anyone tried this?

It might work, it just depends on what that little knob is made of that holds the line. If it is a plastic pin, it will not work, if it is a metal pin, it might work. Take off the top cap and look at the pin that the line is under. I dont own one of these reels but I know how they work. I bet it would work because if I remember, the pin sticking out of the top of the spool is a metal pin. Give it a try or maybe someone else has already tried it.

Mack's Discount Tackle in Lindale has some Zebecs that come from the factory with braid. They're designed for bowfishing. I'm not sure of just what differences that there are between this reel and other Zebecs.

FWIW
TFP

I had braid on my wifes Garcia 170. It worked fine for a while and then somehow it starts embedding into the layers and comes off in jerky fashion that makes it hard to use. She did catch one oversided drum on it so sure can help. The braid was a bit old so maybe it got soft and fuzzy that added to the problem. The garcia has a stainless button for the take up.

I've used Fireline 14lb test on a Rhino spincast quite a bit with no problems. In fact, it's still my "confidence rod" when I get frustrated with backlashes.

doesnt work the line is not slick enough to cast on a spincast

wouldnt work with 20lb stren superbraid

I was looking at the Zebco Omegas today at Mack's. The bigger one has three line pickups, and they are ceramic. There is also a creamic insert in the line opening in the cap.

For spincasting reels these are the best I've ever seen. Check out this review of the Omega .

FWIW
TFP

Thanks for the post TFP. Being new to baitcasting (and spinning rods for that matter), that looks nice to me. I started trying baitcasting for longer casting distances and the gears/bearings for quicker retrieves. With that, I got a spinning rod because finesse and light-weight doesn't work too well on the baitcast rod I have.

Not to hijack the post, but is there any other major advantage to baitcasting other than the gear/bearing and casting distance??

Yes there are indeed. In fact there are three distinct advantages to baitcasting reels.

1. Baitcasting reels give you better control of your cast.
2. Baitcasting reels do not twist line.
3. Baitcasting reels really are small winches when you are fighting a fish.

1.
By thumbing the spool you can break your lure. This allows you to concentrate on things other than distance when you are actually making the cast. You control distance via braking the spool with your thumb. When you gain experience you can feather your lures entry into the water.

2.
The axis of the spool of spinning reels, and spincasting reels are parallel to the direction of line flow during a cast, or a retrieve, and the line is being wrapped about the spool. This means that line twist is inevitable with these sorts of reels. With a baitcaster the axis of the spool is normal to the direction of line flow, and the spool itself is rotating, thus line flow is direct onto or off of the spool. That is to say that there is no 90 degree bend in the line as it comes off of, or goes onto the spool of baitcasters. Ergo the line flow is such that no twisting is introduced in the either the cast or retrieve.

3.
You should never fight a fish with a spinning, or spincasting reel by reeling the fish in. You should use the take up slack in the line with the reel, but fight the fish with the rod. The pump and retrieve method. With a baitcaster you can, if you've got the right gearing, just reel the fish in.

HTH
TFP

Thanks for the good info TFP.

the omegas spool also rotates front to back and puts the line on the spool like a baitcaster

I have tried it several times with mixed success. The thing is that the line imbeds when you pull hard on it and then as mentioned, it casts real bad. I have caught bass up to 8.5 lbs though on a Red Rhino with fire line. The new Omega, with the recipericating spoolv may minimize this problem. Zebco has been using ceramic pickup pins for years so that isn't an issue. I can control my casts with a Zebco at least as well as I can with my baitcasters. I feather the line out through my fingers in the front, holding the body with my left hand and the grip with my right.

Just so y'all won't think that I don't know how to cast use or own a baitcaster, I own 2 ABU Eons, 2 ABU 3600Cs, 2 ABU 4500C4s, 2 ABU 5500CAs, 3 old 5000Cs, 4 5000Bs, 2 Shimano Bantem 100s, A Couple of Quantum Express reels that I flip and pitch with and probably a dozen or so other odd reels like my ABU 1725 that don't see much use. These reels have there place, like tournamates in the big lakes, but there is also a place and time for a Zebco or Abucast and I have a BUNCH of these too. Mostly I use Spinning reels these days though. The newer Platinum Zebcos are great reels and even the little 11 is up to the chalange of bass up to 5 or 6 pounds with 4 or 6 pound line.

I've used braid on the 33, and Omega as well as the Rhino. The Rhino is my favorite for braid. I've also had mixed results, some great and some not so great. The key is using a braid that is round and not oval in cross section. Some braids are flatter than others. I would not exceed 20lb braid unless I was bow fishing. Make sure that when you spool the reel you have resistance on the line or it will dig into the spool and cast poorly. One other thing to note is that you will experience line noise when the braid is pulled over the guides and pick up pin. This only occurs when fighting larger fish and the drag is being pulled out. I've never had any line grooving with any of these reels. Also, be sure to re-spool with fresh line every few months. I'm not sure why but old braid does seem to hang up easier in the reel.