NJ Saltwater Fisherman Forums
NJ Saltwater Fishing Reports and Information => Helping Each Other Out => Topic started by: ChrisL on January 04, 2009, 08:48:43 PM
-
I'm getting ready for my preseason shopping. Looking to replace my cheap equipment with some new decent stuff.
I do mostly surf and some inlet/canal fishing.
For my main setups I'm thinking about the Slammer reel. But for the secondary setups I'm trying to keep it more budget friendly.
How good or bad are the Captiva series? And Cabela's Salt Striker reels?
-
I love my Penn SS spinning reels. They come in many sizes to accommodate your needs.
-
Give us a dollar amount. I love to help people spend their money! ;D
-
Bucktail- Probably $50-75 depending on size, I'm looking for a couple different sizes to match with different rods.
Nick- SSg or SSm? Both equally good?
thanks guys
-
they are both good. The best part of Penn is there service department. If anything goes wrong with the reels, send them back, for a reasonable fee you get them back pract. brand new.
-
SSg is the smaller series (550 and under). The g = graphite for the body material. SSm is the larger series (650 and up). The m (you probably guessed it) = metal. ;) You can probably pick them up for around $80 or $100.
I'm partial to Shimano. If you're looking to spend that much, I'd go with a Spheros. If you want to stay within the $50 to $70 range, check out the Spheros "A" series reels. They were discontinued last year and were replaced with the new "B" series. If you're lucky you may still find some retailers who have them at a decent clearance price! t^
-
I'm a total Penn guy. And, Fisherman's Headquarters in Ship Bottom has great sales. Go to their web site or call them for information. They will ship to you.
Take a look and see what they have. Sometimes you don't need to spend big bucks for good stuff.
I hope this helps.
-
Penn SSm, Abu and Shimano hold up good.Some of the Diawa fell off earlier than the others.
-
I hate my Penn Captiva. It is the CV2000 and I "use" it for freshwater. Most of the time, I want to chuck it in the water with the lure. It is the worst reel I have ever used, and especially the worst Penn I have ever owned. Very disappointed with it. It is not very smooth at all, 99% of the time, the bail gets stuck open(I have resorted to manually closing the bail every time), the drag is horrible, and the writing on the spool has already worn off. It has always been cleaned properly and not abused. I just bought it in April and it has only been used 20 times max. Maybe it is just a lemon??
Sorry, for my rant there, but I would hate to see someone, IMO, waste money.
-
with all you guys all about the penn reels, i dont know what happened with mine. maybe it was just a dud. i bought the 560 slammer in august to start off the season with a brand new reel. had to replace the reel by november 1st. i fished the reel hard, but took care of it after every trip. always closed the bail manually. at first the reel started to make noise on the retrieve. then the reel started to slip. was told by others that they had the same problem with penn reels. anyways, that reel was a waste of 135$. in my opinion that reel is not made to handle the surf. maybe it would last on a boat, but i wouldnt suggest it for the surf.
-
Abit, why don't you send it to Penn for repair? If it's less than a year old they should fix it under warranty.
IMO, unless you're willing to pay $500 to $1000 for a Van Staal or ZeeBaas you will not find a perfect surf reel. However, if you want an inexpensive reel with a simple design, that's not all that smooth or refined, but is built like a tank, try to find yourself a new or used Penn 704Z or 706Z. Although, come to think of it, I've broken both the anti-reverse and bail spring (twice) on mine. ;D
-
I use Penn and I have a Penn 560 Slammer I fish it hard off the surf and have had no problems with ti at all.
It is a good product especially if you can get the ones that are made in America, BTW the Slammer is coming back to be made in the US once again.
-
BTW the Slammer is coming back to be made in the US once again.
w0w That's very surprising and great to hear! I never would have thought that Jarden would move any of their manufacturing back to the U.S. Where did you hear this from?
-
A little birdie told me...
