Alvey 500C5

The 500C5 is just like its brother the 650C5 – The Alvey is notably similar to its larger brother the 650C5 in every respect which I own, I have the 500C5 in black, however wished I got it in green that's my only wish from the reel itself... Visually the 500C5 series are the same, the newer 500C5's have a silent Anti Reverse and this is a huge advancement from the old style 500C5's where they has the 'tic tic tic' anti reverse that you couldn't disengage or run away from this noise - the new series for 2012 are silent! Dont be fooled in a sale where you get last years noisy model for this years price - otherwise they're the same reels.

Most people cant see where $100 worth of materials are in an Alvey, especially the 500 series size. I look at it in this light - that $100 will buy you the worlds longest lasting reel that you'll pass onto your kids - even with weekly use. Alvey has a good network with replacement parts at most fishing stores - some people may have them on hand also, all which look quality at a low cost in comparison with other reel brands eg: Daiwa's $180 rotor bail replacement where the reel cost $190 itself... I managed to stand on my 650C5 once accidentally in the dark, and slightly bent the handle and scratched the rear backing plate - straightened the handle there and then and kept on fishing! Do that with a spinning or bait-cast reel and keep on fishing with it - doubt it!!!

Internally the Alvey 500C5 is simplistic to the point that a child could perform maintenance on a regular basis. There is a spool and a pinion axle that's all - ok there is a anti reverse pawl and a ticker that's it but its so damn simple! With the minimalist parts approach the Alvey is serious performer with one thing in mind 'reeling in fish' - there are no ancillary parts for level winds or rotors or even bearings; the reel is smooth and can be made even more so with regular fishing when everything beds in mechanically after a few uses!

I pulled my 500C5 apart and reorganised the drag configuration to a more optimal stack and re-greased the reel with Mercury 2-4-C which is an extreme salt water environment Teflon based grease that made the Alvey as quiet as a church mouse and smoother than a $400 spinning reel! The drag is also much better with a light film of grease on the washers - Alvey supply the reel in such a greased state that it will not attract sand so that it will last longer for the general public. However I am careful enough as to not put it in sand so I can afford to use a little more good quality grease than they apply - which quietens the reel down and makes it much smoother.

Personally, the Alvey 500C5 is good for 500+ meters of 5kilo mono-filament line (ensure you use low stretch line), some may choose to load 3kg, however this reel will take some larger fish with the revised drag configuration and would suit a light 'live baiting' application from boat or shore. The optimal rod length is 3.0meters and the stripping runner should be 2 inch and half way from the centre pin of the reel to the rod's tip for optimal casting action.

The reel is small enough and light enough to use all day and can be neglected with week long fishing trips between washes - hence why the people that live on Stradbroke or Frazer only fish with Alvey's due to their robustness and long lives in the harshest environments.

I've always loved my 650C5 and now that I have a lighter option the 500C5, I think for local bait fishing that this will be the one to take - or even take two for the hell of it. 5 year Guarantee, simplicity of use, overall strength, pulling power, line capacity, corrosion resistance!, Aesthetics - wish they were anodised or patterned on the backing plate - laser engraved with Alvey or something nice to signify them a little more etc.