I really love using a closed face with the Abu 501 being a clear favorite of mine
However i don’t rate them as big fish reels for several reasons.
They are rubbish for long trots because they don’t perform very well with much more than 50-60 yards of line,
Big fish can cause bedding issues with the line being pulled deep into the spool as it’s a very compact spool
There’s no smooth way to give fish line as it doesn’t matter if you back wind or use the synchronized clutch, you are still always reversing the bell housing which is a clumsy delivery.
There’s no power through the handle. The handle is too short and the gear train doesn’t apply enough torque to make it remotely fun for cranking big fish.
I know others do use them but for me they are short distance light tackle reels and then they are an absolute joy.
Another really important consideration into a trotting reel is sealing. Again I chose daiwa as I don’t believe their mag seal can be bettered and I’m frequently getting my trotting reels wet.
If you think you are going to do a lot of wading particularly past your waist line then definitely don’t overlook the reel’s ability to deal with an accidental dunk or two. It will happen occasionally if you do it frequently.
My choice of reel if I’m not going to use a pin is this. I find it ticks every single box perfectly for big fish, fixed spool trotting
They do crop up occasionally but worth waiting and paying for.
There’s also a super rare hi speed Version which are worth looking out for too.
If time and budget are not suited to getting a TDX then get the XR