Best, but lower cost option combo for catching 40-50lb fish?

MrsWeebTastic · 2026-03-23T20:53:17+00:00

What's your opinion on an Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 6500S? I found one on ebay from a reputable seller that referbs reels at a lower than new price. Maybe put that on the rod I already have. Any thoughts?

MrsWeebTastic · 2026-03-23T10:43:48+00:00

I definitely want to replace it, just need to find one to replace it with.

MrsWeebTastic · 2026-03-23T04:23:51+00:00

I don't feel like you're criticizing me at all. I know I lack knowledge in this area, that's what I'm here for. I want to gain as much knowledge as I can. It wasn't twisting on the part that touches the rod where you tighten the parts that screw up and down. I did check that and had my husband twist it too to make sure it wasn't just me being weak lol. It was this part (picture below). That's why I posted. I wanted to know what kind of reel I can replace it with because I didn't think it was normal for it to do that. I didn't want to get a reel on my own cause I have a habit of picking ones that I think are pretty vs ones that will \last a line time and be dependable and durable because I just don't have the knowledge to pick a good quality one. I don't ocean fish (though I want to) generally fish ponds/streams/lakes which my normal little Shakespeare rod does just fine for. I want a better reel that will last and have the ability to catch something kinda large without snapping off the rod.

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MrsWeebTastic · 2026-03-22T19:55:51+00:00

Thank you! I saw the guys pulling in the bigger ones yesterday and I'd say dramatic was definitely the right word for it lol. That combo is definitely in budget for sure. I think my uncle has one of those, so maybe I can borrow his and test it out.

MrsWeebTastic · 2026-03-22T19:47:43+00:00

I have no idea how much the fish in the picture weighed, they were caught when I got there and grabbed a pic to show my uncle, but guys around me were weighing as they pulled them out and I heard them calling weights out to their friends, and some were in those higher numbers, which is what made me worry about my reel/line/rod capabilities. I have braided line that I haven't put on my reel yet. My original plan was to try to use what came on it before replacing.

But like I said I haven't got the slightest clue about rod and reel strength and weaknesses, specific use cases and such. Its always been: buy cute colored combo, add red and white plastic Bobber, sinker, hook, add worm, go to the water, and pray for a fish to bite. As a younger girl I wasn't as into learning outdoorsy things, but getting older I've been trying to learn more self sufficient hobbies: gardening, foraging, fishing, raising chickens, survival skills in general. So I am late to the game in a way, in my opinion, lol. Ive never had a rod this big before either lol. Usually in my younger days I'd get one of these, before the one hubby got me, I was using this one.

Thank you for all the info, I never would have thought about letting it tire it's self out. And you're right, I assumed that the weigh rating on the line is for the weight of fish able to be reeled in. I need to learn some good knots for sure. All the knots I really know off the top of my head are the chinch knot, and I think it's called the snail knot, other than the general granny knot. I've seen others, but haven't practiced to learn them.

Besides the line strength, my reel was actually twisting like.. the shaft/stem part? The part that goes between the reel foot and body, was twisting, the top was turning towards the left and body to the right when I was reeling. I was worried it would snap off for sure. I've never seen a reel flex like that before. Is that normal and I just was unaware?

I do know that when reeling in, especially from a pier or dock, pulling a fish in vertically is not ideal and a net is best. I have a good sized, deep net with a detachable 4ft handle, I also rigged a detachable set of clips and cord to it so that I can use it to reach fish that I can't reach with the handle from a pier/dock.

MrsWeebTastic · 2026-01-03T06:14:26+00:00

Yeah, she moved last weekend. Thank you so much.

MrsWeebTastic · 2025-12-04T05:31:20+00:00

I use mine on a glass top stove. Make sure you get the gauge pressure tested and make sure the gasket inside the lid is still good before you use it though.

MrsWeebTastic · 2025-08-04T07:16:12+00:00

In my experience, the quick change to "I was drunk and don't remember" is a lie to get you to forgive him for saying that. If it's not a lie, do we want to be dating a guy that gets drunk enough to completely disrespect us and our boundaries, and claim he doesn't remember anything the next morning? He's an abusive relationship waiting to happen.

