Has anyone else noticed that Shimano has changed the reel angle across all product lines to a much more shallow angle? Choke points are moving out as much as 20 inches. Not a bad thing but interesting.

Reel spool upsweep makes little difference in casting. If you use the 27X factor for locating the choke, you get the more important facet of reel spool diameter factored in.

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You have data on reel spool upsweep angle effect on casting?

Steve, with which models did this take place? thanks, Mick

Stella, Vanquish, Symetre, Stradic. These are all the latest models as compared to older versions. Many spools are also getting larger. Older 1000/2000 series reels had spool ODs of 40 mm, now 43mm. 2500/3000 were 45mm, now 46.5. Again, not a bad thing but it makes me wonder if there was some intent for these changes.

Yes and it matters not. Line is pulled from the spool, not shot as if from a rifle barrel. You can't aim the line by spool upsweep - the lure will go where the rod tip goes, not where the line spool is aimed.

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You can shim a reel a few degrees up or down and it won't make any difference in casting. I've tried it. You can even set a reel up taped or clamped to a table and pull the line off from a pretty wide angle to the side. The tiny angle of the reel spool just does not make any difference. It won't affect anything until you get to really, really extreme angles. Plus like Tom said the instant the line leaves the spool the spool has no more control over it, if it ever did to begin with. The line was never contained by the spool like a bullet in a gun barrel would be. Watch the videos and you see that the line billows out from the spool on the cast, so a little more or less upsweep angle plays no role.

I had to ask the data question in honor of a very sharp chief engineer I used to work for who said: "Trust only in God; all others bring data."

I currently have 7 Shimanos ranging from Stradic to Spirex. NOT ONE has a spring click that is strong after a couple months of use. Several belonged to my boys and were close to new. They are fine for Walleye trolling, drifting and jigging. Where serious, pinpoint casting is involved they have failed me too many times. I have had several cleaned by pros and cleaned a few myself. I have tried to contact Shimano by phone and email, very difficult. I sent one almost new Spirex back and got no real explaination, just a New Spirex replacement that bail would not strongly click back from the get-go. Yes, I am a slow learner. My go-to reel for finesse, pin-point casting is no longer a Shimano. Would like to have my stable of Shimanos work better or have someone explain the spring problem.

I have several of them Older ones When they stick I emerse them in the water and they work for months on end

That Less Angle thing is just going to make them as bad as some where the tip top is the chock on shorter rods
Just make things harder for many More testing and moving the chock closer then the reel shows
More of a pain
IMHO - a bad idea

Bill - willierods.com

Bill, regarding the less angle thing, it doesn't matter. See posts above. Forget the spool angle. Relax and spool with 10 pound Nanofil and everything casts like a dream. Wrap with 27X, get the concentric rings when looking down the reductiion train, and that's as good as it gets.

All I use is the 27X But with larger spools and les angle you are going back to the coan of flight cause the tip may just be the chock

That is why i think A Bad Thing Ya I know you can bring the chock back to use smaller guides on the tip to make it lighter - But how fare can ya go maybe the idea is to sell more guides on the cone way

Bill - willierods.com

If the tiptop ends up being the choker guide, so be it. Rod length isn't part of the criteria involved, but spool diameter and line size and type are.

As far as the cone of flight thing - remember that in a COF system the rings are extremely large so as to frame the line cone. Even on a NGC rod where the tiptop ends up being the choker guide, you'd never have rings that large.

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They are making larger spools i guess with larger Spool faces Which means larger Butt guides

Less angle on the spool which ( unless I am totally stupid ) means a lot of rods have a Cone of flight set up maybe with smaller guides But they make the reels LARGER ???Larger Face Larger butt guide
Am i missing some thing here ??
So i guess we go back to the OLD WAY

Bill - willierods.com

Not if you disregard the spool upsweep angle and focus on spool diameter and line size. Modern lines, both mono and braid are fairly supple and you use a smaller butt guide than you might imagine, provided you have sufficient height.

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