Shimano Tekota: New vs Old

I've had a pair of Shimano Tekota 500 (TEK500) reels for a while, and they served me well:

https://www.tackledirect.com/tekota500.html

Sadly, I lost one of them to the big blue last year, and I'm looking for a replacement. There is a new (as of 2018) version, which is here:

https://www.tackledirect.com/shimano-tekota-levelwind-reels.html

I'm wondering if anybody has any experience or thoughts on these. I don't mind spending the extra $30, but I like that I can do all of my own maintenance on the older version--thanks to  world-famous Alan Tani:

https://www.ifish.net/board/showthread.php?t=247565

I'm not confident that I'll be able to do the same with the new, more compact version...

I have the 2018 version but have not used it enough to meaningfully comment.

Just to add to the confusion. It's been changed again.

http://fish.shimano.com/content/fish/northamerica/us/en/homepage/shimano_product_page.p-tekota_a_300-400.html

I just picked up the new 400 from outdoor pro shop. They sent it to me in 2 days. Wrapped a layer of mono and 300yds 30lb braid. It’s amazingly light, fits in the palm very nicely, and looks really sharp. I’ll know more after I use it a few times!


https://www.outdoorproshop.com/Shimano-Tekota-A-300-400-LC-Trolling-Reels-p/shimano-tekota-lc-reels.htm

I just picked up the new 400 from outdoor pro shop. They sent it to me in 2 days. Wrapped a layer of mono and 300yds 30lb braid. It’s amazingly light, fits in the palm very nicely, and looks really sharp. I’ll know more after I use it a few times!


https://www.outdoorproshop.com/Shimano-Tekota-A-300-400-LC-Trolling-Reels-p/shimano-tekota-lc-reels.htm

I’m torn between the new 400 tekota and the new okuma coldwater ss (stainless). When you fish your new real post a review on your thoughts!

Oooo that one looks good too. I’m partial to shimano, it’s on my bike too!

Guess I’ll add this to my collection. Love Shimano LC Tekota. I had the old one but the new one comes with left hand reel, sweet

That new version does look awesome. I don't know if I can resist.

I love my old style Tekota, the only negative being the relatively slow retrieve ratio. It can be hard to catch up to a salmon that decides to charge the kayak...

Been using the tekota 600 levelwind with line counter (new version) since it came out (before last season). Overall it's been a great reel. As mentioned before the retrieve isn't the fastest but I've never experienced any issues, but I've only caught halibut and rocks & lings with it so far. For me it's this Tekota A reel and Avet MC - love them both. The one negative I've noticed is that the free spool is not excellent with 4 to 6 oz torpedo when halibut fishing, 8oz takes it down fast and easily. To be fair, I probably could keep the reel cleaner and maybe that's a factor.  Overall the tekota a 600 linecoubter is solid reel and would buy it again.  Hope this helps



https://www.sportsmans.com/fishing-gear-supplies/fishing-reels/trolling-conventional-reels/shimano-tekota-a-trolling-reel/p/1509388?channel=shopping&utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=shopping%20feed&utm_content=free%20google%20shopping%20clicks&gclid=Cj0KCQjwnv71BRCOARIsAIkxW9H0HEql_AxR5AwdXDlnM6H2KTBJ9GfRZoJkhdIShzBjoO_CRx1Fr2YaAi2UEALw_wcB

I picked up the new tekota  500 LC last season. When it was working it was very smooth and seemed like the ideal salmon reel.

I probably just got a funky one but the line counter stopped working almost immediately out of the box. I took it apart and fixed it pretty easy but it would still get stuck 1/25 times. The reel bummer was a plastic bit kept popping out and got jammed up inside the reel. This left me unable to turn the handle and I lost two salmon last year because I couldn’t bring any line in. I’ve taken this reel apart a few times now to pop the plastic bit back in, even one time on the water.

On the other hand, I sent this reel in recently to Shimano, along with a messed up curado k, and they fixed both for free. Turns out they had originally forgotten to put a tiny backing plate on the rubber bit for my tekota. Hopefully this was just a fluke experience but not super happy having to do all that. I’ll try it again this season but I’ll bring a backup reel just in case


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Line counters are good for a little while, but if you actually fish more than a couple times a year then the line counter will just go to crap. I have a Tekota600HG without the line counter paired with a  Terez TZCX70MH.

Line counters are good for a little while, but if you actually fish more than a couple times a year then the line counter will just go to crap. I have a Tekota600HG without the line counter paired with a  Terez TZCX70MH.

Thanks for all of the great info above.

I've never had a line counter, and always figured it's was just one more thing that can break. I have an AI and like to try all kinds of kayaking gadgets, but when it comes to the fishing part of kayak fishing, I like to keep it simple...

I own 6 Okuma linecounters.  Not as smooth as a Shimano but sturdy workhorses.  Two are model 203D for saltwater and four are model 354 for freshwater trolling.
I rinse the 203Ds after a day in the salt and are still going strong. Great bang for my $$$.

I have both and I like both. They are my main reels for kayaking.

I've had the original Tekota 500LC for 4 years. It's definitely caught hundreds of fish in that time frame, mostly in salt, and the line counter has never failed on me. It isn't perfect; it doesn't zero out every time and it fogs up with condensation, but it's really useful especially when I don't have my fishfinder with me.

I've had the new one for one season and I like it too, but it's a different palm shape that I prefer less. It has a faster retrieve but with more bearings I wonder if maintenance will be pricier/harder. I get my reel wet all the time and I've had to maintain or replace parts on my kayak reels more often than my pier/surf reels. It also has a louder clicker which I do appreciate when I'm deadsticking and dozing off lol. The line counter is supposed to be better sealed and thus shouldn't fog up.

The next time I get a Tekota it will probably be a 300LC because so far a 500LC has been overkill for me. You can find both of them for much cheaper on eBay ($160 for 300LC).

FYI this might be obvious but Tekotas are terrible, terrible casters.

New tekota 300’s and 400’s LC’s have a thumb bar freespool the 400 LC with a power handle. Twenty pounds of drag on the 300. No plans to make them in a non LC from what I understand. Since I see Allen Tani’s opinion is one you value I might note that he recently called them(the new Tekotas) The only Shimanos in a long time  he didn’t think needed service before being used. I picked one up last Friday and fished it off Point Reyes. On a medium light travaia It’s going to be a great kayak combo, the things nearly as tiny as a a Diawa lexa  100. I think this is going to cut into the market share of the larger tekotas some. I could’ve gone either way on the power handler but for jigging I prefer the smallest real I can get away with if I’m going low profile
     -Amos
Thanks for the link to Outdoor ProShop Sakana Seeker

Tekota 300LC paired with the Trevala TVC 70 L (light power/medium action) is such a versatile combo.

I can use the reel for everything from Kokanee to lingcod (through I prefer my Abu Garcia’s for Kokanee) And find the rod/reel combo perfect for Rockfish/lingcod, Mackinaw, LCT, Halibut, and Striper.

I lost my original Tekota 500 when my car was stolen fully loaded before a fishing trip, loved that reel, but replaced it with 2 300’s instead