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Spinning Reels for surf rods

26K views 72 replies 12 participants last post by  Screaming Drag Scot 
#1 ·
Spinning reels for the surf.

The two most popular are the Penn Z series and Shimano baitrunners. Most models are under 100 dollars.

I prefer the 704 Z series Penns. They can take mucho abuse, sand in the gears, salt not washed off of them, you can even get away with stepping on them, They can handle 300 yards of mono, and its easy to repair the bail when and if you bust it. (the 706Z is bailess, also harder to find) and they can bring in a horse without burning your reel up.
My preference, about 85 bucks.
The smaller spinning reels 4600 and up start at 50 bucks all the way up to the 9500 at 115. my other favorite (too heavy for plugging with. )

The shimano baitrunner is about 120 bucks. Another very good reel, You have to keep it clean and oiled.
There are some cheaper reels out there but you do get what you pay for. My 2 cents.
 
#27 ·
Hey Stripers..... there was nothing on that link. i dont know why but, the cart was empty and there was .00 in the total column. try again my friend because i'm kind of interested in what you were buying.

:twisted: craig aka briggs :twisted:

aka surfcastermaster

8) MASTER OF HIS OWN DOMAIN 8)
 
#29 ·
sounds good to me striper777. think of it this was too, if the reel doesnt quite balance right on your rod or just doesnt feel right on your rod, put it aside and buy a rod to go with it, then you'll have 2 setups, the start of a great fishing equipment supply.

:twisted: craig aka briggs :twisted:

aka surfcastermaster

8) MASTER OF HIS OWN DOMAIN 8)
 
#30 ·
Stripers triple 7

Did you see the Libra. Nice reel. A little small for heavy duty but great for medium heavy and light action. I wouldnt be afraid to use it chunkin from the surf.
TICA LIBRA HFS 10BB SPIN REEL A4000 12/300 and 14/260



If you want I'll get you one at cost, Im ordering one for myself and my bro. Jb and jig man turned me on to it.

Jim
 
#32 ·
I have the 3000. 3500, and 4000... very smooth operation and drag.. I smoked my 3500 trying to use it at the ditch.. the 4000 worked great there for light tackle apps.. 3500 wouldn't take the abuse although it had about 300 fish under it's belt.. many over 20#.. a ten pound blue in the ditch creamed it... anti-reverse failed a couple times and whacked my knuckles but good... was quite the fiasco.... landed the fish but it wasn't pretty.. :roll:
 
#33 ·
The Shimano Spheros 6000 and 8000 (depending on the rod size) has been gaining popularity for use in the surf. It has a waterprrof drag, metal body, and corrosion resitant bearings. I've used the 6000 this year and it has done a fine job, even when getting hit with lots of water in the surf.
 
#35 ·
Striper777 said:
well my rod and reel are all set up and i am dying to use them but since i am only 13 and cant ddrive i have to wait till teh spring when my parents go.

thanks for all your help~Striper777 (mike)
I hear ya bud :) I am starting to finally feel the first of the "Fishing Withdrawels" lol. I did check out a local stream several weeks back on a nice day we had. Hooked up with some trout, but since then I aint been on tha watah. Too cold :( If I have to wear gloves and I cant feel the reel, then I'm pretty much done till the Spring lol.
 
#39 ·
I use waders in the summertime for a few reasons .....since i go at night, they keep the bugs away from your legs. dont like to be wet all night, we usually go for about 6 hours. easier to handle a fish if you ask me. I have chest waders for the rough stuff but usually i'm wearing my hip waders. Hip waders are really comfortable, i've actually driven to my spot with them on, lol. no need to be wet all night with your shoes filling up with sand. this year i might actually go with a wetsuit and a Van Staal reel. maybe fish some really rough surf.

:twisted: craig aka briggs :twisted:

aka surfcastermaster

8) MASTER OF HIS OWN DOMAIN 8)
 
#41 ·
The kind that keep the water out, hahaha, just bustin. My chest waders are ProLine. and my hip waders are the same, just regular ole waders. as long as they work, thats fine with me. i do a job on my waders so i'm not looking to spend alot. just like my sunglasses, lol.

