Ordered New Reel

Ever since I went down the JDM road I was always on the lookout for exceptional value for what one gets. I have paid my money and taken my chances. I have to say that my exceptional value purchases have always paid off. Here are some of them...Daiwa Ballistic FW....Abu Garcia Zenon....Abu Garcia MGX Theta. As I am settling into my new home and planning out how my fishing is going to go I am leaning towards having a couple of new setups for targeting big trout...in the 20-26 inch range. Having said that all my reels must still be in the UL category. I already have one reel setup for this...the Zenon 1000S spooled with some Varivas Double Cross 8.....more on this line later but suffice to say this changes one's outlook on braided line...it is a very unique line infused with ester line. I could have just ordered another Zenon...which is an amazing reel.....but as I am spending way too much money setting up my yard now I needed to save a little bit of money where I can and yet still pursue my roll as a tackle enthusiast....LOL. So after much research I came upon a new release from Abu Garcia...the Revo Beast SP 1000S. It is designed after the Zenon but with a larger main gear...and of course the reel is heavier than the Zenon, coming in at 181 grams. I have a Daiwa Certate at 221 grams, and a Shimano Twin Power at 225 and I won't be getting rid of either of those reels...so I don't think the weight of 181 grams on the Revo Beast will be an issue for me. Of course after purchasing several reels in the 140-150 gram range I must admit I sure do like the lighter reels. There was a time when I said I would only purchase "Made in Japan" reels. Well things have really changed with Daiwa and Shimano in the last few years...Daiwa quit making the Certate in 1000 and 2000 sizes....did away with the Luvias line up being made in Japan and no longer make it in a 1000 series. So bottom line, in today's world to get the "Made In Japan" reels you have to come off some serious money. If the Beast is everything I think it is I will be very happy. I will give a full report when I get the reel. I just wanted to give a heads up for those who are "Early Adopters". It is available on Amazon for 163 bucks. Here is link to Abu Garcia Japan page for those who may want to look at the specs. The Beast is on it's way and will be here by the 19th.


Regards
REVO SP Beast (レボ SP ビースト) ｜AbuGarcia｜釣具の総合メーカー ピュア・フィッシング・ジャパン

Sounds fantastic! Can’t wait to get a first report on how it fishes!
Bob

The Abu JDM reels are good. While I have other options but I find myself favoring the MGX Theta on most days. Zenon is also nice but the drag is not as loud as the Theta even though it’s better built.

The Revo Beast should be good. Will look forward to your review. Good luck with setting up the new house.


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Sounds like a winner. You could break me with all the options you enlightening us with. I thank you for doing the investigative work for us. My wife is not in agreement as she walked into my fishing room, looked around and said you have a problem turned around and walked out. Glad she didn’t look in the tackle boxes and all the other boxes full of tackle.

I’m looking forward to the review also. I hoping the house is set up soon, it’s time to fish.

Congrats. Look forward to reading your thoughts

Congrats, Randy! I will be looking into that reel, got the itch!

I have two Luvias reels, one Ballistic, and the ABU MGX Theta. I've noticed that the ABU Theta seems to be the better reel. It retrieves line much better/cleaner than the Daiwa reels. I haven't supertuned any of my reels, they are still at factory settings.

Dollar for dollar, I'm starting to think the ABU reels have caught up to Daiwa.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by redearhoosier

Congrats, Randy! I will be looking into that reel, got the itch!

I have two Luvias reels, one Ballistic, and the ABU MGX Theta. I've noticed that the ABU Theta seems to be the better reel. It retrieves line much better/cleaner than the Daiwa reels. I haven't supertuned any of my reels, they are still at factory settings.

Dollar for dollar, I'm starting to think the ABU reels have caught up to Daiwa.

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I agree… Abu makes some good reels. I too like my MGX Theta. Same like you… all on factory settings.


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I am sorry but being an alien to the whole JDM world I have to ask a question. I have followed a number of these threads on reels, rods, etc. I followed the link above in this thread. The page I get to is almost all in Japanese and I see no way to switch to English. How am I supposed to learn anything about the reel much beyond pictures? I have encountered this language problem with more than a few of the links I have followed. Do all you JDM fans read and speak Japanese?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by UpstateSC_Bill

I am sorry but being an alien to the whole JDM world I have to ask a question. I have followed a number of these threads on reels, rods, etc. I followed the link above in this thread. The page I get to is almost all in Japanese and I see no way to switch to English. How am I supposed to learn anything about the reel much beyond pictures? I have encountered this language problem with more than a few of the links I have followed. Do all you JDM fans read and speak Japanese?

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Lol! Fair question. On iPhone Safari you can use the translate option. I’m sure Android also has something similar. Actually… quite certain… they have always been ahead of iOS in terms of functionality.


