OKUMA MAGNETIX MULTIPLIER

[Jon Cook]

Evening all, came across these on ebay, and were wondering what you guys think of em?

 

How would you compare them to mag elite's and penn's?

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Okuma-Magnetix-MG20-...1QQcmdZViewItem

[Norm B]

Evening all, came across these on ebay, and were wondering what you guys think of em?

 

How would you compare them to mag elite's and penn's?

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Okuma-Magnetix-MG20-...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

I saw one in my local tackle shop this weekend, looks a lot like a Daiwa SL20SLV, it was on sale for £60, I haven't heard what they're like yet as it's new out. I believe a couple of the Welsh guys were testing them. I haven't had an Okuma to review since I was less than enthusiastic about one of their cheaper reels that was going to get a good review from a glossy mag the following month.

[Seahog]

Yep I got one ... got it off ebay from a guy that goes under the name of "fishing7495" ... he's a tackle shop owner based in Norwich ... brand new reel, price all in with postage, £54.99p ...

 

I purposely got the Magnetix MG-20LS version (levelwind version).. mainly intend on using the reel for uptiding. Though I have tested it out using a beach caster and it goes well even though it has the levelwind fitted, a notable benefit is that the retrieve ration is 6.2:1 … some people prefer the lower ration when using a reel for uptiding, me I just opt for the high tech approach to this trait, I turn the handle slower!

 

They cast well and the mag control is quite accurate throughout its range. Line capacity is slightly on the low side, but if loaded with braid or the newer ultra slim mono lines available it doesn't have a detrimental effect.

 

The drag is very nice for a reel of this size and price, it feels precise, gradual and powerful, the drag itself has a ratchet clicker built into the Stardrag much in the way the Daiwa Saltist reels have.. The handle is comfortable and gives plenty of cranking power.

 

As a fishing reel they appear quite promising and they come with a 5 year warranty ... which equates too £11 per year that the reel is guaranteed.

 

One point I’m not too certain about is the line guide support bar floats! … why they should have left it like this is a bit baffling, it can attempt to follow the guide when being cast out, this can cause an undesirable ticking noise … easily sorted out, it’s a design character and not a manufacturing fault and has no detrimental effect on the reels function! … this obviously only applies to the levelwind version.

 

All in all a nice reel, it feels right and it looks right and often when this is the case it is right, but time will tell, but with a 5 year warranty the gamble is basically on Okuma.

Edited April 3, 2007 by Seahog

[wirral sea fishing]

they have had some good write ups, however the glossy mags are never going to burn bridges with advetisers, Seahog has replied giving all a good idea of the reel, and to be honest he has a good knowledge of the Abu's so he wont have been kind if it was rubbish, the 5 year warranty that they come with is good, but we will only find out how good when you claim. I personally like Abu 6500's and for £40.00 more you get a rell that is tried and tested over the years, a new version of the Mag Elite is out in the next week or so, it has a faster retrieve than the Penn 525mag better bearings and gearing etc etc, basically a whole new design the RRP is £124.00 with a free spooling station on the launch worth £24.99. The new reel has been revamped by the original designer Pete Coogan, so if you can hang on and give this reel a look over.

[Norm B]

Yep I got one ... got it off ebay from a guy that goes under the name of "fishing7495" ... he's a tackle shop owner based in Norwich ... brand new reel, price all in with postage, £54.99p ...

 

I purposely got the Magnetix MG-20LS version (levelwind version).. mainly intend on using the reel for uptiding. Though I have tested it out using a beach caster and it goes well even though it has the levelwind fitted, a notable benefit is that the retrieve ration is 6.2:1 … some people prefer the lower ration when using a reel for uptiding, me I just opt for the high tech approach to this trait, I turn the handle slower!

 

They cast well and the mag control is quite accurate throughout its range. Line capacity is slightly on the low side, but if loaded with braid or the newer ultra slim mono lines available it doesn't have a detrimental effect.

 

The drag is very nice for a reel of this size and price, it feels precise, gradual and powerful, the drag itself has a ratchet clicker built into the Stardrag much in the way the Daiwa Saltist reels have.. The handle is comfortable and gives plenty of cranking power.

 

As a fishing reel they appear quite promising and they come with a 5 year warranty ... which equates too £11 per year that the reel is guaranteed.

