Goose52

oldschoolbasser could fill in the details but as a starting point one could say that they are both Abu Ambassadeur 2500C "platforms". Neither reel is a stock, factory configuration. oldschoolbasser starts with a 2500C frame and hand-crafts the reels individually, using a combination of original, and aftermarket/custom, parts. The bottom photo shows one 2500C and it looks like two 1500C "platform" based reels. Pretty neat...

Mike's Reel Repair in Canada. I was ordering a couple ceramic pawls and noticed that they had the handle, with the recess, for $50. It's carbon fiber, has 4 bb, and meaty EVA knobs. Maybe not the classiest CF handle but it fits and I needed a handle anyway. The 2500 in the above photo had a bent Daiwa handle on it when I bought it... ALSO - I see where Mike's has lowered the price of their 2-bb cog wheel to a dirt-cheap $19.95 USD. I have never seen one in person so can't comment on how it works but the price is now $10 cheaper than the lightened Avail unit sold at Hedgehog...

There are canoes, and then there are CANOES. There are yaks, and there are YAKS. You can't really compare them unless you decide how you want to rig them and how you want to use them. This question comes up often enough that I have some boilerplate text on file and will paste below. Welcome to BR. Really, only you can answer that question. Some types of small watercraft (canoes, kayaks, bass raiders, float tubes, pontoons, inflatables, etc.) are perfect for some people. No one type of small watercraft is perfect for all people. In selecting whether you want to get a canoe or a kayak, you need to make a list of your needs, and then determine which craft is the better fit for you. Some of the factors to consider: Stabililty and standing capability (moving around, landing fish, another person or kids or dogs in the boat, standing to fish, etc.) Cargo/gear storage (how much stuff do you want to take) Inboard storage & handling (canoe) versus handling things in your lap or over the water (yak) Seating position (usually, but not always more upright seating in a canoe vs. legs-out in yak - have back problems?) Vessel weight (how much can you lift/transport) Transportability - to the water and possible portaging (do you have a truck, trailer, going to car-top, need to portage, etc.) Ease of paddling Will you want the capability to motor it? Manueverability Type of water (lakes, streams, white water, etc.) Number of people in the craft Stay mostly dry or don't mind getting a bit wet Length of voyage (couple hours or a couple days) Etc. Once you answer those questions based on your own capabilities and needs, you'll come closer to chosing either a canoe, a yak, or a hybrid. All are great watercraft in their own ways, you just have to find the best fit for YOU. I faced the same decision as you are tying to make now but I was open to all types of small watercraft from float tubes up to bass boats. The best solution for ME, was a heavily accessorized canoe. I only fish my local, small (1.5 to 201 acres), no-wake lakes. Some of these lakes don't have boat ramps. I needed something car-topable without a special rack, modular, very light weight, with as much capability as possible. I wanted stability so I could stand and fish all day, lots of inboard storage, motorized, and little to no maintenance. I didn't want to have to buy a truck or other tow vehicle, I didn't want to consume a garage bay or driveway space with a boat and trailer, didn't want high expense and high maintenance, and didn't want to use gasoline power. Taking everything into account, I ended up with a canoe, trolling motor, and outriggers for stability.

Here are the "before" and "after" parts of a recent 2500C hop-up: Before: After:

I tie most baits direct...except for crankbaits. While working around a lake, I often have 4 or 5 cranks in front of me and switch back and forth between those baits depending on the depth I'm trying to hit. Snap is the way to go in this case...

Have fun ! If you haven't seen it yet - Avail just came out with an aluminum line guide and cap for the 1500/1600/2500/2600C Ambassadeurs that is about 1/3 the weight of the stock parts. I just got three sets in the other day and already have one installed on a 2500C. The 2600C that I got on eBay was a GREAT buy, It was a mint condition 2600C (not a scratch on it) AND, it came with about $265 worth of tuning parts (and also included all removed stock parts). The reel came with: Avail deep spool ZPI 4bb handle w/Daiwa-style knobs 2bb cog wheel 1bb level wind kit Ceramic spool bearings Carbontex drag washers Ceramic pawl Mint condition 2600C and $265 of tuning parts - my winning bid on eBay was $222 ! Hey Hootie - sorry we're drifting off your original topic...figured you wouldn't mind...

Thanks for the tip Gary - I saw both of those a while back. I think Jun has recently lowered the price of the 2500C Black Special. That reel is just "in the middle" - since it has quite a bit of rash on the sideplates it's not desirable to many collectors...but it's too expensive to just use for fishing (you could get a serviceable standard 2500C for half the price). The 2600C didn't tempt me as I had a REAL score on one of those on eBay a couple months ago (and while I'm typing this I see that oldschoolbasser just nabbed it!). Not a lot of 2600C's come up for sale so good score for him...

Whats the lure weight rating on the rod? Like A-Jay said - a 6XD is one thing...a 10XD is nearly twice as heavy (nearly two ounces). If the rod flexes like a moderate, or moderate-fast action, and your intended bait is within the rod's weight rating - give it a try. You already have the rod so you have nothing to lose...

Yeah baby - THAT'S the way to do it...

I trust ya buddy - I know you'll slime it up...

A most excellent way to break-in a new reel - CONGRATS !

