[Striperjim]

Van Staal If youre giving it away I will take it otherwise I wouldnt buy it....even if I had the cash!!!!

After you fished one for a while Phil and everything else thats out there you might just change your mind.
There is no comparison to the Vs and the Zees. Maybe the stella . All of the other spinning reels for surfcasting is either ancient with possible issues or inferior in some way.
Otherwise the only option IMHO is the 704Z or 706 - good plugging reels for a 10 or 11 foot rod.
The Quantum Cabo PT 50 is a nice reel for plugging 9 foot rod.
Other guys love Daiwa. The only Daiwa spinning reel I've owned is the emblem pro. A pretty nice reel for distance.

The only ones you can dunk really are the VS and Zs and other modified reels like the z series.

 

[MASSfisher0311]

I just bought a new Penn Sargus 6000. Was only $85....I know they say that you get what you pay for....but for 85 bucks this seems like a great reel.

 

[zimno1]

keep us posted about the sargus reel as we have not evaluated the new penn. that handle worries me as i can bet it is cast aluminum and not solid. take off the bail knob and what is the bushing made out of? brass i am betting.

 

[MASSfisher0311]

I'll let ya know as soon as I use it some more....never fought a fish on it yet but the drag seems pretty good so far.....

and I'm assuming it's brass as well but I'm not too sure...I'll let ya know when i find outthumbsup.gif

 

[zimno1]

so rick, you already have a shimano baitrunner(s) and you seem to like them awfully well as your plug (which i have yet to test) is currently top three in the zim plug contest. the true winner is it;s swimmability and how they work in the water. i have but one left to receive before i take em all out and do an eval./ perhaps jim will come down and toss some out with me. will hope to do it begining of next week.

 

[Striperjim]

Paulie sorry i didt get down to fish with ya bro.
Im a mess physically.
Did Rickski win your contest for the baitrunner?

I know you were awed by his offering.

 

[zimno1]

4290 won. rick's plug was sweet and it was my first choice (till i swam the 90 and i gotta say it was friggen pissah. i just had to make that choice as when you see it in action you will know why. i think rickski knows he built a premium plug/ i had to get everyones out there and fish em./ they were all great and even though i think jimi thought i would give it to rick as he saw the plug himself, the little booger made one that had every aspect on size/color/shape/and action. it was just a mind fu#$ if i woulda cast all of em with say 20 lb test the smaller plugs would not do as well as the larger versions. the tapered leader i use when plugging gives the plug better action imo. so congrats again to 90 for the win.

 

[Rickski]

4290 makes great plugs that swim great. He won because of that. I'm still learning how to make wood swim like a fish. Wait until next year:a_dreaming::a_dreaming:

My plug was based on an old Creek Chub Injured Minnow design. The original had screw eyes for the 2 props. I wanted to through wire and wasn't 100% happy with the way it came out. I could see how the props would malfunction with a little seaweed...which is many times in the waters we fish. The plug was fun to build and a learning experience. I keep one in the plug bag.:redbiggrin:

 

[zimno1]

don;t be so hard on your plug as i would know not to fish certain spots with it for that reason. it sits right on the top and that was half the battle. peanut bunker are just now showing up. your plug will fare well when they get a little bigger (or) an injured snapper. it shows how well you have excelled already. i won;t waste it on bluefish so i will chuck it out in the fall when the heavy ladies return

 

[Rickski]

Just picked up a Shimano Spheros 8000FA. I haven't heard anything bad about them, and will try it for the first time tonight....if the rain ever stops..

What sold me on it was not the salesman, but a guy who came over to me and said he has a few and loves them. Says the drags are really good and they take allot of abuse. He switched to the Spheros when he kept blowing out the drags on another brand. I sensed he fishes really hard, and for more than Stripers.

 

[zimno1]

the other brand? penn i would think as an offshore guy for tuna would want a 9500 and be able to cast to some tuna. did you try the spheros yet? what'd ya think? elaborate.

 

[Rickski]

The other brand was Penn and he was a Tuna guy....

I tried the Spheros Friday night-Saturday morning. I was slinging eels and plugs all night. I hooked into a couple and my brother hooked into another couple with his Baitrunner. The night was beautiful and the fish started biting just before sunrise. The couple I hooked into didn't really test the reel, but it performed flawlessly all night. There was some drag screaming, but not as much as I would have liked.

 

[bassinfool]

shimano might have a smoother drag but youll never need it cause all the shimanos ive used had about an inch of freeplay on the anti reverse which is gonna snap ur line before youll ever need the drag

 

[JakeF]

Dude,,, what Shimanos have you used, lol.

 

[The Point]

Dude,,, what Shimanos have you used, lol.

:iagree:seriously Im love mine. no problems. and i dunk and beat mine up.

 

[The Point]

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:

my thunnus 16000 ROCKS. like Zim says its not for a lesser man:gayyee: ITS JUST A BIG BAD ASS REEL.

 

[bassinfool]

Not sure one i b ought for about 60 bucks(for freshwater) and 2 diferent ones on 2 different charter boats all 3 of them had major freeplay ,Ive snapped the base off a cheepo penn silverado and broke tha handle on a captiva 5000 liveliner but no freeplay on either and no probs any other penns

 

[zimno1]

silverado/captiva/any new penn concoction i would throw out with the bathwater. junk. if you notice the baitrunner will have that "freeplay" for lack of better word, as when you disengage the freespool by turning the handle you A. have the small amount of "line out" which will give you the sudden snap as this is caused by the force of setting the hook while there is too much line (very little), but when using braid it is enough to shock the business end and, force x weight x etc etc etc. B. that can be avoided by disengaging the freespool by flipping the baitrunner lever up as if you turn the handle you also move the line just ever so slightly and it is all a fish needs to feel rubbing against it's jaw. after all that is what the thing was designed to do. not many people know how to actually use that reel. never ever ever turn the handle when bass fishing with any reel (pet peeve and i yell at anyone baitfishing when i see these mistakes) sure there are those who catch fish playing around with line management but for the most part big fish don't get big being stupid. you need to pay out just enough line before she gets spooked by the line. that will happen when she turns/moves off/moves in "sneak attack -(thanks jigman wherever you are) etc. catches more fish yes! loses more fish yes! win win situation for some but lose lose for the REAL fisherman with no patience or room for error. sorry for the run-on sentences again sudsy!!!!!! i get carried away

 

[jimi4290]

the anti reverse on my shimano baitrunners are instant...no play whatsoever. my penns however have slop in them....and they are not newer models. being in tune with your gear is most important. knowing how to set a hook with the gear you have is the point, i think, zim is trying to get across. know your gear and its limitations and learn how to work with it and you should be able to set a hook with no problems. just make sure your gear is maintained and in good working order for when the fish of a lifetime comes along and takes your offering....if your not paying attention you will get caught with your pants down.

 

[bassinfool]

If ur gonna compair the reels be fair dont put $30-60 penn reels from wally world up against $200 shimanos. Yeah low end penns are junk but so are the low end shimanos. There both made overseas only diffence is their eyes slant slightly different.