REELS? PENN Vs Shimano

Stripeire · #1 07-15-2005, 01:09 AM

Hey Guys,

Bought these two reels. The Shimano was roughly $160, while the Penn was $140. I was looking at how they compare online but there is only really the stats and stuff available and no real forum of actual fishermen comments are available.

I was wondering has anybody used these reels ? And, also, How does the PENN rate against the Shimano which is apparently better? ( I heard some bad stuff about the PENN real just after I bought it)

Ps The type of fishing I do is just from the rocks, using herring and Mack chunks, mostly into small inlets where i let the current take the bait until the line stops rippin off the reel.....then wait.

Comments?

Editorial on the PENN 5600

East coast tackle Shimano stradic

Thanks :wtg:

blurph 1 · #2 07-15-2005, 03:48 PM

I've got a stradic 4500 and I really like it. smoooooth

merrillizer · #3 07-15-2005, 04:44 PM

The Shimano drags (overall) are much better than Penn drags, just my opinion.

zimno1 · #4 07-16-2005, 12:11 AM

throw them both in the drink!

Striperjim · #5 07-16-2005, 01:24 AM

Zim still uses a shillelagh with a spark plug

Preference question stripiere. I like the Penns but as jB noted the drags are definately smoother on the Shimanos.
I however own both but not the liveliners so I couldn't tell you about them. The shimano baitrunners are nice reels IMO for bait fishing. Very smooth front and rear drag systems. The Penn 704Z series are great for plugging and chunking with as is the larger SS series. The drag isn't as smooth but very functional even under rough conditions.

140 bucks seems like a lot for the 5600

zimno1 · #6 07-16-2005, 08:29 AM

THUNNUS!, YOU CAN DO MOST PLUGGING AND CHUNKING. I'M A RATHER STOCKY GUY SO PLUGGING WITH A REEL THAT SIZE WOULDN'T BOTHER ME BUT WOULD KICK SOME LESSER MANS ARSE! BUT THAT BABY CASTS WELL. IF YOU ARE GONNA SHELL OUT HUNDREDS FOR TACKLE THE THUNNUS IS AROUND 250-280 DOLLARS. AS BAITRUNNERS GO I ALWAYS WOULD'VE PREFFERED THE MEATIER REEL. WENT INTO MICHAELS AND SAW A VAN STAHL ON THE COUNTER WITH A BROKEN HANDLE! SO MUCH FORE DURABILITY ON A 6 LB BLUEFISH, SO EVEN THOUGH IT IS AN EXTREMELY WELL MADE REEL IT HAS IT'S FLAWS. (YEA SOMEONE WILL COMMENT( factory defect) :shrug:

Striperjim · #7 07-16-2005, 03:40 PM

i mentioned above about the 9500. Not for plugin. 200 or so casts with that 32 ounce reel on a big stick and your arms are fallin off.
Zim The 6500 shimano is half the price of the thunnus and just as good.
Its incredible to me that half of great kills plug the surf with Van Stalls.
Lots of experience surfcasters or lots of "mad money".

merrillizer · #8 07-16-2005, 04:03 PM

Van Zebco. LOL!

Chunker · #9 07-16-2005, 06:49 PM

Hey Jim, thanks for weighing in! I bought 3 shimano baitrunners this year (3500, 4500 and 6500) and Zim told me to trash them! By the way he told me this after he launched a new "Experiment, a pretzel jar with two striper rigs attached to it, off the pier! Things went well for the first hour of the experiment-and then somebody snagged it and was not happy!LOL Anyway I really like the shimanos they are smooth as my next drink!

zimno1 · #10 07-16-2005, 08:08 PM

chunker doesn't like my pier experiments, however he will shi# when i tell him i got a doubleheader of weakfish on one of these experiments. and yes one googan with a baitrunner got victimized by my jug experiment but then again it was one less pole in the water getting in the way lol

K-Cube · #11 07-17-2005, 01:15 AM

The Stradic's I prefer for the higher end reels, I tend to stay away from the Penn Spincasters (although the Penn 309M LevelWind is my favorite reel ever!). Another GREAT choice for higher end is the qauntum Cabo Spincasters, they are around 200 dollars, but they are extremely nice reels, nice and lightweight. For me though, with the bigger reels (50 size and over) I really love the Okuma Avenger Reels, I beat the crap outta those, and they're only 50 bucks! GREAT reels. If you want a cheap one like an Okuma though, do NOT buy the quantum Optics series reels, they are TRASH. The price difference for an 80 size is 10 bucks (avenger 50, optics 40), and it is not worth the money at all. At the shop I work at, we got an order of around 60 of the Optics in, and half of them have the anti-reverse feature (that prevents the reel from spinning backwords) wasnt working at all. Also, our display units after sitting on the shelf for 2 months, became a little sticky, while the avenger were just fine.

zimno1 · #12 07-17-2005, 10:32 AM

if you are retired or have all the time in the world to fish then you should by all means afford yourself the Van Staal and a nice lami plugging rod! but after seeing the broken van staal i would be hesitant to spend that kind of money on it.

Chunker · #13 07-17-2005, 01:20 PM

Zim, that would be a great way to rid the pier of most of the knuckle heads! Experiments daily = Goodbye Googanville! :wall: BTW, I love the experiments, especially when the fish are sleeping.

zimno1 · #14 07-17-2005, 01:49 PM

ahh! go to florida already! by the way, are you ever gonna post the pics of hawaii? by yhe way again, thanks for your carolina rigs, modified one to get a doubleheader weakie!

Striperjim · #15 08-14-2007, 07:26 AM

wow this is an old thread somebody voted on.
I like both and use both. Maybe i should edit the poll to include that.