I go on an annual reef fishing charter and it is interesting to see how many people have changed from their conventional reels to spin reels.
I guess that the reason for this is mainly convenience. Guiding braid on to a conventional against drag for a week can give you a sore thumb. I know you can use gloves or finger stalls, but these take away feel.
One guy on our trip told me he changed to a big spinner because he also does a bit of deep jigging and modern spinners pull a lot more drag than conventionals, and you don`t have to balance a big heavy reel on top of your rod.
I put this to another forum once and a guy wrote to me and said "just get a spiral wrap rod"
I couldn`t see his point, as you still have the reel on top of the rod.
I read where a very well respected reel reviewer wrote that the only conventionals in the future will be very large game reels. I guess that it is because they can provide a lot of heavy mono capacity.
Anyhow, I still love my conventionals as much as my spinners, but am going to take a big spinner on the next trip to compare for myself.
I see conventional a staying a while, I can still sling one further than a spinner, but nice write up! I see myself using a 750ss or similar reel in the place of a conventional alot
I carry an OS6500 and 9500 when I go offshore. So when my left arm is wore out from jigging my tank I switch to my right and the spinner, it does make for a more pleasurable trip and some really big fish have fallen to my spinners. Three years ago I got a 300# Jewfish on my Fin nor 6500 OS loaded with 50# dynema braid and a 30' 130# mono topshot. But I will agree that some of the reel manufacturer hype is just that, HYPE. Still trying to save up enough money to get some blanks even close to strong enough to take the pressure, god knows I can't. I'm good with 10 to 30# of drag and 30# is pushing it nowadays.
That's where solid glass shines, for conventionals atleast
Same as Salty... In the last year I've all but quit using my overheads for jigging...for me the spinners are more balanced and fluid in the act.
My killer little package is an OFS 5500 with 65lb Jerry Brown and a 5' Shimano JigWrex.. I'll fish anywhere between a 55g - 250g jig with it.
My OFS 8500 lives on the popping rod now... it was a little too heavy for hours of jigging...but never lets me down on a GT.
...and the Penn TRQ200 has become my backup/loaner now
Love those Finnors...heaps of smooth drag, durable and the price is right! ;)
Hey William, I bet you've thought about double dogging those ;D ... or maybe a ratchet with more teeth?
One of these days I'll take a closer look at it.
and now we have the Lethal 100. I bought one and it is loaded with 50 lb braid. It and my Saragosa 14000f will be going on my next 7 day charter in October. My wife will be using one of them. She will probably choose the prettiest one and fish it for a half day and then go back to her TLD20/40. She likes the mono.
Basto, that 100 looks nice on the inside, almost as nice as my SS models, I'm tempted ;D . I'm wondering how Fin-Nor managed to do that, the reel is dirt cheap for having those features :-\. Good luck on your trip, let us know how it holds up.
With my hand damage I can't speed jig with a conventional reel so I decided to use a blank I have started and build a 7' spinning rod to use with the 750SS Sal gave me.
BTW, I finally started back on the SS dogs and ratchets (16T for now) this week.
Quote from: Keta on August 16, 2014, 01:14:14 AM
BTW, I finally started back on the SS dogs and ratchets (16T for now) this week.
Good to hear your hand is improving
Quote from: Alto Mare on August 16, 2014, 12:52:38 AM
Basto, that 100 looks nice on the inside, almost as nice as my SS models, I'm tempted ;D . I'm wondering how Fin-Nor managed to do that, the reel is dirt cheap for having those features :-\. Good luck on your trip, let us know how it holds up.
Yes Sal, I can see this new reel`s price tag playing havoc with the price of many spin reels. I will certainly let you know how it performed for me.
I think you would like the Lethal 100
A spinning reel does not provide the torque that a conventional does - this really becomes noticeable when wreck fishing and the like.
Amount of drag is not really an issue as you can get spinners with some big drag numbers (although I think many are just overstated)
Try and reel up 2-3 lbs of lead in 500 to 1000 feet of water (like we use to deep drop tile fish) with a spinner - just does not work. Add a 40 lb tile and you are stuck.
Spinners can and do catch big fish - when you can pump the fish in (ie pull back reel down. . . . ) But they lack the cranking power need to muscle in anything
Well, I have fought some real/reel wars on the forms advocating that spinners be given a chance and I am glad that more are using them for a "change of pace" to rest muscle groups and cast artificials etc. There has been some serious bias against spinning on the West Coast and the prevalence of Anchovies for bait this year really helped people get over it and just *fish*.
