penn spinfisher spinning reels

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sparky

Senior Member
hi all,

does anyone use the penn spinfisher ssm heavy spinning reels.

i am looking at one, they seem pretty simple but solid and sell

for around R1300. i plan to use it on a fishing ski as well as for  

throwing plugs from the beach. would obviously love a stella or

saltiga but out of my price bracket. any advice would be appriciated.

thanks
 
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neilg

Sealiner
Sparky
in that price range you can get better reels !!
Shimano Spheros is in that range
Daiwa Oceano is also in that range

I have a 12000 Spheros, GREAT SMOOTH REEL, really. I also have a 8000 Stradic (more expensive), even nicer reel.

Ofcourse you get smaller Spheros models...

Penn used to make good reels, they were called JigMasters ... with most of the Penn reels it seems the quality has taken a turn for the worst (but they mostly look nice though)
 
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dugongboy

Sealiner
Sparky - In my opinion you are crazy to use a R1200 reel on a ski - I would get something with 2 or even 1 bearing - a good value reel is the Shimano Slade(go for the 4000) - it can handle most fish you you are likely to encounter - a mate has 2 on his boat that have been seriously abused and caught 10kg+ couta and apart from new bearings are still strong.
Speak to other ski fishermen - they use Jigmasters(no bearings) and cheap spinning reels(R180 Okumas with 1 bearing)which can be ditched after two seasons.
Just remember to 'dunk' the reels in a bucket for a minute or two after using and not spray lightly as recomended.
 
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sparky

Senior Member
thanks neil,

been looking at the middle of the range daiwas & shimanos
but wanted a reel that could take some abuse as it would be used on a ski as well as wadeing so would likely get submerged pretty often. not sure if the stradic or oceano would stand up to it? thought the penn was pretty similar to the daiwa bg but bigger & stronger?
 
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sparky

Senior Member
thanks dugong

have a bg 60 which mostly works well. but wanted something even heavier. been smashed a few times throwing plugs and
whipping spoons in moz, so wanted something that could really put in the hurt.
 
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neilg

Sealiner
If you do your part and look after your reels they will last !
Don't just rinse them when you get home after a long days fishing, strip them and properly clean them !

As for them not lasting, well if not maintained they won't last, if maintained they will.

My 3000 Exceller Plus has been out to sea many many times, have been totally submerged in salt water on countless occasions, I have fallen in water with it and still continue fishing with it for the rest of the day. BUT when I get home I happily spend 30min stripping cleaning and relubricating the reel.
I normally take a selection when I go on the boat, this includes the Exceller, The Penn Captiva, The Spheros and then 2 x 20/40s aswell, most of them get some serious water but are all stripped and cleaned and they are all still going strong.
 
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sparky

Senior Member
agreed. i rinse reels after each use & get serviced from time to time & most serve me well. (can't strip them myself
-can never put them together again!)
thanks for the input
 
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surfaMIKE

Senior Member
Why do you need such a big spinning reel for a ski? You dont need a tank to catch fish, especially off a ski. Those spinfishers look awesome, and I have read alot of reviews and people say they are great, but I would rather go for a Daiwa BG 30 or even 20 if I were you. They last, are super tough, and cost under R900. I think a BG would be the best reel to use off the ski. Work by the K.I.S.S rule, which means keep it simple stupid...and remember that the spinfisher has an instant anti reverse roller bearing, which may cause trouble if dunked. The BG's dont have an instant anti reverse, which means its even more reliable and simple

Or you can get the Al Cheapos at your local supermarket near you!:raine. They are cheap, simple, and catch just as much fish as any other reel can! Plus you wont really care if it gets trashed on a ski, because after two years, you just buy another for the same cheap price. But I wont go for this option (Iv become a snob and enjoy the more expensive reels:fbash)

If you like the spinfishers, then go for them. They look nice. Even go for a slade 4000 like someone here said. They are nice reels. I had a slade 2500, but had to throw it away because when I serviced it, I took the anti reverse bearing apart and didnt know how to put it back together again (nobody old me that you arent supposed to take it apart....STUPID:doh:doh)

So all in all, its your choice and preference
 
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surfaMIKE

Senior Member
Na bru. Im saying I would rather go for a BG, but if you like the spinfisher, then go for it. Its just that I dont see any major advancements in the spinfisher compared to a BG. The only thing the BG doesnt have is the instant anti reverse, but Im not going to pay R400 extra just for an instant anti reverse, so thats why I'd pick a BG

PS: The BG also has less bearings than the spinfisher, which makes it even better for a ski
 
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sparky

Senior Member
thanks dudes. actually have a bg 60 but wanted something even bigger and stronger specifically to tussle kingies in moz.
 
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surfaMIKE

Senior Member
Thanx Matt!::hapi:

Why dont you get a BG 90 then? I would expect it to be a brute of a reel, but helleva strong too. I read that some chick landed a 4ft aligator in america with one!:?
 
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Long John

New member
[color=#006600]sparky[/color] wrote:
hi all,

does anyone use the penn spinfisher ssm heavy spinning reels.

i am looking at one, they seem pretty simple but solid and sell

for around R1300. i plan to use it on a fishing ski as well as for  

throwing plugs from the beach. would obviously love a stella or

saltiga but out of my price bracket. any advice would be appriciated.

thanks
Click to expand...

Sparky, have ordered and am getting my Penn 850 SSM this week to throw plugs and spoons in Moz. This Penn is basic, tough and rough, and wont be smashed up by a monster fish. Its made of steel and nothing fancy that can break, a strong brute!

My only concern is that varied opinions say that it does not handle braid very well. Some recommend only Fireline which has a consistant "rounder" profile.

Otherwise I am very happy and will soon post pics of the 45 kg Kingies that it is going to catch.
 
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sparky

Senior Member
thanks for the responce long john.
we on the same wavelength. also chasing those monsters around moz.
been using a multiplier (saltist) to throw plugs & poppers
but want a 'brute' grinder too.
hopefully after the holidays we'll see each other in the
'bus fish' pic gallery!
 
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