Redefining a Classic, the Lew’s BB1 Baitcaster
(continued)

Real World
Tests:
The easy thing to do would be to grab a few crankbaits and go fishing with the
BB1 and call it a day, but we wanted to see just how well this baitcaster would
hold up over the long haul fishing a variety of different lures, as well as
compare the multiple models side by side. We fished the BB1 reels on a variety
of rods, including both traditional casting rods and application specific
cranking sticks over the course of an entire season. These reels saw action on
bodies of water including Clear Lake, the California Delta and Lake Pardee
targeting both largemouth and smallies.

The BB1 is easy to match up
cosmetically with just about any rod
Casting:
The classic BB1 reel was known for its excellent casting and the new version
takes it to whole new level. Crankbait guru, David Fritts, swears by this reel
and uses it for bombing swimbaits over long distances to cover vast amounts of
water quickly. The first time I cast the reel I was impressed.

What does the BB1 do best? Long
distance casting.
The spool
speeds up quickly and with the centrifugal brakes dialed back to just two it is
very possible to cast the multi-stop Z model reels 70 yards without breaking a
sweat. We will talk more about what the zero anti reverse means in terms of
retrieve feel in the next section but this older implementation actually is
designed to take some of the pressure off the spool allowing for small, but
noticeable gains, in long distance casting.

A badge on the side is labeled
"BB1 - Lighter - Faster - Stronger"
The other
element that affects casting distance is friction and Lew’s addresses this by
moving the levelwind further away from the spool and increasing the size of the
titanium line guide from a circle to a large oval so that line can move more
freely out of the spool. When compared side by side the zero anti-reverse BB1
model out casted the standard version by 3-5 yards, and when compared with
competing reels at the same price point it was definitely among the top
performers. The only other reel in the same basic price category that casted
just as easily over long distances was the new Daiwa Tatula.

Lots of access to the spool here
When it came to
precision casts the BB1 was good but this reel clearly excels at tossing the
bigger stuff for distance than finesse casting ultralight lures. Anything down
to 1/4oz. really is where this reel does well, lighter than that and you really
need to move to a lighter line and compensate with a light action rod.

All the components on this reel
are aluminum, no cheap plastic knobs
Retrieve:
The original BB1 had a low gear ratio of 4.9:1 and this combined with the
excellent casting distance made it a favorite among crankbait anglers. But that
wasn’t all. The same zero instant anti-reverse that some anglers complain about
on the BB1HZ, BB1SHZ, BB1HZL, BB1SHZL (basically the “Z” designation in the part
number) was a popular attribute on the original. This simple yet effective
design is reliable and delivers a distinct feel that classic crankbait anglers
believe gives them a greater awareness of the action of the crankbait at the end
of the line.

Comparing the standard and zero
anti reverse models
Today’s anglers
are so used to instant anti-reverse that the lack of one in a higher end reel is
somewhat of a foreign concept. If Lew’s only offered zero-anti reverse models
that would be a mistake as the features that anglers expect out of modern day
baitcasters has changed, but the fact that they offer both configurations in the
BB1 is a big plus. The ability for anglers to choose which model, feel, they
prefer is admirable. Lew’s didn’t have to maintain so many skus, but they did so
to cater to both the classic fans as well as those just learning about the new
BB1 Series.

The type of bait that so many
anglers will fish with the BB1
When retrieving
crankbaits I could discern the difference between the two different
implementations, and although I was skeptical at first, just after a few uses I
not only got used to the zero anti-reverse models but grew to prefer them for
cranking. When fishing slowly or with contact baits the feel doesn’t translate
like it does with constant pressure on the line, and in these situations I still
preferred the instant anti-reverse for quick hooksets. When fishing with
crankbaits the fish hook themselves as baits are being wound back to the boat
and that extra forgiveness isn’t a bad thing at all when you are trying to keep
treble hooks pinned.

The BB1 feels smooth and confident
under pressure and delivers plenty of power to muscle fish to the boat
In terms of
general smoothness the BB1 is definitely one of the smoother reels at this price
point thanks to 9+1 and 10 bearing configurations, and anglers will find that
inside the reel the key areas are all generously lubricated. Even after a season
of use our test reels continued to remain smooth and the main gearing is
accessible via a maintenance port on the bottom if anglers want to add any
lubrication mid season.
Performance Ratings for
BB1 |
Retrieve (1-5) |
Drag (1-5) |
Power (1-5) |
Casting Range (1-5) |
Brakes (1-5) |
Total |
Possible |
Rating (= Tot/Pos * 10) |
4 |
|
|
|
4 |
21 |
25 |
|

A look at the carbon composite
multi-disk drag system
Drag:
In the lab we were not able to achieve the 14lb drag pressure rating and most of
our runs at full lockdown delivered 12.8-13.2lbs of drag pressure. This is close
to the published specification and the consistency between our test reels was
also very good. This is more than enough stopping power for bass applications
and more importantly than raw pressure the Lew’s multi-disk carbon composite
drag is smooth under pressure. At both ends of the settings we found that the
drag was not able to be adjusted in the same small increments as some of the
competing reels from Daiwa but overall the drag system was both reliable and
smooth under pressure.
Features Ratings for
BB1 |
Ext Brake Adjust? (1-2) |
Level wind. Bearing (1-2) |
Knob Bearings (1-3) |
Micro Clicks (1-3) |
Reel Cover (1-2) |
Oil (1-2) |
Total |
Possible |
Rating (= Tot/Pos * 10) |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
11 |
14 |
|

Ergonomically the BB1 is very good
and feels comfortable to palm
Next Section: Living up to the legacy? 