Customer Reviews

Okuma EB-65 Epixor Baitfeeder Spinning Reel (20lb/320yd)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased two Epixor spinning reels, an EB-50 and an EB-65, about 5 years ago, and overall, I have been very happy with these reels. The 10-bearings make this a really smooth and quiet reel, and the anti-reverse, live bait feeder, and drag have worked flawlessly. I use the EB-50 for my Chesapeake chumming rod with 17# mono, and the EB-65 for a 12' ocean surf rod with 50# braided line. I probably should have purchased the Coronado version for my surf rod, since Coronados have the same bait feeder feature but are specifically designed to resist saltwater, but I religiously flush my tackle with fresh water after every outing, and after 5 years see no corrosion, even on the surf outfit.

Epixor reels come with an additional spool (without the titanium lip the first reel has) which comes in handy if you need to switch to a different line type or weight. I particularly like the bait feeder lever which not only allows you to fish live bait without resistance or an open bail, but also really comes in handy just in lowering your bottom rig to the right height when you're trying to rebait a long surf stick standing in a sand spike.

My only real complaint about the Okumas is that the finish on the Epixor reels could be more durable. I'm a pretty meticulous person in taking care of my gear, yet somehow the silver, painted finish has chipped in a few places on both reels. Not really a biggie, but not something I see on my American-made reels. But hey, for all of the other features at this price, I can live with a few dings. With a more durable finish, I would have given the Epixor 5 stars.

I own this reel and I loved it because it was light and smooth. I took very, very good care of it by rinsing it after every use and had it serviced twice a year. It just broke yesterday. :( The gears were making a funny clicking noise and would get stuck at times while retrieving. I opened it up and found the gears had two teeth worn down and the main shaft would not go up and down. Sadly I had to take out back and shoot it. For a moderate price this is a good reel but it did not last as long as I had wanted it to. I had it for 2-1/2 years.

I've been fishing beyond the breakers on a kayak for a couple of years now. Last year, I picked up an epixor eb-30, in addition to my conventionals.

pros:
-easy to cast(i can't cast a conventional w/ a 3 ft leader if i tried.)
-bait runner works great, used on smacks, ling, bull reds, sharks, kings.
-EB-30 holds ~200+yds of 30lb of braid, which is more than enough via kayak.
-drag is nice and smooth, just as good as a normal epixor ef-30
-has a standard rear drag when in baitrunner mode, helps when trolling for kings if your ribbon fish is causing too much drag

cons:
-slightly bigger than the ef-30
-the clicker is not loud enough!!!!
-the paint on the exterior chips too easy, typical okuma quality. Okuma products tend to work just fine, but they look beat up with only 1+ yrs of moderate fishing.

I recently bought a 2nd epixor eb30 and no longer bring out my conventionals for nearshore fishing.

I bought this small-midsize baitfeeder, and I am really happy with it. It has superior casting, the baitfeeder works perfect, and is easy to use and adjust, with it automatic "off feature" Even if I won't be using the baitfeeder system, it is now my one of my favorite reels. as good as any shimano spinner reel I've bought(I own 3 shimano spinner reels, 3 other brands and 2 baitcasters) up to $160. Absolute value for money. I will be looking for more Okuma material. Definitely one of my best buys. Looks great, works great!

I'm very happy with this reel

#1 the baitfeeder capability works perfectly. The 'click' of the baitfeeder is plenty loud enough to hear unless you are partially deaf or on a boat with a loud motor.

#2 the fit and finish of the reel is first-rate

I purchased two Epixor spinning reels, an EB-50 and an EB-65, about 6 years ago, and overall, I have been very happy with these reels. The 10-bearings make this a really smooth and quiet reel, and the anti-reverse, live bait feeder, and drag have worked flawlessly. I use the EB-50 for my Chesapeake chumming rod with 17# mono, and the EB-65 for a 12' ocean surf rod with 50# braided line. I probably should have purchased the Coronado version for my surf rod, since Coronados have the same bait feeder feature but are specifically designed to resist saltwater, but I religiously flush my tackle with fresh water after every outing, and after 6 years see no corrosion, even on the surf outfit.

Epixor reels come with an additional spool (without the titanium lip the first reel has) which comes in handy if you need to switch to a different line type or weight. I particularly like the bait feeder lever which not only allows you to fish live bait without resistance or an open bail, but also really comes in handy just in lowering your bottom rig to the right height when you're trying to rebait a long surf stick standing in a sand spike.

My only real complaint about the Okumas is that the finish on the Epixor reels could be more durable. I'm a pretty meticulous person in taking care of my gear, yet somehow the silver, painted finish has chipped in a few places on both reels, or line has cut through it when it accidentally wrapped around the bale pivot. Not really a biggie, but not something I see on my American-made reels. But hey, for all of the other features at this price, I can live with a few dings. With a more durable finish, I would have given the Epixor 5 stars.

Bought this reel to use pier fishing on the North Carolina Coast. The reel worked very well for this application and helped me catch more fish by being able to land them faster. I also do alot of striper fishing and plan to use the reel to free line live bait this spring. I am very pleased with my purchase.

I bought this reel as a secondary/backup to my Shimano 8000GTE for Carp fishing. I just used it for 4 days on the St. Lawrence River battling the hardest fighting Carp in the world, and was very impressed. It's my first Okuma reel and I found it to perform very well. Loaded it up with 80lb braid and caught some good fish with it, including a 25lb Common Carp. I prefer my Shimano - i find it smoother - but my Shimano was two and half times the price, so i'd expect it to be better. But for the price I paid for the Okuma I can have absolutely no complaints. If you want a bait runner and don't want to pay a fortune, this is a great choice.

This is the 4th Okuma reel I've purchased and they have all been great reels, especially considering the price. Fished in the Hatteras, NC surf with this one. It cast nicely and operated flawlessly. It cranked smoothly and the baitfeeding lever tripped effortlessly. I paired it with a light surf rod for my teen-aged son. He loved it, my wife loved it, I loved it. And I can buy a whole lot of these for the price of high-end reels, especially when I don't have the opportunity put real high mileage on a reel.

This reel is pretty good. It operates smoothly and seem to be well constructed. I only fish 5-6 times a year so for the price and the quality this is well worth it.