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Conventional surf reel needs help

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kakaryan

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OK. So I am looking for a conventional reel casting maybe 2~5oz for the surf. I have a Calcutta Conquest 401 for the lighter uses already so I am after a slightly bigger reel for heavier applications. I would like it to be double as a boat / jigging reel if possible (not sure if it would work).

 

The following features are what I would like the reel to have, and I have done my research so I have found these models which I am interested.

 

-Line out alarm

-cast far

-Designed for casting with brake (not boat reel)

-Preferable left hand model but not a must.

 

1. Saltiga Star Drag 20 or 30.

It has line out alarm, and also centri brake so OK for casting.

 

2. New Saltist Star Drag 20 or 30

Similar to Saltiga, with line out alarm and centri brake for casting.

 

3. ABU 6500i TSR (the one with silver frame and purple sideplates)

Line out alarm, mag and centri brake

 

4. Akios Shuttle 656 RGX Black Rhino (or the red limited)

Line out alarm, mag and centri brake

 

5. Avet (probably the magged one)

Line out alarm, mag brake, lever drag (heard it couldn't cast as far as star drag?)

 

 

Of those, I think the Saltiga, Saltist, and Avet are more boat reel / jigging reel while the ABU and Akios are more surf casting oriented.

 

The Saltiga and Sattist are better built which I am confident to take it for boat use and jigging. But does the centri brake cast far enough compare with other reels designed for casting? I saw that they can be magged by adding a knobby mag, but after conversion it seems that it is not comfortable for boat use or jigging as you cannot palm the sideplate?

 

Then the Akios and ABU. I read that the Akios is better built while the ABU is more a field casting reel. But is the Akios robust enough for boat use? Like if I load it with 300m braid and go catching Sailfish in Romping? (I used my Abel fly reels and Calcutta Conquest last year which was OK, but I am not sure about the Chinese built Akios if it is designed for such heavier uses).

 

Thanks.

 

 

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The Akios 656 is a great reel.  I put in a Centrifugal brake upgrade on mine.  It casts like a dream and can handle big fish.  That would be my choice.  Unless you want to upgrade to s Seigler SM.  That’s my top choice.  Casts miles and can handle really big fish.

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I have a Saltiga 30ha. the reel is the absolute Rolls Royce of conventional reels. So smooth and refined. Great reel, and pretty easy to cast.

 

Not to long ago I picked up a Seigler SM. Love the reel. The mag helps with all levels of casting. This reel is brute. It can cast a mile  and the huge main gear makes reeling in heavy weight effortless. 

This reel will outlive you and the grandkids.

 

 

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Get the older saltiest black /gold 20 or 30 . You can still find them new or used on this site for a little more than a hundred. Tough as nails and casts great I would not use a akios on a boat or for big fish unless you are gonna get a 7000 and still they are not as tough as the saltiest. 

Edited by Jim McFeeley
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13 hours ago, Tagman said:

I have a Saltiga 30ha. the reel is the absolute Rolls Royce of conventional reels. So smooth and refined. Great reel, and pretty easy to cast.

 

Not to long ago I picked up a Seigler SM. Love the reel. The mag helps with all levels of casting. This reel is brute. It can cast a mile  and the huge main gear makes reeling in heavy weight effortless. 

This reel will outlive you and the grandkids.

 

 

 

Hi Tagman,

 

How would you compare the Saltiga to the Seigler SM? I am a Daiwa guy owning 10+ higher end Daiwa's such as the Steez and Z2020, so the Saltiga is also the Rolls Royce for me. 

 

Is it correct that the Saltiga has a simple 2pin centri brake? Does the SM cast further than the Saltiga, and if so, by how much? Have you ever cast them side by side ?

 

The SM was also on my list but I have read this thread (yes all 9 pages) and seems it had quite some negative feedbacks. Wonder if it is single issue/complaint from the same person.

 

cheers.

 

 

 

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15 hours ago, Birdsnester said:

The Akios 656 is a great reel.  I put in a Centrifugal brake upgrade on mine.  It casts like a dream and can handle big fish.  That would be my choice.  Unless you want to upgrade to s Seigler SM.  That’s my top choice.  Casts miles and can handle really big fish.

 

Hi what centri brake upgrade did u put in? Thanks.

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There's an interesting kink in the OP's specifications. 2-5 oz. could be heavy lures, but it's a bit light for heavyweight bait fishing (lead + bait) and I think the optimal reel wouldn't be the same for both uses.