<a href="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fwww.smileycentral.com%252F%253Fpartner%253DZSzeb008%255FZSfox000%2526i%253D4%252F4%255F7%255F12%2526feat%253Dprof/page.html" target="_blank">[img width= height= alt=SmileyCentral.com" border="0]http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_7_12.gif[/img][/url]
-
The Z Series are work horses! I have 2 old Penn 710z's I use for the Bay and Canal. They were both passed down to me...the one is from the first year they went from green paint to black paint. They are solid reels, but I have had to replace parts in both of them.
There certainly isn't a perfect reel, especially made for saltwater or the surf. I don't even think the Van Staals or Zeebaas are perfect.
It is good to hear some of the Penns being made in the US again! I just hope they get rid of some of the cheaper parts they have gone to using on some of their reels.
TT^
-
well, i ended up getting a reel with a snorkel. haven't had any issues yet. its been dunked and washed off in the surf, turns brand new.
-
well, i ended up getting a reel with a snorkel. haven't had any issues yet. its been dunked and washed off in the surf, turns brand new.
what the hell is a reel w/ a snorkle ????
-
Never heard of it...I am interested to see as well.
TT^
-
Thanks for all the input guys. I'm gonna hit a couple places this week and take a look at the Penn and Shimano reels.
-
hahaha.....its a VS.
-
Get a Penn t^ it will last for ever . I have three of them and got alot of big Stripers on them TT^You can't go wrong ;)
-
In my opinion penn reels flat out suck. Vs is a good reel I got one and landed a lot of fish on it ,but it sucks having to send your reel back every year (if you still have to) to keep the waranty up I used to pay 40 bucks plus shipping.
-
In my opinion penn reels flat out suck. Vs is a good reel I got one and landed a lot of fish on it ,but it sucks having to send your reel back every year (if you still have to) to keep the waranty up I used to pay 40 bucks plus shipping.
Had one for five years with no problems
-
You fish salt one time a year so that reel has 5 trips or less om it.
-
You fish salt one time a year so that reel has 5 trips or less om it.
;D
-
I use it all the time .My Mom is in Toms river and my Aunt is in L.BI. I do alot of surf fishing ;D
-
I own some 35+ year old Penn reels. And some old Ocean City reels, If you care for them they will care for you.. I am also a fan of Shimano and Diawa. I admit that I take apart and oil and grease every off season. And don't forget Okuma reels have a lifetime warranty and are cheap. Many party and charter boats have switched to Okuma because they replace, no questions. So I am told.. They make some nice spinners too.. But I would rather try to buy from here in the USA. chrz
-
well said . Just take care of them and they will last t^
-
Penn Reels, as long as they are the older "Made in USA" models. I've been hearing alot of negative reports on the new imported Penns. I wonder why? 5hrug <'((((><
-
Penn Reels, as long as they are the older "Made in USA" models. I've been hearing alot of negative reports on the new imported Penns. I wonder why? 5hrug <'((((><
My opinion is the quality of the parts they started using. If you break down the same model Made in the USA Penn Reel and a Made in China, the parts are not the same. The imported Penn parts feel lighter and not as strong, they don't looked machined as well, some of the metal parts have been replaced with plastic and the springs look less durable!
The older model Penns I have now, have taken a beating and some have not been taken care of as I would normally have(had they been mine). With a good cleaning, a couple replacement parts and new grease and oil, they are like the first day they came out of the box mechanically!
TT^
-
A lot of the parts in the newer reels are punched pressed. If you look at them they have a slight roundness to them and the flat sides are loaded with burs.
I have been taking a number of my reels apart and deburring everything and polishing the races and surfaces up to almost a mirror finish. I find I have to use lease grease and I have one smooth reel. Better than new.
I have been toying with the idea of closing tolerances up a bit by nickle plating some surfaces. I'll see.
-
IMO, Penn reels problems started back in the late 90s, when they were still made here. They had a ton of anti-reverse problems with their SS series at the same time they switched to the graphite body. At that time the founder's granddaughter was running the company (into the ground). Around 2002 or so, they were sold and the new company made some changes, which I believe, improved the quality somewhat.