TBH, the next thing I expect to see is more guys on the East/West Coast using *conventionals* like the big level wind reels ie Tranx, Lexa and Revo NACL to cast BuckTails and Tin to Bass and Surface Iron etc. People could really benefit from conventional for a given application and the big level wind reels add another level of convenience.
To me that is really what it is all about: The tool for the job to increase your fun fishing. That is the goal, fun and stoke! Use what makes your fishing fun, not what someone else thinks you should be using. Rediscover the child like joy of feeling a fish pull...See Alan's post when he nailed a 40lb WSB with his spinner. I was stoked for his stoke and him sharing it with us. I don't care what he used other than to see him using something he was comfortable with and catching fish. Small, light iron, perfect with braid and a spinner.
Use what feels good. Then when you get tired, switch it up and use the other arm and you are back in business. Max fishing fun.
Pure set 'er on the rail and winch in dead weight like deep rockfish and Halibut etc? Conventional all day long. Fortunately, many really fun fish are not just dead weight on the line.
:D
Well said johndtuttle!
I use my spinners for just about everything but trolling and deep droppng
I mainly fish inshore/nearshore for Redfish, Trout & Flounder - often wading. I switched from baitcasting to spinning about 17 years back.
I had occasion to pull out 2 old baitcasting reels to fish with a few weeks back (old, but in good condition) and I have to say I don't miss them. I have, however, taken a lot of ribbing/kidding/criticism/snickers from the baitcasting crowd I've fished with since I converted.
I've caught monster fish on my spinning outfits (Penn 4500ss, Shimano Spheros, Symmetre, Saros - all 4000's) and the reels typically get dunked & splashed with saltwater. I have found them to be reliable and much more flexible to fish with in any situation - enabling casting with either hand.
I have noticed a lot more folks using the spinners lately in my excursions so I believe they are gaining wider acceptance. I wouldn't want to fish with anything else.
After 30 plus years, I'm going back to including a spinner in my party boat arsenal.
Can't beat a baitrunner spinner for stray-lining.
Rgds
Mark
yup, spinners work!
(http://alantani.com/gallery/11/1_21_06_14_9_17_45_11142285.jpeg)
Congratulations Alan! Nice fish.
Hi Boss,
Is that a Cedros 80 on your rod?
Chris
Nice fish Alan, looks like a Cobia (Ling)? We caught one about 35" long offshore in June, a few inches short and a fraction of that size. 8)
It's a white seabass.
Hi guys,
Personally, each type has its place, though we have seen a lot of developments and improvements in fixed spool reels over the last 10 years or so. This development has brought them up to a similar power and performance level as multipliers, so at this point drag and gear strengths are about equal, though there are obvious still variations on quality between various manufacturers.
From our 'long distance surf' application fixed spool reels do offer one advantage over multipliers, in that they can cast braid – and folks are now finding that the advantage of braid is significant in certain applications – but not all. Braid doesn't do well in weedy conditions, and that's when we see folks immediately switch back to nylon, as it seems not to attract so much weed on the line.
The other issues with fixed spool reels for surf casting is the strength of the drive shaft, in reels that have spool shapes designed for long distance casting. Conventional boat shaped spools with a deep and shallow profile are very limiting in the distance that can be achieved, and while these are designed for heavy drag pressures and have the appropriate strength shafts, they are lousy for big distance.
Getting reels with the right shaped spools – tall and shallow isn't really a problem as more manufacturers are making these now, the issue of shaft strength is serious when you start to use braids heavier than 30lbs, as the higher pressure just bends the drive shaft.
In our situation, we just can't seem to get to the point where the fixed spool reels are able to cover all the benefits of a multiplier. And something that is quite difficult to put a value on, is the pure pleasure experienced when launching a sinker beyond 160 metres with a multiplier. This is something intangible, almost purist – a bit like successfully presenting a dry fly to a rising Brown Trout, and then landing it on a wand of a fly rod. Sure the same trout could be caught with a small spinner – but there is a purist pleasure factor.
