I broke out my right-handed Abu Garcia 5-Star round reel earlier today.  When I last checked it out a couple weeks ago, I discovered that something was wrong with it. The retrieve was uneven and not smooth.  However, attempting to fix it was the last thing on my mind with my broken ankle on the mend.

Today, I finally had the chance to look into it found out that putting the handle side back in place was difficult to do.  The brakes (two little white shoes) were preventing the reel from closing properly.  They hung out farther than the rim that contained them.  Also, when I managed to close the reel, the brakes rubbed against the same rim at certain times with each revolution of the handle.  This was the cause of the uneven and rough retrieve.

Without the brakes in place the reel was easily and quickly assembled.  The turning of the handle became buttery smooth.

Next, I thought, hmm. Can I cast this baby without brakes?  I wasn't sure but I was going to try. I gave my thumb one instruction: Stop the spool dead cold if it spins out of control. Do not wait or stare like a deer in the headlights.

I mated the reel to a low-end 6' rod, rolled out to the driveway in my office chair with my good foot (won't be able to try walking until August), took a breath, made the cast, and wow!  Holy smokes!! I have never seen this reel spin so freely!! It was beautiful.  My thumb served as my personal, islandbass DC (digital control - digit comes from the Latin word for finger or toe). J

There weren't more than 3 loops of overrun but now my thumb knew the when and where for future casts.

I made right and left handed casts from the chair and stood on my good leg to make an occasional pitch to a manhole and other objects.

The zero brake setting yielded about the same or slightly farther casts but not by too much versus having 2-3 brakes of a centrifugal system on.  I noticed that the thumb is definitely more involved and part of me thinks that is part of the fun I experienced.  The other thing I noticed was that it took less effort to make those casts.  The less effort just might help out in the long run of a long day of fishing.

How many of you fish with zero brakes as the setting on the reel and if you do what are your thoughts about it  To be honest, I expected some nasty overruns. I was surprised that they didn't happen.  I think I am going to try a zero brake setting on my Curado 101D.

If you're willing, if you're daring, give the zero brake setting a whirl.

If you're willing, if you're daring, give the zero brake setting a whirl.

i tried the zero setting on a revo s... backlashed out probably at least 50 yds of line

I usually have all mine set to zero brakes unless I'm casting into the wind.  The only one I have left on all the time is my newest Castaic (2 pins).  I just use the spool tension adjustment and my thumb.  It takes about 15-20 mph wind before I start turning my brakes on.

I have an older ABU Garcia ('84) Ultra Mag 1, with magnetic brakes. I usually have it set on "0" and can cast a country mile ;)with it. My other 2 baitcasters are Citicas and so far 2 on 4 off is the best setting for me. Maybe 1 day ;D...

                                            As Ever,

                                             skillet

If you're willing, if you're daring, give the zero brake setting a whirl.

i tried the zero setting on a revo s... backlashed out probably at least 50 yds of line

i did this too on my revo S-L.  i just cnat get it dialed in on zero brakes.  on my old 5501's i could do it just fine.  i with either one or two brakes now on my revo

All brakes either off or taken out here.

i keep mine at two usually. i guess my thumb needs more education  :-[

Your a better man then I

I tried no brake once, I will not do that again

UPDATE

With a Curado 101D

I don't know about you all, but I thought that I "had it down" if you know what I mean. I was quite confident I could handle my Curado 101D in the same fashion.

El wrongo!! The first cast the spool spun so fast it was not even controllable but luckily my thumb stopped it cold. Whew! Did I mention how fast it was spinning? I thought the abu g was free, but the Curado D was a completely different animal.

A few more casts were about the same, even with "wussy" casts. May 30-50' before it becomes too difficult to manage. The cast has to be super smooth, no muscling at all. Overpower=backlash. It is the epitomy of smooth and easy and even then you might overrun. It was amazing though how fast the 101D goes with no brakes. I still can't compute it.

Then on the last cast some wind comes up out of nowhere and I did the "deer in the headlights" thing. I didn't even bother untangling it. Just glad I was at home to remove the spool and add new line.

