Maxel hybrid star drags

[Goby]

Anyone had any experience with the maxel hybrids? I'm looking for a small reel (lefty, so choices are limited) to put on a Black Hole PE 1-3 jig rod (will be used with Tasline PE 2 that breaks at about 28lb, rod has a small reel seat so choices more limited). Was initially looking at a Seigler SGN, but the Maxel intrigues me and their lever drags get mainly rave reviews from the kingfish boys in NZ. Most of the reels use will be jigging and soft plastics in shallow water, species encountered range from small reefies to large YTK and Samson fish with trevally, snapper and tuna in between.

The way I see it is:
Seigler. Pros - cheaper, goes with my other two SGs and the spares I have, easy to work on, lovely reels.
Cons - had problems with drag adjusting itself (often at the worst possible moment), limitations on how light can go on jigs etc.

Maxel. Pros - smaller, star drag and thumb bar, therefore marginally better control for staying in the strike zone especially with lighter jigs. Better for casting light jigs and lures, and also small baits if need to. Never had one, and they are sexy looking.
Cons - A bit more expensive, not as simple.

Neither of these reels appear to be available in Australia so will be buying from JandH in the states, prompt replies from Josh for my many queries, good price and cheap shipping, seems a real gentleman.

Cheers from wet and wild SW Western Australia (7metre swells forecast),

Howard

[coastal_dan]

I can't comment from personal experience, but this is a hot reel (both the 20 and 25) in the Northeast for shallow and mid range bottom fishing (tautog, seabass, porgies).  The Maxel Oceanmax seems to be a beast of a reel so I wouldn't expect anything less from the Hybrids.

[Goby]

Thanks Dan,

Just ordered a Poseiden 150 (rip off of an Accurate Valient 300 for less than half the price and, apart from a dodgy clicker, which won't get used great reports) so next pension cheque will be ordering the Maxel from JandH. Bugger that means have to buy or build another rod!

What's the fish you're holding, being from Western Australia don't recognise it, do they pull?

Cheers,

Howard

[coastal_dan]

Hey Howard - Blueline Tilefish @ 10.7 lbs.  We caught a few in that size around 330 ft deep...they pull enough to bring on a sweat and aching muscles, haha.  They are amazing to eat as well as their relative the Golden Tilefish.

[bmullaney]

I have the Hybrid 25 Lefty and love it! It has replaced my Avet SX which is my go to reel for the past 15 years for bottomfishing in less than 200 feet of water.

[Goby]

Seigler have now got a distributor here in WA, so bought an LGN for a different rod, an Okuma Komodo and rod for "she who must be obeyed" and will be ordering an SGN next pension cheque. Love the simplicity ad build quality of the Seiglers, and the warranty now that they are available in Oz is great. The rod I bought for "she who must be obeyed" is a cheap Aliexpress jig stick - it is lovely for the price, nice action and built on the backbone, I couldn't build one for anywhere near the price so ordered another for me.