Level wind or not?
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: Heavy Metal - Jig fishing
Forum Description: Anything related to jig fishing here
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=23104
Printed Date: 29 Jan 2026 at 11:39pm
Topic: Level wind or not?
Posted By: Finatic
Subject: Level wind or not?
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2007 at 4:59pm
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When looking for a suitable jigging reel, is it better to go for a reel with level wind or without? ------------- What's the cheapest type of meat? Dear balls. They're under a buck. |
Replies:
Posted By: Boulder
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2007 at 5:57pm
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Certinly an advantage for the thinner line weights but for say 24kg and up using narrow spool reels I personally dont like level winds ------------- http://www.boulderguiding.co.nz">  http://www.boulderguiding.co.nz">www.boulderguiding.co.nz |
Posted By: ginga
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2007 at 7:22pm
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Wouldnt want a leval wind myself, to much friction added to the system
The narrow spools on the modern reels mean you dont need to guide them on with your fingers or thumbs, this will mean you have one less thing to think about when jigging, which is a good thing.
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Posted By: nuclear chicken
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2007 at 7:25pm
| forgot the level wind ( get high speed / open with a narrow spool ) |
Posted By: sooshee
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2007 at 8:13pm
| Yep, no level wind for me too. Although I'm saying this from the perspective of deep jigging for kingfish, not for the snapper stuff (which I have no experience). |
Posted By: mozz
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2007 at 8:50pm
| Spreading braid on the wider reels is very tricky and also hard to jig with as there is a lot of wobble with the wider spool. |
Posted By: Lethal
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2007 at 8:23am
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ive had some nice level wind reels normally very small ones like they use for bass being so light they are lovely to use, draw back is you have to keep them maintained nothing worse than having the line stop on the drop or you didnt pull enough line out when re rigging to line up the level wind.... best type to use is definitely a fast retrieve reel 6-1 is nice and a auto clutch can be a big help but a fast thumb clamped on the spool before you throw it into gear is just as good.... i have used many types and makes but i have found weight is more of a factor, keep it light and you will be still able to work at it when the going gets tough..... |
Posted By: Finatic
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2007 at 8:33am
Cool. Looks like no level wind is the way to go. Cheers guys ------------- What's the cheapest type of meat? Dear balls. They're under a buck. |
Posted By: Boulder
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2007 at 8:43am
Agreed Lethal and I only have a level wind on my sp reel  forgot this was the jigging section ------------- http://www.boulderguiding.co.nz"> http://www.boulderguiding.co.nz">www.boulderguiding.co.nz |
Posted By: Elpescador
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2007 at 3:22pm
| definatly a big no on the levelwind !!!!!!! |
Posted By: Mr Plastic
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2013 at 6:24pm
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R ------------- Synit Prototype bender |
Posted By: KaiKatcha
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2013 at 11:56pm
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I'm a pretty serious jigger and know all the 'rules', but I'll go against the grain here. If a quality reel with level wind was available tomorrow, I'd swap out my Saltiga in a heartbeat. ------------- Less today leaves more for tomorrow |
Posted By: Fishing Addiction
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2013 at 7:48pm
| Not needed on narrow spool reels |
Posted By: Blue Asparagus
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2013 at 8:19pm
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I think it depends on the size to Si I mean if your using a small reel like the little abus or the shimano bantams etc [for jigging] I use 2 of them bantam 50's great little reel and have no issues at all with them, infact I did not notice any thing different other than not needing to use a finger to cover the spool good luck with it ------------- Ultimate GAME Fishing Adventures. Northland |
Posted By: Finatic
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2013 at 8:32pm
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Thanks guys, this thread is over 6 years old and I think it was before the latest jigging techniques came in to fashion over here. Must've been about the time I was using a TLD15 and was thinking of buying a Saltist 30T.< style="display:none;" id="adlesse_unifier_magic_element_id"> ------------- What's the cheapest type of meat? Dear balls. They're under a buck. |
Posted By: crazyfisho
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2013 at 9:14pm
| talk about dredging things up... |
Posted By: Titahi
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2013 at 10:53pm
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5 years ago the shimano Tranx wasn't available..... Haven't used one, but from looking at the specs they would fit the bill, lightweight, robust with a level wind designed to handle the 12 kilo's of drag the reel can achieve. Think Trinidad A with level wind and power handle :) ------------- "I love standing by the ocean and just knowing what its for" |
Posted By: kiwi phill
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2013 at 8:06pm
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Hi Just to a spanner in the works the problem is with fixed spool the line is getting to much twist that will destroy the line in the long run...... All 7 of my kits are free spool like abbu 7000 high speed that a casting salmon rig and still have my 35 year old Pen jig master with a steel spool on a 15 foot one piece rod that the guys like Frank from a well known fish shop ,and we fish every Saturday on ak west coast for about 20 + years and yes long casting with 8 oz leads and today as to d-m old to use the reel is still on a 7 ft snapper rod on my boat...Fixed spool ....Just got number 8 from the boat show.. Fin Nor 6 foot rod and reel for 99 dollars...Nice addition.... Many get worried about casting fixed spool and the secret is ... Hold rod at about 2 o' clock and let lead fall to floor... Is spool still spins on adjust side tension on spool till it stops when lead hits the ground so set up like this will remove the effect of bird nest.......Cheers and Good Fishing |
Posted By: Titahi
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2013 at 4:25pm
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Yesterday morning I was fishing a ledge with about 10 other guys castings spanyo jigs for Spanish bar mackeral, most of the guys had Stella,s and saltigas.... One guy was swapping between a Stella and a torium for casting. The torium was out casting every thing by about 30 meters..... He got all the bites:) Always a pleasure to watch an educated thumb on the spool lip, and no line twist! ------------- "I love standing by the ocean and just knowing what its for" |
Posted By: kiwi phill
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2013 at 8:33pm
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Drag setting is most important with all free spool...We also to get ultimate distance removed the drag washes and have removed the level wind stuff also .. TIP...Hold rod at about 1.30 to 2 o clock and lead fall ... If stops going down loosen end play knob a bit...Repeat till lead hits floor. If spool keeps turning tighten end play knob.. Repeat till spool stops as lead hits floor.... THIS is your starting point.. from there try casting with out putting any shock jerk that will make the spool shock in to high speed spinning that's not controllable.. Once happy with spool control with thumb then back of end play a fraction of a turn and try again.. SIDE ways swing NOT over head will load the rod with out the snap that causes the birds nest.. Made I should becoming casting tutor and make millions......... Up till a couple of years ago my favourite as Abbu 10000 C that was made with out level winding but the old thumb gate me pain so had to change to 7000 high speed wind.. I once remember I went to waitaki river after salmon with my pass over brother and only had a 8 foot river rod but on arrival I found that all the rivers were in major flood so ment I had to use an old rod of Dan 's that was just 12 foot so reel seat did not suit my grip so off to service station for 2 hose claps to fix Abbu 7000 high speed reel. Well I knew technique was most important as we use a big swing cast.. After a bit of practice I found that distance was as good or better than the local pro's with free spool reels at the bottom of the rod and cost about 1000 dollars each Man the dirty looks.. Technique is the key factor when distance casting with free spools and use good thumb.. At 90 mile beach before the fish start we have beach casting contests with out hook or bait jus 5 oz lead..Try it some time and get a shock at the distance you get.. If someone ask you where is your PDF it could well be me as after blood poisoning that got into my hip replacement would mean if your in the water I or others might not able to pull you in the a boat as once wet it can near double a person's weight,,,,,,,, Cheers And hope HELPS ALL FISH'O..........Kiwi Phill.........Phill Collis
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