Reel Repair by Alan Tani

I'm going to La Lpaz in a couple weeks and need advice about Shimano bait runners.  Have been using Avet conventional reels and spiral wrapped Seeker blanks and have been very happy with this set up.  In the constant quest to try something different (which doesn't always meean better) I want to try casting to dorado and jigging for pargo and cabrilla with my bait runners.  My questions are how much drag can I reasonably expect from my 3500 B and 4500B.  I know I'm short on line capacity but will the reels hold up to this fishing.  I've been told I'm just going to tear up my reels.  Comments please and anything else I've missed.

It's about time you posted Skip.  

Help Skip out here guys, he's a good friend of mine.  I suggested he ask here because I'm clueless when it comes to spinners.

Welcome!  Sounds like a great trip you've got planned.  Don't be afraid to share a report upon your return.

After a little bit of online research it looks like these reels were origionally designed as 12 and 20lb mono class reels, which implies 6 and 10lb max drags respectively.  The manufacturer rates them at 15 and 20lbs max drag.  They do have cold forged (not cast alum main, and brass pinion), so the real working drag range is likely somewhere in between these numbers...probably a safe bet to fish them at 8 and 18lbs max or 6 and 12lbs at strike/working.  This means you could certainly fish 30-50lb braid on the 4500b, and 20-30lb braid on the 3500b.  These reels are designed for casting, live linning, and are designed for using braid.  Just remember most of the structural components are not made to take excesdive stress.  I would grease the drags, spool em with braid (increased line capacity&decreased drag) and fish em within specs.  Your Avets will likely outperform them in the drag category though.  I actually havn't fished or worked on these models, so someone rlse may have some better, first hand experience here.

Spinning reels have some of the finest drags available for their size and casting ability but those particular Shimano models are quite small and will be limited as to what they can handle.

Expect about 10lbs drag max which is not quite enough to snub the larger models near the bottom, but might handle smaller surface action well. Spring in Loreto is mostly Yellowtail and Cabrilla, the yellows in particular need closer to 15lbs+ when near structure. Most of the larger spinners (in the 8-10k sizes from Shimano or something that will hold ~300yds of 50lb braid) easily make enough drag to fight them.

Where they don't hold up is to attempting to crank in fish like you can with conventional gear. You need to lift them and wind on the drop with spinners but modern ones (in the larger sizes) often have brilliant drags, much more than standard Avets.

Welcome Skip!
If I were you. I would pick up a Fin Nor lethal 100. These reels can be had for a little more than 100 bucks and are pretty tough. I am a Die Hard Penn Man, but if I were heading out in a couple weeks and needed a tough spinner. I would pick up one of these. Its Big, it weighs 30 oz., but it can handle 40lbs of drag easy and you won't tear it up.

Use the spinners for dorado, if Bonnie needs a left hand conventional reel for YT and other tough fighters she can use the left hand 349H I just built.  It has an aluminum spool and is not as heavy as the 349H I showed you.

Hi Skip --

Daron's point about the Lethal 100 -- is worth considering.

Fin-Nor LT100 Lethal Spinning Reel
byFin-Nor
Price:$117.33 + Free shipping with Amazon Prime

Alan Hawkes review, explanations, and field testing of this reel -- are very helpful.

ByCJInscoreon October 13, 2014
Verified Purchase
Love this reel! Bought it for surf casting for bull red drum and medium sized sharks. I like the design of the reel as well, simple and to the point. It is not as smooth as something like a Daiwa or Shimano, but it's a beast. If you are fishing for beasts, this reel will do it. Is capable of more drag than most people are capable of holding on to. I bought this reel based on a review by Alan Hawk which you can read here:

http://www.alanhawk.com/reviews/lth10.html

Alan breaks down the reel wonderfully, and is honest. This is no Saltiga or Stella, but it can hold its own and is a great offshore reel for someone who can't afford a 5 star reel.

I have this paired with a 12ft Penn Battalion surf rod, but it would be equally at home on a jigging rod.

The reviews are 4 stars out of 5, on average.

The only negatives seem to be folks who are used to buying Stella's or Internationals -- and do not like the fit, finish, or QC of the Lethal-100.

Fin-Nor has been very responsive in stepping up and handling any concerns consumers have experienced.

IMO, there are a few things to consider:

-- This reel is a little over $100 -- not $1000.

-- Any reel, regardless of cost, will be used to its limits in the salt, sand, and surf.

-- As PIC (pilot in command) -- you are responsible for pre-fish setting up, greasing, servicing, verifying all is in place and working properly -- not an assembly worker in China, Malaysia, Japan, or the US.  It is your responsibility -- totally.  If I discover a C clip loose, or a loose screw -- I am glad to handle that.  And plenty of good marine grease, drag grease, and oil should be applied -- the factory will never set up a reel properly out of the box.

-- for the type of fishing you are contemplating -- I personally would want a reel that I am confident would handle the fish I am targeting -- and also a reel that will not break the bank, since it is going to be used to its limits, anyway.

Again, just my opinions...

Best,

Fred

I think the Lethal 100 would be an outstanding budget choice for jigging for Yellowtail.

A Spheros 10k spooled with 60lb braid would be even better (lighter weight and very strong, but more expensive).


Hope to hear of your success!