We have sold the Hawaii house as part of getting ready for retirement. We did pretty good and I'm going to treat myself.
So, if you could buy 1 modern star drag reel for fly lining live bait and throwing ieon up and down the Pacific coast for albacore, yellow tail etc. What would it be?
Penn Torque 25nld2 will do it all.
I'd get a newell but it's an illness I freely admit I have. I'm sure that penn is a fine choice as Mark said and would do exactly what you need. Now if I had a giant chunk of lettuce burning a hole in my pocket I'd call Cal Sheets, tell him what kind of fishing I do, give him my credit card number and let him go to town. That would be a dream reel. Just my .02
I would look into either the Daiwa Saltiga star drag or Shimano Trinidad. If you want to buy USA, then check out the Penn torque star drags. These are the upper end of star drag reels and would definately make a great retirement gift for yourself.
Baja Special......Bill
Thanks all,
I really like the Baja Special, but most all my reels are Penns with Newell kits. I'm looking for something new just to be different. I'll find some place where I can handle the Torque and others side by side and decide what I like. Never has a spendy Penn, they normally have those abominable levers on the side plate.
Thanks
Ron
Trinidad 16a or 16an
I like the 16an myself loaded with maxcuatro if your worried about capacity.
Penn Torque is the most versatile & may be the most durable with least issues over time.
I believe the Torque to be the best made star drag.
Also I agree with Bill. No one throwing line into to the saltwater for fish should ever be without a
Baja / US113 with the upgraded anti reverse... Jeff
As mentioned probably the Penn Torque. I am curious about this Okuma, but I haven;t heard much about them.
https://youtu.be/JJJ_X-olc5o
Quote from: conchydong on June 07, 2018, 01:12:50 PM
As mentioned probably the Penn Torque. I am curious about this Okuma, but I haven;t heard much about them.
The Okuma star drag is an interesting peice. I'd really like to take one apart... Jeff
Quote from: conchydong on June 07, 2018, 01:12:50 PM
As mentioned probably the Penn Torque. I am curious about this Okuma, but I haven;t heard much about them.
https://youtu.be/JJJ_X-olc5o
Ron,
I was about to tell you to check those Tesoro reels from okuma, they call it the Makaraira star drag, so it must be good, I was set my eyes on one of those but when I finally have the funds to get it I changed my mine, I opted to get all the accesories to build me a nice fishing rod for my Mak15, well actually the main reason was that I already have many star reels that fly line bait as a dream, like one tuned-up Trinidad 16 gold, Baja Special, abu 7000c, newell 229f, newell 447-f and few others ;D ;D
If I was in your shoes I would check those Tesoro reels, saltiga 35 and torque
WOW!
Watching that video has me thinking. It sounds like Okuma has been talking to Alan, I like that. The price point is nice also, you can buy both of those for just a little more money than one Torque. Definitely got me thinking.
As far as the Baja Special. I'll eventually get one with Tom's bridge, but I still have old Penn models I want to finish upgrading. This reel is just something outside my swim lane for the occasion.
Ron
Oh 'cmon Ron, this is the 21st century! Skip the Baja and other old tech and just get an Avet JX Raptor w/400 yds of 65# spectra and a topshot of whatever is appropriate that trip... or a Shimano Talica 12II or Daiwa Saltiga 40ld2 if you roll that way. They're all smaller, shinier and more versatile than a Baja that you have to put money into to have a reel that's still not as good. Sure the Baja can be made to be rock solid but I stopped banging rocks together years ago. YMMV. It's my 2 cents worth and I take change. I have a JX Raptor and Saltiga 40LD2 and sold off my tricked out YTS.
Quote from: MarkT on June 07, 2018, 05:49:44 PM
....... and just get an Avet JX Raptor w/400 yds of 65# spectra and a topshot of whatever is appropriate that trip... or a Shimano Talica 12II or Daiwa Saltiga 40ld2 if you roll that way.
Mark, he wants a star drag, that give us not many great options to recommend.
Im with you Mark, not much fan of old reels, I sold some beloved reels to fund me a top of the line reel, just to know what it feels ::) ::) ;D .. and I got me a mak15, now Im spoiled.
few months ago my next high tech reel "was going to be" an andros 12NII, but I dont know, I've been hearing about the okuma mak15T (to feel the space of makaira lineup with a tall & narrow spool reel) and I will want it in my arsenal.
For a star drag I'd go with the Torque 25n I suggested originally or an equivalent Trinidad, Saltiga or maybe Okuma Tesoro.
What about a Trinidad? Thing is it seems Shimano is on a serious role to keep changing models and then not have spares available for old ones. Not that there is much that can go wrong on a Trinidad, the Torque is also a mean reel and so is that new range of Saltiga, not sure what size it goes up to.
http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=25563.0
That reel seems to have the same capacity as the25n.