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OK. If Android has it I know nothing about how to use it. I will have to do a little research.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by UpstateSC_Bill

I am sorry but being an alien to the whole JDM world I have to ask a question. I have followed a number of these threads on reels, rods, etc. I followed the link above in this thread. The page I get to is almost all in Japanese and I see no way to switch to English. How am I supposed to learn anything about the reel much beyond pictures? I have encountered this language problem with more than a few of the links I have followed. Do all you JDM fans read and speak Japanese?

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No…we do not read Japanese. I use Chrome as a browser and it will automatically translate a page. But even then you have to be able to read between the lines. I’ve been doing this a long time and if I find something I want I will spend hours hunting for reviews….looking at YouTube videos….hunting for reel schematics. When I started doing this there was almost no info in English. That is why I started a YouTube channel. Now there are several channels speaking to this. Crappie.com has become one of….if not the major go to sites for JDM info for UL gear. Lot of folks on here that can save you a lot of time…lots of knowledgeable folks.

Regards


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I don't want to hijack the thread so I will leave this alone for now. My apologies to the OP.

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Originally Posted by UpstateSC_Bill

I don't want to hijack the thread so I will leave this alone for now. My apologies to the OP.

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No apologies necessary. Those of us who do this are happy to help anyone. When one starts down this road it is tough. I had no one to turn to at all when I started. I started out with a couple of lower end rods at first and worked my way up. When I did start there were many bass fisherman who used JDM gear but they had no idea of light game a trout rods. Feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Regards


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alphahawk

No apologies necessary. Those of us who do this are happy to help anyone. When one starts down this road it is tough. I had no one to turn to at all when I started. I started out with a couple of lower end rods at first and worked my way up. When I did start there were many bass fisherman who used JDM gear but they had no idea of light game a trout rods. Feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Regards


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com

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I have seen that attitude constantly on this forum throughout the time I have been here. It is one of the reasons I have already grown to thoroughly enjoy Crappie.com.

Unfortunately from what I have seen thus far JDM tackle is beyond my budget. I have preferred fishing with ultralight tackle most of my fishing years and I am 76. I believe my tackle is respectable in that category. But as I have read through quite a bit of the "All Things Ultralight" sub forum I have found only a small minority of posts that are non JDM. It is actually somewhat discouraging. So as a result I have been doing a lot of reading just to learn what I can about this JDM stuff. Hence my curiosity about the Japanese language web pages. Hard to learn if you can't read.

I don't question the quality or the appeal thereof the JDM tackle. But as I said it is beyond my budget. Yet there seem to be a number of folks on here acquiring one after another rods and reels. I have to think long and hard before adding even one more to my inventory. That's fine. I still enjoy reading what you and others say about it here.

At any rate it is all about the fishing, right? I just wish "All Things Ultralight" had more for us poor folk. Well maybe not poor. I am rich in many ways and I do manage to spend a little money on my tackle.

Thanks for many of your informative posts. Good reading.

Upstate Bill, I for one love to talk fishing and read about fishing. I want to understand the JDM not to necessarily buy all my gear there but to gain a better understanding of what is available here and what to look for. I just bought a JDM reel for my St Croix Avid UL rod.
now no matter where gear is bought, the techniques to use that gear are generally the same. Using lures, baits and the time of year for that information could stand in a thread by itself and would be a good one to start:ThumbsUp:ThumbsUp

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Originally Posted by RJR

Upstate Bill, I for one love to talk fishing and read about fishing. I want to understand the JDM not to necessarily buy all my gear there but to gain a better understanding of what is available here and what to look for. I just bought a JDM reel for my St Croix Avid UL rod.
now no matter where gear is bought, the techniques to use that gear are generally the same. Using lures, baits and the time of year for that information could stand in a thread by itself and would be a good one to start:ThumbsUp:ThumbsUp

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I agree wholeheartedly. That is why I said a little earlier I should drop out and not hijack this thread. I should have done so apologies. By the way my favorite Ultralight rod is a St. Croix Avid five footer. Love that rod. See you around the threads.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by redearhoosier

Congrats, Randy! I will be looking into that reel, got the itch!

I have two Luvias reels, one Ballistic, and the ABU MGX Theta. I've noticed that the ABU Theta seems to be the better reel. It retrieves line much better/cleaner than the Daiwa reels. I haven't supertuned any of my reels, they are still at factory settings.

Dollar for dollar, I'm starting to think the ABU reels have caught up to Daiwa.

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You know I have been thinking that for a while. The MGX Theta has been superb…extreme value for the money. And so was the Zenon. So if the Revo Beast is what I think it is that will be my thoughts hands down.

Regards


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alphahawk

You know I have been thinking that for a while. The MGX Theta has been superb…extreme value for the money. And so was the Zenon. So if the Revo Beast is what I think it is that will be my thoughts hands down.

Regards


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com

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I just think the MGX Theta spools my line a bit better as I reel it in. I seem to get a few more tangles when using the Daiwa reels.