 

One point I’m not too certain about is the line guide support bar floats! … why they should have left it like this is a bit baffling, it can attempt to follow the guide when being cast out, this can cause an undesirable ticking noise … easily sorted out, it’s a design character and not a manufacturing fault and has no detrimental effect on the reels function! … this obviously only applies to the levelwind version.

 

All in all a nice reel, it feels right and it looks right and often when this is the case it is right, but time will tell, but with a 5 year warranty the gamble is basically on Okuma.

I agree with all the above ponts and in general Okuma reels are value for money, they make a lot of reels for a lot of "well known companies"! Reference the 5 year guarantee, most guarantees only cover defects, not wear and tear, so if the reel needs new bearings after a year or it falls apart after 2 years because it's "worn out", it may well not be covered by the "5 year guarantee" but it sounds like it's well worth a go if it's what you want.

[Norm B]

they have had some good write ups, however the glossy mags are never going to burn bridges with advetisers, Seahog has replied giving all a good idea of the reel, and to be honest he has a good knowledge of the Abu's so he wont have been kind if it was rubbish, the 5 year warranty that they come with is good, but we will only find out how good when you claim. I personally like Abu 6500's and for £40.00 more you get a rell that is tried and tested over the years, a new version of the Mag Elite is out in the next week or so, it has a faster retrieve than the Penn 525mag better bearings and gearing etc etc, basically a whole new design the RRP is £124.00 with a free spooling station on the launch worth £24.99. The new reel has been revamped by the original designer Pete Coogan, so if you can hang on and give this reel a look over.

I saw the new range of ABU reels at Go Fishing and I must say that from what I saw I was well impressed. They've done away with some of the "old models" and revamped some others with impressive results. In general they look chunkier, with better rubber grip handles and smoother star drags. More bearings and anti reverse bearings, sturdier side plates, all the "little problems" seem to have been addressed. It looks like ABU have really gone for it at last, instead of tinkering round the edges, they've met the challenge head on. In fact I've convinced myself they're much better so I might just ask for a couple to review, they can only say, "Get lost".

[Jon Cook]

Tthanks lads, didn.t know about the new mag elites that are due to be released, so will check them out.

Have 2 mag elites anyway and just wondered about the okuma. Sounds promising though.

 

Being reasonably inexperianced when it comes to beach fishing, i was wondering about a casting lesson or 2. Getting into it quite a bit now much to the good ladies dislike......

Anyhow any recommendations??? I live in East Sussex.

[Seahog]

I make no bones about it, the Abu Mag Elite is the finest long distance clean beach casting reel there is! .... A very interesting new innovation on the NEW Abu Mag Elite is the newly designed spool, this along side the many other improvements to this already excellent reel, will prove hard too match, let alone beat.

 

The Okuma is a nice entry reel that offers a lot for it's cost, it's quality is in keeping with other reels manufactured in the Far East which includes the majority on sale today.

 

The fine details of the warranty as mentioned by Norm B is an important point … a warranty is only as useful with regards to what it “does and doesn’t include”

 

For light boat use and general beach fishing the Okuma is a decent reel that is offered at an affordable price, time will tell if the warranty and the reel is inherently robust … but as an out and out top of the range beach reel I would not say it would be in the same league as an Abu Mag Elite … a nice touch by Pure Fishing would be to offer an equal warranty period for the New Abu Mag Elite as is offered by Okuma, thereby instilling confidence in their own product and passing this confidence on to the purchaser.

 

Years ago Abu’s warranties were renowned for their longevity, some reels actually carried a life time warranty. The old Mag Elite had a two year warranty, with all the improvement that the new model brings might one of those improvements be “The Warranty” …. Food for thought me thinks!

[The Skink]

I have not used the reel myself but fished with a friend who had just bought one of them. It was the bigger sized version with no levelwind. Retreive was great as we were fishing 300ft of water on the West coast of Scotland but when we upped the baits to accomodated the Spurdogs we were fishing for the reel could not handle large baits being blasted a long distance. So if you want it for normal beach casting with 3 hook flappers or such like the above reviews look good, but if your going for big baits at distance you won't go far wrong with the Slosh or 535mag.

Neal

The Skink

[Seahog]

Out of curiosity ... what couldn’t the Okuma not handle that the slosh and Penn 535 mag can handle? … Which part or characteristic of the reel could not cope ?

Edited April 4, 2007 by Seahog