Cheers from sunny Africa
Jeri
Quote from: alantani on August 17, 2014, 09:32:41 AM
(http://alantani.com/gallery/11/1_21_06_14_9_17_45_11142285.jpeg)
and wasn't even wearing his lucky hat ???
Quote from: Jeri on August 20, 2014, 07:28:21 AM
Hi guys,
Personally, each type has its place, though we have seen a lot of developments and improvements in fixed spool reels over the last 10 years or so. This development has brought them up to a similar power and performance level as multipliers, so at this point drag and gear strengths are about equal, though there are obvious still variations on quality between various manufacturers.
From our 'long distance surf' application fixed spool reels do offer one advantage over multipliers, in that they can cast braid – and folks are now finding that the advantage of braid is significant in certain applications – but not all. Braid doesn't do well in weedy conditions, and that's when we see folks immediately switch back to nylon, as it seems not to attract so much weed on the line.
The other issues with fixed spool reels for surf casting is the strength of the drive shaft, in reels that have spool shapes designed for long distance casting. Conventional boat shaped spools with a deep and shallow profile are very limiting in the distance that can be achieved, and while these are designed for heavy drag pressures and have the appropriate strength shafts, they are lousy for big distance.
Getting reels with the right shaped spools – tall and shallow isn't really a problem as more manufacturers are making these now, the issue of shaft strength is serious when you start to use braids heavier than 30lbs, as the higher pressure just bends the drive shaft.
In our situation, we just can't seem to get to the point where the fixed spool reels are able to cover all the benefits of a multiplier. And something that is quite difficult to put a value on, is the pure pleasure experienced when launching a sinker beyond 160 metres with a multiplier. This is something intangible, almost purist – a bit like successfully presenting a dry fly to a rising Brown Trout, and then landing it on a wand of a fly rod. Sure the same trout could be caught with a small spinner – but there is a purist pleasure factor.
Cheers from sunny Africa
Jeri
Some excellent points Jeri and the use of Braid key among them.
Small "baitcasters" ie the small bass reels with levelwind mechanisms are being used more and more with straight braid, but they have their limitations for pure distance or live bait fishing. Terrific for fishing artificial lures though.
Spinners also excel in straight braid casting and casting of anything particularly light.
Straight mono still has it's place as well.
Anyways, the point is "the tool for the job" whatever you decide that is and that job being chiefly "your own fun" so fish what makes it fun for your fishing.
I only resist those that dogmatically push people to fish their way and put down those that won't. Encouraging people to fish is part of what we do when we teach them how to keep their gear in order.
Well, my wife and I finally went on that trip, but because the rail on our boat is relatively high, we both returned to our conventionals after only a couple of hours with the spinners on the first day.
Basto
Personally, I do a lot of inshore fishing where I use spinning reels exclusively. Then on the occasion when I go deep sea it presents a learning curve for left arm. So spinning reels just seem more natural. Todays big spinners produce tremendous amounts of drag. The largest fish I have landed with a spinner was a 8 ft hammerhead shark from the beach. The spinning reel made easy work of the shark. The reel used was a penn spinfisher 10500 with 100lb braid.
Quote from: Alto Mare on August 16, 2014, 12:52:38 AM
Basto, that 100 looks nice on the inside, almost as nice as my SS models, I'm tempted ;D . I'm wondering how Fin-Nor managed to do that, the reel is dirt cheap for having those features :-\. Good luck on your trip, let us know how it holds up.
Sal when they first came out I bought a couple of them for us to use. After a pre service someone would see them in the shop and buy them. I went through 7 reels before I could keep one for myself.
They do work as advertised.
The Okuma Cedros 65 and 80 are also very good for casting and jigging from the boat. Their not as heavy.
Quote from: handi2 on December 11, 2015, 12:16:05 AM
Quote from: Alto Mare on August 16, 2014, 12:52:38 AM
Basto, that 100 looks nice on the inside, almost as nice as my SS models, I'm tempted ;D . I'm wondering how Fin-Nor managed to do that, the reel is dirt cheap for having those features :-\. Good luck on your trip, let us know how it holds up.
Sal when they first came out I bought a couple of them for us to use. After a pre service someone would see them in the shop and buy them. I went through 7 reels before I could keep one for myself.
They do work as advertised.
The Okuma Cedros 65 and 80 are also very good for casting and jigging from the boat. Their not as heavy.
Thanks Keith, good to know.
Sal