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Advice on a reel?


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Hey guys, about to go away soon and just found that my Abu Garcia ambassadeur 7000 reel is completely seized. I have been having lots of issues with it over the last couple of years and this is the final straw to replace it. Im looking at getting a new reel to replace it, hopefully something that can be used for larger fish but will mainly be used off a boat.

 

Does anyone have any good suggestions. Price guide is probably around the $150 but if there is a good reel then I'm happy to spend more.

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Really need to match it with a rod. At $150-200 there are some very good reels.

Penn Spinfisher VI for robust and well sealed

Daiwa Fuego a tad more refined but not as well sealed

At the cheaper end the Shimano Sedona might be worth a look.

Check out what this guy uses, he punishes reels:

https://www.youtube.com/c/EliasVFishing

 

 

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As long as the rod has no trigger grip it will be fine for boat fishing.

 

Heaps of reels in the price range. What do you fish for and what line strength do you use? braid or mono?

 

I like Shimano for midrange and Daiwa for high end threadlines. Penn are also very nice in the mid price range but heavy. I've picked up a Penn Slammer 3 recently at a good price as they are discounting to make way for version 4.

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The only time I'd consider using an over head reel, is if there was lots of current and I was using heavy mono.
And the only reason for that is - over head reels make it easier to detect when your sinker hits the bottom in a raging out going tide.

But for everything else - I use threadlines. I've got a soft spot for Shimano bait runners - Having the option to allow fish to pick up baits, with almost no resistance, can be handy on tough bights.

It also really handy when there is a sea of undersized pinkies using the resistance from your rod tip, to rip pillies and silver whiting off your hooks.  You just let them have their 10cm runs, time and time again, until the clicker starts telling different story.

Its also a really fun way to fish, especially when the clicker starts off in a weird way then starts screaming off - adds an extra dimension for me anyway.

And if you get sick of that - just flick the switch and its a normal reel again.

I've got a few of the big old heavy ones - but they are over kill for where I now fish - so I picked up a few of these and some 4-8kg graphite flick sticks to match. They are my light weight snapper outfits

But I often fish as light as I can get away with. Big rays and sharks arent a likely catch where we fish. So there is not real need for heavy gear.

Ive had em for a couple of years with no probs yet

https://www.anacondastores.com/fishing/fishing-reels/spinning-reels/shimano-baitrunner-st-4000-spinning-reel/BP90083589-black-silver

 

891.jpg

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54 minutes ago, Richyd said:

Maybe it's best that I just go into a a store and ask- I always just wonder if schmucks like me get taken advantage of 😂

Tackleworld Adelaide, Sportsfishing Scene Cavan, are generally good but does depend which salesperson you get. Also member @Kuerschie at BCF Richmond won't lead you astray. Honestly though, stick to a budget and reels these days are damned good even at the cheap end (well except for some of the really dodgy Chinese brands). You are mainly paying more for smoother, lighter, better sealing, durability, rather than functionality.

 

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20 hours ago, yellow door 1 said:

The only time I'd consider using an over head reel, is if there was lots of current and I was using heavy mono.
And the only reason for that is - over head reels make it easier to detect when your sinker hits the bottom in a raging out going tide.

But for everything else - I use threadlines. I've got a soft spot for Shimano bait runners - Having the option to allow fish to pick up baits, with almost no resistance, can be handy on tough bights.

I prefer overheads for most things above 10-12lb. I find they are better at casting, managing your line and keeping in touch with your bait. They are also better when fighting larger fish and usually smaller and lighter than spinning reels with comparable line capacity. Many people shy away from them because they don't want to take the time to learn how to use them. But everyone is free to make their own tackle choices.🙂

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1 hour ago, plankton said:

I prefer overheads for most things above 10-12lb. I find they are better at casting, managing your line and keeping in touch with your bait. They are also better when fighting larger fish and usually smaller and lighter than spinning reels with comparable line capacity. Many people shy away from them because they don't want to take the time to learn how to use them. But everyone is free to make their own tackle choices.🙂

Dont worry I can hit a crab in the eye, from 40m, with a bait caster😉

But I have run them through all the tests that match the styles of fishing I do and they only win in a few categories. Some of those categories can be a deciding factor depending on where I fish. There was a time when they were the best reel for my needs - but they arent anymore

But for the majority of the fishing I do, The draw backs of using them, out weigh the benefits
 

 

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Thanks everyone for the replies it is very much appreciated.

I did end up getting a Shimano baitrunner- mainly because I do love the feature (I only remembered this after Yellow door posted about it, but it is actually one of the reasons that I went with the abu Garcia reel in the first place!). It was also slightly cheaper.

It was a very hard decision and the Daiwa was definitely close!

 

Tha ks again everyone for their help :)

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Yeah when it comes to bait fishing versatility. They are a hard reel to go past

Ive got bait runners that are 20 years old. As long as you give the parts a lube every 10 years. They”ll be sweet😉

The new ones are probably built to break a bit quicker than that. But mine haven’t skipped a beat, with no maintenance and moderate to high use, over 2 years

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