I have no experience with the lighter pound-test lines commented on by Kevin22, but I can say that my one pound spools of 6, 8, and (two) 10 pound-test line are doing fine - 5 years after purchase. I've actually used up one of the 10 pound spools and am currently working down the other. The 6 and 8 pound spools will last me many years based on current consumption. Hopefully, the line will not deteriorate over that time. Check back in another 5 or 10 years and I can give you an update...

I use YZ-UltraSoft from time to time... I picked up 26,400 yards when these 1 pound spools were on sale for only $25 each. I think I have enough YZ-US to last for a while...

I don't know if my Dad, who is 93, qualifies as an "old guy of the old days"...but if he does, I can tell you exactly how he caught many of his bass. It wasn't burning a spinnerbait, crankbait, or whatever with a 36 IPT reel...it was by putting a pretty hefty hook through the back of a brim or shiner, pushing the clutch button on his trusty 3.8:1 geared Ambassadeur 5000, and chucking that brim or shiner into likely spots where bass hang out. Then he'd wait for a big 'ole bass to come along... He used a baitcasting reel to, well, cast bait. When working plugs, he generally used a spinning rod which back then would often have a higher IPT than the BC reels of the day. For him, fishing was about obtaining food and having a relaxing day. It wasn't about speed, competition, maximizing yield by "covering water." Those seem to be mostly more modern (post-1970) concepts originating in tournament angling. What has been somewhat lost is that fishing is about more than catching...or at least it used to be...

Dang - that's right - I even "liked" that post. Good show !

Complete with a "gator grip" and ready to roll...

Conquests look better when accompanied by a bass...you need to work on that...

I'm 63 and I'm not touching this.... This is a "winter-type" thread when folks got lots of time to talk while they stare at hard water. Well, it's spring and the bite is on...no time for this kinda thread at all... The old-guy scores today...of course, at a blazing 23 IPT...

You posted a new photo of your TM mounted. What is that battery hiding under the deck - it looks smaller than a Group 24. Is it a Group U1 or a Group 22 ???

Lookin' good Have fun and always wear your PFD !

There's some "C" series reels in there right now: Fisherman's Factory Outlet

I still have a pesky part-time job that requires occasional travel - while you guys are on Kentucky Lake...I will be either in Singapore or flying back from there. However, if you're ever driving east on I40 and going through the Crossville area - let me know ! I do own Daiwas including a Tatula (on a 7'7" Tatula rod) - it's a great reel at it's price point. I don't think Shimano is competitive at that sub-$100 price point. This Tatula combo has mostly replaced the PQ 5-Year Challenge test reel as my go-to, any-weather, open-water lipless crank outfit. Regarding ownership of BC reels, I now have a bunch of Abu, BPS, Daiwa, and Shimanos - most are interesting reels and good values at their own price points. I like different stuff up and down the price spectrum. Back to your post - if your price point is $150, I believe that there has been another "best reel for $150" thread recently that you might want to look for.

Hey RW - over the years we have both had our "horizons" expanded. While I have 17 BPS BC reels......................I now have 22 Shimano BC reels... Seems the bait monkey whispers that "S" word a lot...

I have 17 BPS BC reels - good values at the time I bought them. Wait for the eventual sale and they're even better values. Of all of those 17 reels (from the Rick Clunn, Pro-Lite, Pro Qualifier, Carbonlite [1st Gen - gold], and Johnny Morris Carbonlite [black] series), the only problems I had were with the black JM Carbonlites. The early production lots of that reel had a manufacturing issue that resulted in a grindy feeling. I have also had to replace the spool bearings in both of those black JM CLs - they are now "in-reserve" and I don't use them much any longer. Otherwise - the BPS BC reels give yeoman service and will provide value equal to or greater than their cost. Keep in mind that all of my experience is with reels from the PQ range on up. I mentioned above that the reels were good values at the time I bought them (starting in 2008). Back then, people on this board said I was crazy because I bought a PQ instead of a Citica. But the Citica was only available in one gear ratio (6.3:1) while the PQ was available in a whopping 4 ratios. If you wanted a 6.7 ounce reel back then, why not consider the Pro-Lite? The Curado 50E hadn't even been released then and when it was it cost twice as much. Lot's of choices and features from BPS back then that weren't available from the Shim-Dai reels. That was then, this is now. Reels from all manufacturers are available in a multitude of ratios, with great cutting-edge features, and at all price levels. The Daiwa Tatula, in particular, is a game changer when obtained at the sub-$100 price point. BPS hasn't really kept up. So, if you find a BPS reel at the price point you want, and it has the features that you want, it will probably provide good service. BUT, unlike 6-8 years ago, there's lot's of competition out there for your hard earned bucks and careful research and shopping are in order... My PQ torture test was mentioned above. This test proved to the naysayers that you can indeed get more than one "season" out of a PQ, quite a few "seasons" in fact. However, the test also proved that you can indeed wear one out if you fish it long enough. For the PQ, the Achilles heel is the centrifugal braking system - the brake shoes, and the brass brake drum. For those interested in a WHOLE BUNCH OF WORDS AND PHOTOS about life with a PQ over 5 years of near daily use, go to: BPS Pro Qualifier BC Reel - 5 Year Challenge

Yeah baby - the round reel scores...