Just getting into shark fishing. I need to get the right gear for it since I'm moving to West Palm in July.
I'm looking for a 9/0 combo and obviously the best deal that I can get since I'll be on a newlywed budget.
I've seen Penn Senators and they look sweet. What about large spinning combos? Hope that's not a dumb question.
Ebay? Anybody have any advice or know of any deals? Thanks!
Phil
The 9/0 is a solid reel and it can land some impressive fish. I believe a 10ft hammer was landed on a 9/0 with 80lb line during the current BHC.
Look for an older USA mad 9/0 with the chrome spool if you get the 9/0. You can get one between $50 and $150 depending on cosmetics. Parts are abundant if you wish to shine up an old beater.
The new penn ssv 10500 or 9500 is also a beast of a spinning reel and has landed some decent sized fish. Pack it with braid and a topshot of mono.
The fin nor OFS 9500 is another choice for large spinning tackle.
My first sharker setup was a surfcaster combo from Bass Pro Shop. I didn't know if I was going to stay in the sport, so I cheaped out. It's still great gear after a year of shark/beach/rookie abuse, but I've since played around with other peoples higher quality gear and you can tell the difference right away. I still fish with it every time along with my Penn Senators and it still fights the big ones. Though once you start paddling out your baits, you'll be glad you did!
Rod: Offshore Angler Power Plus 12 foot surf caster rod about $30. I've beaten the hell out of this thing and it can still fling a big bait and take in any blacktip.
http://www.basspro.com/Offshore-Angler-Power-Plus-Rods-Spinning-Rods/product/30663/
Reel: Offshore Angler Sea Lion SL80 about $50, but it goes on sale a lot. I paid $30. This spinning reel packs 30 POUNDS OF DRAG!!! That's almost as much as my Penn 9/0 Senator!
http://www.basspro.com/Offshore-Angler-Sea-Lion-Spinning-Reels/product/71821/
Regarding line, I've had problems with bargain braid so I'll recommend quality. Get yourself a 300 yard spool of 50 lb. Power Pro braided fishing line, it's the finest available.
All said and done I spent less than $100 for new gear and I'm satisfied with it. If I get 5 years out of it, I'll be happily surprised.
I agree with the ninja. Price does not always represent quality.
Just an update. I bought a Penn Senator 9/0 on Ebay yesterday and it should arrive soon. Just need to get a rod for it. I have some gift cards to Bass Pro, so I'm hoping I can find something there that will fit the reel nicely. Thanks again for the help.
What line should I put on the 9/0? Braid backing and mono topshot?
Congrats, Phil! You won't be disappointed with a Penn 9/0, your grandkids will be fishing with it. Since I have 2 of these reels, I studied them in depth to try and get the most out of them (I'm the son of an engineer, what can I say? 
). I don't know how much you have on your Bass Pro gift cards, but here's what you can do with the reel. You won't be disappointed with any of these setups.
FROM MY NOTES
Monofilament capacity:
50 lb test - 825 yards
80 lb test - 500 yards
100 lb test - 400 yards (I wouldn't put 100 lb test on this reel, it doesn't seem to work right 
)
Braid capacity:
50 lb test - 3300 yards
80 lb test - 1995 yards
I'll spare you the boring math. Here's the combinations:
50 lb braid - 1150 yards - TOP WITH - 50 lb mono - 550 yards - TOTAL 1700 yards
80 lb braid - 700 yards - TOP WITH - 80 lb mono - 330 yards - TOTAL 1030 yards
Right now I have 80 lb mono on one reel and 80 lb dacron on the other (I'm in the middle of a year long experiment 
) and I'm satisfied with that. I get plenty of bites when I paddle out a bait 300 yards and still have plenty of line on the reel to handle any strong runs.
Got my 9/0 in the mail today!!! It is sweet!! Dumb question: how do I test the clicker?
Also, I put it on a 5'6 Offshore Angler (Bass Pro brand) Power Stick conventional rod weighted at 80-100 lb. Will that be okay?