I still LOVE my Daiwa reels, no question about that. That said, they seem to be phasing out the 1000 series reel and that stinks. I guess I'll be buying more and more ABU reels!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alphahawk

As I am settling into my new home and planning out how my fishing is going to go I am leaning towards having a couple of new setups for targeting big trout...in the 20-26 inch range. Having said that all my reels must still be in the UL category. I already have one reel setup for this...the Zenon 1000S spooled with some Varivas Double Cross 8.....more on this line later but suffice to say this changes one's outlook on braided line..

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Alpha,

Congratulations on the new home. As you gravitate towards big trout fishing it will be interesting to see what gear you transition to. You'll see why I chose and also shunned certain UL JDM gear for big trout. Big wild trout are a different ball game than planters. Good luck! [emoji106]



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Alphahawk

It's the 19th today. Has the new reel arrived? Do you have any initial impressions. I'm very interested in how you feel it stacks up to the MGX Theta. I have both the MGX and ALX theta in 1000S, and just ordered a 200S ALX last night from Digitaka to get the free shipping on the Varivas line I was ordering.

The ALX seems to have a little slop in the handle when compared to the MGX. Curious how the Beast is in regards to that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by zekepa

Alphahawk

It's the 19th today. Has the new reel arrived? Do you have any initial impressions. I'm very interested in how you feel it stacks up to the MGX Theta. I have both the MGX and ALX theta in 1000S, and just ordered a 200S ALX last night from Digitaka to get the free shipping on the Varivas line I was ordering.

The ALX seems to have a little slop in the handle when compared to the MGX. Curious how the Beast is in regards to that.

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Yes I received the reel. Need to do a video but fractured a knee last week and have not felt like it. For the money paid it is an absolute bargain. I think their aim was to make a more rigid more robust version of the Zenon. It has the inner workings of a Zenon but with a larger main gear. While I wouldn't consider it a low inertia reel such as the Pressos I have, it is as smooth as butter...no slop at all. In comparing it to the MGX Theta it is slightly heavier weighing 19 grams more. I love my Theta but the SP Beast is a finer machined reel. I tested casting with the reel and it is great...line lay is good and no issue at all casting braid. Same drag as the Zenon...extremely smooth. For those of us who have purchased higher end reels out of Japan that are at the 140 gram weight you will find this reel heavy. I love my light reels.....the Zenon...Luvias...Ballistic FW...Presso. But I bought this reel knowing how heavy it was. I bought it for the purpose of targeting larger brown trout in current, wanting a lager main gear and a more rigid body. This reel fits the bill. This reel would compare with a Shimano Twin Power...the Twin Power is 120 bucks more. When I do the video I will mention that for anyone who is looking at a first JDM reel purchase, and money is a concern....this is the reel to get.

Regards

Thanks,

Hopefully your knee allows you to get out to do some fishing.

I ordered the SP Beast 2000S from Amazon. I went with the 2000 over the 1000 based on line holding specs. I plan on filling it with 0.6 Varivss Double Cross PE. The 2000S says it holds 100m of the 0.6 which is how much comes on a spool of the Double Cross.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by zekepa

Thanks,

Hopefully your knee allows you to get out to do some fishing.

I ordered the SP Beast 2000S from Amazon. I went with the 2000 over the 1000 based on line holding specs. I plan on filling it with 0.6 Varivss Double Cross PE. The 2000S says it holds 100m of the 0.6 which is how much comes on a spool of the Double Cross.

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You were smart going with the 2000S for that line.

Regards


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com

Hope the healing progresses well and that you are able to get out soon.


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Sorry to hear about the knee. My left kneecap was in 6 pieces in ‘93 and it still gives me some issues now and then. I know the pain and feel for you. Hope you feel better soon. I’m looking forward to seeing how the new reel does under pressure from a big brown or something like it. Only caught a couple but I know they’re tough.

Randy, I hate hearing about your knee. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SuperDave336

Randy, I hate hearing about your knee. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

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Thanks Dave. This one has me kind of worried...thinking maybe the whole deal comes loose and I am in a mess. I don't remember doing anything that would have caused this and that is what worries me. Just hoping I don't have some kind of bone issue. Gonna take it easy for 5 weeks and then another image to see if it heald.


Regards

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alphahawk

Thanks Dave. This one has me kind of worried...thinking maybe the whole deal comes loose and I am in a mess. I don't remember doing anything that would have caused this and that is what worries me. Just hoping I don't have some kind of bone issue. Gonna take it easy for 5 weeks and then another image to see if it heald.


Regards

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Yeah take it easy and give it time to heal. We’ll be praying for you.

What Dave said.

Hope your knee is going to be well soon Randy .
You’re like me , a pain will show up and it’ll take me a week to figure out what I may have done to cause it . If I figure it out .
It doesn’t take much to put us out of commission at our age .

Sorry for the news. Yes, don’t push it too hard.
Bob

Hope you have a speedy recovery, Randy. I know I'm personally going to miss your awesome Nickajack redear videos!!

BTW, the ABU Zenon 1000s is all that and a bag of chips!!! Definitely my favorite reel in my arsenal.