I was just wondering what everyone thought, what do you guys think the "Best" Reel for a big shark is? What would u guys use for line on it? Why is it the best? Thanks.
"The best" reels are not necessary the most popular one, that being said - penn reels are the most popular reels for shark fishing, but they aren't necessary the best in recent years. Also, there is an ongoing debate between star drags and level drag reels - technically speaking, this is like comparing apples and oranges - same size reels.
Based on my tests, a brand new 12/0 reel will give you around 60lb drag at full spool locked down with Cal's grease on drags, but then you'll run into an common problem what cause what's named "blowout". How this happen? Here is how:
Penn recommends that a Penn 12/0 reel shouldn't be used with more then 30lb at full spool, while many fishermen exceed the manufacture recommended specs, there is a tolerance window between 30lb drag and 60lb drag. When hooked into a monster, and the reel is half spool and you already attempt to lock down you reel, while the shark takes line, because of the centripetal laws of physics without touching your star drag after previously locking down the star drag, your drag tension will increase more and more while the line lives the spool, in some cases this exceeding 60lb where the reel will reach the "blowout" point. The blowout is caused by failing the most important part of the reel - at the spool axle where goes into the pinon gear. When that happens the only way to fix this is to replace the entire spool as well as the pinon gear. This type of problem is common to ALL star drag type reels when the manufacture recommended drag tensions are way exceeded.
Level drag type reels have NO such problems, due to the fact that the "braking force" does not travel through the gears - they function like car brakes on disks where the braking force on these reels are on the side of the spool. Also level drag type reels are more tolerant for drag tunings WITHOUT casing any type of blowouts when the manufacture recommended drag tensions are way exceeded. Even though level drag type reels are not sensible to blowouts - by exceeded considerably over the manufactures recommended drag specs WILL CAUSE in long run the side-load bearing to fail by grounding itself. BUT this issue will not stop a level drag fishermen to over-increase the drag tension at one point to stop a monster shark, since the bearing problem happens in long runs vs the blowout that happens in a fraction on second for a star drag reel. Since 2008 the side load problem was solved by Okuma in they Makaira and Cedros Level drag series - these reels are also the high-end stuff from that manufacture.
As a general rule, reels that are made from aluminum frame are more strong to twist, turns and cracks then reels made from graphite frame.
I hope this will give you more light on what's best for your needs when you'll decide what reel to buy.
It depends on what you think a big shark is. If youve never caught a fat 8ft 6inch bull, the first time you see one your gonna think thats a BIGAZZ shark. That shark can be caught with a 9/0, 12/0, or 50w. 12ft Hammerheads and Tigers are no doubt the goal of just about every landbased sharkfisherman that I know. If you dont want to waste your time or money, I would just start off with a Penn Senator 14/0 or 80w from the beginning. Skip buying all of the smaller reels that you will end up selling once you realize that they're no longer big enough to land REAL MONSTERS.
14/0 or 80w
1) Can spool it with all 130 mono, which is popular and easy.
2) Can spool it with 600 yards of 200lb power pro or tuff line braid, then top shot of 200lb mono of about 300-400 yards.
-this is a more expensive option, but in my opinion worth it because the 200lb mono is much more abrasion resistant and the 200lb braid gives you a large amount of capacity. The only problem is that you better learn to tie AN EXTREMELY PERFECT KNOT from braid to mono. The knot that hasn't failed me or my fishing partners yet from braid to mono is a double line in the braid (spider hitch or bimini) then an improved bristol knot for the connection.
Everything stated above is 100% accurate. To me its a no brainer in going with a leverdrag over a stardrag IF your budget warrants it. If you have an unlimited budget then id personally shoot for an accurate 130, alutecnos 130 or an everol 14 or 18/0 2spd. I personally believe these reels are above all the competition but come with a hefty pricetag. I didnt include the duel reels as ive heard from a few separate people that they lack serious tourque and for that price i like the other options. I personally would avoid the internationals and tiagras as ive seen countless times need too much maintenance (that isnt cheap like a senator). Now if your budget is around 1kish then id seriously look at the avet80w as its really hard to beat their price. But if the reel doesnt have to be new id find a used everol 9-14/0 (9 is slightly larger than 50w, 14 is 130) for 300-600$ and save money as u will have basically no maintenance. No matter what, spool it properly and make sure u can afford the proper maintenance
i would personally stay away from accurate i have never seen any thing good end with them. i would look in to avet 80w and avet 50w trx. spooled with braid and a top shot of mono.
I would say go with the everol idk much of the maintenance plan on avets but everols last longest bottom line
Reels that have helical cut gears are more smooth and delivers more force to the spool, while cranking, then thous that are straight cut gears.
