Re: Bantam MGL reviews?
Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2018 3:07 pm
I have 2, they fish just fine. With the advancements in plastic, polymer, carbon fiber, etc. I'm not concerned about a plastic pawl. If it breaks "I got a guy" 
TackleTour
Bantam MGL reviews?
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Re: Bantam MGL reviews?
Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2018 8:34 pm
Cant wait to try it out on new Edge 821 waiting to join it and a few salmon one day this fall...... Oh hell I cannot lie it will be many days this fall
Re: Bantam MGL reviews?
Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 8:03 pm
Took the bantam Xg and nrx893 out with a 3/8 oz jig and slayed some smallmouth.
I am very happy with this reel, it feels amazing, its “solid” feel is awesome for jigging....
not the best caster I own, but not bad either.
I am very happy with this reel, it feels amazing, its “solid” feel is awesome for jigging....
not the best caster I own, but not bad either.
Re: Bantam MGL reviews?
Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:13 pm
Bantam MGL arrived today- spooled it up with 30# power pro- started with 2 brakes on dial on max. Man this thing is finicky! Spool starts up quick and only gets faster. Kept on braking it until finally getting it right.
Ended up with 4 brakes on dial to six and 2/5 oz spoon barely falling. Was able to finally achieve some distance without a mess but this thing is going to take some practice to get dialed in. Feels nice, smooth retrieve. I think i had better fine tune it for awhile more in the field before hitting the water.
Sure aint as easy as the mag force Daiwa's!
Ended up with 4 brakes on dial to six and 2/5 oz spoon barely falling. Was able to finally achieve some distance without a mess but this thing is going to take some practice to get dialed in. Feels nice, smooth retrieve. I think i had better fine tune it for awhile more in the field before hitting the water.
Sure aint as easy as the mag force Daiwa's!
Re: Bantam MGL reviews?
Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2018 4:27 am
I think that's what I notice about the MGL spool compared to older Shimano reels. The spool starts up faster...or meaning feels like less force is needed to get it going.
Re: Bantam MGL reviews?
Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2018 7:02 am
1nutinthewater wrote:Bantam MGL arrived today- spooled it up with 30# power pro- started with 2 brakes on dial on max. Man this thing is finicky! Spool starts up quick and only gets faster. Kept on braking it until finally getting it right.
Ended up with 4 brakes on dial to six and 2/5 oz spoon barely falling. Was able to finally achieve some distance without a mess but this thing is going to take some practice to get dialed in. I do not have many years of experience but own over a dozen casting reels now and have never had to spend this long to get it right.
Feels nice, smooth retrieve, only obvious complaint is the cheap hard plastic thumb bar looks and feels like it belongs on a 1975 Zebco.
I think i had better fine tune it for awhile more in the field before hitting the water.
Sure aint as easy as the mag force Daiwa's!
Re: Bantam MGL reviews?
Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2018 9:24 pm
Got it dialed- one brake on, 1 one the dial, line drops quick with some overrun. 
Casts well and long! Smooth as silk.
Casts well and long! Smooth as silk.Re: Bantam MGL reviews?
Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2018 3:00 am
So I was just looking at the worm gearing and noticed that it was very aggressive on the Chronarch MGL as well as the Bantam MGL. I got to eyeballing it and counting the handle cranks and watching the levelwind line guide go through the full cycle from left to right and all the way back.
Looks like it was like about 4 handle cranks to one full cycle of levelwind line guide on the Chronarch MGL XG. While for the Bantam MGL XG it was about 4 and a half handle cranks to one full cycle of the levelwind line guide. I got a little curious and went to check my old Chronarch 100D7 and that was 7 handle cranks to one full cycle of the levelwind line guide. So in the end, the newer reels should have a more aggressive cross wrap of the line. Essentially more braid friendly on the spool for the line lay.
Looks like it was like about 4 handle cranks to one full cycle of levelwind line guide on the Chronarch MGL XG. While for the Bantam MGL XG it was about 4 and a half handle cranks to one full cycle of the levelwind line guide. I got a little curious and went to check my old Chronarch 100D7 and that was 7 handle cranks to one full cycle of the levelwind line guide. So in the end, the newer reels should have a more aggressive cross wrap of the line. Essentially more braid friendly on the spool for the line lay.
Re: Bantam MGL reviews?
Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2018 4:18 am
I was skeptical just as many others looking at reviews before I pulled the trigger on the Bantam. It kinda reminds me of a Daiwa Sv103 .. it’s silky smooth and great under load, casting wise I was at the lake the other day and this thing flat out bombs. Chatterbaits , lipless , topwater were thrown with ease and little effort. It’s a solid reel that engages nicely and sometimes it’s tricky because the body feels tight and solid so the casting kinda makes you feel like casting distance might not be there but when you wing it out it just flows. It’s got some weight to it but it’s palmability is so easy I tend to not be bothered by it at all, for lures and anything from an 1/8 oz and up you’re good to go. I have two breaks inside and the outside dial at 3 and that seems to be the sweet spot for both Bantams I own. Overfilling the spool in the beginning was my problem and once I adjusted that it started to be perfect.
Re: Bantam MGL reviews?
Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 12:37 pm
Dropped in the avail shallow spool and the thing is a pitching machine!
Re: Bantam MGL reviews?
Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:54 pm
How does that spool toss light lures???j2015 wrote:Dropped in the avail shallow spool and the thing is a pitching machine!
Re: Bantam MGL reviews?
Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 3:08 pm
So I have a Bantam but have not fished enough to have a firm opinion or to give an informed answer. I will say that if light lures are your desire there are many reels designed to throw light weights and surely they do a better job out of the box or with mods than a Bantam does. For me I will use the Bantam as a strong reel for mid and heavier lures. I will use other reels for light stuff.
Re: Bantam MGL reviews?
Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 11:09 pm
That's why I bought a Steez A and plan on adding a 1012 or ZPI M. Still I sold some other stuff to get it though, will need a reel to go on my 7'6"MH when I get a rod for the Steez A. It would be hard to not just get the Curado K, they seem to cast better and further while being significantly cheaper...timinmo wrote:So I have a Bantam but have not fished enough to have a firm opinion or to give an informed answer. I will say that if light lures are your desire there are many reels designed to throw light weights and surely they do a better job out of the box or with mods than a Bantam does. For me I will use the Bantam as a strong reel for mid and heavier lures. I will use other reels for light stuff.
Re: Bantam MGL reviews?
Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 11:10 am
Seems like it would be ok, I haven't tried anything under 3/8ozDirtyD64 wrote:How does that spool toss light lures???j2015 wrote:Dropped in the avail shallow spool and the thing is a pitching machine!
Re: Bantam MGL reviews?
Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 8:58 pm