Avet Reels vs. Wahoo and Yellowfin

[Taily]

I thought this might help you out. 

Avets handled themselves very well on the Royal Star trip that just returned. Second jackpot fish (90+) and I think the third (80+) were caught on Avet JX 6/3 reels. My 75# YFT was work, but ended with a gaff after a bit using a JX 6/3, 40 Seaguar and spectra. I saw a lot of JX and LX reels and even a very busy Avet SX raptor using 40# test on rods to win battles with Alijos rocks yellowfin. The trip moved to the ridge "kinda" somewhere and out came the JX raptors, HX and HX raptors this time using 50 and 60# mono or fluoro. Substantial drag pressure was needed to get the fish in so drags were tightened past where it seemed typical. After the fish, most people could not pull off line and had to readjust back to lesser drag settings before the next fish. The 60-70 pound YFT gave everyone a workout. The reels were well up to the task. Yes, you saw other small and medium two speed reels, but Avets ruled this trip from what I saw. Fishing tight 50 on a LX or JX would not have been my advice before this trip, but it is a no-brainer now. Sixty pound test mono or fluoro and the Avet JX raptor was almost unfair in a wide open bite. The HX was very commonly used and always produced. I never felt or heard about any handle binding with tight drag settings, just "gaff" or "deep color" etc. That rumor must come from "living room fishermen" that don't like to use their toys at sea on a long range boat. The button to low gear was well used by all who had one and missed by those one speed folks. I caught 15 yellowfin averaging 60 pounds on JX, LX HX HX raptor and JX raptor models on bait and jigs. I used an Avet 30 on the kite when possible and that was a businesslike routine on this size fish. Dave P caught a 52 pound yellowtail on a JX with 40# test at the rocks.

Give the reels back to Avet when they were finished did they? Hmmmmmmm......

[mjberrocal]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is "drag binding"?  Maybe it is a language barrier.  Anyone care to explain? Thanks.

[alantani]

i don't know how i missed this post for so long.  i've worked on a bunch of raptors but have never pushed them to see where they actually bind up.  mlberrocal, that is the drag pressure at which the side load on the right main side plate bearing causes the bearing to bind.  you can tell because the handle becomes increasingly difficult to turn when the reel is in gear at that drag setting. 

the raptors are supposed to be a little higher, but not that much.  because of all of the problems i've had with the smaller avets, they are pretty much off the table when i talk about san diego long range gear.  still, these reels, and so many others, have NOT been evaluated in a systematic and objective fashion.  until then, there is still going to be quite a bit of guesswork involved.  and as you can see from the post above, you can still catch fish with them!

[mjberrocal]

Thank you for the info.