Abu 706 owners question

[Tyke]

Ive just had a new 706 delivered and ive noticed there is some play when you hold the drag nut and gently pull the handle out in a sidewards rocking motion.

Is this normal ?

The play is where the chrome ring is just after the hanle where it joins the main body of the reel.

I suspect this is normal but for peace of mind i want to make sure.

[Rusty]

Mine's the same, I think the back wind drag facility makes it feel a bit sloppy in the handle area but it looks well put together.

 

I'll be interested to hear how you get on. I bought one for trotting on windy days, first time out the line got caught behind the spool on three occasions which was very annoying. As a consequence I haven't used it in the last eight months.

[lozza]

I have a 501 close face real which is an absolute dream to use when you get used to them. I have found that the line gets caught underneath the spool when there is too much line on the reel or it is nut kept under tension when retrieving. What do you mean buy back wind drag? The only drag facility on mine is a small control on the reel handle that allows you to control the drag it’s pretty effective but sometimes if you get an unexpected lunge from a decent fish can be a bit tricky to adjust. Have had some good fish on closed face reels and soft action rods to help absorb those last lunges. have you used one before you had the 706 iam thinking of getting a second are they worth it?

[Rusty]

The only drag facility on mine is a small control on the reel handle that allows you to control the drag it’s pretty effective but sometimes if you get an unexpected lunge from a decent fish can be a bit tricky to adjust.

 

I've just dusted off the instructions and it's called Syncro Drag. You set the drag to the required setting using the same small control, then backwinding a quarter of a turn reduces that drag setting by 50%. The idea being that lunges are taken care of by the reduced setting but I guess you have to set the anti reverse on for it to be effective. Seems overly complicated to me, I'd probably just set the drag to maximum and backwind with the AR off to play a fish.

 

I'm not an expert though, it is my first CF reel and I've only used it once.

[chavender]

its not just complicated ,its useless & fidley too get right ,if you set it at say the same you would a open faced reel ,then if you then get a fish that'll operate the drag and you then make use of the secondary drag (1/4 turn backwards) your drag is now too slack and you end up winding against it casuing twist (and the enevitable tangle resulting from line either going under the spool or twisting up inside the winding cup) ,your actually better off setting it at your percieved heaviest a bonus fish will take line at ,or you can pull line off at ,then rely on the 1/4 turn 50% reduction too end up with a suitable amount of drag.

 

or do as most did in the past ,lock the drag up tight so neither drag works and you can only back wind ,which works rather well so long as your not targeting barbel or big carp .

 

there is another solution ,but its a bit more radical but works great ,what you do is get a spare cowling (506/507/508's do come up on e-bay regulary ,but a 706 you'll need too get from a service agent ) then you cut a window roughly where your index or middle finger comes too rest on the cowling (1mm below the pin and 1mm below the vents X 3/4 - 1") this will give access too the rim of the rotating winding cup ([bicycal]bell housing) where you can then manually apply pressure with your index or middle fingertip.

 

My 506 converted spare cowlings next too the origanal one ,i only use the converted one when needed ,i take both on fishing trips just in case its needed.I've also one for my 507 .i might one day get a spare 706 cowling too convert

 

 

 

In use ,pressure applied

 

in use at rest

 

Edited August 4, 2010 by chavender

[Tyke]

its not just complicated ,its useless & fidley too get right ,if you set it at say the same you would a open faced reel ,then if you then get a fish that'll operate the drag and you then make use of the secondary drag (1/4 turn backwards) your drag is now too slack and you end up winding against it casuing twist (and the enevitable tangle resulting from line either going under the spool or twisting up inside the winding cup) ,your actually better off setting it at your percieved heaviest a bonus fish will take line at ,or you can pull line off at ,then rely on the 1/4 turn 50% reduction too end up with a suitable amount of drag.

 

or do as most did in the past ,lock the drag up tight so neither drag works and you can only back wind ,which works rather well so long as your not targeting barbel or big carp .

 

there is another solution ,but its a bit more radical but works great ,what you do is get a spare cowling (506/507/508's do come up on e-bay regulary ,but a 706 you'll need too get from a service agent ) then you cut a window roughly where your index or middle finger comes too rest on the cowling (1mm below the pin and 1mm below the vents X 3/4 - 1") this will give access too the rim of the rotating winding cup ([bicycal]bell housing) where you can then manually apply pressure with your index or middle fingertip.

 

My 506 converted spare cowlings next too the origanal one ,i only use the converted one when needed ,i take both on fishing trips just in case its needed.I've also one for my 507 .i might one day get a spare 706 cowling too convert

 

 

 

In use ,pressure applied

 

in use at rest

 

 

Clever idea chavender.

Wont get a chance to use my new 706 for a while due to some major decorating and other house probs.