As seen in this first picture, the Metaloid M-5S is a small framed reel. Don't let the first glance fool you, though. This reel is roughly the width of an Abu 6500 size reel, but holds an impressive 340 yards of 20 pound test monofilament line. This little powerhouse weighs in at 15.6 ounces, and has the feel of a very solid, well made machine. Making a maximum of 24 pounds of drag pressure (15 pounds in strike/freespool), it will test the bend in any of the catfish rods readily available today. This non-levelwind reel also recovers 42.1" of line per handle revolution (assuming the spool is full). Now, on to the components.
The Okuma Metaloid M-5S consists of a 1 piece frame and solid left side plate machined from 6061-T6 aluminum. The spool itself is cold forged, type-II anodized, machined aluminum. This reel is also treated with Okuma's CRC (Corrosion Resistant Coating) process to ensure that it stands up to the rigors of both fresh and salt water applications. The M-5S contains 4 corrosion resistant stainless steel ball bearings, and 17-4 grade stainless steel helical cut gears. Rounded off by a carbonite, greased lever drag system (greased with Cal's drag grease), Ergo grip handle, on/off bait clicker with silent retrieve, and a 3 year warranty, this little dude packs a punch. I mentioned earlier in this article that there are separate max drag settings for full and strike settings. As with many lever drag reels, the operator can set the desired amount of max drag for a hookset prior to fighting a fish by use of a stopper button along the lever rail. Sliding the lever all the way to this stopper button will put the drag into its "strike" setting, which is adjusted by rotating the knob at the base of the drag lever. The maximum "strike" drag pressure available is 15 pounds, but if more drag pressure is needed, the operator can depress the stopper button and further engage the lever drag (up to 24 pounds of drag pressure). I've found this stopper button to be very useful, as it makes switching from freespool (running the clicker) to "strike" as simple as manually closing the bail on a star drag reel like the Penn Sqall, Fathom, etc. The clicker on this reel is fairly light and quiet when engaged in absolute freespool, but tension can be added to the clicker by lightly engaging the drag lever. With very lively bait or moderate current, I normally fish the clicker on with the drag lever engaged 2-3 clicks above absolute free. The clicker knob is a bit stiff, but ergonomic and seated well into the side plate. In my opinion, it would be nearly impossible to accidentally engage this clicker while casting or fighting a fish.
Now, on to the fun part...Application.
As many of you know, much of my fishing is done on several large, Ohio reservoirs for flathead catfish. Though these fish are large and brutish when hooked, fishing for them in a still system like a reservoir can require of degree of delicate finesse. Flathead will often completely inhale a bait and move off with it steadily. Which direction they move, though, isn't always consistent. In a river, tension placed on the line by a running fish will normally engage the bait clicker regardless of where the fish is moving due to current. In a lake, fish will sometimes inhale a bait and swim directly towards us. I've found the light clicker on this reel sensitive enough to pick up the initial inhalation of a bait, and the 40+ inches of line recover per handle revolution handy in catching up with a fish that's consumed a bait and come back under the boat. With very lively baits, I normally run the clicker with the drag engaged 2 or 3 clicks. This provides enough tension to keep a wild bullhead or carp under control, but will not turn a flathead away from easily taking line. Our rigging with these live baits varies quite a bit, but I've had absolutely no trouble casting any of them with this reel. In absolute free, the spool on this thing spins like a top. I normally cast in this setting, but I recommend doing so with care your first few times out with the reel. Now that I'm used to this extreme free spool, I can readily outcast most of my other reels with the Metaloid.
Each year we take a trip or two to fish for blue catfish on the mighty James River. Fishing this river requires varying your technique between locked down, rod loading strikes in heavy current to fishing still barge pits in freespool with clickers engaged. The Metaloid was more than up to either task. I fished the reel in heavy flow with the drag set to the "strike" setting, and fish were able to bury the rod and engage the large circle hooks used here fully. Back in the pits, running lighter weights and detecting light strikes was no problem either. The reel heaved both presentations well, from 12 ounces of lead and a whole 12" shad, to small shad fillets and 2 ounce weights. Fighting fish was no problem either, as I never had to increase the drag beyond its max strike setting. I will note, though, that the greased drag system means drastic tension reduction when the drag is lessened under load. I wasn't prepared for this, and reduced the drag too much while fighting the first fish. The resulting slack line was a bit of a panic, but the fish was landed. All part of familiarizing yourself with your new gear.
In conclusion, the Okuma Metaloid M-5S has quickly become an integral part of my catfishing arsenal. I prefer this single speed model for its simplicity, and have not been left wanting for a lower gearing in any of my fishing excursions yet. For those who would like the option to drop into a more powerful gear setting, 2-speed models are available. I've found the 5 size to adequately meet my line capacity needs, but the larger 12 size is available for those wanting more. This reel is compact, powerful, and performs smoothly under any load I've put it against. I'd recommend one for any of the applications described above, and many more. The Okuma Metaloid is available at a growing number of Okuma dealers, with a suggested MSRP of $189.99-$259.99 depending on model.
Thanks for reading and until next time, follow the Quest...
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