i know it may not be the best reel but they are cheep and available at wally world. i put some 65 # braid in it because i had some. my question is will bowfish line work on it and which line should i use?

powerpro 200 lb. it worked well in the one i had....just remember to push the button..dont ask me how i know

what ive done is set the drag real loose. i can reel the arrow in but nothing else. that way if i forget it will slip the drag when the shot goes off. im using the reel kinda like a reterver nod not fighting the fish with the reel. hand over hand to fight and the reel to store the line.

Click the real on free spool hold the handle drag works forget to push button and it turn backards

yep brownell fastflight 200# or muzzy tournament 150# is probably industry standard. i shoot the old style zebco 808s and line will last several years. Btw if you boink a new 808 or 888 its toast if you're shooting a compound.

it will spool ok? how much will it hold? boink= not pushing the button? ive seen/read the little pins that catch the line will break off.

Why not just go with the AMS retriever? I've been using them for years and never had an issue. Don't have to worry bout the arrow exploding or whipping back to pop you in the face either.

Some advice from the guys I know that have used them in the past. Keep your line tight on the arrow. That way if you do forget to push the button, the arrow will pull off the string.

price and availibility. if i go out of town and the reel blows up, a few bucks and a trip to wal-mart and im back in the game. ive also read that the line can tangle with the retriver and be a pain. i like the looks of them but they are a little pricy.

I order all my stuff online. twilight bowfishing and backwater bowfishing have a great selection of stuff and good pricing.

I've had one of my reels, hell, probably going on fifteen years now. Only problem I've ever had with the line tangling is when I fill the bottle up with too much line. Other than that they have been flawless for me. Never had one blow up or anything like that. Most of the guys I know that used the zebco's and similar switched back after a year or so.

why not save the coin buy a good one. that will last 10 seasons instead of buying one that might last 2 or 3 and doesn't work well for this inteaded use. if your serious bout bow fishing its worth the extra 40 bucks. keep the set up for the zebco with you if it does break. then your walmart trip is down the road.

just spend a few extra and get the ams they are well worth it dont be a tight ass

i may look into the ams and keep the 888 for backup. i just put the bow together last year and never really got to use it. ill shoot it some this season and see how it holds up or how much i have to mess with the 888. ill try the 150 on it and see.

I have shot spinners all my life bowfishing. I have never lost an arrow or broken a reel from forgetting to push the button. Reel up all your slack after you place the arrow on the rest. After reeling up all the slack, try to draw your bow back. When you do, the arrow will fall off the string because the line won't pull out of the reel. If you push the button, you will be able to draw back and shoot with no worries. It won't take you many times of the arrow falling off to start making pushing the button second nature. Reel up the slack tight every time after putting the arrow on the rest. Thats the key.

You couldn't pay me to shoot a retreiver. They are a death trap when the line knots up the bottle.

jp, which reel and line?

20 years ago i used the 888 but now i use only the AMS. when my son wanted to start bow fishn I went and bought him another bow a used alpine and a new AMS system I did not want him to have to experiance the caveman days.REMEMBER SAFETY FIRST and good luck fishn