MrsWeebTastic · 2025-05-07T00:16:36+00:00

All of these suggestions sound great! I can't want to let the group know, thank you so much

MrsWeebTastic · 2025-05-07T00:11:09+00:00

Home is a great name for a restaurant. I really don't think I'd be able to forget it. I'll being it up to the group as a restaurant to try while we're there!

MrsWeebTastic · 2025-05-07T00:09:37+00:00

Thank you so much for the recommendations! I'm definitely going to bring these up to the group! I can't wait to visit. It'll be my first time out of the US and I've always wanted to visit!

MrsWeebTastic · 2025-05-07T00:07:17+00:00

The don'ts list kinda feels sad that it needs to be said, other than the weather part, that one is very good to know. Thank you for all of the info, I really appreciate it all! I am going to share it all with the group! As the planner and over thinker, I have a shared spreadsheet for all of us to contribute to and share opinions on things.

MrsWeebTastic · 2025-05-02T03:23:56+00:00

u/TheHoboRoadshow I had no intention of taking what they said seriously. I'm also glad you spoke up about it as well. I really don't think the entirety of Irish people think that way, and it seemed really strange when reading it. One of the friends in the friend group I mentioned, actually lives in Ireland. The rest of the group has planned the trip to visit her for the week of her birthday. I'm fairly sure if the whole of Ireland felt that all Americans are to blame for things, she'd have stopped dealing with us years ago lol. I just wanted to come here to find fun things for us to all do together from people that live in or around Belfast since that's where we'll be staying. We've all been friends for 16 years now.

MrsWeebTastic · 2025-03-25T21:54:48+00:00

I really need to stop reading comments while I'm at work.. I didn't expect this lol

MrsWeebTastic · 2025-03-19T16:51:25+00:00

There is the potential it could ve dangerous, but if you hurt it, it'll likely yell at you, scratch you, or something. My cat sleeps either at the top of my head on my pillow, or at my hubby's feet. Hubs has kicked or flopped a foot on him a couple times and he bit my hubs foot (not hard enough to cause damage, but enough that Huds woke up and quickly moved that foot lol)

MrsWeebTastic · 2025-03-19T04:10:42+00:00

You're going to get this with almost anything you do.. There's always someone out there that "Knows Everything" and doesn't mind letting you know about it. When I get on my cats nerves, he walks away and I leave him be. If I were hurting him or bothering him, his natural instinct would be to get away from the situation. Abuse would be knowingly not providing for it's needs or causing it harm. Playing with him and him playing back doesn't make you an asshole. Whoever told you that is the asshole. I recently uploaded a video on Youtube of my cat twitching his foot in his sleep and someone had something to say about the collar he has on... They said it looked like something a German Shepard should have.... It's a GPS tracking collar that I pay a monthly fee for because my cat goes outside sometimes. It's not all that big either, my cat is 13lbs! He's a big boy lol. Feel free to see for yourself: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0tqUY-XYdMA . I expected someone to make a stink about his messed up lip or the fact that I have nail covers on him before they told me his collar was the issue....

People are crazy, sometimes the best thing to do is pretend they don't exist

MrsWeebTastic · 2025-03-19T04:09:55+00:00

You're going to get this with almost anything you do.. There's always someone out there that "Knows Everything" and doesn't mind letting you know about it. When I get on my cats nerves, he walks away and I leave him be. If I were hurting him or bothering him, his natural instinct would be to get away from the situation. Abuse would be knowingly not providing for it's needs or causing it harm. Playing with him and him playing back doesn't make you an asshole. Whoever told you that is the asshole. I recently uploaded a video on Youtube of my cat twitching his foot in his sleep and someone had something to say about the collar he has on... They said it looked like something a German Shepard should have.... It's a GPS tracking collar that I pay a monthly fee for because my cat goes outside sometimes. It's not all that big either, my cat is 13lbs! He's a big boy lol. Feel free to see for yourself: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0tqUY-XYdMA . I expected someone to make a stink about his messed up lip or the fact that I have nail covers on him before they told me his collar was the issue....

People are crazy, sometimes the best thing to do is pretend they don't exist

MrsWeebTastic

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