Accudepth Plus are a good bang for the buck step down from there diawa sealine Sc model

 

Okuma!!! Very good luck

 

Stick with the Okumas.. IMO... Go with Convectors or the new Clarions. I have used both and they perform excellent, especially the new Clarions. Nice and smooth with a nice fast retrieveal rate.

 

Daiwa Sealines are what I'm using and not one complaint.

 

I have some Okuma Stratamasters from Bass Pro and love them. I beleive these are made exclusively for BassPro. They are very well made. I like either the 30 or 45 size.
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/s...ores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_93452_100001006_100000000_100001000_100-1-6

 

What's so screwed up with your existing reels that they could not be reconditioned?

 

I agree w/ Kagee. A rebuild isn't a bad idea if you've been happy with them that long already.

 

I think you answered your own question. Time to switch to a true tried and tested bullet proof reel. Diawa. I used some okuma's in NY a couple times for salmon and the drags were a JOKE compared to Diawa LCA so bad I didn't want to use those combo's (they didn't even want to hold wire down). If you can't afford the LCA's or LCX's go with the Accudepth Plus awesome reel for the money. Walk around the docks at Olcott and see what reels are in most charter captains rocket launchers. I think that will tell you that you made the right choice. Since nobody else wants to say it I will.....MOST guys (not all so don't get your draws in a bunch fella's ) who purchase Okuma's don't want to pay for the Diawa's but would neeeever admit it. Which I understand because they are costly but like anything else pick up one here and there and they become more affordable over time instead of buyin all of them at the same time. At least you got the good stuff and don't have to worry about sticky drags or reels blowin up on you.

My .2 give me a penny and I'll refund half my advice if you want

 

I have been using my 5 Daiwa Sealines for eight years on both Erie and Ontario with one problem. I broke the clicker spring on one reel.
- SG27LCA
- SG47LCA

Ordered the part online for a couple of dollars.

Jim

 

I like my okumas, I hope they last 10 years!

 

Best reel for the money IMO is the Diawa LCA. Salmon/walleye... etc. Drags are very capable of handling pretty much anything you can throw at em' in the lakes. There are other reels out there that I would place higher, but for 90-100 bones a reel you can't beat the LCA's. If you're planning on laying down a bit more, the new Diawa saltist counters are very nice, I've heard nothing but good about them, and then you have the workhorse Tekotas (Shimano)... All a matter of how much green you plan on dropping.

 

I have owned and used okumas, diawas and shimano line counters in the past. The best was shimano, the 2nd best was diawa. I now use all diawas as they were the best value. Theokumas were the cheapest and did not measure up to the oter 2 brands.

 

I've had Cabelas golds and they are ok but I bought some of the cheaper Diawa combos and they are much better. The drags especially. So I guess my advice is to get the better Diawas if you can afford them or if you can't check out the combos,about 65 bucks.

 

Ive heard the arguments. I think the Daiwa's lack reeling power IMO. I will also say that I am no way sponsored, endorsed by, or persuaded to purchase anything other than what I feel is quality.

Buy an Okuma on par price wise with the other reels and you wont be sorry. I currently have 14- 30D Convectors, 6 - 30D Catalinas, and probaly 4 - Madga Pros...Ive never sent one back or had one fail...Maybe I am just lucky...I dunno...but ill knock on wood to that...

The drags have been much improved on the Convectors since their original design and the Catalina reels are just awesome. The reel handles are large and very comfortable to use. You set the drags and turn the handle that fish is coming.

I have done a few reel upgrades through Okuma as well and found their customer service to be very good.

I owned the Sealine 47s and 27s...I got a set of brand new LCA 27s that wouldnt reel in a white bass if their life depended on it let alone pull dipsys or inline boards...The clickers went out on both my 47LCAs and I sold them off...

If you expect to have a $30 reel even come close to competing with a $60-$100 reel its just not gonna happen...Lots of guys I know use Daiwas and have great luck with em, but I've been using Okumas now for almost 10 years with very very minimal problems.

I've had Cabelas golds and they are ok but I bought some of the cheaper Diawa combos and they are much better. The drags especially. So I guess my advice is to get the better Diawas if you can afford them or if you can't check out the combos,about 65 bucks.

 

You've heard the arguments and I just heard the garbage and BS....

White bass give me a freagin break...I guess your white bass are stronger than musky and salmon huh since the Diawa's are the industry work horses.

 

First of all, do you have a budget for ten new reels? That is the first thing that I would establish. I think the lower and middle of the road line counters are like ford/chevy and the higher end, tekota's, saltists etc are like a BMW/Lexus thing.

My only experience with okuma's were with the magda's and I thought the drags were terrible and overall quality sucked.

I have no experience with the Diawa accudepths but I used to run all Diawa SG's on my rods and they held up very well for many years. Several years ago, I got a deal on some Tekota's and have since converted everything over to those. sweet reel but pricey.

