Newell 220/229 or Torium14/16

[SoCalAngler]

Lets see here both the Torium 14 and 16 go for about $180.00 and so does the newer Saltist 20H and 30H but with the Toriums you should do a drag and clicker upgrade for another $20. With the Daiwa there is no need to do any upgrades, plus the fact I got the Daiwa fully loaded with 50lb Jerry Brown Spectra and a reel cover for free it was kind of a no brainer for me.

Shimano does offer good gear but in the last say 5-7 years they have really had their butts handed to them by other makers such as Accurate, Avet, Daiwa, Penn and most recently Okuma. They have lost a huge share in the reel market and IMO are a bit over priced in several reel styles for what you get. Don't get me wrong I have Shimano reels and still fish them, heck a TLD 15 I still fish sometimes has caught more fish for me than any other reel I own.

Now if I went into a tackle store and asked if I should get a Newell or a Torium I would expect to get the answer you got. I worked in a saltwater tackle store for years in the past and when I did I would show the customers several reels in their price range and go over the reels pluses and minuses and let them be the judge. With that said I still go into many tackle stores to check out gear and some have tried to steer me toward Shimano products and not just reels. At times I know that there are better options in gear at around the same price point and they even sell the other stuff but they are pushing Shimano. The only reason I can see for them to do this is margin. These are the type of tackle stores I will never buy anything from.

I live in Southern California so for me parts and service on reels is not an issue where as people in other places may have an issue.

This post was not meant to bash Shimano as I do use some of their stuff. My intension was just to give a heads up to someone new to the saltwater scene.

[mangutzfish]

Awesome post Alan! A whole hell of alot of info. It is a great guide and I appreciate that you took the time to list everything so clearly. Thanks for the tutorials also. Because of them, I learned how to maintain my Jigmasters and 113HL.

SoCalAngler, thanks again for looking out. This year I've had the opportunity to meet alot of great people through this sport. I believe most of them really want you to enjoy fishing and are willing to be helpful when needed. You fall under this category. I thank you for that.

After reviewing the responses, I'm leaning towards Newell. Maintenace seems simple enough and people who have Newells really love them. Maybe a couple of upgrades when the time comes, but seems like exactly what I need for the type of fishing I'll be doing. Besides, it's good to know that you can cast a fly lined chovy a country mile with a Newell!

Tight lines fellas and hope to see you out on the water!

[alantani]

if i had to pick the best bang for your buck, it would be the daiwa sealine sl 20 or the sealine x.  a higher gear ratio means bigger gears and more drag.   the problem with the newell is that spectra can get caught between the spool and inside ring.  my favorite reel in the bunch, of course, is the progear 501. 

[Dominick]

Hey Pescachaser,
My concern would be losing castability, which many people love about Newell, and losing the drag, like that of the Torium.  Dilemna, delemna, delemna...  Thanks guys.  I really appreciate your insight.

Gutzy:  I don't think you have to worry about castability, unless you are surf fishing.  You should be able to cast at least 75-100 yards, fully service and lubed properly.  Dominick

[SoCalAngler]

Not only the spectra issue Alan but since Valley Manufacturing bought Newell no new reels or parts have made it to the market and it has been a while. I wounder if they ever will? Yep a Sealine would be a good reel and it has real attractive price point.