Zebco Big Cat 50 spin fishing reel how to take apart and service

[@wayneo7307]

Well Done Dennis. A Big Cat for Big Cats ! It Would Be A Good Pike Reel Also I Imagine.

[@2ndChanceTackle]

I think you are right

[@christopherjenkins2373]

Dennis, I guess I don’t, have to say why I’m not particularly fond of this reel. It does look like a better reel than the Quantum Optik reels at least. I managed to get my vintage Compac Surfrider spinning reel back together and working today. With a screw on rotor and 15 open ball bearings on the pinion gear and two were even in the crosswind block I’d never seen ball bearings in the wings of a crosswind block before. it was a very unusual and difficult reel to service. I could not get a schematic even from ORCA so I was on my own. It is an extremely rare reel as I could find nothing about it. I also finished a very rare Walker 660 spinning reel but it was much easier. Both are large saltwater spinning reels. I’ll send you some photos. I got both these unique vintage reels as part of a lot of three. The third was a Compac SL114 which I already knew very well as I have collected that series. Now I have two of the largest in that series. I got all three at a very good price. I got lucky! - Chris

[@2ndChanceTackle]

I think it is a lot better than the Optix

[@christopherjenkins2373]

But it has no AR override! LOL - Chris

[@ddselvig]

When I first started to watch this video I thought that reel looked very familiar. I pulled my Quantum Optix 60 off the shelf and compared it to the Big Cat 50 in the video. Every part appeared exactly the same. I suspect the Big Cat 50 might be one size down from the Optix 60 though.

[@2ndChanceTackle]

Same company - Rather products owns Zebco, Quantum and Lew's so I would not be surprised if they are the same internals as the Optix. Thanks - Dennis

[@bobbymiller1672]

You get what you pay for but I’m still a Hugh Zebco Fan , especially the older closed face .

[@2ndChanceTackle]

This is an actually a nice reel. I expected a lot less - Thanks Bobby

[@captrockh2055]

Pot metal , it works,until it doesn't. It's a soft metal,and over time it's not very forgiving.

[@2ndChanceTackle]

Well said. They chip, they crack, they erode - Dennis

[@seymourwrasse3321]

I'm almost ashamed, I expected worse quality inside. A lot better materials then I thought would be lurking inside

[@2ndChanceTackle]

Same here. This is a solid reel like the older Shakespeare Big Water/ Tidewater ones