Gear upgrade-Rods and reels

[fishnutz]

Hi All, ok, time to get a little more serious about the gear I use 4 weeks a year.....Presently I have been using some mid-weight spinning outfits, by midweight I mean for walleye/bass. I have lost several fish the last few trips due to being a little under-gunned so to speak.
I have been looking around on the i-net as salt water stuff in Wisconsin is non-existent. Are the Daiwa Black Gold reels as good as they were 25 years ago? I do not want to spend a ton of money as I only fish down there about 4 weeks a year....Been looking at the 30 series as they seem to be about the right size. I mostly fish in Estero Bay and the passes for the usual Reds, Snook but also catch alot of Jacks and small sharks, which are a blast on light tackle but hate break-offs...
So with all that, what do you locals that fish often use??

Thanks, Rob

[gran398]

Hey Rob,

Daiwa makes good stuff. Not the grade(or price)  of Shimano, but good, rugged gear.

It would be cool if you could find some used stuff...big tackle shops take trade-ins. Another good place to check are the pawn shops.

[fishnutz]

Gran, thanks, being a Pawn Star watcher and I never even thought of that! I'll see if I can find something when I'm down in October
Thanks Again, Rob

[Georgie]

Now HERE's a post I can really comment on!   8)  

Credentials:  Spent stints working as a custom rod-builder and reel repair tech in two VERY reputable mom & pop tackle shops in my early 20's and have fished heavy (marlin), medium (inshore SW) and light (trout w/fly tackle etc.) from New England to the Virgin Islands using gear I've made, restored, salvaged or resurrected in number of "creative" ways.  

 The Daiwa BG series is still tough as nails, but the technology has been outdated for over a decade now even though it's still possible to find parts in some good shops.  Flaws were really just limited to a short lived drag system, no waterproofing under the drag knob, drag knobs which constantly cracked/broke, and I believe pot metal main gears which wear out quickly under load. If kept well greased on top of the spool, on the drive shaft under the spool, inside both side bearings and the line roller, they hold up EXTREMELY well over time.  The BG series is also nearly identical in technology and quality to the black and gold skirted spool Penn Spinfishers (SS series) though the one big advantage DAIWA has is an anodized reel body instead of paint over aluminum like PENN used which ultimately chips and peels relatively quickly.  

Personally, for lighter tackle/inshore saltwater gear that could even double as heavier freshwater spinning gear back up north, I would only go with shimano reels (selection, performance, technology, features, and parts for longer running models are readily available), but others will do the job.  Tip 1: stick with big name brands only for warranty, serviceability and parts availability (Shimano, Penn, Abu Garcia, Daiwa,maybe a couple others)  Tip 2: do not buy used reels off the internet - likely to be more trouble than its worth, but feel free to buy used gear from fleamarkets or pawn shops if you can thoroughly test out the operation and feel.  Rods are a bit more simple b/c they're either broken/snapped, or fixable by repairing guides and replacing grips, etc. (labor and parts do add up though).  

Ultimately you'll probably want somewhere between 8-12 lb reels (base your selection on the middle of the rated line range for the reel itself) and the size of the fish you expect to catch.  As long as you're not fighting excessive structure/snags, a good smaller reel can still land some nice fish (i.e. 10 lb gear can catch 50 lb tarpon or 15 lb jacks all day long).  Saltwater reels should ideally have a waterproof drag system, but older reels like the BG didn't have the technology and relied on grease and maintenance instead.  Aluminum body reels generally last longer when properly cared for only because they have less flex than graphite so they hold all the working parts in tighter alignment, but they are perceptibly heavier, especially in the larger size ranges.  Don't get caught up in any ball-bearing hype (more is not necessarily better - especially if they're made with a cheaper grade of stainless). If not cared for properly it can actually result in a higher likelihood of one bearing freezing which requires professional repair unless you're REALLY mechanically inclined.

For inshore fishing in florida, the most popular reel has GOT to be the Shimano Stradic, but it's slighly on the pricy side.  I've had great luck with the Spheros as well and pricing is a bit more friendly.  I also own a few Saros which I LOVE, but I don't think they're making those anymore.   In general, reels rated to hold approximately 200 yards of 10 lb mono are the best size for all-around function and fun, so for shimano, the 4000 and 5000 sizes would be the ones to look at.  Also took a chance on some Penn Sargus's (4 different sizes) a couple years ago and have been very happy with the results.  
Anyway - food for thought.  I imagine Captn Matt and some of the other guides will have some very valuable input as well.

Happy shopping!  

[fishnutz]

Georgie, thanks! I am no stranger to maintaining the reels, I still use my Daiwa GS15x and 13x that I bought in '79 and '80 as a kid, man i worked all summer as a 12 yr old to save up the cash for those, my folks thought I was crazy buying $50 reels at that age, BUT, I still use them! Wish I could get the drag "buttons" for the tops, they have been un-obtainable since the mid '80's. I'm so used to checking for line wrap around the pins, I dont even think about it.
Anyways, I will price out some Shimano reels, I just was never happy with the few I've had over the years(smaller freshwater)

Thanks Again, Rob

[John Jones]

I gotta go with Georgie on this.  One reason is that I don't know squat about Diawa spinning reels.  I have nothing for or against Diawa.  I have a couple of the big 600 conventional reels and they have served me well.  

For SW Florida inshore fishing the Shimano models just below the Stradic and Saros and just under $100 will do you just fine if you do your part and rinse them and spray them down with CorrosionX or Reel Magic after every trip.  I have several Shimano Symetre  2500 and 3500 series and they are plenty good for reds and snook.  The new Symetre RJ model is approved for saltwater and street price is around $99.  The Symetere FL is a graphite frame and I don't recommend that for inshore but it's a good bass reel.

http://fish.shimano.com/publish/content ... re_rj.html

[slvrlng]

If you want to step it up a notch get one of these. I do love my Sustain! Ask Skoot how far I can throw it.

http://www.tackledirect.com/shimano-sa3 ... -reel.html

[John Jones]

Yeah, I landed several 100lb + tarpon with a friend's Stella but they are not even close to being in my budget.

[gran398]

The Shimano products have always been the cat's meow.

The drag system, spinning or baitcast, sets them apart.

[seabob4]

Penn guy here, the real stuff, made in the US...Z series spinning, not the SS...

[gran398]

"Ask Skoot how far I can throw it."

You better be on the oceanfront porch 29 days from now when we pose this question and little brother speaks the truth

[Circle Hooked]

As far as inshore I'm a Pflueger Supreme fan, great bang for the buck and they last, match with a medium to medium light  decent rod, I use Hurricane Red Bone rods, 20 lb Power Pro line and 20-40lb Fluorocarbon leader and your good to go.

I still have some cheaper Pflueger Assender rod real combos that are 10 years old and work great inshore also, have caught some huge Reds on them, about 100 bucks for that combo.

[Circle Hooked]

Ask Skoot how far I can throw it

Lewis why would you want to throw your reel  

[Blue Agave]

Ask Skoot how far I can throw it

Lewis why would you want to throw your reel  

Hilarious!

[GoneFission]

I'm also a fan of Shimano spinning reels.     And I'm an Ugly Stik rod fan as well.      When it comes to level wind trolling reels, you can't beat Okuma for the money.    

And Lewis - why WOULD you want to throw your reel?