frabill and Eagle Claw; and are my Go To Rigs.  I will admit they do take some fine tuning and time to get used to.  But, I liked them right from the start.

x2

[Moon Lake Refuge]

Couldn't bring myself to return my descent reel, so I took it apart.  Zero grease in it and it had little chunks of plastic or rock in the gears which stopped it from reeling.  Took everything apart, cleaned it, greased it up and put it back together and it works great now.  Called them and he said they don't use much of any grease on ice reels due to the potential of the grease freezing...I used a three dollar tube of lithium grease that's good to 40 below.  Colder than that and a greased reel is the least of my worries.

[Cooter]

Farm and barn has the snitch/descent combos - i will not be buying one.  Messed with several and was not impressed.  Think it will be spinning reels for me, might buy a fancy schooley type for 8 bucks and go back to the roots.

I do not believe the reel on the combo i saw is the same as the one eyeguy had a pic of.  Crazy monday at work, i could be seeing things again! 

[eyeguy 54]

not aware that they have 2 models.  I like the one I have and look forward to using it. 

[Rick G]

22 hours ago, eyeguy 54 said:

not aware that they have 2 models.  I like the one I have and look forward to using it. 

Yes, there are two different ones. The one that comes on the combo has green anodized aluminum accents... The one that comes as a jist the reel is all black. I played around with both, the all black model seems a little smoother 

[eyeguy 54]

 interesting. might have t investigate for fun.  

[eyeguy 54]

checked with thorne bros and they are the same model. some just have different accent colors. 

[jbird68]

I just bought the One 3 Descent reel the other day from Fish USA. They had them on sale from $34.99 down to $27.99. Sale ends tonight. I had bought one for my son for Christmas and I liked how it worked. So I had to get one for myself. I've had the Eagle Claw reel for a couple of years and I like it. Only gripe is that the line will unspool over the edge of the spool and get wrapped around the shaft of the push button on the side. I would get another one but I can't find them in the blue carbon fiber color anymore. Just the black.  

 

Waiting for ice in Northern Illinois to go fishing. 

[half-dutch]

On 11/28/2017 at 10:06 AM, Hawg said:

 

"I was just putting new line on all my ice rods and I was reminded once again why I hate in-line reels.  If there’s anything from a handle to a nut to a spool that stupid line will find its way around it. And this was in my living room, it’s a real pain in the Fishhouse or out on the ice.  I will admit that the lack of line twist is a real plus but I’m not sure all the rest of the problems with the things are worth it."

If you are 70 or over then you can boast about being older than me...  :-)

I use the inline reels all year and do admit that one has to learn to be very careful about loose line.  It tends to get hung up everywhere.  I jig the fishing docks around the Minneapolis Park Lakes for crappies all summer and dearly love the freespool on the Eagle Claws I have, but it does work better with the new tungsten ice jigs whose extra weight helps keep lines taut.  BTW I use 2 # lines for this and get down to 20-25' where the docks cross the outside breaks.  It is easier to keep lighter lines tight which also decreased tangles.

 

Edited December 23, 2017 by half-dutch
messed up the quote

[rundrave]

wanted to follow up that I have been fishing with the CGI reels next to my eagle claw reels and they both work the same. I would have a hard time saying either one is better than the other. Each took some time to get dialed in, according to the jigs I put on. But the free spool feature has worked great on both.

 

The only trouble I can see anyone having on these is not setting the free spool correctly and having it spin to fast relative to the jig drop and getting some line messes. 

[Rick G]

On 1/10/2018 at 12:44 PM, rundrave said:

 

 

The only trouble I can see anyone having on these is not setting the free spool correctly and having it spin to fast relative to the jig drop and getting some line messes. 

Line mess and loops in the line are some of the downfalls of fishing inlines with 3-4mm tungsten jigs. I aint got all day to wait fot it to drop with the free spool...lol  Always ripping line off, trying to control the spool with my thumb... Fish won't wait forever

[eyeguy 54]

use that middle finger on the spool silly. thumbs are for hitch hiking.  

taught a friend last week how to do that with the reel he bought from me. he did great. 

[sedmg]

  I fish pan fish with 2# test and have caught many crappie and big gills with 13 decent reels. I have 3 decents and a black betty ghoust and really like all 4. Have never had a problem with the drag on any. Would highly recommend either, but for the price, decent is awesome. All will drop the smallest jig and most the time I am in 20+ feet of water. Maybe I am lucky but 4 in a row to work the way they should? I would buy nothing else.