just starting out

[nelson44107]

hello everyone, I just got started in surf fishing and I am using a spinner type reel. I would like to try a conventional, but after reading the post for a couple of days I am completely torn on what reel to pick out.

Penn 525 awesome caster but loses it's clicker after awhile.
Daiwa stt30h issues with the star drag gear if you lock it down. Someone was trying to break their line. (don't understand why you wouldn't just cut it)
Abu Garcia 6500 or 7000 ??? modify for distance???

Sorry about the (what I'm sure is a repetitive question).

[Jackalopehunter]

welcome to the board, check out this link i asked a question pretty much the same, still ahve yet to go buy one but im leaning toward a abu or the penn...just gotta get a break on these bills anyways heres the link
http://www.pierandsurf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61669

[Reeko]

If you want more distance, get one without a levelwind or remove the levelwind if you like the reel.

[scsurfcaster]

I ahve found the 6500ct abus to be the best for me. They are easy to clean. The new ones have 6 pin brakes, so the are very adjustable. That is desirable for a new caster, as well as a seasoned caster. Also have carbon drags. They last forever if you care for them and they can be modified for distance. That said I wouldnt modify my abus with anything but stock parts or parts that dont require permenant modification for fishing. Distance casting is different story though and I cannot speak on that. I dont know about the stt30h but the sl20sh is a great reel too. They are indestructable. I dont think they are as comfortable to cast though. The 525 mad is about the same as a diawa sl20sh from what I understand. You cannot go wrong with any of them. Although if I were wading in rough surf I would pick the diawa,.

[ToferLee]

Sadly I was leaning towards a penn but seems everyone I talk to thinks the company is in trouble. Something about them being sold again and discontinuing parts. I have no idea been leaning towards an abu for my first conventional.

[nelson44107]

Thanks guys. I will have to take a look at the Abu 6500ct and 7000ct.

[AbuMike]

All the reels you mentioned are great fishing reels.

Penn 525mag--Tough as nails fishing reel, very good caster but fast out of the box. I would not reccomend for a new caster.

Daiwa Saltist 20 or 30--Again tough as nails, no mag but has very good breaking system. I would not reccomend for a new caster.

Abu 6500 mag--A great fishing reel, wwill handle most anything in your casting zone from the beach. Kinda slow out of the box which is a good thing for a newbe. Set the mag to full on and learn to cast conventional. Back the mags of as you get better control.

All these reels will serve you well once you learn to use them. With all of them remember one thing..Do Not Overfill The Spool. This get the best of us in trouble sometimes. A spool with too much line on it is a blowup waiting to happen.

I have all 3 reels and fish all 3 reels in different situations.

[RuddeDogg]

welcome

[Rockfish1]

don't believe all you hear about the 525 mag... they're a sweet reel, easy to throw and almost bomb proof... I've got 2 that see more spike time then all my other reels combined, and I got a pile of'em, Abu's, Avets, Diawa, and Shimano's... granted they don't have the loudest click on them but that's no reason to disregard them... learn to look over once in a while and see what's going on with your mess... the ht100 drag they use is most excellent, carbon washers from the factory...

for an easy to throw, manageable reel that'll serve you well think seriously about the Penn 525 Mag... http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b283/Rockfish_1/thumbs.gif?t=1244561898

[RuddeDogg]

don't believe all you hear about the 525 mag... they're a sweet reel, easy to throw and almost bomb proof... I've got 2 that see more spike time then all my other reels combined, and I got a pile of'em, Abu's, Avets, Diawa, and Shimano's... granted they don't have the loudest click on them but that's no reason to disregard them... learn to look over once in a while and see what's going on with your mess... the ht100 drag they use is most excellent, carbon washers from the factory...

for an easy to throw, manageable reel that'll serve you well think seriously about the Penn 525 Mag... http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b283/Rockfish_1/thumbs.gif?t=1244561898

Yep. I have 5 of them and they work just fine.

[Fishbreath]

Yo Nelson,

First off Welcome to the show! :D

It really comes down to taste and $$$. The Penn 525 Mag is a fine reel even for beginners, actually, especially for beginners as it has an adjustable Mag slide control that you can control the amount of mag needed. Start at 10, cast nice and easy, and work your way backwards as you get more comfortable.

The same can be said for the Daiwa SL30SH, a great reel, bullet proof and a very good/easy reel for beginners. I started out with this reel. (Note: I had also bass fished for a number of years using baitcasters.) :)

All that being said, I LOVE ABU's. The 6500 C3CT model is easy to work on, a fantastic casting machine right out of the box and is eye-candy. The model AbuMike was referring to is the Abu 6500 CT MAG. A nice reel with a slidey Mag control similar to the Penn 525. I personally love the Blue Yonder 6500 C3CT.

Lots to choose from, don't hesitate to get any of the three mentioned. They're all good starter/finisher reels. ;)

[nelson44107]

thanks rockfish1, ruddedog, have you guys had the need to modify the mags at all for better control. Not that i am going to do this but have listen to some of the people who tinker with their reels for a hobby. Are Penn/Abu parts easier to get? Of course after I learn how to cast the darn thing :-)

[Fishbreath]

Nellie, the Penn 525 MAG is already magged...:D That said, you should still be able to get Penn parts.

For Abu's, a popular modification to do with the older 6500 CT's is to swap out the bearings and add a better drag system, for example SS Smoothies and Carbontex washers. They can be purchased as a kit. Parts are always available for the ABU reels, that is part of their charm...;)

[rocket]

The daiwa sl30sh was my first reel. After a few casts and proper adjustments to the spool tension, I had very few problems. Got the 525 mag soon after and had no problems with it either. I'd rate the 2 pretty equal. If I had to pick a favorite it would probably be the 525 because it's nice to be able to adjust the brakes depending on the wind. If it's blowing in your face you can lock down the mag... with the wind at your back you can back off the mag and let it fly although I seem to have better luck with the fish when the wind is in my face.

On your question about breaking your line instead of cutting it... if you have 70 yards of line out and it gets snagged, cutting it means you lose 70 yards of line that will eventually create a cluster that's going to snag someone else. If you can get it to break at a knot or somewhere close to your rig, you can get all your line back and possibly even your shock leader too.

[Rockfish1]

have you guys had the need to modify the mags at all for better control.
Are Penn/Abu parts easier to get? Of course after I learn how to cast the darn thing :-)

nope but if you think you need to it's very easy to add mags to the back of the carrier... remember on the cast start slow and finish hard... that'll eliminate most of your blow up problems...

ain't never had a 525 mag mess up on me... dunno about how hard it is to get parts for them... as for ABU's, I get all my parts from Mikes reel repair up in canada...

[mud]

which ever of these great reels you choose please please use a shock leader!! remember 5 oz weight requires 50lb test 6 oz requires 60lb test and so forth. A shock leader keeps yourself and all others around you safer than without!! I vote the 525 or the saltist but those do run about the same price so if I couldnt afford the extra 50 I would get the slosh 20 or 30 as that was my first which I still have after many years in the surf and there only 100 and you can find them used even cheaper. My 02

[Lipyourown]

Where are you fishing?

[nelson44107]

I'm heading down to Jacksonville and St Augustine next week. I've heard the pompano run has already happened but I was told that I could catch whiting. Thanks for everyone's information on the reels and the tip on the shock leader.This site is awesome