 

A Saltist or Saltiga 20, a Fathom 12 or 15, a Torque conventional, are where I'd look first for a plugger's conventional reel. They don't have a level wind, which costs a little distance, and the open frame makes it a bit easier to get at a backlash when you get one. My Penn Mag 525 does me fine, it's in that size bracket (as are my Newells), and the open frame lets me put lots of thumb in direct contact with the spool if I'm switching over to a different rod to throw a sinker and bait. IMHO these reels can do anything you'd like with bait for anything other than a triple-digit shark, assuming braided line. Go up a size if you want to fish straight mono. 

 

I would NOT like a lever drag reel (Avet, Accurate, various Daiwas, etc.) because their fine tolerances don't mix well with sand. Current star drags are more than potent enough for any fish in the surf, including tropical ones. And for artificial lures, the Seigler reels may not be ideal either. The company recommends Siegler reels for 3-16 oz. payloads. We do have one SOL brother who has said he's happy with his Siegler for casting jigs in the Cape Cod Canal, but the recommendation suggests to me that casting low-density plugs might be very, very frustrating. 

 

OTOH if I were an 8-and-bait angler, I'd love a Seigler. (Still no need for a lever drag, for a surf caster, a lever's a fashion affectation). A Torque 12 or 15 would be wonderful, any current open-frame conventional would be fine, just fine.

 

Abu reels? Nothing terribly wrong with them. May still be a fine selection if you are casting floating plugs, but the drags aren't quite up to Penn and Daiwa standards, IMHO. And if I am gunning for really big gamefish, say, tuna on the surface or GTs or something like that, I would like a one piece frame. I'm not sure that the current Abu product has that. 

 

Anyone? 

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I ll be fishing bait so I need the line out alarm feature. I have other reels for casting lures, though I see on YouTube a Japanese guy casting lure with the Seigler SM which seems OK (I think he was using the Fishman Brist 83XXXH rod so he paired it with such strong reel).

 

Do you think the Seigler would be OK for boat and jigging use? I think it should be fine for jigging as it is not too wide?

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Any small conventional with adequate drag and line capacity can work. I used a Penn 525 for speed jigging( absoulutly perfect, barely had to thumb the line), popping, live bait and trolling on a recent 5 day trip for pelagics. The two spinners and larger conventional I brought hardly got used.

EAC2DD7A-A128-4A3F-9D26-592832F85A3A.png

Tis better to remain silent and thought the fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.

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5 hours ago, kakaryan said:

 

Hi Tagman,

 

How would you compare the Saltiga to the Seigler SM? I am a Daiwa guy owning 10+ higher end Daiwa's such as the Steez and Z2020, so the Saltiga is also the Rolls Royce for me. 

 

Is it correct that the Saltiga has a simple 2pin centri brake? Does the SM cast further than the Saltiga, and if so, by how much? Have you ever cast them side by side ?

 

The SM was also on my list but I have read this thread (yes all 9 pages) and seems it had quite some negative feedbacks. Wonder if it is single issue/complaint from the same person.

 

cheers.

 

 

 

 

Hey Karyan, I posted in that “just some dude thread” a couple of years ago. At that time I was reluctant to make the Seigler 

purchase. Now I own one that I picked up a while back. It’s a last generation Truth model that was like brand new. So far,  no regrets. The reel is built very solid. I took it apart and was amazed at the quality of the parts, and more amazed at the size of the stainless steel main gear. I’m thinking picking up another in a different color.

 

As far as a comparison between the Saltiga and the Seigler, there is no doubt you will feel the Saltiga is a much more refined reel. I own a few other high end Daiwas including a couple of Saltiga Spinners. I know quality high end gear. The Daiwa has the 2 pin centrifugal brakes, while the SM has the mag of course. I use the slower brakes on the Saltiga and find it pretty easy to cast, but still fast enough for me. I like casting the SM better. I like the mag on it. As far power, the SM feel more powerful when reeling in heavy weight. Casting distance varies for me. I would say that I get about equal distance with both reels. I feel it is all about my casting experience and not the reel. I consider myself a very good intermediate caster, but not good enough to extract the max distance out of either reel....lol

 

If using this reel on the beach only, I would go with the SM. Something about the Seigler being made in Virginia USA, hand assembled in a small shop, serial number hand etched on the bottom of the reel seat makes me like this reel more. Either reel will give you high performance.

 

 

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7 hours ago, kakaryan said:

 

Hi what centri brake upgrade did u put in? Thanks.

Hi they come stock with two pin brake blocks I upgraded to 6 pin.  Easy to change and adds tons more control.  I’d prefer more mag control however but the brakes are a simple upgrade

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