If you can afford them, I'd look hard at the Diawa SG series. You are basically gonna get what you pay for anyways.
my 2 cents

 

I use Diawa Sealine - SG27LCA & SG47LCA. They are probably 10 years old. Got them from a charter captain friend. They have been rebuilt several times. Parts are easy to get and relatively inexpensive. I also have 2 newer Okumas. They are OK but i like the Diawas better. My $0.02..

DanO

 

thanks for the input. i am looking over all of the suggestions now. Price is not really a big deal but i am not going to pay 250 for somthing that i can get for 125. The reels that are smoked are just that...smoked. The drags are wasted the guide that goes back and forth sticks to one side or the other and then doesnt count line accuratly. I got all ten okumas with daiwa rods for 200 bucks. Not sure where this guy got the from and they where used when i got them but i would say they are at least 10-15 years old. Have probably 30 or more trolling rods and reels but they are wire setups or rigger setups without line counters. Daiwa or okuma that seems to be the question. Gonna have to get my hands on one of each and figure it out.

 

Replacing the drag washers and the levelwind pawl is a lot cheaper than buying new reels. At most you may need to replace a bearing too. Here's a tutorial I ran across. About to replace the drags in my Convectors now. Will post where I find them at. http://www.nbssportfishing.com/vBforum/f35/okuma-convector-cv-30l-rebuild-2-28-10-a-13213/

Kgone: The Convectors were about the same price as a Daiwa. Daiwa doesn't offer a left hand crank model.

 

Took a little searching, found drag washers from this site: http://www.tunasreeltroubles.com/ Their phone number is listed on Okuma's customer service page. The repair center listed for Ohio never answered any of my calls. Orderd the better Carbonite washers that come standard in Catalina's. I think the Convector's are made with them now too. Will post again after putting them in.

 

I have 24 yes 24 47LCAs by Diawa have yet to have one fail, clickers replaced yes but no other issues. I use them for mono board rods, braid dipsey rods, mono rigger rods, 5 color cores, wire diver rods. Bought 4 convector 45s last year for copper and leadcore a little over a year later I had one drag washer failure and another internal issue. If just reeling in walleye logs that wouldn't be an issue but when Silver fish come into play especially Lady O's silver fish spend the money and get quality components. My remaining convectors are being retired after a full year and I am going to the Saltist reels for my short coppers and cores. Could be a 20K derby feesh on the end of that line.

 

Actually both of the 27 reels I had were found to be defective something about the drags not engaging properly...Diawa offered to replace them...

Was trolling inline boards with plugs took a good hit fish hooked up, but I couldnt move the fish...Tightened down the drags as hard as they would go still couldnt budge it...Wasnt exactly a salmon on the other end...I could barely reel in the inline board...

The 47s I used for 5 years on big dipsy rods. I liked them a lot. Clickers went out on em...By then Okuma was producing the Catalina and I gave them a try...on year 4 with them now...

Im not knocking the reels...Just sharing my experience with Daiwa (this was about 6 years ago mind you).

I know a lot of guys who use em and have great luck with them just the 4 or so Ive owned gave me some issues. I personally would try them again, but am just in too deep at thisx point with my okuma equipment to switch...And have been fairly satisfied with the okuma reels...

If you got 10 of em laying around and want to prove me wrong send em on over...

You've heard the arguments and I just heard the garbage and BS....

White bass give me a freagin break...I guess your white bass are stronger than musky and salmon huh since the Diawa's are the industry work horses.

 

The old 27 lc were great reels, but about 7 or 8 years ago they cheapened them drastically. I think that's part of the problem. No sense ruffling feathers.

 

I think the original poster was looking at opinions and not a bunch of guys cheerleading for an actual brand....I posted actual information on my experience with the reels. I dont wear hats, or have patches on shirts, I just go fishing...

Do I think the Okumas are the greatest reel on earth...No...Believe me Id love to have 20Shimano Tekota reels, but at $160 bucks a pop just not happening...So far for $65 a piece ive been having good luck with the 30D Convectors...Really about all I can say...For a pretty durable reel, that wouldnt really kill you if it went swimming out of a clients hands, I cant complain...

The Daiwas always had a superior drag system, but the catalina drags are pretty smooth too I must say...Id love to try the new highspeed Daiwa reels...

 

I think the original poster was looking at opinions and not a bunch of guys cheerleading for an actual brand....I posted actual information on my experience with the reels. I dont wear hats, or have patches on shirts, I just go fishing...

Do I think the Okumas are the greatest reel on earth...No...Believe me Id love to have 20Shimano Tekota reels, but at $160 bucks a pop just not happening...So far for $65 a piece ive been having good luck with the 30D Convectors...Really about all I can say...For a pretty durable reel, that wouldnt really kill you if it went swimming out of a clients hands, I cant complain...

The Daiwas always had a superior drag system, but the catalina drags are pretty smooth too I must say...Id love to try the new highspeed Daiwa reels...

I have 4 of the saltists on their way to me as we speak can't wait. Should make reeling in those long coppers in much easier.