Fairly recently they were sold to K2 which, in turn, was purchased by the Jarden Company. Before 2007 this mega-colossal company had no connection to the fishing business whatsoever. Now they own all of the following! Which, by the way, were all competing companies at one time. ;)
Abu Garcia®, All Star Rods®, Berkley®, Fenwick®, Gulp!®, Johnson®, JRC Products®, Mitchell®, Penn®, Pflueger®, Shakespeare®, Spiderwire®, Stren®, Trilene®, Ugly Stick®, and XTools®.
Makes you wonder...
-
Can you say monopoly...
-
Take a look at the Daiwa Black Gold series of spinning reels. Might be a little over what you wanna spend (but they can also be found a little cheaper on EBay). They are very durable, well made reels. They were first introduced in the 1980's and the design has changed very little if at all. I own several that were purchased in the 80's. Other than being serviced and having the drag washers replaced every other year and some boat rash they all are in tip top fishing form.
-
I've owned a BG30 for many years. I agree. They are a nice, solid reel. Nothing fancy. There's no instant anti-reverse or long cast spool. Just a very simple, durable design like the old SS series. t^
-
In my opinion penn reels flat out suck. Vs is a good reel I got one and landed a lot of fish on it ,but it sucks having to send your reel back every year (if you still have to) to keep the waranty up I used to pay 40 bucks plus shipping.
they now make a self service kit. saw a whole instructional video on it and everything was step by step. looks easier than taking apart any other reel i ever have.
off to another topic. reels that are great on the boat do not necessarily mean they will be great in the surf. surf fishing usually means getting your equipment wet with back splash at least. along with that back splash comes tons of sand. if your reel can be opened fairly easily with a screw driver, and doesnt have water proof seals, it will get inside. sand inside equals a dead reel. just my opinion, and my little experience.
-
I like Penn but I do agree the older models were made much better. I have some old reels that were my fathers and they are still working well. Cleaning and lube is the key. Most of my fishing is from the boat so I don't use spinning reels much. The Shimano Bait Runner is a good reel for both surf and livelining on the boat. I have had one for 30+ years now. (I do have newer reels as well, they are not all antiques)
Check out the Raritan Bay Anglers Club flea market on 1/31. t^ There will be some reel guys there and you can get some good deals. Especially if you know what your looking for.
-
In my opinion penn reels flat out suck. Vs is a good reel I got one and landed a lot of fish on it ,but it sucks having to send your reel back every year (if you still have to) to keep the waranty up I used to pay 40 bucks plus shipping.
they now make a self service kit. saw a whole instructional video on it and everything was step by step. looks easier than taking apart any other reel i ever have.
off to another topic. reels that are great on the boat do not necessarily mean they will be great in the surf. surf fishing usually means getting your equipment wet with back splash at least. along with that back splash comes tons of sand. if your reel can be opened fairly easily with a screw driver, and doesnt have water proof seals, it will get inside. sand inside equals a dead reel. just my opinion, and my little experience.
while I agree w/ you I have to say I own 1 vs and 3 stella reels ,I think the stellas are better for my needs and hold up very well .you can take the apart w/ a screw driver but nothing has gotten into mine ,I use my 6000 in the surf and on the boat and I just regreased it last month for the first time in years and it was clean as the day I bought it inside ,IMO it is just the quality of the reels you choose to buy ,cheap gear dont last .
-
I used an old Daiwa in the surf for 15 years and until I was given a Shimano Stradic this year, that reel was still going...as was the other same model that my father purchased at the same time. That reel has taken dunkings and drops in the sand. As long as it was cleaned after, no problems!
The VS, Zeebaas, Shimano Stellas, Daiwa Saltiga, etc...are all extremely nice reels, just too rich for my blood! Most of the time, my reel is not getting dunked or dropped, so for my practical needs a solid middle of the line surf reel works fine. If for some reason the reels break, I just get another. I know there are certainly people who fish in conditions and they need the best quality that can handle dunking and sand consistently. Me personally, right now, an high end reel like those would be overkill!
