Surecatch Unity UTF 45 - Spinning Reel

[JimC]

Surecatch Unity UTF 45
I have been playing with one of these reels for the last while. Here is the low down: The unity is designed as a saltwater reel. The blurb on the box boasts some impressive attributes: 6 stainless steel bearings, aluminium body, ART – antirust technology, Max Drag – Sealed front drag. It also boasts a five year warranty – not too sure I’d like to test that one out

I was looking for a reel to use from the boat or shore, something around the 2500 to 4000 size reel. The UTF 45 would come in somewhere like a 3000 series reel. My requirements are for a reel that will cast well, put up with some abuse over the course of a season. On the boat a reel needs to be a jack of all trades. I will mainly be using this reel for fishing plugs and soft plastics and every now and then I will use it for light bait fishing for flounders and such like. I will be mating the reel to various short rods but more often than not it will be fitted to a Hart Finezza Hedge or a Surecatch Power Braid Salty-Spin. Both rods are around 7 feet and and would have a rating in the 7-30 gram range.

Out of the box this reel is a beautiful piece of engineering, well put together with a quality feel. The spool is deep and will take a huge amount of line (on the box 250m of 0.33). Obviously this will cause grief for braid users. After a couple of attempts I backed the reel to 45-46mm diameter and then loaded 135m of StrikePro Strikewire (.13mm).

I have used the reel a few times in different situations: Firstly I have given the reel a good thrashing using soft plastics. Using leadheads up to 50 grams and catching plenty cod in the 6 to 8lbs range. The drag is exceptionally smooth (as you would expect from a new reel) and the reel has a solid feel. Using the same setup I have fished plugs and poppers and again the reel has performed superbly . Teamed with a nice rod I am getting excellent distance though this has much to do with the rod and line as well.

A few years ago I took the decision to buy reasonably priced reels and replace them more often rather than buying expensive. The expensive were not lasting me; my minimum maintenance programme doesn’t suit any reel I think! So far so good with the Unity, coming in at around €80-00. Worth considering.

[seanie35]

i like the look of it jim think your spot on with buying mid price range reels im kind of thinking that way myself especially for the spinning reels with their higher work load/usage per session

[roger de dodger]

cheap skates at that price any old codger could afford one imagine the embarrasment of some lad turning up next to you on the beach with the same reel ,i,d be mortiflied

[JimC]

i like the look of it jim think your spot on with buying mid price range reels im kind of thinking that way myself especially for the spinning reels with their higher work load/usage per session

It certainly suits me to buy good reasonably priced reel at least I don't feel too bad if it gives up after a couple of years. I am going to try and mind this one a bit better... giving it a wash down in fresh water etc.

cheap skates at that price any old codger could afford one imagine the embarrasment of some lad turning up next to you on the beach with the same reel ,i,d be mortiflied

The shame of it... and also the fact that the rod I use most is also inexpensive... It's a wonder I get any fish

[The Austrian]

I bought one of these reels about a month ago to team it up with my Berkley Skeletor for plugging and I can only say I'm very impressed from the built quality and the smoothness of it. It casts a dream with 20lb spiderwire braid and because the line roller is teflon coated you want even hear the braid when reeling in. I definitely would rate it higher than the Rarenium especially when you take the price into account as well.

[willie bendit]

Jim,you have a P.M

[gerryl]

have used some of there gear before...always well made...this time round when for a Tica Scepter 10000 same kind of cash from the same part of the world...great reel

got some stuff here (had to pay the import duty!)_http://www.knkfishing.com/default.cfm

[JimC]

Jim,you have a P.M

So do you

[codling]

Ye im useing the same reel myself the last week lovely reel and good value for money. Got mine in Rods N Reels Gary was saying they would be a good seller this year.

[JimC]

Was in Gearys tackle shop in Cobh (next to the Commodore Hotel) a couple of days back. They had the Surecatch Salty Spin rod on display - they had it mated with a reel and the combo was €85-00. I'm not sure what type reel it was but surely the rod on it's own would be around the € 50-00 mark. If you are in the vicinity you should call in and have a feel of this rod, it is a perfect plugging and soft plastic rod at a price that is superb.
A good few of my buddies are using this rod at present and everybody loves them whether spinning from the rocks or fishing for pollack and cod with 70gr leadheads. I was speaking with Dennetts recently and they told me they have no more of these rods in stock until next year so get one while you can!

[JimC]

Update on the Unity Reel:
After six months of serious abuse and no maintenance (other than the old hose down or wipe with an oily rag) there was a slight stiffness came into the reel. I removed the spool and could see some gunk had coated the shaft. I removed the bottom cover which gives access to the gears and sprayed in wd40. I cleaned the shaft with wd40 as well and sprayed some light spray grease into the gears and onto the shaft. Everything else working perfectly - Away for slates and working perfectly again

[RobertMcClean]

Update on the Unity Reel:
no maintenance (other than the old hose down or wipe with an oily rag) there was a slight stiffness came into the reel. I removed the spool and could see some gunk had coated the shaft. I removed the bottom cover which gives access to the gears and sprayed in wd40. I cleaned the shaft with wd40 as well and sprayed some light spray grease into the gears and onto the shaft. Everything else working perfectly - Away for slates and working perfectly again

I have never seen you use a rag or wipe a reel down, throwing a bucket of saltwater on them does not qualify as a hose down. If you have managed to get six months out of that reel before using your can of WD40 with the Irish punts sticker still on it then I am sure to get 30 years out of mine!! - I have to agree I have only used it a few times but very impressed with it particularly for the money. I have a €200 shimano on another jigging rod and you always get that slight wobble in the spool/spindle under pressure, I have not seen that with the surecatch yet, very sturdy under pressure. Its like anything stick a Shimano or Daiwa sticker on it and you would pay €250 quid for it

[JimC]

Update on reel:

Getting great service from this one. There was a grating noise came into the reel. I opened things up and could not see anything wrong with the internals - they were perfect in fact. I eventually narrowed it down to the line roller bearing. I removed this and measured - a standard bearing available from the local bearing supplier ( Bearing no: MR74) Popped in a new bearing and the reel is away for slates again.

I have also been using it's smaller brother the Unity 30 - it's a cracker as well.