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MyFishFinder Tips and Techniques => Fishing Equipment => Rods Reels Tackle => Topic started by: slipperybob on Aug 27, 2022, 03:39 AM

Title: Shimano Bantam MGL A 150HG
Post by: slipperybob on Aug 27, 2022, 03:39 AM
Shimano Bantam MGL A 150HG
price $150

2022 and a revamped Bantam has come out.  It seemed like the Bantam MGL was still just made, and that was just a few years ago.  A few changes was implemented on this version.  It is now an 8+1 bearing system along with a 6 brake system while the prior model has 7+1 bearing with a 4 brake system.  New model is listed weight of 7.6 oz. while old one varied from 7.6 oz PG model to 7.9 oz XG model.

Most notable is centered all about the spool.  There is a design called the Infinity Drive that supports the main shaft to allow better torque transfer.  There is the Silent Tune that feature stabilizes the spool bearings so spool vibration is reduced along with bearing noise.  The newer MGL III spool is a 35mm diameter and 19mm width as compared to the prior Bantam spool of 34mm diameter and 22mm width. 

Putting these features together results in a much smoother and very quiet reel.  It's almost too smooth and too quiet.  All my backyard field testing has an uncanny ghost cast.  I was not feeling nor hearing the reel.  All I felt was the swing of the rod and my practice plug is projecting through the air.  On my old Bantam MGL reel, I was feeling the smooth micro engine feel of the reel on the cast and the hum that comes along with it.  If I was not visually seeing my practice plug, I would not know that my cast was in full release.  It's that smooth and quiet over it's predecessor.   So while I had originally practice cast with bullet weights, I could not see the the smaller projectiles hitting tree trunks.  That led to a lot of tangled backlash.

With the lighter weights of 1/4 to 3/8th oz. weights, there was not any noticeable casting distance improvement. Still curious I pulled out the only two identical rods I have. St. Croix LE 6'8" MH rods. They are different year class so there were some slight changes in the semi-micro guides. The last time I had the old Bantam on the Shimano PA 6'11" M+ rod and swapped out the reels.  A few more backyard casting comparison with 3/8th practice plug. Math conversion of 32 inches for XG gear and 28 inches for HG gear, checked with tape measure and handle crank.  Shimano list the conversion as 34" XG and 30" HG gears.  I'm gonna go conservative and use my numbers.

Bantam MGL XG casting average about 30 handle cranks = 960 inches

Bantam MGL A HG casting average about 34 handle cranks = 952 inches

I did try to put some effort into a long cast attempt. Original got 45 handle cranks and newer A got 49 handle cranks. That's 1440 inches compared to 1372 inches.

At current it seems like the newer is about par with casting distance. According to the rough calculations, it seems a little short, but it may have to do with the line type for this test. The old model has 15# Diawa J-Braid x8, while the new one has 20# Sufix G-Core 131. By feel alone I had felt like the A was getting more distance today. For sure compared to the last time on the St. Croix LE 6'8" MXF rod was only getting about 30 handle cranks for line retrieval.

I had just acquired two Shimano Poison Adrena 7'2" M casting rods just for side to side comparison.  While the rods have just that slight load with the 3/8th oz. and a longer length feel overall, I was average the same average 32 handle cranks between the two reels.  Again probably just due to the line weight difference.  In addition, I just have a better feel with the St. Croix Rods with the low flat trajectory casting.  With overhead casting, longer rods will more than likely get further max casting distance.

Back to the St. Croix 6'8" MHXF rods with the 1/2 oz brass bullet weight casting test. Rough data collection while there was barely a breeze in the air.

Bantam MGL XG casting average about 39 handle cranks = 1248 inches

Bantam MGL A HG casting average about 48 handle cranks = 1344 inches

With a bit more power into my casting

Bantam MGL XG casting high average about 48 handle cranks = 1536 inches

Bantam MGL A HG casting high average about 55 handle cranks = 1540 inches

At this point, I'm seeing that the 1/2 oz. weight really begins to favor the newer reel.  Even with the heavier line weight that was showing some distance reduction effect on the 1/4 and 3/8th oz. practice plug, the 1/2 oz. weight as not influenced by that.  I was planning to also check with a 3/4 oz. weight, but the results was already in the bag.  All this time that quietness and smoothness of the newer reel is still ghostly unnerving by hand.

The idle gear on the newer Bantam MGL A is like the same on the Chronarch MGL.  Roughly two handle turns completes a full cycle of the levelwind line guide.  I can sort of see the more aggressive line cross pattern on the spool of the newer reel.