I don't own an avet reel, but the reel that i have i can turn the handle at 50lb drag in lower gear, and the reason for that is because the gears are helical cut gears. I wouldn't be able to turn the reel on a straight cut gear reel - same class.
to the first author,to the beach queen's,i like to know if anybody will fish a lever drag,the best one out there.loaded with 250-300 lb test,yes it does exist,and clamp down on it to the max.since it can hold that much drag you should have no problem when that 500 lb bull desides to leave the county,yes it can happen,fish any big school of mullet in the fall-winter,if penn recomend's only 60 lb's of drag, then why don't i fill my reel with about 2 miles of 80 lb test.we used to tie in to the light poles to make sure we did not go flying into the water(120 lbs soaking wet),but now there are guard rail's and all that good stuff.yes there are alway's going to be better and better fishing gear,but guess what,all the record's you are trying to break where done with old out of date reel's,blood and sweat.so maybe it was not the reel but the MAN behind it.i am just saying.how far will you go for a record fish,we know how far some did,hemingway did not dream sebastian,today still, men fish with there bare hand's,it's not how good or pretty you're reel's are,every scratch has a story.and every story has a hero.go become a hero,then you have a story,then tell us how you're tackle did.
to the first author,i like to know if anybody will fish a lever drag,the best one out there.loaded with 250-300 lb test,yes it does exist,and clamp down on it to the max.since it can hold that much drag you should have no problem when that 500 lb bull desides to leave the county,if penn recomend's only 60 lb's of drag, then why don't i fill my reel with about 2 miles of 80 lb test.we used to tie in to the light poles to make sure we did not go flying into the water,but now there are guard rail's and all that good stuff.yes there are alway's going to be better and better fishing gear,but guess what,all the record's you are trying to break where done with old out of date reel's,blood and sweat.so maybe it was not the reel but the MAN behind it.i am just saying.
you are right in that you have to put the time and effort in order to succeed. But remember not all leverdrags are new school, mine was designed in the 50s, and the exact one i fish from the 70s.
Right the everol I want is from the 70's so in no way new school
to the first author,to the beach queen's,i like to know if anybody will fish a lever drag,the best one out there.loaded with 250-300 lb test,yes it does exist,and clamp down on it to the max.since it can hold that much drag you should have no problem when that 500 lb bull desides to leave the county,yes it can happen,fish any big school of mullet in the fall-winter,if penn recomend's only 60 lb's of drag, then why don't i fill my reel with about 2 miles of 80 lb test.we used to tie in to the light poles to make sure we did not go flying into the water(120 lbs soaking wet),but now there are guard rail's and all that good stuff.yes there are alway's going to be better and better fishing gear,but guess what,all the record's you are trying to break where done with old out of date reel's,blood and sweat.so maybe it was not the reel but the MAN behind it.i am just saying.how far will you go for a record fish,we know how far some did,hemingway did not dream sebastian,today still, men fish with there bare hand's,it's not how good or pretty you're reel's are,every scratch has a story.and every story has a hero.go become a hero,then you have a story,then tell us how you're tackle did.
I would like to add that Penn DOES NOT RECOMMEND 60lb drag for a 12/0. Please read again the post. Also, to become a hero is very very broad definition when comes to shark fishing. While some become a hero by entering in IGFA as official record holders, others become a hero just by catching one shark.
If i remember well, in january was landed an over 9ft hammerhead shark on a 4/0, NOT WIDE, 2 hours fight, by a reel and rod that i own and while BHC was on in same location same size hamerhead shark was landed in about 20 minutes fight on a 50w - which really makes me wonder - what's the point of being a hero?
I remain unimpressed with these new leverdrags they make today for the simple fact that they do not hold up well in the beach environment. I have 2 newer lever drag reels and 2 old penn reels..guess which ones require less maintenance? Guess which ones perform closer to new just out of the box condition despite being 20 years older? Guess which ones need broken down and cleaned out after every few times out because they grind from constant sand invasion? I have seen for myself a penn 12/0 get tossed around in the wash, caked with sand and totally submerged in saltwater while we were leadering and releasing a shark. When we found the reel, it was half buried in the sand..star drag side facing down if I recall correct. This same reel was not only still in use the rest of the night, but the guy also landed another shark that night on the same reel. Had he been using one of the new age leverdrag reels..I bet that reel would have been out of commission the rest of the night had it gone through the same treatment and he would have probably been on the phone with customer service the next day. I would rather go with something that is proven and has withstood the test of time that has put the fish on the beach over the years. I wonder how many of these newer leverdrag reels like the avets and accurates that are being made today will still be catching big fish 20, or even 10 years from now. We will see. There are many big senator reels that caught big sharks since the 70's that are still being used to catch big sharks today. All those old school pictures of monster sharks you will notice many of them have 1 thing in common and that is the reel that the angler is holding..penn senator. They are bulletproof in my opinion, spare parts are easy to find, much of the maintenance can be done by the average person. Many of today's best still use the big senators.
That's why its hard to tell which one is "the best" reel, because it truly depends on your style of fishing. For me, lately i prefer high drag, therefor a level drag reel fits me well, for others, not so much. There will always be pluses and minuses on each reel, that's also the reason why there are so many types of reels for sale.
Everols have been proven and are just as old barely ever need maintenance and have high drags and been around since the 60's granted a senator might do better when falling into sand but then again I've never had any of my reels trashed in the surf or sand but that's just me
Everols have been proven and are just as old barely ever need maintenance and have high drags and been around since the 60's granted a senator might do better when falling into sand but then again I've never had any of my reels trashed in the surf or sand but that's just me
I've heard the same thing about the old everol reels, they've withstood the test of time and are still being used today. That is why I was referring to the new leverdrag reels only. It just seems these days it is more about marketing schemes such as extreme drags and attractive flashy appearances rather than building a reel that will last through the years and take a beating. I also agree with Bohgy..there will always be pluses and minuses to every reel. The senators may not have the extreme drag, but 30-40 lbs or so is all I care to try and hold onto with a monster shark on the other end that can pull that kind of drag for over 500 yds on the first run.