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Tica Libra reels
Post 30 Dec 2019, 12:44 • #1 
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Location: US-MI
Hello,
I am planning to buy 1-2 of these reels. I am just wondering if anyone knows when they might go on sale at Amazon.
Is there a pattern to the sales?
Thanks


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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 30 Dec 2019, 13:52 • #2 
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Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Smart purchase even at $95.
I scored my last one at $50. Just happened to be there when I was looking for a reel - I don't think there's a pattern, but probably related to batch inventory - they drop the price on sizes they want to clean out before restocking.
And it's also a loss-leader to get their name out there on a reel they want to sell.
The 3000 size is choice for inshore and bass fishermen.
The 3000 and 3500 are the same reel, btw, with different spool depths - you can buy spare spools from Tica America, and of course they interchange. I like the shallow spool for flatter wind and longer casting, and can fit 200 yds with braid.
(the reel below has 150 yds braid base wrap, with working fluoro over the top)
Image


Last edited by bulldog1935 on 12 Jan 2020, 05:54, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 30 Dec 2019, 15:47 • #3 
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Location: US-MI
Hi Bulldog,
I am planning to buy 2-3 of these reels. I also own some old penns on your recommendations, but I need more reels as my kids are now old enough to fish.
My first one will be a pike reel and will go on a St. Croix tidemaster 7' medium rod or maybe 7'6"
Would you recommend a 3000 for this?

Thanks


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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 30 Dec 2019, 15:54 • #4 
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Location: US-MI
BTW, I am not really concerned about line capacity. The biggest pike in the world might run 50 yards if that.
I am just concerned with a nice rod/reel balance
Thanks


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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 31 Dec 2019, 08:22 • #5 
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Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
hey Paul,
The 12 oz. of the 3000 is nothing to sneeze at, but it's my choice for inshore fishing with 12-lb fluoro and 7' medium to 9' medium-light rods, and would be my choice on your rod.
I've put some miles on my first one, and can tell you they're built to last. They haven't gone to the extremes Shimano has to keep the weight down (e.g., Shimano eliminating selective anti-reverse, and use of wear-treated aluminum shafts - there's more stainless steel inside the Libra and a choice on anti-reverse), but the Libra SX 3000 IMO is the go-to choice unless you're ready to double the cost.
The long spool, long oscillation makes them a great choice for casting heavier line, and you have to double the cost to find this on other reels (Shimano Stradic FL, and before this year, only the $700 Shimano Stella FJ).
It looks like Daiwa is closing out a lot of reels, and you'll probably see long spool oscillation on their replacements.

The Libra 1500 consider UL (comparable size to Penn 716 and Mitchell 308), and I don't believe they have the 2500 in stock, which probably hits right about the Mitchell 300 niche of light freshwater to light saltwater.
Image

also remembered I have this photo that shows the empty spool on the 3000
Image


Last edited by bulldog1935 on 12 Jan 2020, 08:41, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 31 Dec 2019, 17:41 • #6 
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Joined: 11/27/14
Posts: 330
Location: US-NC
I have an older made in Malaysia SA Libra 2500 that I have had for about 20 years. It still works but the handle bearings are starting to go out. It doesn’t have the strongest drag but it is still smooth. Didn’t have an issue bringing in a 30” redfish with it a couple years ago.

I bought my father in law a Cadence S7 spinning reel for Christmas, it looks pretty good for the money off Amazon and opted for the extended 2 year warranty just in case.


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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 02 Jan 2020, 12:28 • #7 
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Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Of course you can catch them on smaller - I've caught 30" redfish on Penn 4200SS, 10-lb test (equivalent size to Penn 716 or Mitchell 308), and big schoolie seatrout double on Tica Cetus 500SS with 4-lb copolymer, which is micro-size XUL spinning reel.
The Cetus is on its 9th year in the salt now.
Image

I'll still vote for the Libra SX as the best $100 spinning reel you can buy, happens to be in stock, and the 2019 Shimano Stradic FL as the best $400 reel you can buy (and it costs $220),
both specifically in this size range, M, MH.

