Fish-Hawk.Net

I burned through my corvallus in one season of musky fishing. Time to upgrade...

I need a 400 because I jig 100 yards deep for snappers. I would love a line out alarm.

I reely loved the feel of my round corvalus...made casting easy for me with not issues...

I am left handed. Id love a Calcutta B but they don't make them is left...

I have held a Calcutta D (11lb drag) and it feels more plasticky then my corvallus....(just an opinion)

I played with a revo NACL...it has a 20lb drag but a thump that stiffens up bad with the fine adjustment...

I played with a curado but it is small and pricey.

I played with the daiwa lexa, 22lb drag...they make it in left... but the 400 weighs 16 OUnCES.... thats like strapping a pound of butter to the top of your baitcasting
rod...

I use 80lb braid and I only cast for musky.

Can anyone tell me what experience they have had with the reels. Can anyone explain to me how they calculate the drag. When I fully tighten my 11lb drag it seems like it takes a lot more than 11lbs to take line. I hooked a snapper down south, my drag was as tight as possible and the snapper took line like nothing.... It seems like none of the reels above fit all my wants /needs.... 400 size, round, 22lb drag, salt water worthy, smooth operation...

If you go on ebay, they have Calcutta 401f, they have Calcutta TE, Calcutta conquest, Calcutta cobune.... Its just confusing...

Calcutta TE will do everything you want it to do.

I have a Curado, Nice reel, I find it a little on the small side for Musky reel for larger baits. but for tossing smaller bucktails and spinnerbaits its perfect

I also use a Calcutta 400. Love this reel. but like you said it's not a lefty

I'm currently looking at getting the Lexa 400. I've heard good things about it. The weight doesn't really bother me.

One thing i would recommend is get a power handle.

I've heard of getting a more accurate reading by measuring drag and not using the reel on a rod while measuring, this should swing the measurement upwards as the rod and line guides are no longer aiding the reel. There are drag measuring tools available.

Diawa Lexa 400HSL-P - First year has been great with it, still as tight and powerful as first day, seems durable, but who knows, only one year in, i like it enough, that at 200$, i bought 2. I do not have an issue with weight or size, there is a legend on this board, i beleive uses a sport glove to tighten grip on the bigger reels.

Abu Garcia NACl61 - 2 years of use, and i pound the crap out of this one, it is a beast. Smaller and possibly more comfortable for you, yet has loads of power when fighting Giants.

I had a Curado 300E, 2 years ago-ish, before they remodeled them, not worth it's weight in fish scales, it was light, constantly needed re-adjusting, and bearings started to go half way through the season. A very flimsy reel, if you fish big more than once a week. It was very comfortable though. Very Pasticy feeling.

I have never owned a Calcutta, but i have never heard anything negative either. This is still ranked very highly in the musky casting world.

BigC wrote:Calcutta TE will do everything you want it to do.

do they still make TE...

I love the good of the Calcutta 401F but they are jigging reels with no level wind adjustments...

IgglesD wrote:I've heard of getting a more accurate reading by measuring drag and not using the reel on a rod while measuring, this should swing the measurement upwards as the rod and line guides are no longer aiding the reel. There are drag measuring tools available.

Diawa Lexa 400HSL-P - First year has been great with it, still as tight and powerful as first day, seems durable, but who knows, only one year in, i like it enough, that at 200$, i bought 2. I do not have an issue with weight or size, there is a legend on this board, i beleive uses a sport glove to tighten grip on the bigger reels.

Abu Garcia NACl61 - 2 years of use, and i pound the crap out of this one, it is a beast. Smaller and possibly more comfortable for you, yet has loads of power when fighting Giants.

I had a Curado 300E, 2 years ago-ish, before they remodeled them, not worth it's weight in fish scales, it was light, constantly needed re-adjusting, and bearings started to go half way through the season. A very flimsy reel, if you fish big more than once a week. It was very comfortable though. Very Pasticy feeling.

I have never owned a Calcutta, but i have never heard anything negative either. This is still ranked very highly in the musky casting world.

I love hearing someone speak from experience...my gut was leaning towards the revo nacl and the LEXA400.... but they have no lefty revos left at sail and 1 single left lexa left at lebaron!!!! I better hurry...

Im still checking Ebay on a daily basis for a new superdeal...missed a Calcutta 401d for 320$ last week

Ya, finding musky gear, let alone lefty musky gear in Ottawa, is sort of the where's Waldo for grown men, all my stuff comes from US, or out of town vendors at shows.

IgglesD wrote:Ya, finding musky gear, let alone lefty musky gear in Ottawa, is sort of the where's Waldo for grown men, all my stuff comes from US, or out of town vendors at shows.

Let's be honest here, we love running arround for fishing gear....
On a more serious note, i will get the lexa 400 series, i plan on putting mono at the buttom and big braid on top.... I love those round reels but its not quite in the cards right now...

No more Lexa available at Lebaron... So I got the Calcutta D 401 for 380$ total after no taxes and 10% off cause I'm a member... I loaded it with 50lb test Berkley big game mono and I put100 yards of 100lb tuff line on top. I put it on my 8 foot 6 daiwa rod and I can't wait to try it tomorrow morning... The old corvalus is going on a 6 foot 6 fenwick hmx rod. I spent last weekend with a musky guide from lake of the woods. All he uses is Calcutta and 6 foot 6 loomis rods.... Easier for topwater and jerkbait I guess...