dkhunter8383

This past year was my first year bowfishing. My 2 buddies and i did pretty good and we are all hooked. All we used for reels last year was peanut butter jars, and wrapped the line around it with our hands, but i am looking to upgrade. I dont know if i want to drop the $70 on the AMS reel, but they look very nice. Are they worth the cost, or is there a less expensive reel which is just as good? Any help is appreciated thanks

Fishhunter

Let me put it this way - I've been shooting the same one for over five years with no problem. All I've done is change the line. Don't use the line that comes with the bottle; heavier line is thicker and the wheels pick it up better.

Spincasts have their own discussion boards on how to repair them, where to find spare parts, how many back-up reels to take along...

HunterOpel

I have both and they both work good, an ams will definitely last you a long time,but you can get a couple of years from a synergy spincast reel with fast flight on it..$70.00 versus $20.00..They are both good...

carpsniper

AMS is a great reel. Bullet proof as fish says.

Look at it this way, approximately $70 for the AMS that mounts to the quiver/sight bushings, tie on an arrow with safety slide or rings and you're ready to go.

Or, you can buy a spincast reel for $30 to $40, plus a good quality reel seat for $20, replace the line for another $10, tie on an arrow and be ready to go. Forget to push the release button, lose the $10 (or more)arrow, retie, curseand repeat.

That being said, I use a spincast set-up. It's how I started and I just can't seem to break the habit. I know it has cost me much more in the long run. Most of the serious tournament shooters use a spincast set-up of some kind. But if you're not planning on becoming a competetive tourney shooter any time soon, save yourself some hassle and go with the AMS.

Good luck and good fishing.

Fishhunter

Sheesh, try to stir the pot a little and nobody's got a spoon. The spincasts do retrieve faster for second shots and are good for fighting big fish, but the bottle is simplicity itself.

Bulzeye

That the big difference right there, and as Carpsniper said, it's going to cost you about the same for initial setup with either the Retriever or a spincast (nice pot stirring Fishhunter). The spincasts give you the advantage of fastest retrieval due to the gear ratio, and have a drag setting that the Retrievers don't have, but the Retrievers are hassle free (no bale release button to remember to push, no anti-reverse gears to scramble, and it won't break).

carpsniper

That pot has already been stirred so much... I guess another churn won't hurt.

I just wanted to give dk a straight answer first, then ya'll can stir away.

RobinAim Low

I can't hardly get one trip out of the Synergies, much less a couple years. I switched to AMS specifically for the quality of the reel. Put some 400 lb fast flight on it and your are set.

HunterOpel

I have taken 10' alligators on synergy reels, as far as initial cost, lets see- Ams-$70.00, arrow-$15.00, new line- $5.00, line that comes with ams reels isnt very good..spincast reel- $25.00, arrow-$15.00, reel seat-$15.00, line-$5.00..Totals AMS-$90.00....Spin-$60.00..Not quite the same cost..And Robin didnt you take your big gar with a spincast reel???I may not bowfish as much as some of the people on here but I go 30-40 times a year and have no major issue with a spincast reel..And guys this thread started with a guy using a peanut jar, a spincast or a retrevier reel is a huge improvement..I am just trying to help a beginner save a few bucks in the beginning of his bowfishing Years..May they be LONG and FULL of Fish!!!!!Good luck with it dkhunter8383.........

dkhunter8383

thanks guys appreciate the input