Tackle advice

**godfreydesylva** · 28-06-2006, 07:30

I would appreciate some help on the following.
Are the new penn reels spinfisher ssm series good?
Any experience with penn international 975 ld?
How are the okuma reels-seem like a really good bargain for the spec's?
Any comments will be much appreciated.thanks in advance!

**PanamaJack** · 03-07-2006, 09:15

Hi Godfrey
Penn have a long history of reel manufacture in the 'States, going back to the 1930s, and make a wide range of excellent, robust products. Certainly all my trolling reels - 12 up to a wide spool 80 - with one exception, a 30lb FinNor Lite, are from the Penn International series.

My lighter casting and spin reels though are from Shimano. However I have used the Spinfisher series of reel, and the forerunner of the 975LD on charter boats in the 'States for light tackle work and found them excellent. And they represent good value for money.

As to your point about Okuma reels they certainly do seem to have excellent specs and appear to be very competitively priced. I've never used them though, but they seem to get 'mixed' reviews in some of the forums - some anglers like them, others have had issues with their robustness. How much of this latter observation though relates to systemic manufacturing flaws or whether it's just the proverbial 'bad batch' I really don't know.

Mine are, by their nature, very general comments. What are you planning to use the reels for though?
Kindest regards
Dave

**marktheshark** · 04-07-2006, 01:51

Hullo matey
I would be careful using Okumas for heavy-duty fishing overseas. I've bought their cheap multipliers twice to take overseas as gifts and been embarrassed, frankly, to leave them behind. On the first occasion the reel, a lever drag, went into permanent freespool the first time it was used and on the second, the clicker ceased to work within a few days. I think you get what you pay for, and IMHO the same goes for a lot of budget tackle when confronted with even modest-sized fish that fight like like tuna or trevally. I've had reel-seats and rings go on new budget rods too while fighting fish. I'd pay a few quid extra and get a Penn (even a reconditioned one) or Shimano.
Mark
PS: I'm not connected with the tackle trade in any way (except as a customer) and I've no axe to grind with any manufacturers.

**godfreydesylva** · 04-07-2006, 06:40

Hello Dave and Mark,
Thanks for the feedback guys.Heres a bit of background.I am bascially a spin fisherman who has recently been introduced to trolling.The first outing was a major success but had quite a bit of difficulty as was using spin tackle for trolling and got busted off a number of times.Was fishing in about 4-10 meter depths over a reef and the person who i was fishing with said that the fish were either big mangrove jacks ,grouper or trevally.Still managed to land a few small trevally,barramundi,barracuda and mangrove jack.We were trolling Halcos and Storm deep divers with a 10-15cm length.
The suggestion passed on to prevent losses was to get a stiffer, shorter boat rod along with either a heavy duty spinning reel or a small light tackle trolling reel with a lever drag.Was going through my much thumbed through cabela's catalogue and shortlisted the reels mentioned in the post.Noticed that the Okumas had stainless steel gears,metal bodies etc.,so was wondering about them.
Noticed that the new spin fishers are not made in the USA any more and that there are no posts about this Penn international 975 LD which has been in production for some time.
I want something reliable which does not cost the earth.
Any comments on the tackle mentioned being suitable for the job?
I am based in Mumbai and trolling here is nonexistent.Tackle shops selling rods, reels of any quality are non existent too.As you can imagine any help on tackle is difficult to come by.Will be visiting singapore in the middle of this month and intend to do some "shopping"for the next fishing trip planned for october.
Any other suggestion regarding tackle would be appreciated as I am in the dark here with only the manufactures claims in the catalogue to go by. Can anyone recommend a tackle shop in singapore ?
Warm regards,
Godfrey

Sicuco · 09-08-2006, 11:23

Too early...

**deangonsalves** · 16-08-2006, 12:44

Hi Godfrey
I own a okuma spinning reel, very smooth in the first run but now the locks busted, I have also got creamed when hit by a 15 kilo approx fish around Goa with the same reel had to then swtich back to my old Diva which did a good job.
Well I have just got my self a Penn 7500 .. seems like a good option for all round spinning and can take on some pretty medium big game. Its a little heavy thou.
cheers
Dean

Originally Posted by godfreydesylva

I would appreciate some help on the following.
Are the new penn reels spinfisher ssm series good?
Any experience with penn international 975 ld?
How are the okuma reels-seem like a really good bargain for the spec's?
Any comments will be much appreciated.thanks in advance!