PENN vs. SHIMANO

[SharkJP]

Ok, just tryin to get everyones opinion on this.

The Penn 15KGor LD vs. Shimano TLD25. which is better for all around lighter tackle reel??

everything from whites to tuna to mahi etc.

what would you take with you???

personally, i have some Penn 15LDs and LOVE THEM. the only thing i would change is the clicker switch and make it easier to turn off when whitey attaccks. . .other than that i think they are more sturdy than the shimanos, DEF a Better handle. . . blows the TLD away. . .more comfortable in your hand, a better drag system, smoother free spool.

what do you guys think?

[Deep C]

Wow... Your just lookin to start a fight here ... Me, I retired my Internationals except for back up use... The tld 25 I feel is the best reel out there. With sixteen in my arsenal for 10-15 years on some of them I have NOT HAD ONE SINGLE FAILURE.... I bust em open once a year to knock the salt out of em and maybe do a touch of grease and drag work but other than that never a problem. My internationals I had to send back to Penn toget right an average of every two or maybe three years.. Along the way I had a couple complete failures at bad times. For me once is too much...
I've played with the LD series and it feels like a graphite international. I'm not going to put them down but I will put shimano up!

[SharkJP]

Paul, what didnt you like about the penns??

[Jesse Lockowitz]

i have been using shimano reels almost exclusively.


i have NEVER had a shimano tld, tiagra, calcutta, substain, stradic, or any of the shimano reels ive ever owned, fail..


of the few penns that i have had, international 20, 30, and a few spin reels, had minor or major probs with all..




i stick to shimano...

just my opinion..

[jawz12]

some of my internationals are 20yrs old-other than the usual clicker failures and normal maintainance-zero problems-i did purchase those 50tts shimano reels way back when-hated 'em sold them and replaced with the "goldys"
i also have the penn 10ld's the graphite reels-not bad-very smooth
to be fair i also have a few tld 20's - been used and abused,they've held up well.i think the penns are bulit a little better...but it's kinda like a ford vs chevy thing

[Deep C]

Paul, what didnt you like about the penns??

hmmmmm.... Out of the box I've had bad ones. Chattering like a lawn mower on a reebar lawn! ... I've busted gear boxes. I've had em lock up...

Their drags are too sensitive to moisture. I've had em get wet right in the gunwale while fishing. I had that problem with shimano beast masters but never a triton or tld or tiagra... I've had to replace drags in the penns almost every year. I've busted the handles in several places. Penn gave me a set of V series 50w's to use for a photo shoot and some promotions one of my customers wasrunning. The seat studs let go (sheared) at about 6 months and I just gave them back the outfits...

Something that I am particularly fond of with the tlds is if you scratch one it doesn't start that bs corrosion process... Something majorly important to consider when moving boat to boat, charter use, or even just busy cockpits. Stuff gets scratched...

[Glenn W]

John, just be done with it and buy my lot of the Penn LD 15 whatevers CHEAP!!--- I mean---, they are the best, fool proof, smoothest, rugged, pretty, most dependable, made in the USA reels out there--- Hurry up so I can finish up my set of TLD 25's. Seriously, they are your's if you want em. I want to replace em with Gold narrows.
XMAS is coming soon---" Ah honey this package is for you. Son, you get one just like it, and my lovely daughter, you get a wrapped gift like the others--- oh, and one for me?". Ya would think they would be satisfied with the 50" HDTV coming-----

[johnseafood]

hands down shimano i got all sizes of these reels from little bait casters for small stripers to 50 tld these reels are amazing and about 1/3 the price penn was having some problems with their gr. reels i think the drags are alot smoother and just easier maint.

[Capt. Brian Daley]

I own 28 penn internationals from 30s to 130s and 10 shimano 30 50s love
them both yes some have there problems like anything its mechanical will have failure from time to time as the penn drags are jerky quite often and I
keep up my equip all the time taking them apart for lube and cleaning I do
love the drags on the shimanos but this winter I will be replacing all my penn
drags w/the duro drags so I'll lean to the shimanos a little

[Jesse Lockowitz]

28 INTERNATIONALS?? jeeeeeeeeeeeez
AND 10 shimanos? jeeezzzz

lot o gold sittin on that boat.

i thought i was hot shottng with my 10 gold reels... not evne near all tiagras.. ROFL WOOOOO go me.