One Reel

[Rivverrat]

 If you had to choose just one reel to do it all, that covers most of your fishing. Which would it be ?

That one reel you wouldn't want to be with out.

Mine would be a Penn Torque Star Drag. Probably a 25N If I had choose just one.

OK for you salt water guys pick 2 one for fresh water & another for salt... Jeff

[Decker]

Penn Mag 970.  Can surf cast it, use it for wreck fishing, jetty fishing, and it is strong enough to winch up a smaller fish from a bridge or high dock.  I have an extra spool and want to set up the tail plate to be easily removed for swapping spools. 

[Keta]

Can't be done for what I fish for, 8" kokanee from the surface to 100' up to Pacific halibut at 30-50 pound up to 600' deep
.

[thorhammer]

Ha! A couple years ago there was a thread to list top five, and we couldnt even hold to that! Even if we did, that'd be written evidence we COULD conceivably get by without back-ups to the back-ups, and the collectables, etc. People might run with that idea and levy it on the golfing community, and get them throttled to one club. This kind of thinking is dangerous

That said, I can only get to two, one fresh, one salt: 360 Slammer (doubles great in salt for a whole lot) and a 980. I need a little more line than a 970 for mahi / wahoo / kings but same principles apply as above.

Honorable mention: Penn 965.

[Cor]

Daiwa SL50SH or Shimano 20/40 tld star drag.   I can use that for all my fishing and did years back!   Not ideal though and you have to compromise and not catch Tuna over 90 lb!

[Gfish]

"Most" is a key word from the 1st sentence. For the kina fishing I favor now, kayak reef casting and off-reef kayak trolling, the Avet Sx 4/6 MC-2 speed with 50 lb. spectra ana short mono. topper. Pretty good 1/2 to 3oz. caster, with low line capacity and drag max(14 lb.), but witha kayak maybe I can "sled-ride" tire-out a big-un.

Edit based on repy #37: Freshwater, Shakespeare 2062 w/3 spools--- 4, 8, 12 lb. tests.

Thankfully I (we) have so many available options. Which speakes volumes about our sport's accessability to most persons.

[thorhammer]

If you had to choose just one reel to do it all, that covers most of your fishing. Which would it be ?

That one reel you wouldn't want to be with out.

Mine would be a Penn Torque Star Drag. Probably a 25N
If I had choose just one... Jeff

I haven't used one, but saw them being built at Penn and agree that'd probably get right up the list.

[thorhammer]

Crap now that got me thinking my answer only addressed stock commercial reels. My recently built ProGear 541 or probably the 99 width Cortez Conversion would likely take place of the 980 if custom builds are allowed.

[mo65]

  This would be an agonizing job for my single reel...as it would have to be small enough to handle panfish lines and lures...yet strong enough to land catfish and hybrid stripers...and be fast enough to fish for LM bass. I don't know what reel this would be...but if I figure it out I'm buyin' a dozen of them!

[Jenx]

Of the reels I own, if I could only pick one, I guess I would stick with my Stradic 4000xg. It would do everything I need for fishing the shore or bays, fresh or salt, and yet it still has enough drag to catch most inshore species from a boat.

[Decker]

I don't know what reel this would be...but if I figure it out I'm buyin' a dozen of them! [/color]

LOL, the irony of that.

[steelfish]

if I have to chose from the reels I own that would be the Van Staal 275

depending on the rod, it could cast 1oz lures with no problem and catch everything from the shore, and with a rod with more meat I can catch also everything of my local "offshore" fish, it also prepare for dunking and being cover by sand with no problem at all, non of my highend casting reel can do that. 

*** strangly I dont use it that much **** 
(but if the Boss/wife in a nightmare tell me that I have to sell everything and keep just one reel that it would be my choice)

[gstours]

You people make me laugh. .  It would be easier for a woman to keep just one pair of shoes 👠 than limit a fisherman to one reel.   Maybe some women fisherman will correct me.  Butt remember the 13 yr old rule.🙋🏼‍♀️

[foakes]

Looked at the title of this thread — and I just changed it in my mind to: "Only 50 Reels"...



It would be like a carpenter trying to build a house with just a hammer — it could be done, but not efficiently or attractively.

Best,

Fred

[Midway Tommy]

I feel bad for you salt water guys. You have to deal with depth, multiple species & sizes, etc., and then salt destruction.

Being a freshwater, guy it's easy for me. Mine's small enough with light line to be usable for pan fish, the perfect size for walleye, trout, all bass species, carp & channel cats, and strong enough to tackle the biggest pike, musky, salmon and blue or flat head catfish. They may not handle a big sturgeon but I doubt I'll ever chase or hook into one. The only accessories preferred would be 3 spools, one with 6#, one with 10# & one with 17# test mono. Those line strengths are heavier than I normally use, but I'm now limited to just one reel.  

Mike, I found it & you really don't need a dozen because they are so well made, unless, that is, you want to have a dozen different type poles in your arsenal.

In 1996, Mark Farber, American Classic Sales, introduced a couple of updated versions of the legendary ABU and Zebco Cardinal 4 called the American Classic IV. Basically it is the same design as the Cardinal 4 only better with powder coated paint, improved internal mechanical parts and an aluminum spool. They are now nearly impossible to find. I haven't seen one listed on the 'Bay for over 4 years, but I'm always on the lookout for one. They come in both standard selectable and locked anti-reverse models. If a guy can find one they'll usually bring well over $250.00