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Low profiles for cats
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Yes, the Komodo 471SS.
From my experiance it is the strongest big low pro available.
Look closely at my Avatar pic.
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Shepman:
I own the Daiwa Lexa 400cc, Shimano Tekota 600 HG and Okuma Komodo SS 463 PLX and all are well-made low-profile baitcasters.
For still fishing for North America catfish, the Tekota and Lexa are my favorites.
The clicker mechanism, alone, on the Komodo disqualifies it for live bait fishing with large baits and in current.
As a musky, striper or large swimbait reel, the Komodo is about as good as it gets but this is about catfishing low-profile reels.
I've noticed 4" creek chubs will pull out line on the Komodo SS whereas the the Tekoto HG and Lexa 400 cc hold large live baits in place...until a catfish decides that bait is dinner.
Even my original Komodo 363 PLX has a much stronger bait clicker for large live baits and in current below lowhead dams.
I also own a low-profile Okuma Andros 5iia 2-speed reel but I haven't used it enough to make a qualified judgement on its use as a catfish reel.
Again...these are my observations from catfishing in medium to large rivers and small to large lakes in Central, Southeastern and Southwestern Ohio where flatheads average 30 pounds and blues can reach 50 in the Ohio River.
With 220 yards of 80 pound braid and the right rod, I have confidence that the Lexa 400cc will stop any flathead or blue I will ever come into contact with.
Same goes for the Tekota 600 HG but it does hold a little more line so for the Ohio River or Muskingum Watershed District Lakes in Southeastern Ohio, I would feel a little more comfortable with close to 275 yards of 80 pound braid.
There are 80 pound flatheads in Southeastern Ohio and over 100 pound blues south of Cincinnati in the Ohio River but I don't fish there regularly enough to consider heavier tackle.
That is my opinion.
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The Lexa 400 comes in second in my book.
It just doesn't have the same frame rigidity of the Komodo reels.
I have heard from a few sources that there have been issues with the thumb bar breaking when depressing it under load as well. I do recall a few times where the thumb bar on the Lexas I used to own failed to engage solidly while holding a heavy load, but no actual failures to the reel occured.
It just doesn't have the same frame rigidity of the Komodo reels.
I have heard from a few sources that there have been issues with the thumb bar breaking when depressing it under load as well. I do recall a few times where the thumb bar on the Lexas I used to own failed to engage solidly while holding a heavy load, but no actual failures to the reel occured.
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Yeah, the clicker on the Komodo is one of the weaker parts, it just does not have much in the way of tension.
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The clicker is stiffer on the Komodo 364.
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When I use the Komodo 471s I keep the spool engaged and use circle hooks with the rods stuck into secure rod holders.
You don't need a clicker at that point, you let the rod do the work.
Places I fish usually require a lot more tension then even the best baitcaster or conventional star drag reel bait clicker can provide, making the weaker baitclicker tension of a Komodo 471 a mute point. In those cases where I want to use a clicker in heavy current I just use some tiny lever drag reels which give me greater flexiblity with the tension I can apply while using the bait clicker.
And, honestly, the only time I use baitclickers anyway is when I am using very big live baits.
You don't need a clicker at that point, you let the rod do the work.
Places I fish usually require a lot more tension then even the best baitcaster or conventional star drag reel bait clicker can provide, making the weaker baitclicker tension of a Komodo 471 a mute point. In those cases where I want to use a clicker in heavy current I just use some tiny lever drag reels which give me greater flexiblity with the tension I can apply while using the bait clicker.
And, honestly, the only time I use baitclickers anyway is when I am using very big live baits.
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Shepman:
The clicker is stronger on the 364 PLX that I still use.
My personal best 42 pound flathead was caught using the original Komodo with a lively, 12" gizzard shad on a bottom-fished Carolina rig with 9/0 Kahle hook, about 25 yards from shore.
I use the biggest live baits possible and a strong clicker is a must. The freshly-caught gizzard shad are the friskiest of the frisky and will continually jump the rod in a rest for as much as 2 hours.
The new Komodo 450 SS is useless for this style of fishing since large baits continually pull line from spool...and it drives you nuts.
This is especially true for the gizzard shad I cast net in the tailwaters beneath the dam at the local river.
When a catfish strikes, the clicker on the original Komodo is very loud and will wake you from a deep sleep.
You just don't have the line capacity of the larger 450 series Komodo or Lexa but, with 25 pounds of drag and a 150 yards of 80 pound test braid, you have a very formidable, close-quarters fish-fighting machine.
As to shore fishing with reels sitting in rod rests and not in free spool, with clickers off...me personally...I don't want my prized gear sitting in Davey Jones Locker 20 feet beneath the surface. I have seen this happen many times.
In the boat...completely different story.
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Yet to lose a rod to a fish, but well made rod holders and attention to your gear prevent lost rods.
The rod holders made with a 2ft section of rebar and 1.5 to 2in PVC pipe hammered into the ground vertically will keep your rods safe.:biggrin1:
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106 Posts
What about the Revo T3 Toro Beast?
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How about the Revo T3 Toro Beast?
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Great reel but no clicker....
No, don't... you'll prolly infect him too!
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I have not used the T3, only the T2 60HS. The T3 just came out, it will be tough finding some first hand info on it. If you do, let us know what you hear.
The Revo Toro Beast 60HS I used was an excellent reel, but it never offered me more for the cost that it was. Same with the Tranx 400. They are both supremely refined, but give me a reel with a full stainless steel drive train from crankshaft to spool spindle at half the cost and I will take it every time.
Only the Komodos offer a drive train made from stainless steel the whole way through. Not even the Lexa HD does that.
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I fish with Shimano Curados as well. The only downside is no clicker, but I have landed flatheads up to 50 pounds on a 300 sized Curado with 50lb braid with no issues or fear of getting spooled or inadequate drag.
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Has anyone tried to upgrade the stiffness on the komodo clicker? Might be something I give a go at this winter
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I was thinking about it.
They are crazy good reels otherwise, beat the crap out of mine in fresh and salt without a hitch.
Did you ever clean out the bearings on your Komodo?
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I cleaned them as well as I could. Didnt want to break anything getting the one bearing out. Might get a lil deeper into it this winter
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