Hi,
I've bought a fin nor offshore OS 95 and I would like to use it for bluefin tuna fishing! Is it a good reel? I've bought this model due to its capacity and also for its drag power.
i know alot of people use spinning reels for tuna. i can't. i need the two speed feature.
G'day and welcome aboard strike,
I did one of these a while back and there's a good bit of dialogue about the construction and capacities here: http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=2788.0 (http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=2788.0)
Hope it's of some assistance.
Any queries, let us know.
Cheers, Justin
Thanks!
but I would like to know something more about the reel's durability and resistence, especially during hard fightings, like in tuna fishing.
another question...are there any kind of drag upgrade por mechanical features upgrade for this reel? I seem something like which cpuld improve the reel qualities and durability
switch to greased carbon fiber, if it does not have it already.a
It has CF already - three small on top of the spool and two large beneath - though they're not Carbontex.
(http://www.fishermansheadquarters.com/images/Reels/FinNor/OFS_Drag.jpg)
It maxes at 60lbs, which would be enough for most applications.
I can't imagine hanging on to a lug-less spinner at those kind of settings though.
The only potential weak point (aside from the overall weight) would probably be the a/r pawl that binds against the inside of the rotor.
Tile suggested this system prevents twisting of the rotor shaft (which is a positive), but also thought the antireverse crown should have been made out of bronze with the option of replacing it if it wears.
Hope that's of some assistance.
Righto, Justin
Are there any kind of carbontex replacement for this reel? and what about the bronze pineon gear?
If they are carbon fiber, just grease them with Cals drag grease and you should be fine. Switching to Carbontex is not necessary.
sorry if I exhume this old topic...but looking at the reel's drag, i tought to change the non carbon fiber disks to carbon -tex...if it's a good idea...where can i buy the replacement parts in carbon-tex?
G'day Strike,
Try Dawn at Smoothdrag: info@smoothdrag.com
Whether you'd notice a substantive difference between CF and C-tex, however, is up for conjecture. ;)
The single anti-reverse pawl is probably the most glaring weak point.
All the best, Justin
can i do anything to improve this weak point?
just to be more specific...i would like to change the non CF disks...because there are some of them which are cotton made or stainless steel made...
Hello strike, how do you like that reel. Alan Hawk doesn't recommend it and I was just curious.
I like that reel because is cheap and it has a strong drag, and also because some italian fishermen are using it to catch bluefin tuna and they landed also 200pounds fishes without any trouble
Very good, thanks for the info strike. Hey, I'm Italian but I only catch American tuna ;D.
I think that your american tuna are huger than mine...intensive fishing during last year has almost destroyed tuna in Mediterranean Sea, but from a few years they came back!
Hi,
i asked smoothdrag and they said me that I must find the measure for the piece #2. As I'm not able to take the size by myself i would like toknow if anybody of you knows which is the size of that piece.
I post also the link with the schematics, to see which is the piece.
http://www.mikesreelrepair.com/schematics/albums/fin-nor/Fin-Nor_Offshore_OFS95.pdf
Is there any kind of replacement for the piece #28 (anti-reverse pawl)??...if it is a weak point, i would like to change it
the pawl should be fine......
Bula All ! Big FinNor fan here... I've been fishing my OFS 8500 for about 4 years now here in Fiji. These reels are workhorses! Big, heavy, burly, strong studs with enough drag to slow down anything you'll encounter. Its spooled with 80lb Izorline and rides on an NS Black Hole 8'0 Big Pop . It's landed numerous big GT's, YFT, and huge wahoo. Of all my reels, it has proven to be the most corrosion resistant and durable reel in the quiver. Heavy bugger though.. weighs almost a pound more than my Penn9500ssm.. but open them both up and there's no comparison.. Huge CF drag washers, oversize SS gears....40 ounces of Bang for your Buck ! I think the smaller OFS 5500, at 11 oz lighter, with 300yds of 65lb braid can haul just about any fish off the reef or out of the deep blue waters of Fiji. Forget about a Stella...put the money towards fuel instead..
However, these reels do have an achilles heel. The single AR pawl, at least on mine has buggered twice in 4 yrs... Mind you, it's never shredded itself or damaged anything else, it just has a tendency to get sticky and not engage. I used to slop on a big glob of yammy grease because I'm saltophobic. Instead of that, now I grease everything else as normal BUT I only use CorrosionX on the AR pawl and it hasn't stuck again since.
Like Alan said, "The pawl should be fine" ... just don't pack it full of grease..
Bomb proof reels, they're just heavier than most others. That's the only strike against them I can see. I want 2 more!! - Erik
Quote from: Alto Mare on February 01, 2012, 01:11:20 AM
Hello strike, how do you like that reel. Alan Hawk doesn't recommend it and I was just curious.
Hey Sal ! I had to look up who Alan Hawk was... Hello AlanH... Hope I can hear from you on this:
Sal, in my experience here in Fiji, arguably one of the harshest saltwater environments on the planet. I have seen my OFS 8500 outlast more than a few Saragosas AND (after I simply re-lubed my AR dog) keep on fishing while my other 2 friends' Stellas sit on a shop bench, 1 with a broken main shaft, the other with a warped rotor. I paid $99 for my OFS 4 years ago. My local charter captain friend says he's chucking his Saragosas in the bin after 1 season and buying FinNors instead. Granted, an OFS may feel heavy & clunky compared to many other reels, but that's what SOLID feels like baby! Like i said before, "40 oz's of Solid Bang for the Buck"
IMHO and experience, *Best budget offshore reels* would have FinNor OFS at the TOP of the list, saragosas don't even make it to the list, and I'm unfamiliar with the other reels.
Check out what the Uyeda Brothers in HI have to say about the OFS9500: http://uyedabrothers.com/Gear/gear.html (http://uyedabrothers.com/Gear/gear.html)
So, maybe Sal & I can come up with a double dog upgrade for this.. (notice i didn't say "fix") ;D
Vinaka !
Yea Sal: My Penn Man. :-* Dominick