whodat

Added two new 710Z's to my new 712Z's, won't have to worry what Penn does!

What happened to the days when father and sons built their cars themselves at Dad's workbench, paint and all. We even won!

Cabelas has great PVC tubes, variuos lenghts, sealed on one end, locking cap on other end, foam pad at both ends, about $10.99, good rods deserve protection.

Rod sounds a bit heavy, I would try 7', 8-20lb., 1/2 to 1 1/2 oz. Use 12lb. mono or 20 braid. Rod you describe wouldn't cast to well from a yak IMO. Better yet move to 8-17lb., will handle most situations.

First, drag washers on 712Z are HT-100, not plastic. Second, reel holds 225 yards on 12 lb. mono, just read the deacal on roter cup. Third, my old 712 greenies had fiber and metal washers, and same capacity as 712Z.

On my abu's the sticky release is solved by just putting some back pressure on the spool while hitting the button or thumb-bar.

Chinese St.Croix is the Triumph line, stiff rod, lousy guides, paint peeled of mine in a few weeks, get the real Made in USA St.Croix or a real Lami. You get what you pay for in rods!!!!! Mine is just a loaner rod.

Been using 712's and 712Z's for years, no problem with fish into the 25lb. range, largest I ever caught on 9' Lami, also used for nite blues on PB. If you read a lot of threads on here you'll see many guys using Diawa 2600ss and similar sized reels, all about the size of the 712, actually a 712 will hold more line than the Diawa 2600. I get 225 yards of 12lb. Ande on mine, you'll get on more by using 20lb. braid. Just match the reel size to wher you fish, lite surf and back bays OK, Montauk or big surf, a no-no.

All vintage, Penn 712, 710, 704, Longbeach and 285! Take a lickin', keep on tickin'.

Penn Z, Diawa BG or Diawa 2600SS all proven bullet-proof reels, easy to maintain which is important!

Go on-line to Tackle Direct and see this size of there store, a small shop that knows the power of the net, the inter-net that is!

Chowhound says it best, and I'm a Penn user! Why do so many need to have their decision to use a certain validated by others!

I switched to Cabelas because the rods, reels and other gear always comes factory fresh. Tried a local, bought a Shimano reel, got home and tucked in the very bottom of the box was the manual, started to read it and out fell a little slip of paper,"Repaired and inspected by #XXXXX". The guy at the t&b claims he can't be responsible for what a distributor sends him! Thanks, I'll take Cabelas or Tackle-Direct, never a problem with those guys!

Aren't all 5500ss graphite?

Darterman, over 40 years using Penn's, never had to send one back. Thats the point!!!!!!!!!!!!