Calcutta Conquest SE

[DirtyD64]

Just got mine in. Super, super greasy. Had another angler I know play with the reel in hand and ask why it was so tight. I turned the handle and a click happened then the reel was smooth again.

I hate to complain but it was odd. You have to barely turn the handle and only one click happens, this leaves the reel feeling rough whilst turning, like it didn't fully reengage. Either way it is a very hard problem to replicate, any idea what is causing this on a brand new reel?

I had a Daiwa Tatula CT that was having a similar issue--when I press the thumb bar, then go to turn the handle to engage the reel it would feel really tight and be hard to reel until I pressed the thumb bar again and turned the handle. It felt like the reel wasn't really fully engaged.

I ended up taking the reel apart and think it was that the A/R ratchet wasn't seated down on the drive shaft properly. There was a lot of grease down there and after wiping off some of the excess grease, wiping the ratchet, and putting the reel back together it fixed the issue.

I would imagine that if the reel arrived really greasy, then you may want to crack it open and wipe off all the grease and lightly coat it and put it back together.

After messing with it more and trying my 100HG I found that it does the same thing. You literally have to try and make it happen, so no big deal. The Conquest doesn't require depressing the thumb bar again, just turning forward a bit harder to fully engage it. I am assuming the pinion just isn't full slid back over when I feel this. Again, it was someone else and myself trying to cause the issue, and the issue went away when you turned a quick turn forward. Just a VERY gentle micro creep handle turn to engage the reels will cause them to stay in a partial engagement state until you turn harder forward.

[Real Pudd legend]

Is the reel super smooth? Is it the same size as the conquest 100 to old school 50?

[DirtyD64]

Is the reel super smooth? Is it the same size as the conquest 100 to old school 50?

It is extremely smooth. My 100HG always felt like a bearing might be a little buzzy somewhere, but not so far on this 30HG. As far as size it is 100% the same reel as the 100HG other than color and a shallow spool. That is fine with me though, these have to be some of the best reels ever made.

[Real Pudd legend]

Appreciate the info, it’s definitely a sweet reel.

[DirtyD64]

Got a decent day in with the new SE yesterday. I will say I made a critical mistake, twice. I guess my tension knob wasn't tight enough, hard to tell these days with Silent Tune springs putting constant tension. Backlashed pretty good earlier on in the day. Was able to pick that one out, adjusted again, and still overran bad enough to need a bit cut off (was kinked so bad anyways the line wasn't worth saving). Either way, this reel feels VERY fast. Not sure why, but it feels way faster than how my 100HG is set up. I run both with 4 brakes on and about mid dial setting, but the 30HG really needs some thumb. I still think most of this was due to the tension knob being very loose. This could have also caused the odd engagement issue, it seems to not really occur on the water, and if you did get that partial engage/click feeling, any forward pressure at all on the handle would engage the reel (either one) entirely.

[freelancer27]

What line did you put on? Was the capacity sufficient?

[goldrod]

What line did you put on? Was the capacity sufficient?

Ditto,, I want to know as well. !!


I have not purchased yet but the answer to this question may push me to buy sooner than later

[DirtyD64]

I ran 12lb Daiwa J Fluoro Hidden. Got about 65 yards or so, maybe a bit more. I know after backlashing I only had like 20 yards. Also thinking my tension knob being crazy loose made that engagement feel weird and make the reel throw so loosely.

I really didn't expect that J Fluoro to fill it anyways, will probably use Shooter or R18 LTD to fill it now. From what I can tell, you wouldn't want a lipless crank and 14-16lb fluoro on this reel, would leave your spool empty and bait sailing...

On the other hand, I'm sure it would hold plenty of 30-40lb braid...