For the 20-y-o Libra SA bearing issue, I guess you're talking about the main bearings on each side of the frame (main gear)?
You should be able to replace those with low-grade stainless sealed bearings (i.e., you don't need ceramic) from somebody like Boca -
- you can remove them and measure to match (drill bits make a great I.D. gauge).
Can probably also order them from Tica America (easiest by the phone if you have part numbers)
https://www.reelschematic.com/wp-conten ... %20HBH.pdf


Last edited by bulldog1935 on 18 Jan 2020, 23:59, edited 4 times in total.

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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 02 Jan 2020, 17:28 • #8 
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Location: US-MI
Thanks for all the info Ron.

I am also planning to purchase a few rods. St Croix my preferred brand since they used to give me a great deal when I was guiding.
One problem I have noticed lately is that most rod manufacturers have gone to building so many 1 piece rods.
It's getting much tougher to find 2 piece rods in configurations that I want.
1 piece rods do not go on a Dehavilland Beaver.
They don't even do well in my 5' truck bed.


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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 02 Jan 2020, 17:37 • #9 
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very good point - when you're hauling a 16' kayak, easy to bungee-in 1-pc rods.
Maybe you want to look at longer Lami 2-pc steelhead rods - the ML is a joy.
Image

Image
Image


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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 02 Jan 2020, 21:39 • #10 
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Location: US-MI
Hi Ron,
Do you have any experience with Lamiglas rods 7'6" or shorter?
It might be fun to try out one of those long ones, I have a large travel rod tube that's 45" long so 7'6" 2 piece is my maximum.


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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 02 Jan 2020, 23:20 • #11 
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Hi Paul,
https://www.lamiglas.com/collections/x-11-w-cork-handle
They make a 7'9" 2-pc MM (medium power/weight, moderate action) using the imported X-11 blank, which get pretty good reviews and are moderately priced.
But this is 47" halves
From perusing their site, this is the shortest 2-pc rod they make, except for X-11 UL (if you wanted to match with a 1500 reel).

I have a 5' Abel tube and a 4' Simms tube both for 4-rods each, and I can mix them with all my 2-pc rods, XUL, fly, Lami steelhead rods.
FWIW, I put an 8'2" Lami Classic Glass in the 4' tube, so there's a little leeway there - you can double check your measurements.

1-pc is just really the trend in rods under 8', except for 3- and 4-pc. travel rods.
I have a 3-pc. Cabelas made on TFO blank, casting rod, that's rated MF and the tip is faster than any other rod I own - it was a close-out snag at one-fourth of the TFO price, and carry it in my kayak hold for backup.
I much prefer softer-tip rods.

When I searched medium spinning 2-pc 7' to 7-1/2' on Tackle Direct, this is the list I got (did not limit search to in-stock at TD)
Tackle Type: Rods & Poles[X]
Rod Type: Spinning[X]
Price: $50 - $675[X]
Rod Length: 7.00 ft. - 7.50 ft.[X]
Rod Power: Medium[X]
Rod Pieces: 2
Brand
13 Fishing (2)
Abu Garcia (3)
Carrot Stix Rods (1)
Daiwa (9)
Douglas Outdoors (2)
Favorite (4)
Fenwick (3)
G Loomis (3)
Okuma (3)
Penn (2)
Shimano (9)
St. Croix (19)
Star Rods (1)
Tica (4)
Tsunami (3)
Ugly Stik (3)

From the brand list, I own a 1-pc 13-Fishing 7'1" ML Omen casting rod, and would recommend them - the rod is a joy and fishes 1/8-oz on a baitcaster.
Tsunami and Okuma rods both get good reviews.
Looks like you should be able to find it in St. Croix, probably can't go wrong there, and will find USA-made blank options.