:twisted: craig aka briggs :twisted:

aka surfcastermaster

8) MASTER OF HIS OWN DOMAIN 8)
 
#42 ·
Excuse me for butting in on this one. Last year my fishing buddy says to me..... nyut it's the doldrums so lets try the kayak thing. O.K. in coming tide near the mouth of a river. Wind starts to push us out to sea. We move into the main channel where the waters swirling pretty good. Just as we start hooking up my kayak, his wifes, hits a dock pileing. In the friggin drink I go. Van Staal vs300 to the bottom, so cold I thought I was gonna die, not to mention the current. Long story short, We went back in the morning... 4am... low tide, god must have smiled on me, cause there it was in the mud. I rinsed it off and have had no problems with the reel! Bottom line is the price stinks, but if your heavy in to fishing.... no one makes a better reel.
 
#43 ·
welcom to the boards eel and your not butting in :) Anyway your lucky you found that reel if i would have dropped it (knowing my luck) it what have sunk to the bottom of the deepest trench in the ocean :wink:


Brigs what kind of reel do you have on your 15 footer???
 
#44 ·
Welcome to the site Eel....theres no such thing as "butting in" on this site my friend.

thank god you found that reel and thank god it was the Van Staal and not some un-waterproof reel. I too am going to by the Van Staal this season. screw the money, i'll definetly make that back in one season. The surf i fish can be kind of rough at times and i'm usually wet from head to toe on those days. This year i'm thinking of going with the full body wet suit, along with the VS, should get me into some deeper water and i wont have to worry about my reel getting wet.

Striper777......I use the Penn 9500ss series on my 15'.

:twisted: craig aka briggs :twisted:

aka surfcastermaster

8) MASTER OF HIS OWN DOMAIN 8)
 
#45 ·
Ditto EEl.

Welcome to the site. 8) Van stalls are nice. Is yours the original or the newer Van "Zebco" I know its the same reel as the original but different guys say different stuff about the service with Zebco. If and when I buy that reel, I would hope I dont have to worry about the service. :lol:


Striper 3 7's I use the Penn 9500 also on the 10 footers. 704Z on the others. And the latest is the smaller tica libra for pluggin. :wink: Havent got to try it out yet though. Im countin the days.
 
#46 ·
Ya Jim i kno how u feel i got a hole new set up this winter a 10ft surf rod and an okuma av80 and im dying to use it :D

This will be my first year of surf fishing and if it goes well i might get a 12 footer for next year and maybe put a penn 9500s on it.

You say you got a tica?? what kind is it? are they any good ive heard bout them but nvr tried them


Thx Agian- Mike
 
#48 ·
Thanks for the welcome, you guys have a great site. I have two, my wife is aces, both are pre reel ventures. More importantly let me tell you guys whats going on. New years eve my wonderful wife shows me on e-bay this person selling staals cheap. I've wanted a silver one for ever, the best friend says cut it out nobody has or needs three. He's right! Any ways the wife buys a silver 250 for $555, they retail for $670. Well god must have said nyut no more. Three weeks later still no reel. She's now trying to get our money back. Craig at Van Staal says if you were to find a staal on e-bay, call them and they will tell you if it's stolen. The woman who's trying to sell them goes by nurse jellews.....beware of her she doesn't even have any!
 
#49 ·
striper777 said:
what kind is it? are they any good ive heard bout them but nvr tried them
The reel looks solid

The tica libra 4000.

It feels good too. I think it would hold up to a 30 maybe 40 pound fish. I had fish tear apart a more expensive penn 7500ss. Nothing has torn up my 704Z though. At least not a stiper. I had an old Mitchell 306 egg beater that nearly was spooled. I think the fish cut the line with its gill plate . Either that or i screwed up with the drag. It was way too tight.

Eyl nut that sucks. Ebay has a fraud cancellation policy I hope.
 
#51 ·
Striper 3 7s

I havent got to use it yet. I only got one when JB and the jigman turned me on to it. So I bought 6 of em and gave out 5 as prizes for the christmas photo contest. Kept one for myself. Feels smooth. 8) Might get some more after we sell some hats. 8)
 
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