KEEP IT SIMPLE
My rule has always been to keep it simple. I have never found it necessary to customise a standard production 6500CT multiplier for beach work. Quality reels work beautifully straight from the box. They neither need nor benefit from special oils, custom parts and complex tuning.
Dab a bit of lube in the bearings – the manufacturer’s lube always works for me, though I do like the way regular Rocket Fuel lasts longer – then set magnets/blocks to maximum. Cast the reel, gradually backing off the brakes until the casts flows well. It is that quick and easy. One small block does it for me. On magnetic reels, I usually end up with the controller dial set somewhere between halfway and fully off.
Smooth, controllable line flow is easier to achieve with the right combination of line diameter and filling height. This is often overlooked, especially in the early days when filling right to the top seems the logical thing to do. Ordinary 0.35mm nylon loaded to within 2-3mm of the spool rim suits most of the reels. In the early days of coming to grips with a multiplier, thicker line can help because the level falls rapidly as the cast flies away, and thus helps prevent loose coils popping up, which are typically the prelude to a backlash. Try 0.40mm on a small CT and 0.45mm-0.50mm on a big reel.
A heavy spool, thin line and too many revs are the root of most control issues with the bigger multipliers, and even the best of techniques won’t save the day beyond a certain point. Hence the old rule of thumb about choosing the smallest multiplier that can handle the job when you’re after maximum range. The situation is different for short-range work. Reel choice is much wider than expected.
At one time I did a lot of bass fishing over rocky ground, lobbing four ounces of lead and a big soft crab a modest distance. A little CT was fine for casting, but far too slow and weak for hauling a hooked fish away from the rough stuff. My favourite reel was a chunky lever-drag Policansky. With its large diameter spool that swallowed 275-ish metres of 20lb line, no brakes and a heck of a stretch for my thumb, it was a non-starter for long-range beach fishing. But with a soft rod and a smooth swing, it delivered baits up to 90 metres with ease.
The Policansky was wonderful to fish with, landed a lot of bass and underlined that reel choice is always a matter of horses for courses. Most of the criticisms aimed at big multipliers hold true for long casting, but not necessarily for fishing at short range. You don’t always need a specific shore reel either. Almost any boat multiplier with an aluminium alloy or composite spool will cast happily to at least 75 metres – a handy option for harbour conger eels and the like.