[Carpking3]

I have been shooting an AMS reel for a few years now and have gotten a lot of fish with it. However this year we built a new boat and are moving a lot faster on the water and the AMS is definitely a little slow on the retrieval. I bought my father a muzzy reel a few years back and he loves it. He has lost a few arrows but it seems he can retrieve faster than me and he's in his 60's. I also just bought my girlfriend an AMS tournament pro a few months ago and I don't see too much of and increase in speed over my older AMS. I have been debating on switching for a while now and have even acquired a zebco 808 from a friend. Should I just try the zebco out and see if I like it or should I go and buy a muzzy reel?

 

[TheLock25]

The 808 will work but the muzzys seem more durable and better quality. Try it out and if u like it buy a muzzy and have that 808 as a backup

 

[jameswk]

try it

 

[TrevorM]

Is it the new 808 or the older one. Either way it is bound to fail sooner or later. I'd switch up for a ti20. You can buy 4 for the price of one muzzy.

 

[Xarmy2005]

ti-20 if you want something cheap to try, just do the modifications to it, but muzzy is built for this sport. I was a bottle shot till I shot a spinner, now the only reason I got back is for certain situations otherwise spinner all the way.

 

[Carpking3]

Thanks for the advice, I definitely want to go with something that will last. My AMS has gone through hell and back and still works every time. I am still curious if the muzzy retrieves faster than the zebco and other reels. I have both the older and newer 808's, I planned on using them as backups or letting friends use them if they wanted to come out and fish. Also I was curious if there was any difference between the newer and older muzzy reels?

 

[Xarmy2005]

haven't used a 808 , but I have both muzzy's, ti-20 and both ams reels, the difference between the muzzy xd and xd pro are: pro has built in reel seat which I'm still on the fence about its nice but its a allen key to tighten and kina PITA. It also has a lever that you switch to the left for free spool like ams bottle and right to reel, you can also flip it left and right to give you a action like pushing the button so when you crank the handle it starts reeling. The standard muzzy xd is like any other spinner except a little more durable with easy to get replacement parts for anything that breaks and uses a standard reel seat.

 

[TrevorM]

If your reels are full of line they retrieve as follows:
Muzzy-31/9(3.44:1) ratio pulling in 24" per handle rotation
TI20-38/12(3.17:1) ratio pulling in 21.75" per handle rotation
Archenemy Nemisis 30/11(2.73:1) ratio pulling 19.5" per handle rotation
Zebco 808 31/12(2.58:1) ratio pulling in 17" per handle rotation

The previous numbers were all recorded with new reels spooled with the factory line. None of them will outlast an AMS but I'd stick to the TI20 and the Muzzy for now. At lease until the Archenemy gets reworked or someone else hits the market

 

[glassbow201]

Thanks for the advice, I definitely want to go with something that will last. My AMS has gone through hell and back and still works every time.

If you want something to last, keep using that AMS. It is just so much simpler and more substantial than any spincast reel, and US made. With a spinner, you have to pay attention and use your head a bit more, or they break.

The AMS tournament should be faster than the AMS pro, except they went and put a longer handle on it than the AMS pro. Shorten that handle and you get a faster retrieve. Same goes for the spinners. I rigged a short handle onto my 888 and that is quicker than my 808. It is not just the retrieval per rotation; it is also how fast you can whip it around. Angular inertia thing, think figure skating when the girl pulls her leg in tight.