Looking for new lever drag

[multifuel]

Well I just sold my last 2 avet pro exw 4/0 2speed reels. I do not need such a heavy duty reel and found my self using my tld 25 ( w/ a Tani Handle) and a single speed GLD 30- both with 30lb mono. These are the trolling reels i catch fish on as well as penn 4/0's , the last us made ones and use them for bottom fish as well.

I live in Treasure Coast of FL, mostly sails, Mahi, A-J's and grouper. I am thinking of getting into jigging so am thinking a high speed may be the ticket. I am liking the Squalls, and the few GLD 30's that aren't 2 speeds seem to be over 240 bucks! I paid 190 for mine 3 years ago and have to say, it is my fave hands down. More than any other I like it for it's sewing machine silkiness and wonderful ergonomics. It is a tad big but compared to the avet's it is no issue. I like it MUCH more then the the TLD.

Ok- i know this is super objective and very personal so please let me know with one caveat- I do not want any more tld 25's. ok, with that said please weigh in. I am especially interested in the jigging but I have never done it nor know anyone that is doing it in my sphere of fishing friends. Thanks in advance!

[alantani]

so many choices.  do you have to stick with a lever drag reel?  single or two speed?

[multifuel]

Hi Alan- Single is fine. I had the Avet's and they are just too much for what I catch. I have the 2 113 Senators and the GLD/TLD as my 4 trollers with 2 penn 750 ssm's for casting when I can.

I find myself favoring bottom fishing and as I said, am thinking of trying jigging. I prefer LD's to star's and the 2 4/0's are fine however I like the lever drags.

I am hoping to keep it under 300 bucks a reel- I sold the avets for what i paid for them to a friend that fishes deep water and bigger fish than i ever have so he will get use from those avet's.

I think with 60 to 80 pound braid I would prefer at least 500 yrds. or more so that I can troll with them.

I was liking the Saltist's last year, Squall's this year have my attention. If the gld's were a tad more diminutive it would be already spooled up and on my rods! I really like it more than the TLD. The Avet clicker also left alot to be desired- barely audible and trolling at 6+ knots i've had it go and didn't even know it. Luck it held so much line or it would have stripped- that was really the straw that made me sell them off. So, whatchya thinking???!!!

[alantani]

maybe the squall  http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=4628.msg36014;topicseen#msg36014

[multifuel]

Yes, I read that earlier. I am interested in news on the Okuma's, Solterra and and Cedros, Saltists, Squalls, maybe even the avet LX or even HX. I would like to know from anyone using the larger squalls or solterras that can compare them as I have never fished either. how are they trolling? is clicker good? what dont you like? Issues of these nature. See, I am easy!

I know avet has a great product- I am trying to find something light weight that could handle up to the occasional 70+ pounder (or aj or wahoo) but mostly under 35lb mahi. I want to troll it and maybe try the jigging. I have used speedmaster's before so with what i normally catch the higher ratio is not a put off to me. Quite honestly I have never really benefitted from the big Avet reels capabilities. I havent even fished them in a year, so adios and hello something new! Again, all opinions appreciated. I have looked at a lot of reviews and have some direction, just looking for more input from people that are fishing them. I hope to keep it under 250 but 300 +/- 20 dollars is really my budget. Less than 200$ would be ideal.

Are Solterra's better than a TLD? Has anyone a GLD 30 to compare that to? I love the action of my gld and am sorely tempted to just buy two more and be done with it BUT that is too easy and doesn't get me closer to the jigging. I may just buy an old speedmaster and hotrod it up per your site's tutorial and get that on a rod.

Just kicking tires at this point but need to make a decision within a few days.

[wallacewt]

for jigging the depth of water and current is the most crucial item.
the heavy the jig= stronger reel
last sunday i was jigging with 3oz jig(flutter type) 20lb braid,
6601c4 abu,40m deep.
no wind,no current,landed some good fish also.
the name of the game is to keep your line straight up and down if possible,
if you are after bottom fish.
multi coloured braid helps a lot.(depth to fish)
i wont jig if i have to use braid over 15kg,to hard for me.
rambo or easy peasy,both are exciting.

