Reel Choices

[BlueH20Boss]

Don't forget about AVET. I think they make a pretty tough reel also.

[Fortunamate]

nothing but the best Shimano Tiagra we have yet to replace the drags on ours and we use them every single day and they have catch a lot of fish even the occasionaly 73"+ fish and they hold up great and all the other boats at the docks who have them love them

[sanchoco]

the type of fishing you are doing and how you use the reel as an angler will have more to do with what reel you like than anything else. I fish Marlin and hate to Tuna fish. I fish stand-up and chair tackle. I do not over line my reels i.e. 50lb line on a 50 reel. I use the lever drag for more than just the dropback, I can be from just above free to full at anytime in the fight.

That being said I need a reel that has a larger drag range than the west coast style reels (Avet, Altecnos, Accurate, etc.). If you spool those reels us with the stated line class they have very little drag range from free to full. The Tiagra has good drag range, smooth and repeatable drags, plenty of line capacity and after 1000 marlin did not have any problems.

If you are the type of angler that hooks a fish and never moves the drag lever then drag range is not important to you. If you need to put 100lb line on a 30lb reel then the west coast style reels are for you. If you longrange fish for Tuna and want a light small outfit to hold all day then the west coast style reels are for you.


Just a note: I am a tackle shop owner and have tested every reel on the market and most of them are smooth, and look pretty. I do repair more altecnos reels than any other brand.

[Captain Fred Archer]

No question in my mind...the Accurates are the best!

I fished them over three hundred days a year since their very first days and they performed like champs. I also helped develop the new (before Penn was bought the second time) Internationals and they were very good reels for the money. I don't know what has happened with them since the new owners, but it sure would surprise me if they did any major design changes. The new stuff was far superior to the old stuff. Country of origin did change, I guess?

I buy all American if it's possible, which it is in reels.

Not only the fishing experiences, I spent decades of my life developing big game reels for three manufacturers, so I learned a bit about them and my choice is also based on that.

Choose what you will, but I hope that you buy American.

[The Codfather]

Just waiting till tiburon comes out with a 50 line...

Until then I just bought (4) Tiburon SST30's, filled them with 80lb braid. Up to 24lbs of strike drag, auto shift two speed...even the small ones make quick work of large fish.

I also got AVET 50 PRO EX 2 (San Diego Special) today, we'll see how it does with 130 braid on a 80lb rod for marlin.

[wahoojack]

I fished the big game Fin Nors from about 1995-2006. They were very good reels, but you had to be careful who you let service them. Not everyone could return them with smooth drags.

I went to Shimano reels in 2006, all sizes from 16-130 class, and have been very impressed with every one of them. Drags are smooth!!!

[dandaman]

Tiagras for me love the 50w lrs with 60#mono they kill lots of fish