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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 03 Jan 2020, 00:04 • #12 
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Location: US-MI
Thanks for all your help Now you have given me something to do tonight.

Searching Tackle Direct was much more productive than searching St. Croix, or other manufacturers websites. St. Croix's website is slow and disorganized.

Thanks again.


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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 03 Jan 2020, 09:48 • #13 
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Of course, you're welcome.
I've bought enough tackle and written enough reviews at TD to get $40 in reward points I used on a (second) handheld VHF/GPS/DSC, and another $25 I used on my Shimano Stradic FL.

TD will order anything, but I'd recommend limiting your new search to in-stock, because they rarely drop-ship, and your order will be at the mercy of whomever they're buying it from (they did drop ship twice for me, one radio straight from SH in Florida, and a Seigler SGN reel that ended up shipping from Melton Intl).

They also seem to sell a lot of St. Croix rods, have a good association with them, usually offer free shipping and often double reward points on St. Croix rods. I believe St. Croix drop ships for them, also.

Image


Last edited by bulldog1935 on 04 Jan 2020, 12:20, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 04 Jan 2020, 00:38 • #14 
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Location: US-MI
Hi Ron,
I am wondering if you might have some information on radios.
I own 2 of these units.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001J ... UTF8&psc=1

I am not entirely happy with them for these reasons.
1. They do not work well if there is any land between them, even small islands. or if your boats are in different bays.
2. The charging system is bulky and the batteries do not last long.

I am pretty much the safety officer in our group and radios are my responsibility. I'm thinking about getting new radios before our trip next year. We will probably actually take 2 trips and I might take one more with the family.
We probably do not need gps as these lakes are not that big.
It might be nice to communicate with aircraft (dehavilland beavers flying below 10,000 feet.) although I have no idea what type of radios they use.
Thanks


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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 04 Jan 2020, 21:21 • #15 
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Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
I don't think you can do a lot about the land elevation with a handheld marine band radio.
On my two Standard Horizon HX 890, here in the hill country I can listen to San Antonio NOAA like it was a real person sitting in my garage.
Here I'm high, 800' above San Antonio, the tower is high at SAT 17 miles away.
But from an Arroyo City palapa, there's enough land with coastline bluffs between there and Port Isabel, also happens to be 17 miles away, I barely get any signal from NOAA, unless I'm in a boat on Laguna Madre, and it comes through sharp. Line of sight is everything.

On the bays, we've had no problems with a couple miles and islands between us, and radios mounted just above the water, but those are pretty low elevation islands (this one is the spoil from a channel cut 100 years ago and abandoned for a better cut - great fishy water).
Image
The great things about GPS/DSC result from a hull registration (MMSI) coded in, and specific to the radio and hull, Ships navigating with AIM and pleasure craft navigating with DSC see you on their nav screens (you can poll a list giving their direction and range), the Coast Guard has you in their database, and with All Ships distress call, or even a pan-pan for mechanical failure, everyone can find you on their GPS. And of course this is most valuable for going offshore.
You can have coded private communications as a group, and find each other on GPS (group monitor, group position, and navigate to a group member).
The SH HX890 is the latest and lowest-priced hand-held with these features, but that's still $200.

The SH HX40, is the tiniest simple handheld VHF out there, and with 6W.
Scads of battery on the HX890 (a weekend's worth), but can't vouch for the HX40.

Marine Band is 156 to 162 MHz
Aviation band is 138 to 142 MHz, so there are no overlapping channels and "ham radio" frequency band is between the two.
From what I read, aircraft needs prior clearance from an FCC Administrator to use a marine band public channel, and can use port and intership channels when involved in search and rescue. I know it's illegal to transmit on marine band from land, unless you're a licensed station.
Might be worth asking Donny, paveglass - he spent a career on the aviation rescue side, including tours of duty in Alaska.


