I'm looking for a new reel  to go ctfishing with. What suggestions  do yall have

Everyone has their own opinions. I use a BPS Megacast MCM2000 bait cast reel with 17 pound test Trilene XT for channel cats, and a Peen Peer 209 levelwind with 80 pound test Offshore Angler braided Dacron with 50 pound test Trilene Big Game leader for flatheads.

I have different set ups for different sized fishes. I will run from a Shimano Stradic 3000 up to a Stradic 6000 for spinning reels and generally I use a Shimano Cardiff 400A for my levelwind reel. For my cheapo set up aka loaner, I have a Shakespeare Alpha XT reel with 20# mono. The reel weighs in about 24 oz.

I like the penns I use the 209,4/0,9/0 I find that these are the most maintence free reels I have found. just my 2 cents Dave

how about one just thats big and sturdy?

I had one that was big and sturdy have had it for a while and it finally kicked the bucket

Zebco 808,  15lb stren flourescent

depends on what you're going for. Where I live 4-5# channel cats are most abundant with an occasional 5-10# flatty. I fish with three, medium power, 7' Jig-a-Whopper rods with 40 size Okuma spinning reels loaded with 12# trilene. These have lasted 4 years already with no problems.

I have Abu Garcia's for myself , and Zebco 808's for the family, they all work good for us.

Well,its all about your personal opinion, but as far a reel that will catch almost any catfish and any other fish, id go with an Abu Garcia 5600 c4 reel with about 30 lbs line. I have that real with 30lbs braided line on an ugly stik tiger rod. i fish for bass, catfish, sturgeon, and anything else with this rod.

abu garcia and a 7ft. ugly stik. simple and easy can't beat it.

When I am fishing for big cats (20+ lbs.) I use an Ambassador 5500C or 6500C spooled in 20+ lb. line.  When I am looking to play a little I like to use a Shimano 2500 or 3000 spooled with 8 lb. line on a long ultra lite rod.  I have laned several in the 30+ lbs. group with the ultra lite rig but it usually takes me about an hour to get it to shore.  My Dad (84) got me interested in the ultra lites.  He caught one two weeks back that weighed in at just over 39 lbs.--took him an hour and a half to land him, needless to say he was exhausted from the fight and I was exhausted from watching.  What a thrill our Father let us share this moment!  Uncle Tom  We usually rig up Zebco's for the grand kids.  My grand son caught a 3 lb. bass for Mother's Day.  He was so excited.  As he pulled him out he turned to me and said:  "PaPa, he sure has big eyes!

BASS PRO SHOPS Sells one called the CAT MAXX it come in spinning and baitcast. Will hold a tone of line I would rig it up with some Sufix 832 50lb braid and put it on an ugly stick. Great for whiskered giants of the deep !


Jaysun7776


Mesquite TX 

Abu garcia. You really can't go wrong in my opinion.Made in Sweden.

For the serious catfisherman it is hard to be Ambassador 5500C or 6500C.  First of all they are durable--almost impossible to wear one out.  Second, you can spool plenty of 20 to 30 pound line on one which will give you enough strength and power to pull the biggest monster out of heavy cover.  Third, they do not require a lot of maintenance but if you give it a cleaning and lubrication it is hard to say how long they will last.  I have one in my closet mounted on the first heavy duty rod I ever built and both rod and reel are just as good today as the day I mounted them together (40+years ago).  I also like to fish  for cats in our lake with my grand kids.  They use a Zebco 33 which is equally hard to beat for maintenance and price.  Its symplicity works wonders with grand kids--simple to throw and allows them to catch one with bragging rights to Grand Ma!  Good luck and good fishing.  Why not let the kids help with preparation and eat a mess of catfish fillets for dinner.  Uncle Tom

I have the cat maxx, love it

i have the bps mcm2000 baitcaster. its not exspensive and i have had no complaints about it

Alot depends on what the waters you fish holds. I've used spinning gear exclusively for years.Size 30-35 reels and medium weight rods. I use mostly Quantum's and an Okuma here and there. Ten to twelve pound line. I fish rivers and impoundments only from shorelines and catch channels and flatheads. Most are in the 3-15# range. No need for a $100 rod or $100 reel. Just prop the rod on a bank stick and wait for it to bend

I have heard the Abu Garcia 6500 C-3 is the best catfishing reel you can buy. I may just have to invest in one

The best reel for catfish would be the toughest reel, and the toughest one I have is a Rhino RBCXL. This thing is twice the size of an Ambassadeur and twice as tough. Don't get me wrong, Abu Garcias are great reels. I have an Ambassadeur 5600 and a BCX 6600 and I love them both, but this Rhino is like a winch! It has sideplates that look like plastic or graphite, but don't let that fool you. It has no flex, and the clicker is so loud you can here it across the lake! You can find great deals on them on E-bay, and at a price of under 50 bucks, they are an excellent alternative to higher priced reels like Abu Garcia, Shimano, and Penn.

I disagree mo65 I think you get what you pay for

You do get what you pay for. But sometimes you don't need what you're paying for. 

jaysun7776: sang_vo is right, you DO get what you pay for. And with the Rhino RBCXL you get a reel that does the same thing an abu garcia does, catch fish....at half the price!  Just trying to save you some money.

