bearbait1 - 10-23-2007 at 02:51 PM
I am going to be buying gear to outfit a small boat for use in the East Cape area and am looking for some opinions on rods and reels. I am
considering large spinning rigs for dorado, roosterfish etc, and Penn 113s, or something similar, for the large trolling rigs. I am trying to keep
the number of different rigs down but with the fishing varying from triggerfish to marlin that's hard to do. I've never used the large spinning reels
but see them on tv being used for sailfish, does anyone use the large spinning reels? What do you think I should bring? Any comments are welcome.
beachbum1A - 10-23-2007 at 02:55 PM
No spinning gear please................
Martyman - 10-23-2007 at 03:31 PM
I recently got a shimano spinning reel. I like it. Stick with the name brands
Russ - 10-23-2007 at 03:36 PM
I know spinning gear is frowned on down here but I have some and use it in the surf and on the boat. I admit the drag units on the lower end reels
aren't too hot. But for general purposes they're OK. I've released (at the boat) sails and small marlin and a ton of dorado with my big Penn and
smaller Quatum spin gear. Bottom fishing is a whole different thing. I don't fish with line over 30# on any gear so that usually keeps me away from
hauling in anything of size off the reefs. Others here will tell you what conventional gear to use. Good luck and know after you buy the first load of
gear you'll just have to have the rest too. So maybe you could get a deal from some one on something slightly used for the first go round. Not me
though cuz I have to spend time deciding what to take out every time. Just part of the game.
backninedan - 10-23-2007 at 05:07 PM
My shimano bait runner is a great spinning reel and gets used more than my conventional rigs. Avet makes some really fine conventional reels, a bit
pricey but worth the money.
Minnow - 10-23-2007 at 05:11 PM
My wife has a baitrunner and loves it. She caught a yellowtail with it the first time out.
BajaWarrior - 10-23-2007 at 05:12 PM
I have a very modest collection of both Shimano and Penn. Just depends what your going fishing for.
Good luck and have fun!
Al G - 10-23-2007 at 07:03 PM
I am not an experience fisherman in salt water...
I think I got lucky when I got the special senator 4/0 from Penn.
Model 113 hsp...graphite composite one piece wide frame.
It is not the Baja spaecial...to narrow...not the 4/0 Senators most people remember either.
It comes with the wide brass spool for trolling and I ordered 2 graphic composite spools for casting...$35 each. I now have five so I don't worry
about being spooled (can change spool in under 5 minutes) and have line ready for most occasions. I use 50# Stren super braid and I can hold 500-600
yards...and 100#top shot. I keep 80# on the brass spool...it is still not for Tuna or big sword, will handle almost anything else...well maybe not
groupers in the rocks.
For $129 + spools it a good place to start.
Edit: added more spool yards
[Edited on 10-24-2007 by Al G]
AcuDoc - 10-23-2007 at 08:22 PM
I use a baitrunner 350 (20 lb test) and just got a baitrunner 6500 (30#). Also use shimano speedmaster (40#) and tld 25 (80# spectra topshot 100 yards
60#mono)
Just make sure you have a good drag system. I've used shimano for years. Went to phuelger for freshwater a couple years ago.
Don Alley - 10-23-2007 at 08:39 PM
For trolling a Penn Senator is OK-get the Special Senator. But a lever drag reel is better for trolling live bait (popular method here in Loreto)
because you can set a light drag to let the fish run with the bait, then instantly go to the strike setting. Penn used to make a good inexpensive one
but that model seems to have gone. Avets are great for that but are pricey (but made in the USA!).
I don't like spinning reels much but the Baitrunner mentioned is pretty good, as are the larger Penns. If you want to pull big yellowtail or pargo off
the reefs, or wrestle big tuna, there are spinners for that too (Shimano Stella) but they are expensive. But if you like spinning reels,and want to
use one for dorado, sailfish and smaller marlin, I bet the baitrunner or Penns would work. And if you hook a fish that's too much for the reel, well,
that would be fun anyway so go for it.
For conventional light tackle I also like the Speedmaster and the Diawa Sealine SLX (available in several sizes) for inexpensive but good reels, and
they cast really well, if you want to try a castable conventional without spending too much.
Pescador - 10-24-2007 at 05:59 AM
Spinning reels are fine as long as you are matching them to whatever you are pursuing. For most spinning reels, you need drag capability of somewhere
around 50% to be practical. If you plan on using 20 lb line, you need to make sure that you can get a solid 10 lbs of drag from the reel. The big
Penns do that fine, and Fin-Nor has produced a new line of reels that will handle large line capacity as well as high drag numbers and their biggest
reel which hold 600 yds of 100 lb line (braid) is only $170. The hottest new trend in Big water is fishing 100 lb test and above for the really big
bruisers like Tuna, Dogtooth snapper, and giant Trevaly. I use a couple of these but they take a lot more maintence and care than a conventional
reel. The good news is that tackle acquisition is a lifelong pursuit and you never have too much.
bearbait1 - 10-24-2007 at 09:52 AM
Thanks for the ideas everyone, I will be using mainly conventional reels but would like at least 1 heavy spinning rig so less experienced guests can
cast. I wouldn't want them casting conventional reels because I would end up having to get the bird nests out.
Diver - 10-24-2007 at 10:00 AM
I've got an old Shakespear spinner loaded with 20 lb mono for my wife !!
She loves it. Of course I've never let her try anything better. 
.
Spinning gear
Cardon Man - 10-24-2007 at 11:10 AM
I've been very happy with my Penn 9500 spinning reel, spooled up with 30lb mono. I generally prefer power pro over mono but just have not spooled up
the Penn with spectra yet.
I second the suggestion of Avet for your trolling reels. Good stuff!
AcuDoc - 10-25-2007 at 10:15 PM
I always like having a spinning reel around as it is easy to toss a light jig like a croc or soft bait.
Don Alley - 10-26-2007 at 03:01 PM
I took some newbies fishing yesterday, and had a light spinning rig aboard. After trolling up some dorado, we anchored in a small cove so they could
swim and snorkle. Well, I saw some small roosterfish, we had some live sardinias...so I tossed some sardinias with the spinning gear. Penn reel with
rod made from a $6 graphite blank. Fun!
