Why Not WaveSpin reels?

[nofearengineer]

Tony...(I figure since you think it's funny to mock my screen name, I'll join in the game ), there are plenty of people on this board who disagree with me on a lot of subjects.

Apparently, you have some sort of emotional stake in the continued success of Mr. Hannon.

The original poster clearly asked if there were any reasons we would not make the Wavespin our "go to" reel. If you can't live with dissent from your strongly held beliefs, you probably need to find a different board to troll.

Debate....It's Grrrrrrrreat!!!

[CamG]

I know that in some situations, line loops on a spinning reel happen. The culprit for me was reeling in slack line at the beginning of a retrieve. There are plenty of solutions that I have found that work as a fix. First and foremost is the use of braid. I have switched all but one of my spinning reels to braid, and that has cured the problem. But, I also purchased a "fat" spool spinning reel (Pro Qualifier) to run fluoro on. By making sure the line is taught at the beginning of the retrieve, and flipping the bail manually with this reel - I have yet to have a loop that has created a problem.

Doug Hannon is the Ron “Ronco” Popeil of bass fishing. While he has some "inventions" that work, he more of a salesman than inventor.

[Top Tiger]

Not trying to make fun of your screen name, NFE. Good one on the Tony though. Top Tiger was my company call sign in Viet Nam. Had to think of something that I'll remember from day to day. Don't take offense when none was intended. I have no personal stake in the success or failure of Mr Hannon but he did teach me a lot of tricks.

[Imgoodatwhatido]

my partner fishes one in the winter time when we throw lots of smalll cranks for smallmouth. I like the reel and it does work, but the handle design sucks. If i could swap out the handles I would have one. On the other hand my spinnig reel is a abu garcia center drag. i spool my reels correctly and i never have problems with line twist

[pro reel]

Bryce, I agree that a spinning reel should put line on as it comes off. It still puts it on from wraping it from the side as the bail rotates around the spool instead of simply rolling it up as a casting reel does. You are correct that if the roller was working correctly, in theory, that it should wrap it in the same coils that it casts off. However, that can only happen if the line is free to spin. Thats why your sugestion of a swivle will help. To ilustrate, take a garden hose and and try to roll it up while someone holds the other end, it will start to kink up unless they allow the hose to spin. The same thing happens with fishing line, but the line twists. You can let it out behind a boat to unravel once in a while or use good swivels, or use braid. All of those will help. The only thing that surprises me on your views on this is that statement that you think it's a solution in search of a problem. I personally think the idea behind the spool lip design was a very good idea and if it was put on a reel that I liked, I think it would help prevent a lot of problems. Most of the great things we have today came out of people not being satisfied with something that worked OK but were constantly looking for ways to improve a design. I personally think that reel design has been stagnant for quite some time. We get new offerings from the factories every year but all they change is usually colors, bling and weight. They may add a bearing here and there or tweak the handles a bit, but we still have the same basic design. A few companies have recently stepped outside of the box and tried some new designs. US reels has an inovative new design for the line winding system on casting reels. Some could say that the normal worm gear system works fine so why change it? You might say that the new sytem is also a solution looking for a problem if you were happy with the normal system. I aplaud anyone that tries a new design. I agree that the wavespin reel itself is not my cup of tea, but it would not surprise me at all to see that design or something similar start to show up on other reels after any patent restrictions lift.

[lilmule]

I think what he was getting at its an inherent problem with the design,coiling around and around in front of the spool.
So memory as well as tension are always a problem,that is just a different way of overcoming some of it,the swivel takes a lot out as well like with an inline spinner.
As for Doug he holds many patents a great many of which were his idea.
Also would be a top contender for guiness book of worlds records for patent infringement.
No doubt he has it upstairs just not always the first to think of things and patent.
And i love that popcorn eatin deer,just wish I could keep them out of the garden,tend to help themselves.

[nofearengineer]

Kev...the reason I am prone to that point of view is because I am guilty of it all the time. I consider myself a clever person, yet I get into a lot more scrapes than someone not so clever! I can't tell you how many times I've spent 100 hours trying to create some elegant solution to a problem that would put that wavespin spool to shame, only to realize later it was all a waste of time.