Posted By mo65 on 07 Aug 2011 08:41 AM
jaysun7776: sang_vo is right, you DO get what you pay for. And with the Rhino RBCXL you get a reel that does the same thing an abu garcia does, catch fish....at half the price!  Just trying to save you some money.

Same thing can be said for the BPS MCM2000 baitcast reel. Great reel, great price. $29.99.

I the Rhino RBCXL the Zebco rhino ????? Can you put braid or 30 pound mono on it ????

jaysun7776: I'm not sure what you're trying to say. You could put whatever line you want on it. I have Trilene Big Cat 25lb. hi-vis on mine.

Yeah I thought yall were talking about the old closed face zebco rhino like the 33. I looked up the reel it looks awesome bass pro doesnt have any though. How do you like that big cat hi vis line mo65 ????

Where can you buy one ?

jaysun7776: I bought mine at an auction for, get this, 10 bucks.... but it was used. There are several on E-bay right now. I saw one used reel that the bid was at 1.00! A few brand new under 50.00, this is a lot of reel for under 50 bucks! If you were looking for a smaller reel that could do double duty bass fishin' also, they make one called a 330 something. Just go to E-bay and check them out. Also, add me to your friends list so you can send me a message and let me know how good you do on it! GOOD LUCK!
                                                                                                                                                                                          

jaysun7776: Almost forgot to answer that question about the line! I've been using the Trilene Big Cat for a few years now instead of braid. Most guys won't agree with this but here's why. When a big cat turns quick or makes a fast burst, and you're using braid, he can straiten the hook, rip the hook out, bust lighter braid, or worst of all, BREAK YOUR ROD! I know....I've had it happen. So have alot of other guys, but they blame it on a cheap rod or a cheap hook. Mono has stretch, and this is GOOD. You need stretch for big cats. I'm talking about 20lb. plus fish, not little 5 pounders. They're not going to bust your rod. And make your mono heavy because it doesn't have the abrasion resistance of braid. I like the Hi-Vis Yellow. don't worry about it spookin' fish. From your swivel down to the hook use clear line. BOOYAH! 
                                                   

I have a Abu 6500 C3 on a BPS Cat Maxx 7 mh rod with 30 big Cat trilene on it. I also have another Cat Maxx rod I need a good reel for thinking about the rhino just to see how it works. I spent $100 on the abu but it sure a sweet reel. Thanks for the info MO65. What part of the country you live in ??

I'm in Chillicothe, Ohio. That's in the southern part of the state. Lots of good catin' around here, Blues,Flats, and channels. You're right about the Abu Garcia 6500 C3, great reel. They are pricey, that's why I suggested the Rhino. I don't know how it will match to that Cat Maxx rod, I'd have to see it. The Rhino RBCXL is a BIG reel, I have mine on a big old honkin' pier rod! If you check them out on E-bay, don't forget that smaller model(RBC 330), IT may be a better match for the Cat Maxx rod.

Most people don't use braid for cat fishing because it has almost no abrasion resistance. Once it gets nicked it unravels. I use 80 pound test Magibraid from BPS on my flathead reel with a 5 foot leader of 50 pound test Trilene Big Game.I have 220 yards of the Magibraid spooled on my Penn Peer 209 reel. My rod is a BPS Offshore Angler Power Plus Trophy Class boat rod rated for 50 to 80 pound test line. AWESOME rod for $29.99.
My channel cat rig is a Rhino Kevlar medium-heavy baitcast rod with a BPS MCM2000 baitcast reel ($29.99) spooled with 200 yards of 17 pound test Trilene XT line.
I assembeled the channel cat rig for about $75 and the flathead rig for about $110.

awesome I hope to get into some big uns soon. What do you guys like to use for bait. Alive or dead

BPS CatMaxx 70 spinning reels spooled with 300yds of 65# Power Pro.

There are a few details to consider: 1. Like slipperybob pointed out, the size of your target fish; 2. Your preferred method of fishing (baitcasting, spincasting); 3. Your fishing conditions (sometimes cats like to hang in trashy neighborhoods, loaded with snags, etc. & you'll need to fish heavier line, sometimes they hang out on smooth bottoms, where the size of the line can be lighter); 4. The fishing rod you'll be using it on. The reel and rod have to balance, so take your rod(s) with you when you hook up with your favorite tackle store. SPINCASTING: for small to medium sized fish, you can't go wrong with a Zebco 33, Zebco Legacy 1L, or Zebco 1 Classic, which are all full-featured reels (with bait alarms and selective antireverses) for stillfishing more than one rod/reel combo. For medium to large fish, the Zebco 808, 888 or "Brute" should be your pick. Though they don't have bait alarms, they still have selective antireverses that can be turned off so the rig's not pulled into the drink. BAITCASTING: you want a baitcaster that has a bait alarm, so you can set the rod/reel up & not have to hold it to keep it from taking a bath. For small to medium fish, a BassPro Megacast MCM1000, a Penn Levelmatic 920, an Internmational 945, or a good, old, dependable Penn #9 will do it for you. For medium to lerger fish, a BassPro MegacastMCM2000, a Penn Levelmatic 940, a Penn #209, or an Ambassedeur 6000 series reel will do the job just fine.

