The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Phil Arnott wrote: ↑Sun Feb 04, 2018 9:13 pm I've caught some quite large fish on the 506 including a few 5lb chub, barbel to 7lb, tench to 7lb and carp of at least 11lb. The secret is to set the clutch correctly and don't wind the handle when the fish is running because that locks the reel and stops it releasing line.

I have to back this up Phil. I have never understood anglers saying you can't play and land big fish on a 506. You can, you just need to set the clutch to the fish you can reasonably expect in a given water.

I now only use mine for trotting and the largest fish I've landed recently have been chub to 5lb (the reel was bought new for me as a teenager in the mid-70s). However, my late mother fished with hers until only 2 years ago and her best fish was a 15lb carp on 5lb line after she had hit 80! My girlfriend, who has only been fishing for 2 years, landed an 11lb carp on the same reel last summer, again with 5lb line.

The 506 may not give me quite the control of a 'pin but it does the job if you set the clutch right and it's a fine reel to teach someone with.

My biggest fish on the old 506 was a 9lb barbel on bayer 1.7 lb line that was back in the late 70s
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Match Aerial wrote: ↑Mon Feb 05, 2018 1:37 pm My biggest fish on the old 506 was a 9lb barbel on bayer 1.7 lb line that was back in the late 70s
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My respects, sir. That's one hell of an achievement.

Kudos. I've managed to lose sticklebacks on stronger line than that.
As far as I remember, the vast majority of the competition had back wind as a standard option. I've tried a few, the Daiwa 123M, the Shakespeare 2020, I even had a Ryobi CF1 at one point. That seems to have gained a reputation as a decent reel over the years.
They must have, because there is no way a hamfisted prat like me could have landed fish otherwise.

I never thought to mention the line strength but all the fish I mentioned were caught on line of 2lb 12oz or less. The barbel was on 2lb line and I'd previously had a tangle and left a knot in the hook length. I was very fortunate that it held. I could have been quite easily kicking myself for being lazy.

I can't beat the 9lb barbel on 1.7lb. I don't think an 11lb carp on 2.6lb bayer is as good.

Nice to hear of other captures chaps!

I'll offer up a minnow on 5lb Maxima, legering on the Severn. Must have done.
Some skilful anglers on this thread. Just as a matter of interest what rods were you chaps using?
In other news thanks to Phil, the drag is now set on my 506M, and....... not bad.
Now please, giz a decent mild spell so I can get down the canal.

willsmodger wrote:Mon Feb 05, 2018 8:18 pm I'll offer up a minnow on 5lb Maxima, legering on the Severn. Must have done.
Some skilful anglers on this thread. Just as a matter of interest what rods were you chaps using?
In other news thanks to Phil, the drag is now set on my 506M, and....... not bad.
Now please, giz a decent mild spell so I can get down the canal.

Back in the day it was the abu cobra carbon 12ft.

Kudos again. I thought it might have been a floppy fibre glass thing.
I've caught barbel on float gear, but nothing that size, and I certainly wasn't using 1.7lb line.
It must have felt like hooking a rugby union prop forward pursuing his snorkelling hobby.
There's an episode of Mainstream where Matt Hayes is trotting the Severn using a Match Aerial copy made as he said "by my old mate Fred Crouch".
He landed a barbel which turned out to be actually foul hooked. It repaid him for this outrage by snapping his rod in half. Might have been a Shimano.

willsmodger wrote: ↑Mon Feb 05, 2018 8:18 pm Just as a matter of interest what rods were you chaps using?

I used a B&W CTM 13A until I went over to a Shakespeare 14ft Mach II Boron which I still use.

willsmodger wrote: ↑Mon Feb 05, 2018 8:18 pm Some skilful anglers on this thread. Just as a matter of interest what rods were you chaps using?

My mum and girlfriend were both using the same, otherwise unmentionable rod, a Maver Abyss 10 foot. I use several rods for my chub fishing 2 would have been a B. James MkIV Avon and a Chapmans 500.