TT^
-
I agree w/ ya 100 % I got luck w/ mine I was at a dealer show and after talking w/ reps I was offered a deal I could never pass up ,I ordered almost a dozen reels on the spot.Other wise I wouldnt spend the money on them .I have 2 stradics and love them I did over 1000 fish on my 3000 last season and not one problem I would buy another in a minute
-
I agree w/ ya 100 % I got luck w/ mine I was at a dealer show and after talking w/ reps I was offered a deal I could never pass up ,I ordered almost a dozen reels on the spot.Other wise I wouldnt spend the money on them .
Sweet...love when you get something that is just too good to pass up ;D!
TT^
-
I'm getting ready for my preseason shopping. Looking to replace my cheap equipment with some new decent stuff.
I do mostly surf and some inlet/canal fishing.
For my main setups I'm thinking about the Slammer reel. But for the secondary setups I'm trying to keep it more budget friendly.
How good or bad are the Captiva series? And Cabela's Salt Striker reels?
Despite what others may say, slammers are amazing.
-
Well I think I finally figured it all out and decided. Thanks for all the input guys.
I just ordered a 7' Tsunami Airwave and a Penn Sargus for plugging and the inlet.
Also going to pick up a 9' Tica and a Penn Slammer for the surf.
And for a backup / the wife, a 7' or 8' Tsunami Trophy and Shimano Spheros or Sahara.
Did a lot of searching around and found some good deals online. Got myself so confused trying to compare products and sellers, I thought my head was going to fall off.
Now I just need to spool them and wait for some warm water. i can't wait to see the difference casting between this new stuff and my Wallyworld specials.
-
Great choices! Nothing overkill, relatively affordable and quality setups that will last you some years to come and catch you some fish. I think you will like all of your choices when you get to try them out. CONGRATS!!
TT^
-
Sounds like all good choices Chris. I will be in the market for a new outfit myself but I think I will be building my rod and going with a Penn 460 Slammer. I am looking at a 8 or 9' rod blank with a Med to Med fast action. I will be trying a concept red design so even if I go Med. with all the wraps on the guides it will probably come out in the Med Fast category.
Good luck with your new equipment. I am sure you will see a big difference in the castability and the weight factor.
Happy Catching
Paul
-
Eng5Lt,
Good luck on your choices. I know you'll love that Airwave. t^ I have a feeling that if you do get that back-up combo, you'll probably wind up fishing more with that Spheros or Sahara than you will the Sargus. ;D
Paul,
I'm not sure what you mean about med. fast. Do you mean moderate fast? 5hrug
-
Sorry about the brain fart...
Yeah, as the concept rod will nave about 8+ guides on ot the action is greatly changed by the wraps and extra guides.
-
I gotcha Paul. Sometimes talking about a rod's action can get a bit confusing, since sometimes people refer to action as the power (or stiffness) instead of where the rod bends.
Having said that, I don't think adding extra guides and wraps will change the action (as far as where the blank bends) from moderate to moderate fast.
It should stiffen the blank somewhat resulting in a rod that feels heavier (in stiffness, not necessarily in weight). So a medium power blank could result in a medium heavy action when you're done.
What blanks are you considering using? I'll probably never get around to doing it, but I've been thinking about wrapping a 7' medium power, fast action rod for throwing Fin-S and small bucktails in the back bay. If I do it, I'm going to use a St. Croix blank and (most likely) titanium framed SiC guides. The finished rod should weigh less than 4 1/2 ounces! t^
-
That's pretty cool.
I will probably wrap a Seeker brand not sure what model as they are coming out with a new set soon and I am waiting to see what they feel like. But right now I am looking at a SU80 or SU90 models. They are E Glass/Boron rods. Grumpys will be getting some new blanks in soon so I guess I will wait a little longer for the new models to come out.
I am looking for something in a 8 - 9' with a moderate to moderate fast action. It should handle anywhere from 1/2 to 3 oz lures and a line wt of approx. 15 - 30#.
I will be using a double cork grip and a graphite reel seat. I am still not sure the type of guides I will use yet but it will be a black on black rod with not much in looks but then again looks don't catch fish. The new rod blanks should let me load up and throw with the least amount of power.
