Penn vers Fin-Nor

[jsa]

I’m brand new to this board after lurking for months. Two trips to SW Corner this fall netted one tuna (150#). Now I’m hooked and need gear (ouch!). Looking at both Penn and Fin-Nor gear to buy because I have both for bass and they have worked well with no issues.

Can you veterans give me your thoughts about Penn Gold verses Fin-Nor Santiago? I want to buy right the first time when spending this kind of green.

Thanks in advance

[Fishypantsmagoo]

if you want to buy right buy shimano

[First Light]

I second the Shimano advise. We fished a Santiago 50 this year on the boat and while it performed fine it had a few features we didn't like. The clicker was extremely quiet, and you have to press a button on the lever to get into freespool which makes a quick dropback of a trolled light bait or livie a pain and difficult for customers to remember. The preset also creeped back a bit banging around in the T-Top on rough days. Go tiagra you won't regret it.

[turbor2]

Shimano lrsw

[wrap-check]

We've got 6 of the Santiago 50's and 2 (soon the be 4)of the 80's and have been very happy with them.

I actually like the push button to get into free-spool thing that first-light mentioned -- I think its a safety valve to keep an angler from accidently knocking the real into free spool (which happens every now and then with charters).

I've still got four 130 tycoons in the mix that came off my grandfathers boat, so I'm way partial to them.

[cape_rover]

I wouldn't buy a VSW (gear shift design issue) but the older Penns are excellent. Shimano are always top notch. Don't know about the fins

[calebw]

Buy a shimano, you will never look back. I highly reccomend the tiagra 50WLRS spooled with #130 white jerry brown hollowcore to a 100 yard top shot of #100 ande clear mono.

[Dads Dream]

Gotta say the Shimanos are really sweet and a few of my buddies fish them

Although, I have all Penns onboard for my heavy gear and have had no issues in 4 yrs. 2- 70 VS, 4- 50vsw, 2- 30 TW

[Fortunamate]

we run shimanos pritty much around the board for tuna reels and they are great realls and catch lots of fish without breaking or seizing imho best reel you can get

[Parapapam]

I fish mostly older Penns. They get the job done and you can find them relatively inexpensively in the used market. I do have one Avet Pro 30 that I really like for the money. I went this way because it is easy to pick up a Penn reel at a time in the aftermarket.

As for Shimano.... They are really great reels!!! If I had a few grand to start my arsenal from scratch for Cape Cod tuna, I would buy Tiagra 30's and 50's. They retain their value which is why they are not much of a bargain in the aftermarket.

I have never fished Fin Nor trolling gear... just their spinning stuff. So I can't comment intelligently about them.

Mike