Which ones do you guys mostly use. I am looking into getting a couple and do not now much about the different models. Except they are expensive.


Thanks,
Karl

I love the ambassadeur reels, I've probably got around 12-15 total. If you want one that holds a lot of line I highly recommend the 6500c3's and the 6600c4's. I use them for kittys and plan to use them for striper/hybrids. They are tough and well made and reasonablly priced. It just depends on what you want them for. The 6000 is also a nice reel but you need about a 1oz weight to cast very far with them. My 2 cents. I'm not a guide just a fan of ambassadeur.

I bought my first Ambassador when I was 16. Wish I still had it.I have a 5500 and a 6500 now. Good reels.

All of them are good. Just get one that fits you.

Check with Southwestern Parts in Dallas. I think that's the name of the place. You can get refurbished Abu's for I think $20 or $25 each.

A few years ago at the Arlington Tackle show, I bought 5 or 6 of them. They are all doing well.

I had some for Stripers and Hybrids and I got rid of them. The drag locked up on me on more than one occasion when a big fish made a run and I got broke off. I wouldn't use one where big fast fish are. Just my 2 cents.

Capt Omar, what do you prefer?

Enjoy your contribution with Brian Hughes on the weekend fishing show.

Bigcat Dave

Biggest difference in the Abu's round reel line-up is the difference between the 5500's and 6500's.

6500's have clickers and teh 5500's don't. If you plan on EVER doing any bait fishing for catfish, you are going to need the clicker.

Bigcat Dave,

First of all thanks for the kind words. I always try to be helpful and truthful on the show.

I don't want to sound like a Bass Pro ad but I really like their reels. For live bait I use the CAT MAXX reel, for trolling I use their Inshore levelwind the smallest model - sorry I can't remember the name and for casting they have a new Inshore Extreme reel that is working very well for me and my clients. I was using the standard freshwater Extreme reel and will continue to. The drags on these reels have never locked up and if a big fish makes a run they peel line easily and smoothly. The same can be said for the Extreme Spinning reels.

Also if you would like a low-profile baitcaster the Revo is nice, but like you said pricey. I've got the SXT(i believe) it was $149 but I love it.

I have had no probs with any of the five Ambassadeur reels I own. Some rough treatment has bent the handles on a couple and I've lost the little cap on the reel handle a couple times, but they've never given me any serious issues.
Now that being said, I rarely CAST these reels at fish. They are primarily used to slab up sandies, hybrids and to troll (which is also rare). I have other reels for casting. I have a couple of the 6000 series for catfishing. They're pretty much the "industry standard" as far as I know.

surly you jest!
A red will out pull a striper or hybrid about two-three times in strength and about three-five times in endurance. I have never had a drag lock up on an Abu 6000 or 6500, in about eighteen years of red fishing. I have never lost a fish because of a drag or any other failure using an Abu. My reels are six and seven years old and are cleaned about every six to eight months if they need it or not.
My partner, Chad Ferguson, did have some catmaxx reels when he first started fishing with me about five years ago but the big blues soon put em in the trash can, in a matter of a very very few months.

No I am not kidding, I had it happen on more than one occasion or I wouldn't say it. I may have been using a 5500 or a 5600 now that I think about it but it left a bad taste in my mouth I have never gotten past. One fish was in the Brazos below PK and that fish was probably the biggest fish I have ever hooked. He turned and made a run - drag locked up and he was gone!

Perosnal opinions, I newer had a problem with a catmaxx.

I know Shimano drag washers need to be cleaned and greased periodically to maintain their performance. Have ya'll ever greased the drag washers on an Ambassadeur? This is not the first time I've heard of drag failure on an Ambassadeur with a big fish.

Now I see why I like 'em. I never catch big fish.

I did have some problems a couple of years ago with the 6600d5 reels that they came out with that had the mag. & mech. drag on one adjustment. After using them about a year with problems. I talked to the guys at BPS and they allowed me to exchange both of them, no questions . I swapped them both for 6500c3 and have been happy every since . I've never caught stripers with them yet but have had a few good sized kittys on them with no problems other than me not having the drag set right. I pulled in a 37.5#er out of Tawakoni on 20# test line without any problems other than timber getting in the way, and him running under the boat, but he finally gave up. Thankfully just before I did. Personally I think that on the [u]Bang for Buck [/u]scale Ambassadeur is hard to beat, there are better reels out there but they usually come with a price. I do like some of the BPS extreme reels that I've got but my first choice is Ambassadeur.