[bcklash]

I have one and have had no line problems what so ever, but that reel weighs has much has a volkswagon.

[dave]

I wonder if Capt. Mike will get in on this "discussion". He's a wave spin user and fan.

[IAFrogger]

To answer the original question.... I have one of these reels which is approx. 5 years old... I have the original WaveSpin DH3000.... I feel it accomplishes what it is designed to do.... I have never had any problems with it. However, I have never used fluoro or mono on it.... only different weights of braid. So maybe I bought it needlessly..... I paid $50 for it shipping included on ebay. The quality is NO where near my Shimano Saros 2500 series... the Wavespin handle looks ackward but it really feels good in your hand, and I do like it. The drag quality also is good.... other parts of the reel are shiny plastic made to look metal....overall I say it was well worth the $50 I paid for it.... certainly would not pay $100 for one.... it is a quality average reel... certainly would not expect it to hold up to alot of heavy use.... mine is a backup and only gets used a few times a year for certain applications.

I caught a 5lb hybrid striper on mine and he really put the drag to the test... worked very well for me....

[Fish30114]

IA, that is the kind of info I was looking for, I think people are unique (or maybe don't fish much without a swivel) if they don't see coiling/wind knot etc. issues with their spinning gear, especially with the newer mono and flouro type lines. I don't want to go to braid to fix my issues, and I don't like to use a swivel. I do wonder why some of the more major mfgs. don't try some newer stuff with their gear, IMO spinning reels haven't changed significantly, except perhaps in weight depending on your view, in the last 30 years. I know I have a Pflueger President circa 1969 that still works just fine, maybe the drag is a little worn, but it is pretty similar to any of my more modern (year or less old) spinning reels.

I am hesitant to try a wavecast for reasons some others mentioned, such as what is the rig really like quality wise....I also wonder could Shimano, for example, just make a spool like the Wavespin's and help with twist in the line?? I am gonna look at US reels to see what the poster who mentioned them stated was 'different' but I do wonder if something like the Wavespin is just a gimmick, or part of what the future for spinning reels could look like.

[Captmikestarrett]

I have three with one four years old. Version one was good but had issues with handle coming lose. The spool had sharper edges and if loaded just right would shoot a rattle trap right back at you. Version 2 has smoother spoints on the spool and they added a lock washer on the handle to stop the handle coming lose.

The drags are very nice. Loops are seldom a problem but they do bugger up in less experanced hands. Only use braid BTW.

They are bit heavy but they can handle some big fish. Mine have gotten 34 inch convict bass and 32 inch red drum as well. A 22lb bluefish was subdued with my version 1 reel.

The spool top will unscrew and allow you to change line real quick.

The price is not too high. A good value.

Capt Mike

[Bender]

I forgot about the top of the spool unscrewing, I saw that at a show a while ago. That is a really nice feature.

[docirv]

Well, it just so happens I bought one of those reels from Doug himself when I was at one of the classics several years ago. As the only one here who can speak from actual on water experience with this reel I will say this...... The reel works as described by Doug. It casts further than a similar size regular spinning reel spool and it does capture the loop so that it is very easily removed without nasty tangles. But, it is not one of my main spinning reels.... I like my Shimano Stradics and use Doug's reel as a back up....

[bassinbob]

Forget who makes it but another reel similar is for sale now.

[Fish30114]

docirv, I have a few Shimano Stradics myself, and they are my favorite spinning reels. I fish heavy for spinning reels line a lot, simply because some of the styles I fish with these reels will yield a really large bass sometimes, and I don't want to be trying to land a really big boy with 8 or even 10 lb flouro/mono/copolymer...so I fish with 12 and even 14 on some of these rigs, which makes me a little more prone to 'twist' issues. Thus my curiousity about the wave spins. I did look at the US reels and their wider spool seems to have some merit as well, in both cases I am genuinely curious as to how BIG a difference their really is between something like one of my Stradics, and a US Reel or a Wavespin....I really think that if the Wavespin was THAT big of a difference the majors would step up and pay a license fee to produce it...in the rifle world everyone dissed them, but in the end all the majors make (and pay a license fee to do so) the WSM line of cartridges (a hybrid type rifle cartridge) I also think if they were that significant of an improvement, you would see the KVD's of the world using them...