flathead gear

[dufek]

I am looking at the okuma avenger and epixor baitfeeders. Anyone have experience with either/suggest one or the other. Would I be ok with the 50 or should I jump up to the 65.

Any experience with the shakespeare wildcat or the eagle claw/HT counterparts?

[hanson]

Okuma Epixor is a darn fine reel!

EB50 is all the larger you need to go. The 65 is a tank!

[DTro]

I wanted to mention this as I finally got to see one the other day, but also check out the PENN LiveLiner. I really liked the feel and design of it.

In fact if they would have had a 5000 in stock, it would've came home with me

[Ralph Wiggum]

The 65 is massive. I fished with a guy who had one on the Sturgeon Excursion this year, and it seemes like overkill.

The EB50 is a solid reel, like Mr. Hanson said.

[dufek]

well that makes that decision pretty easy. I was lookin at the king cat but dont feel like driving an hour to cabelas or paying the shipping. Anyone used the shakespeare wildcat, ht ol' whisker.

[dufek]

Also I saw the discussion on tape vs mono backing. Is this a personal preference, ford/chevy topic or on a 40+ lb fish am i gonna be down to my mono.

Sorry bout all the ? but just moved here from WI and haven't found a proper salmon/steely substitute yet so im gonna log some hours on this and wanna do it properly. The thread you did Hanson has been very helpful thanks!

[DTro]

Depends how much $ you want to burn. There is no reason to spool up the entire spool with a SuperBraid. You shouldn't need anymore than 100-150 yrds of the braid. Use the mono as a filler. If you tie a good knot and use like 12lb mono or greater you still will even have a fighting chance if the remote possiblity happens that you get down to the backing fighting a fish.

Or if you don't mind using the entire spool of braid, then just use tape.

I prefer spreading it out to 2 or 3 reels instead and use mono.

Just my experience, but unless you are in raging current, even a very large flathead will not go on a major run.

[Ralph Wiggum]

IMHO, if you catch a catfish that take you out far enough to get into your mono backing, it deserves to get away. I just don't see it happening.

Save yourself the money and fill the spool part way with mono backing. If you use something like 20lb Trilene Big Game, I wouldn't even be concerned with it breaking should you get down to the mono backing.

300+ yards of Power Pro is expensive!

[mplspug]

"Deserves to get away"????

I hope you didn't just curse yourself.

If that ever happened to me, I'd be a wreck. Sure it may be spendy, but unlike my mono, I don't replace it every year. At least I haven't, I don't know about everyone else. I have also heard people reverse spooling in for a second year.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Do you seriously use 300+ yards of PP, Pug?

[harvey lee]

I use all PP and reverse spool it every year. It will last a long time but, DTRO & Ralph are correct, its spendy.

I would guess I only spool up 150 yards total.

[DTro]

Also, it's just as easy or easier (less line) to reverse spool with mono backing. Just stop at the mono cut your knot and reverse

There is not a right or wrong way.

I just like the cost savings of a backer.

[ec30_06]

Anyone who has fished with 20lb mono knows it is tuff stuff. I would not be too worried if I ever got down to my backing. I also reverse spool to get a couples years out of my line. Need to save every penny with gas prices these days.

[Flaco651]

I've tested my knots(20lb. mono backing to super braid)and have found it to be pretty strong. It should be able to hold up if the situation should ever arise.

[Tyler Holm]

I hsolist'ed an Epix 40 as I thought the 50 was a little large. You can't find them in the states, so this was a foreign jobby, but still made by Okuma...They just changed the name to Epix. The Epix and Epixor models are identical. I think I paid approx $65.

[mplspug]

Heck......no. Well not on my current set up. I believe it spools only 150 yards. At that point he's pulling me in. Although I think I may have with my Okuma, which has a larger capacity, a couple years ago.

I guess I answered without thinking about it too much. Even if you reversed that, you'd still waste a lot of line that probably would never have touched the water.