Reel handle weight for a great performance...?

[wirinhar]

Hi All,

Many of us love to change our reel handles to be much more smoother for retrieving our baits and it looks way better than the original.
One of the best I have used so far is Livre, but will that hurt our bearings (One-way bearing / shaft bearing) in the long run, lets say it is more than 10-20 grams from the original handle.

Few of friends are even going for 110mm handles for their reels which is almost 20 grams more from the original. I was told it is much smoother/less torque. Well... will that be less sensitive when it is less torque?. Or basically the handle is nothing to do with sensitivity at all???

I have never used something more 90mm and I also believe light reel handle will have much more sensitivity but I could be wrong and I also know that it looks so much better when the spool's color matches with the handle and knobs.

Can someone enlighten me on this?

Thank you all in advance.

Regards,
WW

[lpquick]

The actual weight of the reel handle is inconsequential as far as bearings are concerned in my opinion considering the torque and power applied using the handle to reel in and fight a fish. Sensitivity is subjective take that for what it's worth!

[toddmc]

You are making contact with the knob only on the handle, and the material of the knob can make a big difference in what you feel. The harder carbon fiber and acrylic JDM knobs are primarily used for bottom contact baits because they are more sensitive. I haven't fished the Livre metal knobs, but I'm sure that they are more sensitive than rubber. I prefer a knob with better grip for moving baits because you are moving the handle more often and less likely to slip with a higher grip knob.
The handle weight, gear weight, spool weight, and other rotating parts all have an impact on your rotational weight/resistance. A smaller rotational weight/resistance is noticeable. A reel with a smaller rotational weight is easier to start and stop, and allows you to tune into your bottom contact baits when you are starting and stopping. This is one reason why the lighter Steez series is preferred for lighter bottom contact baits.
Try any magnesium framed Steez vs. the OG Zillion with the same rod and line, and you will notice that the Steez is more sensitive and preferred for bottom contact baits. I think the overall lighter weight of the Steez, less rotational weight, and a more sensitive magnesium frame all contribute to the great feel of the Steez for bottom contact baits. I use my Steez SV103XS for small bottom contact baits with a really sensitive rod and I can even feel a very small kink/bend in my fluoro when it comes through my guides. Last week, I thought the gears were getting rough when I just had a small kink in my line. The rotation of the handle is so light and smooth that any small resistance is noticeable. You would notice the kink a lot less with most other reels.
The handle length does impact the weight of the reel in a noticeable way, but it's more about the size of the person using the reel in my opinion. A small Japanese man will probably want a smaller handle than a former Bubba lineman. That is one of the reasons that standard comparable JDM reels tend to have shorter handles than the USDM version. I think handle length is more about balance for the user. A big bodied person needs more room to rotate their big hands.
All of the OG Zillion reels in my fleet have the newer 90mm Zillion handles with I-shape knobs and four bearings. The 100mm handles are a little long for a guy like me on the small side of medium gloves. I feel really unbalanced with smaller or larger handles than 90mm.
The OG Zillion handles with brass posts, no bearings, and riveted tire tread knobs weigh approximately 34g according to my marginal scale. The newer handle with I-shape cork knobs and bearings weighs approximately 22g. This is almost half and ounce lighter. I eliminate approximately another 12g of rotational weight with a 10-12g DIY or SV spool vs. the 22g OG spool, not to mention the extra weight of the line on the deeper OG spool. These upgrades make a huge difference if you are throwing bottom contact baits where sensitivity matters more than moving baits.
The longer 100mm+ handles can also help lighten torque for big fish and heavy high resistance moving baits. That is one reason why larger swimbait reels have longer handles. The original high grip/long handle from the 80's (Gator Grip) was targeted towards crankbait/reaction baits and bigger fisherman in the South.

[wirinhar]

The actual weight of the reel handle is inconsequential as far as bearings are concerned in my opinion considering the torque and power applied using the handle to reel in and fight a fish. Sensitivity is subjective take that for what it's worth!

Thanks for info!!!
WW

[wirinhar]

You are making contact with the knob only on the handle, and the material of the knob can make a big difference in what you feel. The harder carbon fiber and acrylic JDM knobs are primarily used for bottom contact baits because they are more sensitive. I haven't fished the Livre metal knobs, but I'm sure that they are more sensitive than rubber. I prefer a knob with better grip for moving baits because you are moving the handle more often and less likely to slip with a higher grip knob.
The handle weight, gear weight, spool weight, and other rotating parts all have an impact on your rotational weight/resistance. A smaller rotational weight/resistance is noticeable. A reel with a smaller rotational weight is easier to start and stop, and allows you to tune into your bottom contact baits when you are starting and stopping. This is one reason why the lighter Steez series is preferred for lighter bottom contact baits.
Try any magnesium framed Steez vs. the OG Zillion with the same rod and line, and you will notice that the Steez is more sensitive and preferred for bottom contact baits. I think the overall lighter weight of the Steez, less rotational weight, and a more sensitive magnesium frame all contribute to the great feel of the Steez for bottom contact baits. I use my Steez SV103XS for small bottom contact baits with a really sensitive rod and I can even feel a very small kink/bend in my fluoro when it comes through my guides. Last week, I thought the gears were getting rough when I just had a small kink in my line. The rotation of the handle is so light and smooth that any small resistance is noticeable. You would notice the kink a lot less with most other reels.
The handle length does impact the weight of the reel in a noticeable way, but it's more about the size of the person using the reel in my opinion. A small Japanese man will probably want a smaller handle than a former Bubba lineman. That is one of the reasons that standard comparable JDM reels tend to have shorter handles than the USDM version. I think handle length is more about balance for the user. A big bodied person needs more room to rotate their big hands.
All of the OG Zillion reels in my fleet have the newer 90mm Zillion handles with I-shape knobs and four bearings. The 100mm handles are a little long for a guy like me on the small side of medium gloves. I feel really unbalanced with smaller or larger handles than 90mm.
The OG Zillion handles with brass posts, no bearings, and riveted tire tread knobs weigh approximately 34g according to my marginal scale. The newer handle with I-shape cork knobs and bearings weighs approximately 22g. This is almost half and ounce lighter. I eliminate approximately another 12g of rotational weight with a 10-12g DIY or SV spool vs. the 22g OG spool, not to mention the extra weight of the line on the deeper OG spool. These upgrades make a huge difference if you are throwing bottom contact baits where sensitivity matters more than moving baits.
The longer 100mm+ handles can also help lighten torque for big fish and heavy high resistance moving baits. That is one reason why larger swimbait reels have longer handles. The original high grip/long handle from the 80's (Gator Grip) was targeted towards crankbait/reaction baits and bigger fisherman in the South.