Going zero with a curado d is going to take some adjustment. It ought to work fine for short casts and pitches, but with distance casts, no wind had better sneak up on you. It's a disaster waiting to happen.

Silly...

That's great if you don't need brakes, but the technology allows about 90% of baitcast users to fish this style of gear!

8-)

Silly...

That's great if you don't need brakes, but the technology allows about 90% of baitcast users to fish this style of gear!

8-)

Definitely brakes with the curado. I was just testing my personal limits and have concluded it's not worth the trouble. 8-)

Island does your 5-star ABU have spool bearings or just bushings?  The Curado is probably much smoother and freer than the ABU.  If the ABU has spool bushings as with the older Ambassador 5000's then the bushing serve some what as a "brake" when compared to a good bearing.

I could tell a difference in my Citica's when I upgraded to ABEC 7 bearings versus the stock bearings that came in them.

I decided to give no brakes another try the other day... i got 2-3 good casts off and then BAM! I then spent the next fifteen minutes cutting my line off...  >

I could tell a difference in my Citica's when I upgraded to ABEC 7 bearings versus the stock bearings that came in them.

Yup and you could have saved some money by going ABEC5's instead (in ceramic or Stainless), and gotten the same results. The stock BB's are ABEC3..

Just my 2¢ from the bench...

Is it possible that the brakes on the ABU were in the wrong position to begin with?  Out too far and causing your problems.  I have Curado 100 and 200 D's.  As soon as you mentioned 0 brakes I knew how the story ended without even reading any further.  

dave,

Is it possible that the brakes on the ABU were in the wrong position to begin with?  Out too far and causing your problems.

Your right they were in the wrong position when he replaced the crank side plate. Those 2 white blocks should be set to the spool center then the side plate is put in place. Those 2 blocks add weight to the spool and help in the braking of the spool on EVERY cast (no turning them off). Most of the major braking abilities of the older Garcia® Rounds, comes from the Cast Control and the educated thumb, very little from those blocks.

Just my 2¢ from the bench....

Tight Lines!!!

Island does your 5-star ABU have spool bearings or just bushings? The Curado is probably much smoother and freer than the ABU. If the ABU has spool bushings as with the older Ambassador 5000's then the bushing serve some what as a "brake" when compared to a good bearing.

I could tell a difference in my Citica's when I upgraded to ABEC 7 bearings versus the stock bearings that came in them.

It has a bushing.

I could tell a difference in my Citica's when I upgraded to ABEC 7 bearings versus the stock bearings that came in them.

The stock BB's are ABEC3..

Does Shimano and Daiwa use ABEC3's in all there reels, even the higher end reels like the Calais, Zillion, Steez, etc?

All reels I don't care who the MFG or the model is....

Calcutta Stogies came with ABEC 5's.

I must be bad at bait casting cuz I set my curado to use 4 brakes!! I think it has a total of 6 in there.

All of my reels are on zero setting, have done this for a long time.  Makes pitching much easier and I can do it much, much further this way.  Just takes a bit of practice to get on to.

Calcutta Stogies came with ABEC 5's.

Pencil Pusher,

Sorry but I have to disagree.....

They were made in 1998 basically a CT250, in a limited run of a 1000 to 3000. I had seen them back in 02 for sale on E-Bay from $250.00-$650.00, and I doubt that the bearings were anything more than ABEC3.

The gimmick was the reels 5 bb count, unique color and case, and the run size.

Even to days standard Calcutta's are only running ARB's in ABEC3 with only 3bb's. Same with the TE's only a few more BB's.

Just my 2¢ from my bench.

Tight Lines!!!!

This is directly from the sheet inside the wooden case the Stogie came in: "We have included all of the premier features found in our Calcutta reels, but by using premium ABEC 5 bearings this Stogie is smoother than a drag off of a Cohiba".

Pencil Pusher,

Good for you. That sheet doesn't mean anything, maybe the one you have has them..

I'm not going to spar with you about this. I have held, fished, and serviced 4 of those gimmick reels. They were never on the line up list, and as far as today they wouldn't place anything over an ABEC3 BB in them, and would never be considered a "high end" reel..

Sorry for all the thread high jacking all.  

Tight Lines!