How to determine reel size??

[Duffman]

How does a reel get a designation as far as size?   2/0 - 3/0 - 4/0 - 6/0 etc...
  I'm putting a few offshore setups together and I'm looking at gettting something in the 4/0 class.  Only problem is that Penn is the only one that uses that way to describe the size of a reel (that I know of).
   Is it line capacity, physical size etc..
 
 Thanks fellas.

[Reel Time]

 i'm taking a shot in the dark here,, but maybe its how many fathoms it wil sink in 10 seconds, thereby relating to its size by wieght, bigger reel=more wieght= sinks faster,,,, 

 honestly though, i gots no clue, and that statement holds true to alot of things

[hareball]

when I look to buy a reel I think to the specie I want to use it for. I pick the brand and model and go right to thier specs. for deep sea fishing I want 44" return per crank or more, for big game i'll go with the largest offered by a company but stay under the 50# class for now. then get the rod to match the class of reel.

not positive on the senators but the numbers might have something to do with the pound test of line put on it

[Duffman]

For example:  I'm looking for a 4/0 class reel to put on a dedicated tuna jigging rod.  What is a 4/0 class reel??  For Penn thats a 113 Senator. What is it in a say, Shimano??  A TLD 25??  Or an Avet??
   Even if you try and match line capacities they all give different specs.  Penn will only give line capacity for 30 lb test, Shimano for 40 lb, etc...
 

[hareball]

duffman, do you have a prefrence for any certain brand of reel?

[Capt. Ed]

Hi Duffman,

Sorry I missed this ... I usually click on "Show Unread Posts since last visit" and this one didn't show until now.

The /0 system is confusing. When some people talk about saltwater reel sizes they may talk in terms of 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 6/0, 9/0, 10/0, 12/0, 13/0, 14/0, 15/0, 16/0, 18/0 and 20/0. The /0 on the end of these terms seems to have been made up for a reason which was shortly thereafter forgotten and has remained "shrouded in mystery" for many years. It simply meant "OCEAN" or reels built primarily for saltwater use.

Did all companies make their reels in all these /0 sizes? No, many companies made only smaller reels and many companies made only larger reels. Only a few companies made reels in most sizes.

Were the /0 sizes used as a universal line capacity measurement agreed upon throughout the industry? No, although most companies' reels were quite similar in size it is not uncommon to find companies whose reels of the same /0 size did not have the same dimensions or line capacity. Even within the same companies the /0 size would change over the course of a few years. Not all companies used the /0 system to size their reels.

After much research a few years back, my belief is that the /0 on the "ocean marketed reels" dates back to a time when lines were classified by the number of threads they contained, rather than breaking strength. So, a 6/0 was a "saltwater ocean" reel that held 6 stranded line.

As for today, most reels are labeled according to the size of the line they best handle. For example, 20, 50 and 130. Some labels suggest a range. For example, 50-80. In any case, those labels are easily understood.

Of course, to mess all this up, braid has come along. So, for me, when I am in doubt, I contact my custom rod maker (Kevin or Greg Bogan) and ask them or call the manufacturer. Penn and Shimano have always helped me out. I have other "conventional" reels but they were recommended and the rod was custom made.

As for rods, I made a "tip" a while back that can be found at:

http://njsaltwaterfisherman.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=133&Itemid=91

To summarize it, the general rule for line rating for a rod is:

1. For a 50 class reel, use a rod rated for 30-80 lb. line

2. For a 60 class reel, use a rod rated for 40-100 lb. line

3. For an 80 class reel, use a rod rated for 50-130 lb. line

This is with traditional mono. Again, advanced line materials have clouded this up a bit.

Confused now?

Capt. Ed

[hareball]

great info capt

[Duffman]

Good Stuff!  Bottom line is I need to put the rel in my hands to see what I have instead of reading specs. Thanks for the education Cappy.

   Thinking about a TLD 25 as a dedicated Tuna jigging reel, any thoughts??

[hareball]

we have a left handed one on the boat for anybody that might need it but have only used it on the troll. my bro in law just picked up another right hander too. good solid reel, no complaints here.

[Capt. Ed]

Hi Duffman,

Yeap!

Nice price point. They are light enough to jig for a while. Has enough line capacity for the fish we catch offshore around here (on the average). Have you thought about any of the TLD-II (2 speeds)?

I see them reasonably priced at Sports Authority, especially during sales.

I think you figured it out on your own. I do not buy something I have not tried myself. Bring the rod to a store and put the reel on it ... especially if you are planning on buying AVET.

The answer may seem like a cop out ... but at the end of the day you have to swing the lead with it (so to speak).

Ed