Last edited by bulldog1935 on 12 Jan 2020, 06:05, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 12 Jan 2020, 22:23 • #16 
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Paul,
spent last evening mulling over a 1000-1500 size reel purchase (retiring the ancient 4200SS). Maiden trip is at the end of this month. Application is a (second) XUL to light salt, 6-lb copolymer, and what made the mix was Tica Libra SX1500 and Samira SAAT1000, and Shimano Stradic FL1000 (at double the price). Identical line capacity on the 3 reels, all have ball-bearing line roller.

Both the Samira and Stradic have worm-gear drive. Rubber seals in the Samira v. labyrinth seals in the Stradic likely polarize these two for function.
Weight, Stradic 6.9 oz, Libra 7.4 oz, Samira 8.8 oz.
After an overnight, I just clicked the Libra SX1500, and paid the Amazon list.

All 3 reels I considered have long-spool/oscillation - the Libra does it the old fashioned way, without the worm gear, and have been delighted with its effective and smooth function on my SX3000. I've caught big redfish on the larger Libras, which is all I would ever ask of this 1500 reel.

The Stradic FL in 3000 and up has everything I need for taking it offshore and punishing it with jacks, mackerel, and cobia, and of course I can still fish it inshore all I want.
I don't need to pay twice as much to get the design features of the FL for light/UL inshore, with drag set at 1-1/2 lbs.
Likewise, for my XUL to light inshore rods (1-pc 6'6" Falcon), wouldn't want to buy the heavier Samira and find its function stiff from the rubber seals and possibly their version of worm drive. Easy to justify buying the new Stradic FL, because it's a cheaper version of the older Stella FJ, but I don't need it here.
Image

ps - where the Tica Samira SAAT might shine is in larger sizes for economy surf fishing.

pss - this was an exercise, not in pretty photos, but in accurate dimensions.
I found a good online shot of the SX1500, and shot an equivalent perspective of my SX3000 to compare the sizes - note I got the the handle screw cap (measured in pixels), the line roller screw, and the anti-reverse lever all to matching sizes, so the relative size of the two reels is pretty accurate.
Image


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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 18 Jan 2020, 16:58 • #17 
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ok, a little better photo - have these ready to go fishing in 2 weeks.
Image
The SX1500 has 75 yds 10-lb braid backing and 75 yds 6-lb copolymer over that, matched with the XUL rockfish rod -
- have a 2nd spool with 200 yds 10-lb braid and a 12-lb tippet to match it with the ML Falcon.
I could get a very fine adjustment on the drag at 1-1/2 lbs. by the Salter spring scale

The SX3000 has 150 yds 15-lb braid and 75 yds 12-lb working fluoro.
Not a huge size difference between the two - the 3000 spool is notably wider, bigger drag, larger main gear and longer oscillation, which also makes the body bigger, and while the 1500 feels beefy for its size, the 3000 definitely feels beefier with drag set at 3 lbs.
Image

The new SX1500 - very happy for $95
Image Image


Last edited by bulldog1935 on 19 Jan 2020, 01:37, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 18 Jan 2020, 21:48 • #18 
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Thanks for posting this Ron


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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 20 Jan 2020, 08:47 • #19 
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You're welcome Paul, and I have one more observation for you.
In the Stella and Stradic FL, Shimano makes a big deal about two things - big main gear gives you the ability to deliver bigger torque through the reel, and probably really helps with the high-speed gearing - many high speed reels don't have this (including Stradic FK).
And especially, they've gone to much finer gear teeth in all gearing.
Finer teeth means more efficient gear engagement with less freeplay = less wear. Gear-mesh impacts = brinnelling, increasing the freeplay, etc.

As much as I like my new SX1500, there were two things from the box in winding the reel that allusively pricked the hairs on my neck.
First, the reel drive is light enough, there's a barely perceptible drag from engaging the anti-reverse - barely perceptible drag in the roller bearing itself.
It's probably there in the SX3000, also, but you can't discern it from the mass of the reel (and these reels spin crazy smooth).