What do you think Alan, is that a good size for the trip in October?
Ron
That was from the original Torque series. The current reels are much lighter. For the 8 day in October I'd go with the 25nld2 for bait, yoyo and bombs. All my bait reels are 2-speeds. I'll have 2 30#, 2 40#, 2 50#, a 60# and 100# 2-speeds plus 4 surface iron/bomb and popper rigs on my 10 day in late Sept getting back on Oct 4.
I have the Torque Star 25N & 12, they're both killer. For albacore I would choose the 12. For versatility, the 25N.
I caught yellowtail with the 25N on each of the AT SoA trips that went to Cedros. There's a pic of me on the site with a nice one from the first trip. The caption says I was using bait, but I was using using a 2 ounce Laser Minnow. I could really sling it out there with a Phenix 838MH after a few tries and the fish had no fair chance against that drag.
The new Saltigas and the Trinidads are right there too.
I checked out the Tesoro at the Fred Hall Show and and don't think I can avoid picking one up. Probably a 5 or 10 size.
From meeting you on board, and reading your comments on this board, knowing your proclivity for the classics, I might direct you to find the cleanest Pro Gear Albacore Special 280 out there, there's bound to be some and they're unsurpassable.
But, I fear Mark is right, a 2-speed lever is the stuff when you're fishing in that 40 and above range. Maybe live bait in any range. The drag is preset, the fish takes the bait, count to 5 or 6, ease it up towards strike and raise the tip, you're on. Yo-yoing? That low gear will keep you in the game longer during a hot bite. Wahoo? I have no experience here and must defer to others, but I know when casting heavy wahoo bombs and jigs the lever drag reel is at no disadvantage.
For versatility with a nice budget I suggest the Penn TRQ25NLD2. For fishing bait only you have to also look at the Okuma Makaira 10II.
Jack
Low is no use on a Wahoo. I've never used it and if you reached for that little button the deckhand would tell you not to... just wind, wind, wind and it you can't, wind anyway. You always want to stay tight to a Wahoo!
First off,
Thank you Jack for considering my tastes in coming up with a reccomendation. I am certain that I'll break down and get a lever drag some day, but I don't know why. I'm really liking the new Okuma's, and I'm going to get that TQ200 (a recomendation from the Boss does not go unheeded.) I can't wait to fish them all, I'm fishing Mexico at least twice this year and will go through some reels. I will undoubtedly end up with my Newelled Albacore and Yellowtail specials in my hand. I bought a ProGear Pacifica from Brian Young and need to get a fish on that to. Hopefully getting that done in Morro Bay in September.
I'm normally one who loves new tricks, but fishing is as spiritual as it gets for me. My first fish was a halibut and I was too young to remember catching it, when I was old enough to graduate to using my grandfathers "Penns" it was a milestone in my life. The first Penn that was "mine" was a Newelled Squidder and I never looked back.
Thanks everyone
Ron
Torque 200 is as bomb proof as any reel ever made in its size. I've found the extra weight of the older Torque models balance very well with 8' & even better with longer rods.
These lighter reels while a great thing can make it difficult sometimes finding a rod that balances well & doesn't feel tip heavy... Jeff
Ron,
It kind of depends on the lb test you plan on fishing and if you plan on braid backing the reel IMO. The Torque 25n and Tesoro reels are very nice star drag reels and for me I'd fish these up to 30 lb test topshots. They can fish heavier tests for sure but with their 6:1 or 6.2:1 gears it will start to make the cranking hard when you get to 13 lbs of drag (40 lb test for me). This is where I start to look at two speed reels or reels with a slower gears than 6:1.
On the other hand the around 6:1 gears are great if you want to fish the yoyo iron as well as bait. 10 lbs of drag will handle most fish in the area your talking about unless you are fishing the bigger BFT or marlin.
I have a Fathom 25N that I use for 30 lb test and love this size reel for my So Cal fishing. The 25N and Tesoro 10-12 would be very comfortable to fish.
Now if you want the most flexibility out of a reel this size with power and speed a two speed is the way to go. You will lose some casting distance with lighter baits with any LD reel so there is a trade off.
Edit: The two YT in my avatar were caught on the Fathom 25N fishing the yoyo iron and it handled these fish fine. But, after landing them back to back I did grab a two speed to get more power.
what reel you ended up getting Ron?
No stronger, more durable or as versatile star drag made today as the Penn Torque.
The Torque 25N or 30 from boat or beach can do it all on fish to a 100 lbs. or more.
I'm sure some can remember my disoriented search & questions that came when I first arrived here at Alan's site regarding my desire for a small, giant killer reel that would produce 20 lbs. of drag.
The Penn Torque 12 does this " EASY ". My life long search has been put to an end.... I've found my small reel Nirvana.
SoCal & Ron let's not forget the Torques ability to change gear ratios... Jeff