# whats the best reel for outer banks



## cowboy29 (Dec 28, 2009)

just bought a house in avon and i am going to beef up my tackel supply was wondering what types conventional reels for surf casting should i be looking for, for the longest casting and best performance.


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## Fishbreath (Nov 11, 2004)

Cowboy,

You've opened Pandora's Box and you'll get LOTS of different answers and preferences. 

I guess the first question you need to answer is what type of reel do you use, spinning or conventional and go from there.


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## cowboy29 (Dec 28, 2009)

good point! I have plenty of spinning reels i'm looking to get a few more conventinal reels for long casting i have to slosh 30's that i love but was wondering what other reels are comparable or better.


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## Fishbreath (Nov 11, 2004)

Well, the slosh30 is great reel, built like a tank and can take some weather. Lots of people use them. Again, you're going to get lots of answers and preferences so I'll give you my thoughts and others are certain to join in.

I like the Abu Blue Yonder. Its a 6500c3ct. Great reel casts like a champ. Drawbacks are line capacity which you can get around with some braid underlining and you need to swap out the drag system. Once done, you're good to go.

Lots of folk like the Penn 525 Mag. Great reel, adjustable slidey mags, casts great. Fairly easy to maintain.

I've been playing with a Saltist 20 and Saltist 30 lately. Drag has been swapped. Great reel, liking the Saltist line of reels more and more.

Oh, and there's a nice poll on reels and rods with their pluses and minuses here in the Fishing Bible forum. Check it out. Good luck! 

http://www.pierandsurf.com/fishing-forum/showthread.php?t=70887


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## gilly21 (Feb 15, 2006)

THere is no "best". However the top reels for drum fishing are 
penn 525 mag
Diawa SAltist 20 and 30
Slosh, shv, sha 20 and 30
Abu 6500 in any toples model you prefer
Avet SXMC

There are probably two dozen or more that you might see but by far the top three in this list are seen more then any. The 525 is an awsome casting reel out of the box and holds about 260 yrds of 17lb mono. Drag is strong but touchy and clicker blows. Saltist needs to be broken down, cleaned and relubed before you see it perform at its best, drags need to be cleaned of the greese some and broken in, reel needs to have about 200 casts on it before everything works perfectly together. (not unlike a good car or custom rod). Clicker is nice and loud
The slosh line is good out of the box with a super smooth drag but is a bit shorter caster then the other two. THey also have a large gear box that can bust up your index knuckle pretty bad after a weekend of hard fishing. Clicker will wake most from a beer induced nap. 
Abus cast a mile and can be modified to infinate levels but are a little more finiky to harsh handeling and drags need to be upgraded on the lower end models to carbonex washers and cleaned every day to avoid problems. May or may not have a clicker dependin on the model you get
Avet MX is a bulitproof frame and has the drag to stop most things in its clas without breaking a sweat, but they need to be stripped and lubed properly out of the box and will get too fast for you until you get the feel for it. Clicker will wake up the dead.

Of all the reels mentioned the 525 is the most tameable and will take a beeting of a hard drum blitz on the outer bar in waist deep water. It can also b e adjusted to the conditions on the fly depending on conditions like some of the magged Abus. My secon choice would be a saltist. In fact if I needed another reel that would be my next reel of choice a saltist 20H


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## Drumboy (Jan 25, 2008)

I have fished with a Mag 525 for 3 yrs never had a problem with it...

Only thing I noticed is that they are not sealed very well so you get a grinding sound...Still works fine just the sound but after a cast or two it's gone. And yes the clickers are terrible.

I just got a Saltist 20....Switch out from the red brakes to the black ones if you want some extra distance.

But If i had to choose I would go with another mag 525 just because they are some good reels that can take a beating over and over again....


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## fish bucket (Dec 5, 2002)

i too believe it is the 525mag.
i love my knobby


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## rchipbrown (Oct 9, 2009)

I have a 525 mag and a Daiwa 7ht mag and an Avet sx mc and various abus including a 7001i (lefty levelwind custom magged). 

I just cannot get comfortable reeling with my right hand and trying to hold a long surf rod and thumb the line with my left hand. The 525 mag and the 7ht mag do not come lefty. So I rarely use them fishing (the only action they see is distance casting). My favorite conventional for fishing is the abu 7001i because its lefty, its levelwind and its magged. The levelwind cuts the cast distance a bit so when i need max distance fishing I use the Avet as it comes in lefty.


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## Tracker16 (Feb 16, 2009)

What Fishbreath said. I have all three of those reels and love them all


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## AnyfishAnywhere (May 20, 2008)

I've been fishing a 525 for the past 3 or 4 years also and love haven't had any problems with it at all and it has tackled some nice fish. The ease of cleaning and maintaining it is also great. I just recently purchased an Avet SXMC but have used my father-in-laws a few times king fishing and was equally impressed, so once my heaver is done being rewrapped and I get the Avet on her and do some fishing I will let you know the pluses and minuses of it also. Good luck in your decision it will be a tough one because everyone has their own preferences!:fishing::beer:


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## kingfish (Feb 28, 2004)

The ABU 7000 c3 ct is a top choice. If you can get your hands on a speedmaster IIC, you will have one of the best out there.


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## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

stick with your slosh 30,, you aint gonna get much better then that. 260-300yards os 20#
or 330-360yards of 15-18#

will cost most fish on our coast.


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