Fluoro on Gekkabijin

[Smalleyez]

Do you think the Gekkabijin with the Ray’s deep finesse spool will handle fluoro or nylon decently?

I don't have tried fluoro or nylon for it. But I can't figure out why it wouldn't work good with fluoro or nylon.
Ray's spool.jpg
Ray's deep spool took 70 m of this PE#2.5 Owner Kizuna.

Thank you. It’s good to have options.

[Freddie]

. You have the Gekkabijin listed at 1.7cm cubed, and the Aldebaran is at 4.8cm cubed. That is a bit over double capacity,

It’s almost triple the capacity. The Gekka Bijin is a bit frustrating because it’s such a cool reel and has all those bearings and smoothness yet it seems so limited by that stock spool.

I've heard people say this so many times and I think people should realize that the Gekkabijin was designed to be a one trick pony...casting aerodynamic lures far...fishing the surf.

I've found a really good use for the Gekkabijin here in PA in the spring when the white perch run up the river. A 2 gram(1/16 oz) Kastmaster spoon will absolutely levitate off this spool when it is setup correctly. It will cast the 1/24 oz spoons pretty well too. I think this is where the Gekkabijin shines.

Mine is spooled with 50 meters of #0.4 PE braid(7#) and then a 5' leader of 6# fluoro...with the brake on 5 it will get that 2 gram spoon tipped with a worm waaaay out there...somewhere in the 25+ meter range. This is where the Gekkabijin shines...aerodynamic 1.5-3 gram lures and light braid. That light braid also makes it really easy to set the hook on those thieving perch.

Don't get me wrong for small rivers and creeks I will reach for my AX22 roro spool with 3-5# mono when I really want to go really light and accurate and that combo is fire.

Between the Gekkabijin's original spool and the 4 gram Roro spool I feel that I have the best 1-2 punch BFS baitcasting reel available in the market today.

I can't say enough about the durability and performance of the Gekkabijin. I've hooked multiple fish in the 3-5# range and she's handled them all flawlessly.

Her main purpose however is to devastate the perch and sunfish population around here. Oh, and also the trout and creek chubs.

[Freddie]

To answer the OP's question I would not recommend using straight fluoro on the Gekkabijin as it will hinder castability and control. Get some light braid on that baby, that's how she likes it the best

[CFDoc]

I run straight 8 lb tatsu on both my Gekkabijins.

Caught this one today on a 1/16 oz crappie jig with the Gekkabijin on a Dobyns sierra ultra finesse. Handled her beautifully.

[Smalleyez]

Nice!

Stock spool?

[CFDoc]

Bone stock.

[Smalleyez]

My stream trout rods are overflowing, so I decided I have the luxury of morphing my Gekkabijin into a mag bfs rig. I have a dandy St.Croix medium-light rod that never seems to land the perfect reel. Maybe this time!

The Ray’s deep spool has been installed and I wasn’t sure what to put on for line. I happened to have a spool of 6lb. Varivas Bush Trail mono on hand so that’s how I’ll start. My brother in law invited me up because he’s on a good smallmouth bite. It should be a good test.

[DirtyD64]

Bone stock.

How much did she hold? I use 8lb Tatsu on my Millionaire, put enough backing to where it only holds 50-55 meters. If I could get close to that the Gekka would be fine for 99% of fish I fight...

[jvelth74]

Personally I would be very happy for excitement if I would hook fish which empties my GekkaBijin But I use braid. And I don't fish with it for a purpose in areas where big fishes capable of it are common.

[Smalleyez]

FWIW my Gekka with the Ray’s spool in the picture above is holding 100 m of the Varivas 6lb. It could easily hold more.

[jvelth74]

Yes, that Ray's deep spool takes a lot of line despite of 28 mm diameter..

[CFDoc]

How much did she hold? I use 8lb Tatsu on my Millionaire, put enough backing to where it only holds 50-55 meters. If I could get close to that the Gekka would be fine for 99% of fish I fight...

I really don’t have a good answer for you as I didn’t do any sort of useful measuring when I spooled up.

I really can only say that, when full of 8 lb tatsu, I seem to have plenty of line even after long casting 1/8 oz fin spin jig heads.

[Smalleyez]

How much did she hold? I use 8lb Tatsu on my Millionaire, put enough backing to where it only holds 50-55 meters. If I could get close to that the Gekka would be fine for 99% of fish I fight...

I really don’t have a good answer for you as I didn’t do any sort of useful measuring when I spooled up.

I really can only say that, when full of 8 lb tatsu, I seem to have plenty of line even after long casting 1/8 oz fin spin jig heads.

CFDoc, that’s good to know.

[LowRange]

Fluoro (or Nylon) I would not suggest for GekkaBijin.

Do you think the Gekkabijin with the Ray’s deep finesse spool will handle fluoro or nylon decently?

Absolutely. The SV knock off spool will take it and it's a TWS reel. About as flouro friendly as you can get. I don't even use line goop on my SV or linear magnetic + TWS reels with flouro or heavy mono. That combinations tames it.

[Smalleyez]

Well I did get to put the Gekkabijin with the Ray's deep spool through its paces yesterday. It cast great with the a X-Rap (1/4 oz?). It was a real real joy to use because both the cast and retrieve were silky smooth. I had 100m of Varivas Bush Trail 6# on the reel. Next time out I'll try some quality fluorocarbon. The Gekka now has a solid niche with me as a big trout/river smallmouth bass reel. Again, silky smooth casting and retrieving with plenty of range for my uses.

I had along another rod with my Alphas SV 105 SH and used a Pointer 78 on that outfit. It's a wonderful combo with a 6' Loomis IMX ML w/Weibe handle, but by the afternoon I only wanted the Gekkabijin with my custom St. Croix in my hands because it was so incredibly delightful!



The big fish of the day was only 17" and came on the Pointer 78 and Alphas/Loomis combo.