The Second was much more subtle, and I couldn't put a finger on it until I tested for it. Holding the bail/flier and rocking the handle, there's barely perceptible rotational freeplay - barely discernible back-and-forth movement - that's measuring the combined freeplay in the gear mesh and the handle spline to the main gear, greatly magnified by the handle lever length. In fact, you can't find it if you grab the handle arm closer in than the handle grasp.
(but it's also the mechanical lever of the handle that delivers brinnelling loads in the gear teeth)
I went to my SS500, and sure enough, it figuratively feels like you could drive a truck through the gear mesh freeplay. And if you try this test on one of your old Mitchells, you really can drive a truck through it.

But when I tried to find gear mesh freeplay on my two SX3000 - zero or at least negligible - the same result as my Stradic FL4000 (though you may not feel it there with the full-time roller bearing, anyway).
Tells me Tica has hit the pinnacle of their design and manufacturing tolerances in the 3000/3500 size.


Last edited by bulldog1935 on 24 Jan 2020, 06:06, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 23 Jan 2020, 08:06 • #20 
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I reviewed my new SX1500 on Tackle Direct - didn't buy it there - and they liked my review so much they gave me 20 reward points instead of the normal 10...
I've got $25 in points hanging there for me there (not from this), and will spend it selectively later (have a pretty good wish list of stuff to get there before summer).


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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 23 Jan 2020, 16:30 • #21 
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Location: US-MI
I need 2-4 of these reels for myself and my kids.
I just can't stand to pay $100 when I know they have been $50 in the past and might again.
I set an Amazon price alert and we'll see how it goes.


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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 26 Jan 2020, 01:31 • #22 
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Location: US-MI
I just scored a 1500 on Amazon for 60 bucks. I wasn't reel after a 1500 but I also did no not have any reels in that size
It has damaged packaging but brand new undamaged reel.
I will report when I receive.
I am loving my Amazon price tracker.


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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 27 Jan 2020, 11:02 • #23 
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I noticed they're running 15% off today, and it looks like they have good inventory. $80 and pocket change is a great buy, especially if you have Prime "free" shipping.


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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 27 Jan 2020, 15:20 • #24 
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Location: US-MI
Hi Ron,
I have a new question for you. I know you have kids and I think they are older than mine. I am planning to start my kids fishing this year.
So far they have only been practice casting in the yard. The can handle a spinning reel just ok so I am thinking maybe spincasting to start.
I did purchase a zebco outfit with a 33 reel on it. The reel was too heavy for the rod and the kids.
I took that outfit back. I am just wondering how you started with your kids.
Thanks


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Re: Tica Libra reels
Post 29 Jan 2020, 12:37 • #25 
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Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Hi friend, just saw this.
Both my girls started with Zebco UL-1 on Eagle Claw Featherweight casting rod.
Image
perfect tackle for our Fulton Beach nursery trout pier fishing ritual -
- and earlier (my younger was still 2-y-o when she caught her first) grasshoppers under bobber in hill country creeks.

My older took over my '37 Luxor half-bail on 4-1/2' Airex solid glass rod - a really nice combo.
Image

I think after fishing the spincast, the better-casting spinning tackle becomes a natural preference for them.
My younger is not one to take suggestions - she's wrestling this summer for national collegiate titles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dncYrcA497w

Here, my younger is 11-y-o, catching Big sheepshead on Penn UL 4200SS and ML Falcon 6'6" Open Hook Special.
Image
I didn't feel like messing with the sheepshead (she caught 3), but we also got a nice meal (for 4) of specs
Image

Same reel on a 5-1/2' Falcon UL and back to Fulton Beach pier, right before I ordered the Japanese XUL rockfish rods
Image

By 15-y-o, she was totally happy inshore with the larger Penn 4400SS and even 8-1/2' Loomis GL2 MH rod
Image


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