I have built many rods both for myself and for a local shop that moved to Florida and I am in the process of getting all my gear out of closets and behind piles in the basement. I hope everything still works.
Happy Catching
Paul
-
That sounds good Paul. I like a mod or mod fast for bigger rods and heavier baits.
As far as colors, black on black is a nice understated look. t^
I don't do fancy wraps on mine. But I usually throw a few different color threads in the mix. My 9' that I built over 15 years ago, has royal blue over gold.
-
That is the way to go...custom rods, and even better is custom homemade rods. The seeker rods are very nice.
I have a couple very old custom rods made by my Uncle's father...they were the best. Now, they are big and bulky with corroding guides. If you have the ability to make your own rod to your own specs...you can't beat it with any store bought rod. I guess, the next best, would be a custom rod professionally done by a rod builder. The price usually breaks the piggy bank, though. I always find myself settling on a rod. It never is exactly how I like it. I end up modifying every rod I have in some way.
TT^
-
My father used to make do his own rods, but that 30 years ago. All his equip. and knowledge is long gone. he still has a couple of the rods he did, but they haven't been used in so long I'm afraid to try them and have it break.
I went today to pick up another rod I was planning to get. But I saw a few other I liked and couldn't decide. i guess I'll just have to buy them all.....yeah right.
Bucktail - i never expected to see a Shimano reel on one of your rods ;)
-
Bucktail - i never expected to see a Shimano reel on one of your rods ;)
Ha ha! Can you tell from my posts that I'm a fan of their reels?
-
cant go wrong with the penn slammers. Also have found ebay great for saving money on new rods and reels just replaced all my stuff.
-
You should have gotten a calcutta if you wanted an all-purpose reel for saltwater. However, you can't go wrong with penn.
-
I do use penn reels for the surf, But I do use the very ugly looking US reel on the kayak, This is one very tuff reel for the money.... That hold up great year after year with no problems... I trust this reel.... salt water does nothing to it.....
-
Ebay is saving me a huge amount in all this buying I'm doing. The 560 slammer goes for $139 everywhere else, I'm getting it for $107 from an Ebay vendor. Similar savings for some of the other stuff I'm getting.
I'd love to give the local shops the business, but I gotta look out for my wallet.
-
Hi Chris,
In these times you have to look out for #1. You could take the spool into a local store for line and still be supporting them with out them knowing you bought the reel elsewhere.
BTW that is a fantastic price. I might be looking for a 460 Slammer to go with an 8 - 9 foot rod I am thinking about.
I see your beach buggie # is up there but it is still below 1000. t^
Happy Catching
Paul
-
That's what i was planning on since this will be my first time with braid. planning to have Grumpy's spool them for me. When I figured out the prices, it's only about $2 more for them to spool it then for me to buy the same amount of line.
-
I still think Grumpy's is still running their 20% off line. If not check out Betty & Nicks I know they are having sales as well.
-
I plan to hit both tomorrow...or at least this week.
Har Lee Rod actually had some great prices as well on some stuff.
I can't wait for spring to try all this new gear.
-
Why wait, I am sure we will be having a warming spell sometime soon. Just go out and have some fun. I hear they are still catching schoolies on clam pieces and smaller hooks.
That is what I am waiting for.
-
Eng5Lt,
If you want to take a ride down to Manahawkin and come see me, I can spool some braid on those reels for you. We have Power Pro, Sufix and Fireline (original and the new braid). Both Sufix and Berkley currently have rebates out on their line. So, if you like those, I'd be able to save you a few $$$ as well! t^
-
You should have gotten a calcutta if you wanted an all-purpose reel for saltwater. However, you can't go wrong with penn.
The only thing is, I think he was looking for spinning. The Calcuttas are really nice conventional/baitcasting reels ;D.
TT^
-
Checked off another item from my shopping list today. Went to Dick's and met Bucktail. Got a Shimano Sahara and Bob spooled it up for me with Sufix braid.
Thanks for everything Bob.
-
My pleasure Chris. It was nice meeting you today. Best of luck with the new toy! t^