Hi Toddmc,

Thank you so much to share your experiences with me here.

I am not a big guy and I feel ok with 90mm for crank bait reel handle but I do prefer 85mm.

I just bought Zillion SV TWS 1016SV (5.5:1 gear ratio) using for crankbait and let me share with you from stock reel


60 meter with Pe. 4 (going for Giant Snakehead and the total weight of the line is about 4.2 grams)

changing the handle to Livre CBF 85mm and change those on spool and side plate to ZPI ball bearings.


hope it is lighter but in fact it is 2.5 grams heavier .

The only way that i am trying to cut down weight is to get myself a duralumin SLP 1016 G1 and it is supposed to be only 10 grams (it is written on SLP Site). How true is that??? no one knows. Many japanese sites do not tell very clear about the weight of total spool, either includes bearing or without.

Once again, Thank you so much for your time to share your great info.

WW

[toddmc]

It does suck that we don't have more accurate weights for spools and handles. I've seen a few posts on here over the years saying that some of the aftermarket carbon handles are heavier than stock high-end handles.

[wirinhar]

It does suck that we don't have more accurate weights for spools and handles. I've seen a few posts on here over the years saying that some of the aftermarket carbon handles are heavier than stock high-end handles.

Indeed!!!

I will love to share what I have but....Dang....I can't see those pictures what I have posted

WW

[mark poulson]

I swapped all my older handles out for handles with two bearings per knob. Longer is a bonus that really helps with winching frog fish out of cover, and with fighting swimbait fish at the end of a long cast.
I find knobs with bearings cut down on fatigue, when I'm throwing spinnerbaits/chatterbaits/crankbaits all day.
They also make reeling in fish easier in general.
For bottom baits, like jigs and T rigged worms, and for pitching creatures into cover, I use fluoro and run the line over my index finger just in front of the reel, so I feel every tick, no matter which reel/rod I'm using.

[mark poulson]

It does suck that we don't have more accurate weights for spools and handles. I've seen a few posts on here over the years saying that some of the aftermarket carbon handles are heavier than stock high-end handles.

TT lists both handle length and spool weight in all their reviews now.
I wish every reel parts manuf. would, too.

[Slazmo]

I have heard of people using tungsten putty in handle knobs to weigh them down more...

[MRQturbo]

i feel zero difference with carbon handles and stock ones...just for my eyes to notice difference....

[toddmc]

i feel zero difference with carbon handles and stock ones...just for my eyes to notice difference....

Yeah, I don't know that a carbon handle gives you a noticeable sensitivity upgrade. I think the knobs and other reel materials are more important.
In comparison, I recently upgraded to super light carbon fiber Race Face Next SL G4 cranks from aluminum cranks on my mountain bike. Sure enough, I can feel the chain and pedals much more. So much so, that I could feel a very small amount of play in my left pedal spindle bearings that was a lot less noticeable with my aluminum cranks. It bugged me so much that I replaced the pedal spindle bearings. So, I would say that carbon could very well increase sensitivity in a handle. But, I guess that it may need to be a little bigger for most people to feel it.
The carbon handles are cool to look at. There is something about them on the solid framed high-end round reels that is especially beautiful.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

I swapped all my older handles out for handles with two bearings per knob. Longer is a bonus that really helps with winching frog fish out of cover, and with fighting swimbait fish at the end of a long cast.
I find knobs with bearings cut down on fatigue, when I'm throwing spinnerbaits/chatterbaits/crankbaits all day.
They also make reeling in fish easier in general.
For bottom baits, like jigs and T rigged worms, and for pitching creatures into cover, I use fluoro and run the line over my index finger just in front of the reel, so I feel every tick, no matter which reel/rod I'm using.

Im sorry you have such a low constitution

[mark poulson]

I swapped all my older handles out for handles with two bearings per knob. Longer is a bonus that really helps with winching frog fish out of cover, and with fighting swimbait fish at the end of a long cast.
I find knobs with bearings cut down on fatigue, when I'm throwing spinnerbaits/chatterbaits/crankbaits all day.
They also make reeling in fish easier in general.
For bottom baits, like jigs and T rigged worms, and for pitching creatures into cover, I use fluoro and run the line over my index finger just in front of the reel, so I feel every tick, no matter which reel/rod I'm using.

Im sorry you have such a low constitution

I'm 70. It comes with the territory.