Good line reel for Bigshot

southsoundtree

southsoundtree

Been here much more than a while
Location
Olympia, WA
After getting some good results with our $8 horse panic-snap release, and fighting snarls in a thin, thin braided line on the throwbag for a 120' or so shot, we are ready to step up to a fishing reel for halibut type line.

Monofilament line seems like it will not pull well on oldgrowth fir where we need high shots. Any experience with this scenario, and recommendations on a good reel?
 
Hey Sean,

A few years ago in my pre-BigShot days, I tried a few reels and lines with a hand sling shot (even tried bow&arrows, cross-bow, air cannon). Below is a pic that shows a little bit of that history. I started with a small closed reel but it couldn't hold enough line. Then went to an open face which held enough line. But, it was a pain (at least for me) to keep the line on the reel while setting-up the shot. I ended up with a Zebco 888 which held enough line and worked quite well. If I remember right, I got it at Walmart. It should mount easily on the BigShot. It's very similar to the one Sherrill sells - but cheaper.

As to line; I tried braided, hi-tech, hi-vis, etc. But, mono worked the best and would run through anything. It's almost impossible to see in most situations. So, I used a short section of hi-vis mason line attached to the weight so I could find the end of the line. But: "You have to transfer from the mono to regular throwline, then transfer that to the climbing rope." The mono won't pull the rope through the tree.

Good luck, Jack

6851403932_f91de09eb4_z.jpg
 
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How many feet of line did you get on the reel?

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Just measured: 283 ft of 30# ... looked like there might be room for another hundred.

edit: I must be honest - the whole reel thing was always somewhat of a PITA. But, sometimes it's necessary.
 
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Monofilament line seems like it will not pull well on oldgrowth fir where we need high shots. Any experience with this scenario, and recommendations on a good reel?

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Berkley Fireline is excellent. I like an open-faced reel, less resistance to the weight when you fire. I found the fireline stays put when I open the bail to prepare to fire, it has a good relaxed memory if that makes sense. Best thing you can do is paint your weight a high vis color, I don't bother to try and see the fishing line up in the tree. When you pull a throwline up you can figure out what's what. I don't try to do any isolation with the fishing line, just try and get the throw weight back to the ground and immediately pull a throwline through the tree (or trees more likely) and then make any regular throw bag moves you'd need to do to improve the rope path/setting.

I'd look at surf casting reels. Make the calculation how much line you need to get the weight back to the ground in your typical big trees, what strength line you'd like to use to figure out what capacity reel to use. I can get away with a pretty light reel in the east but in the PNW yer going to need to go bigger of course.
-AJ
 
Sean,

It appears we're not converging on a solution to your question. Perhaps this will help. Tom's and Andrew's spectra recommendations do, in fact, work - as does Andrew's open-faced reel. The open-faced reel in the photo above is wound with spectra and got the job done. I guess it all comes done to what fits your style. I can add to Andrew's recommendation about painting the weight. It helped; but for me, it wasn't enough. The weight, even brightly painted, can get easily lost behind a single leaf. A bright leader of about 2-3 ft. works so much better it might be worth considering.

Oh yeah, Andrew is spot on with; <u>never</u> pull the weight back though the tree. Get it to the ground and immediately replace the weight (and leader) with a throw-line. Pull the throw-line back through the tree. Only then do all the throw-line/bag stuff.

-Jack
 
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After getting some good results with our $8 horse panic-snap release, and fighting snarls in a thin, thin braided line on the throwbag for a 120' or so shot, we are ready to step up to a fishing reel for halibut type line.

Monofilament line seems like it will not pull well on oldgrowth fir where we need high shots. Any experience with this scenario, and recommendations on a good reel?

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The best open face reels that can hold alot of braided line are very expensive of course.

http://www.vanstaal.com/VanStaal2012.pdf

But then so are Wesco Highliner boots.

jomoco
 
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