[day0ne]

If you are talking about "speed jigging", then you are talking about a small narrow reel that may not be suitable for trolling. Speed jigging with a 30 sized reel would be a killer and you wouldn't be able to do it for very long. I jig with reels the size of an Accurate 500N or a 600NN. Small, narrow and lite. While a lot of people don't like jigging with Avets because of the back play in the handle from the dogs, a JX would be a nice size or a MXJ Raptor. An HXJ is also a good reel but getting kind of big . Of course none of the above reels fit your budget, so I would take a look at the new Accurate Fury single speed in either 500n or 600n size. They are in your budget. BTW, jigging realy doesn't require a high speed reel. 4:1 to 4.8:1 is considered ideal by a lot of people (unless the spool is real small). If you still want to do both with 1 reel, take a look at a Penn Baja Special. It's star drag, and heavy for "speed jigging" but a great reel.

[SoCalAngler]

Single speed reels for 30-40 lb test in your price range you may want to look at, Avet JX or LX, Daiwa Saltists LD 30 or 35, Accurate Furry, Penn Squalls or Fathoms (I like the Fathom line better but are star drag), Okuma Cedros star drag (yeah I know you don't want a star drag but I thought I'd throw a couple in). These are aluminum framed reels but if you wanted to go graphite you could drop the cost even more and fishing 30lb you should have no problems with frame twist.

I stopped listing reels sizes because I was not sure if you were going to spectra back your reels.

Edit: I have fished them all except the Furrys and you can't really do wrong with the reels listed. I don't do alot of speed jigging but I have done some and not having instant anitreverse did not bother me a whole lot.

[multifuel]

Thank you- this is exactly what i am after!
I have not heard of the Accurate fury's- i am very seriously thinking of getting the 600x  2 of them now that i have looked at them. Going to narrow down my choices to the top 3 and then make a decision from that.

So far the Accurate Fury 600, Squall 60

I am also going to get a dedicated jig pole and reel based on you guys feedback and some other readings- seems the best idea and hey, one more rig to spend money on .

Well, i am excited, the fury's look very nice and the price point is very palatable for what i perceive to be a great reel. Thanks again and would love more opinions!

[Newell Nut]

Another reel that you may want to look at for jigging is the Newell S 533 5.5 which takes up 44" per turn of the handle. Light weight and very strong. They can be picked up on ebay in excellent condition for 140 to 180. You can get a new one for 300. A few shops still have them. If interested let me know and I can give the person to contact.

[day0ne]

Thank you- this is exactly what i am after!
I have not heard of the Accurate fury's- i am very seriously thinking of getting the 600x  2 of them now that i have looked at them. Going to narrow down my choices to the top 3 and then make a decision from that.

So far the Accurate Fury 600, Squall 60

I am also going to get a dedicated jig pole and reel based on you guys feedback and some other readings- seems the best idea and hey, one more rig to spend money on .

Well, i am excited, the fury's look very nice and the price point is very palatable for what i perceive to be a great reel. Thanks again and would love more opinions!

Why pick such large reels for jigging? An Accurate 500N would be a better choice or even a 600N. The weight will kill you.

[rx7240sx]

how about a avet jx or a shimano trinidad 20n

[rx7240sx]

i have a solterra 15 i use for mahi and kingfish it has done fine so far

[wallacewt]

this is the flutter jig i used last sunday.
3oz-18" leader-8olb-treble hook-elastic band,(breaks on hookup.)
braid clips to 18" leader,
drop to ocean floor,wind up 2ft,twitch-twitch,slowly lift rod above your head,high as you can go,
let it flutter back down, repeat
speed jigging-hava drink-crank like mad-rip rip-hava drink-crank like-rip-drink-pass
rod to someone else-mt bottle.

[multifuel]

Thank you- this is exactly what i am after!
I have not heard of the Accurate fury's- i am very seriously thinking of getting the 600x  2 of them now that i have looked at them. Going to narrow down my choices to the top 3 and then make a decision from that.

So far the Accurate Fury 600, Squall 60

I am also going to get a dedicated jig pole and reel based on you guys feedback and some other readings- seems the best idea and hey, one more rig to spend money on .

Well, i am excited, the fury's look very nice and the price point is very palatable for what i perceive to be a great reel. Thanks again and would love more opinions!

Why pick such large reels for jigging? An Accurate 500N would be a better choice or even a 600N. The weight will kill you.

I am not looking for a jigging reel here per se, this is to replace my 2 trolling reels ( the avet 2 speeds) i just sold. I got rid of them due to weight and the quietest clicker that I (n)ever heard! for the jigging combo i am looking at a spheros1800 or the saltist. whatever it will be is light and fast and strong, lots of choices there.

I wont muck up this thread by asking about jigging, i can handle that. Just wondering with the newer LD's on the market in the 4/0 size what our fellow fishermen(persons?) think about their various rigs.