4 channel cats i use cheap kids zebco outfit. Have caught upto 18#ers on 6# line. Cats r notorious rod thie{1}****&run b4 u can grab your rod.) If they take your rod your only out $20 OR LESS. aLSO HAVE AN UGLY STICK (SHAKESPEAR) fitted w/heavy daiwa open face and 30#braid.

zebco kids outfits

Zebco puts out catfish combo's in both open face and push button. $36 at wal-mart.

Zebco catfish combo's at wal-mart $36. Either push button or open face available.

I like the abu 6500 c3

I have a rhino rbc baitcaster and the rbc spincast reels on ugly sticks. they both are like winches bringing in fish.no monsters on either one but I keep trying. 30 # mono on baitcaster and 20# mono on the spincast.like them both.along with my abu's. trying to talk my daughter into buying me a abu 7ooo for xmas.just picked up a penn 209 for 20 bucks.

Posted By BJsullivan on 04 Nov 2011 10:50 AM
I have a rhino rbc baitcaster and the rbc spincast reels on ugly sticks. they both are like winches bringing in fish.no monsters on either one but I keep trying. 30 # mono on baitcaster and 20# mono on the spincast.like them both.along with my abu's. trying to talk my daughter into buying me a abu 7ooo for xmas.just picked up a penn 209 for 20 bucks.

The baitcast series is RBC, but the spincast series is RSC. I have an RSC 5, the biggest spincast, also on an Uglystik. This is an excellent channel cat combo. Then I have the RBCXL baitcaster on a pier rod for flatheads. I can't find faults with these Rhinos...if more people knew what these reels are capable of...Wal-mart couldn't keep them on the shelf! 
                                                                                                                         

Here's a photo of the Rhino RBCXL. As you can see, it's a big'un! That's an Abu Garcia BCX 6600 beside it for comparison.

That is about the size reel I use for leadcore! Only problem I have is that for walleye (and a lesser degree salmon) the reels that are large enough to hold the line have too much drag. I have had to remove discs from the drag of the large Tekota LC reels we use.

That Rhino looks to be about the size of my Penn Peer 209.

Posted By bass or bass? on 27 Nov 2011 10:39 AM
That Rhino looks to be about the size of my Penn Peer 209.

Hey Bass, I'd say it's probably between a 209 and the 309 in size. That Penn Peer 209 is an excellent catfish reel.  
                                                                                                                                                                   

Here's two more worth an honorable mention. They are the Zebco Hawgseeker and the Zebco 888. Both are easy to use, super strong, and within any anglers budget. I use these two for small to medium channels, but I have hooked and landed cats up to 30lbs. on these with no problems.

Mr Mo. I double checked mine sir and I stand corrected. It is indeed a RSC5. More people must have found out because the two walmarts near me do not have them on the shelf.lol

Hey BJ, that's a riot! The same thing happened here...they were on the shelf here forever...and now they're ALL gone!

I have the cat maxx by bass pro shops, great reel hasn't let me down once.

I have the cat maxx by bass pro shops, great reel hasn't let me down once.

I have also seen them at Super Kmart for around 30 bucks.

ok guys ive kinda narrowed it down to the catmaxx and rhino rbcxl. for those who own these reels hows the preformance and durability

Kevin, These two are almost identical feature wise. Both are also durable performers, but I give the nod to the Rhino because its about $15 less and has a much louder clicker.

Where can I find the rhino ?

Where can I find the rhino ?

Kevin, don't know where you're located, but here in Ohio Wal-mart and K-mart both sell them. If I remember right K-mart's price was $44.99...or you can watch for a deal on eBay. I replaced my used one with a brand new one that I bought there for only $27.35!
                                                                                                                                                                        

Well when i went channel fishing with my friend from Georgia, He used a Abu Garcia Ambassadeur C3 6500 with 35Lb test.

im in texas and cant find the rbxcl anywhere, havent even seen it on ebay

Posted By CatmanKevin on 19 Dec 2011 10:16 PM
im in texas and cant find the rbxcl anywhere, havent even seen it on ebay

Kevin, you're right...I just checked eBay...none on there. Maybe because its the season, check back later. I noticed the other day Wal-mart was out of stock too. They still have some at K-mart...have you checked there?

I'm sure you have allready got your new reel by nowbut I wll make a suggestion if you ever decide to purchase another reel. Check out RENEGADE TACKLE and go to their reel section, there are two reels there that rivale the ABU's at almost half the cost. The OMOTO 6000 Wavecaster or the Ming Yang's. These are some awsome reels and RENEGADE TACKLE is awsome to deal with.

quantum spinning reels their the best

Ask 100 people and you get 100 answers. Just because I like a particular reel doesnt mean that you will like it. There are a lot of variables that will determine what works best for you. Do you prefere spinning or baitcasting? Fishing from shore or boat? Are you targeting 50# blues or flats or 4# channel cats? The list goes on. It comes down to your own preference.