Needing 3 Spinning Reels

Started by Rivverrat, August 16, 2017, 04:52:05 PM

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Rivverrat

I'm needing help deciding on 3 spinning reels. Only requirements are durability & they produce 15 lbs. of fishable drag.  Not wanting to spend a lot. Used reels are fine These will be for friends & clients.

People I'd rather not fish my personal gear ...Jeff 

sharkman

I would vote Penn Spinfisher series. I tried a lot of reels fishing off beach and these seem to hold up the best. The bonus is if the do break they are simple to fix and most parts are readily available.

Rivverrat

Used are also pretty cheap to purchase

sharkman

To get better deals look at yard sales, flea markets, and local craigslist.  Most of my first generation reels I purchase for around 10-15 dollars each.  Try local tackle shops a lot of time they will have used reels that people left because they need servicing or repairing but the customer doesn't want to pay the cost of service. Patience is a virtue because the market on reels fluctuates from week to week. Believe it or not I have also found reels at Good Will stores.

There is a local tackle shop called Gator Jim's in St Pete FL who sales take offs at a really good price. Take offs are reels that came of combos where the rod was broke, so they have no box. His stock changes from week to week. He used to ship reel and may still do that. The reels are really cheap and he stands behind them.  Give him a try his number is 727-363-0900

Rivverrat

To be more specific I need to know what model of reels fit my criteria.
I'm pretty lost when it comes to spinning reels & what ones do what well & have a history of being durable.

Shark Hunter

750 or 7500ss would be my choice.
Life is Good!

Three se7ens

#6
Fin Nor lethal, 60 size would probably be adequate.  Aluminum frame and rotor, strong drag, and very easy to service(side plate comes off without removing rotor).  I have an older sportfisher 60 thats my offshore loaner reel.  Regularly gets fished at 15-20 lbs of drag, and holds about 250 yds of 65 lb braid.  And its under $70 new from here:  http://www.srmo.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=Q104165&Category_Code=FIN-NOR-REELS

Most manufacturers make competent reels, once you consider the price point.  I prefer an aluminum frame, and usually rotor, with the exception being Shimano reels.  Most other manufacturers graphite frame reels are not particularly stiff, and flex a lot under load.  Shimano's graphite frames are pretty stiff though, actually feel sold like most others aluminum frames.  At a budget price, you are going to get crap gearing.  This is pretty much universal, but as long as you arent using it as a winch, you should get acceptable life.  Almost universally, everyones spinning reel makes a significant amount of drag.  Typically its far in excess of what the rest of the reel can survive for any appreciable period of time. 

If you want a tank, and dont mind clunky, check out the Fin Nor Offshore.  Ratchet a/r and stainless main and pinion gears make it strong as a tank.  Its about as refined as one too though.  They can be had under $100 new from the site I linked to above. 

Shark Hunter

Life is Good!

Rivverrat

I've got a friends Fin Nor Lethal that I joked I would never give back. I was impressed with the inside of this reel for the money.
However there seemed to be an issue with the stem breaking on them. I only fished it twice.
The newer version is different but I guess has the same stout drag & internal parts.

For under a $100 New this may very well be what I'm looking for.... Jeff

handi2

The smaller size Lethal reels have been great for me. The 4000 size will handle any Red Snapper. The finish on them hasn't changed in almost 5 years of use.
OCD Reel Service & Repair
Gulf Breeze, FL

Three se7ens

Quote from: Rivverrat on August 19, 2017, 10:19:55 PM
I've got a friends Fin Nor Lethal that I joked I would never give back. I was impressed with the inside of this reel for the money.
However there seemed to be an issue with the stem breaking on them. I only fished it twice.
The newer version is different but I guess has the same stout drag & internal parts.

For under a $100 New this may very well be what I'm looking for.... Jeff


I think you are referring to the Lethal 100.  Its an entirely different animal than the smaller ones.  The brass main and stainless gearing are a big upgrade from the smaller versions, which use a brass pinion and zinc alloy main gear. 

I think the smaller ones are perfectly capable reels when used within reason.  The reels are cheap, and parts are even cheaper.  I have the Sportfisher 60, which is the predecessor to the lethal.  Thats my offshore loaner, but I use it any time I want something smaller than the lethal 100 or saltist 6500h. 

4 of my 6 spinning reels that see regular use are Fin Nors.  I think they offer a lot for the price, and dont see getting much more out of any other spinners until you are looking at reels 3 times the price. 

Rivverrat

Thanks ! I"ll look at these smaller models.  These reels will not see any where the same amount of use my Andros or various Penn reels do.

Porthos

#12
Quote from: Three se7ens on August 20, 2017, 01:33:10 AM
I think you are referring to the Lethal 100.  Its an entirely different animal than the smaller ones.  The brass main and stainless gearing are a big upgrade from the smaller versions, which use a brass pinion and zinc alloy main gear.  

I think the smaller ones are perfectly capable reels when used within reason....

As an owner of TWO LT100's configured for 80lb and 100lb with the highest drag used so far has been 23lbs measured, mine are still intact though the largest fish to date have only been about 45lbs, and I do not recall anything about the reel during that fight that would lead to a stem failure. I suspect that for some of the guys who did have their LT100's break that it was their first large spinner, and if they happen to fish their spin setup like a conventional at the wrong moment under heavy load (e.g., trying to crank on the lift, aggressive tightening the drag, or hitting reel on the rail) it throws the stress levels over the top and SNAP!

My other suspicion is a possible material variation in the casting of bodies that resulted in production batches with weaker stems. As I recall, Fin Nor was having issues keeping the LT100's in stock in 2015, so with the LT's being produced in China and pressure to meet demand, a lapse in QC can't be ruled out given past anecdotal observations across the industry. It appeared that the broken ones happened mostly in 2016. Mine are from 2014 and early 2015.

Rivverrat

After John T. posting about this issue with the 100 model I decided to be more careful with the reel. However like I said Ive only fished it a couple times. But after looking into the lethal series I'm thinking a couple of these along with some old DAM Quicks I can fulfill my need  for loaner reels... Jeff

Rivverrat

Alan Hawk in his review of the Lethal 100.... For what ever it's worth



" One of the scenarios I see happening is that you'll begin to see an influx of "reports" about the Lethal 100 supposedly failing, along with photos and videos of broken reels to increase the effect. Creating such a mess won't cost much money since 11 Lethals are still cheaper than a single high end reel, and anyone who believes that this reel could hurt their sales in certain market segments wouldn't have a problem consorting efforts by associates and sponsored people to exhibit a bunch of them broken all over the web. I know it's a horrific thought but I have seen what some people in this trade are willing to do when it comes to making money, to the point of committing criminal consumer fraud at times."