Spinning Reels

Stonedfish

Stonedfish

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My next door neighbor got a new boat. Basically a ski boat. He has the fishing bug bad and is already looking to update his boat to a fishing craft.
He has two sons he'd like to get into some salmon next summer. One son is a real fishing fanatic. I'll have more time to fish next year and I've got a open invite to go fishing with them to hopefully help them catch some fish.
All my current spinning reels are pretty old, so looking for spinning reel recommendations, preferably a model that is good / decent for saltwater use.
I'll be using it to toss buzz bombs, rotators etc and it won't get a ton of use, so I don't need a Stella. ;) Looking for something in the 2500 to 3000 size.
Thanks in advance for any recommendations.
SF
 
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For the price I’m very happy with these bad boys. I would rinse well after occasional SW use and feel good about it. Personally I tend towards larger spin reels, I notice longer casts and less tangles and I don’t see a downside to more capacity on the big rivers I fish and would think that would be a plus for the sound but YMMV.
 
I bought 4 okumas a few years ago and have smoked them all by now. They are cheap and perform great out of the box but eventually that drag is gonna go south. If you really aren’t gonna use it but a few times that’s not a bad idea either. For 30-40$ more the Nasci is a much better reel and I think this will last me a lot longer but time will tell.
 
I've also gone the cheap route and updated all of them by now. So, as they say, buy once, cry once.

My "cheapest" spinning reel I'm running now is my Penn Battle. The others are Shimano Spheros and Shimano Saragosa. Very happy with all three models and would recommend.
 
3500 Daiwa BG or 4000 Shimano Nasci.
They’re basically the same size. Rinse after use and pull the spool off once a year and clean/grease. Out of the box give the reel a good spray of Boeshield before putting on the line.
 
Some good recs. If they want to go the super cheap route, the shimano syncopate is great for beginners and kids. It has a 'quick fire' trigger so you don't have to mess around w/ the bail. Not the highest quality reel, but inexpensive and easy to operate.
 
Stonedfish said:
My next door neighbor got a new boat. Basically a ski boat. He has the fishing bug bad and is already looking to update his boat to a fishing craft.
He has two sons he'd like to get into some salmon next summer. One son is a real fishing fanatic. I'll have more time to fish next year and I've got a open invite to go fishing with them to hopefully help them catch some fish.
All my current spinning reels are pretty old, so looking for spinning reel recommendations, preferably a model that is good / decent for saltwater use.
I'll be using it to toss buzz bombs, rotators etc and it won't get a ton of use, so I don't need a Stella. ;) Looking for something in the 2500 to 3000 size.
Thanks in advance for any recommendations.
SF
Click to expand...
I like medium heavy spinning rods for 8-17 lb. test line in the 7.5 - 9' range for beach casting lures. Shorter rods cast easier but longer rods cast further. Okuma and Ugly Stick are rod brands that work well, are inexpensive and hold up. I like to use 30 lb. braid and tie in 4' bumper of 20 lb. mono or flourocarbon line with a double uni knot to the braid. Then I put on a snap so that I can change out lures quickly. I like a Okuma Ceymar A reel in 4000 series. Inexpensive and reasonably durable. The 4000 series reels will cast longer than 3000 series.

I took my neighbor and his 2 sons out to an Area 9 beach Labor Day weekend. I've been telling the boys I would show them how to fish. Dad had some stuff but really didn't know what he was doing.

I gave them an older Ugly Stick 7.5' MH rod and the Ceymar reel along with some hardware. I've mainly switched over to all fly for my beach fishing so they were just gathering dust.

With Dad, we first spent time in my backyard teaching the boys how to cast. Out on the water I pointed out where and how to fish...and reminded the boys about watching how they are casting so they are not a risk to adjacent combat fishermen or beachcombers who seem to always wander into your backcast. The shorter rod was easier for them to cast (they are 8 & 12 y/o). One caught a small king. A gear guy next to us let one of the boys reel in a nice coho. They had a lot of fun. The next weekend on their own with Dad they caught a nice hatchery coho. I think they are hooked for life...

It was one of the more rewarding experiences I've had fishing
 
I agree the Ceymar is a great reel for the ridiculous low price point but that drag can only take so many chromers before it’s totally shot. I have 4 in the graveyard and all of them came with no warning, working perfectly well one minute and then done the next, all 4 times with a fish on and running. If you are just testing the waters and don’t plan on making this a regular thing that reel will definitely handle business, I’ve landed some big fish on that reel. But just know that you won’t be using it years from now. My $.02

Shimano has never let me down and I have some that are 25 years old.
 
For Saltwater, the Daiwa BG's are hard to beat. Not the lightest reels out there but they will hold up well. I just spray them off after use and they have lasted 3+ years now with no issues whatsoever.

If you want to spend more, the Ballistic or Saltist are also fantastic.
 
Stonedfish said:
My next door neighbor got a new boat. Basically a ski boat. He has the fishing bug bad and is already looking to update his boat to a fishing craft.
He has two sons he'd like to get into some salmon next summer. One son is a real fishing fanatic. I'll have more time to fish next year and I've got a open invite to go fishing with them to hopefully help them catch some fish.
All my current spinning reels are pretty old, so looking for spinning reel recommendations, preferably a model that is good / decent for saltwater use.
I'll be using it to toss buzz bombs, rotators etc and it won't get a ton of use, so I don't need a Stella. ;) Looking for something in the 2500 to 3000 size.
Thanks in advance for any recommendations.
SF
Click to expand...
I like my Daiwa 300 reels Brian I don't need to tell you they get a lot of use.
I use them for bass in the spring, and coho in the salt and the river.
I use 20 lb. Power Pro braid and usually have a 7' 12 to 15 pound test Maxima ultra green leader.
 
Shimano Symetre reels are pretty good, so I've heard...I mean how would I know anything about those dirt bag techniques, come on now... :)
Forget buzzbombs though, you'll want to hire Dipsy Diver Pro-Staff @jasmillo for a day, that guy swears by it!
 
Kfish said:
Shimano Symetre reels are pretty good, so I've heard...I mean how would I know anything about those dirt bag techniques, come on now... :)
Forget buzzbombs though, you'll want to hire Dipsy Diver Pro-Staff @jasmillo for a day, that guy swears by it.
Click to expand...

If you want to catch gear fish and not be identified as the dirtiest of dirtbags, you buy divers. It’s like…..trolling incognito mode.

You see downriggers on this boat?
 
Evan B said:
I've also gone the cheap route and updated all of them by now. So, as they say, buy once, cry once.

My "cheapest" spinning reel I'm running now is my Penn Battle. The others are Shimano Spheros and Shimano Saragosa. Very happy with all three models and would recommend.
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I have those. Donated the Saragosa to a guide in Belize. The other two go to Mexico frequently
 
I grew up with the Shimano trigger reels. I don't use them much anymore. I have a newer blue Spirex but prefer the older grey metal frame one that came before it. Front drags always seemed smoother to me. Silvers are the biggest thing I have used them on.
 
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