penns!!!!!!!!!

ok, for you guys that own them...i have a captiva which isn't nearly as good as some of the other salt spin reels over 100 bucks...is there a big difference betewen the slammer and the other ones that arent liveliner besides the obvious feature?I want a reel that will pull in a steamship...will the slammer do that?or do i just get the best regular one i can get?

i was wrong...no liveliner on the slammer.....ssm's look like the reel deal , with ssg's for the smaller fair....i think ssm's would be better suited for chucking bait, and ssg's for lures....slammers look like a cross between the two....expensive...i have to save!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mine is the Penn SS9500 (which i don't believe they make any more)but the SS8500 is sweet too, it's a honkin reel, with a seriously strong drag on it. I would recommend staying away from their reels that aren't the standard black (steel or graphite)and gold (anodized aluminum) spools. I think they made those others to enter a market they haven't had a product for (again speculation). But I also have a ss4500 (graphite) for lighter work in the sodium, and that fucker has landed winter fluke in the 25" range and porgy's upon porgy's (AWESOME snadwich). I would not trade either PENN for anything even a Tibor everglades, or any fly reel from makers like Hatch, or Sage, or even Van-Stall.


There i said it. save the coin and you will not have to buy another sodium reel ever.

exactly...i want longevity and fish stopping power...i got a penn captiva, but i know it doesnt match the power of all metal from penn....i love that banner i made you , i will have to make one for the other good posters in here like 06062 and RNA

for sure. I plan on giving mine to my kids or grand kids when the time is right. Who am i kidding those little shits will have to pry that reel from my cold dead hands. LMAO

i like your advice to keep the okumas as a backup......i will probably do that instead of just unloading them...one thing is for sure i will go through my stuff and yank out the stuff i dont really want...and donate it or sell or give to another member....i got to much stuff....and i need to take care of what i have........i would like to start oiling the reels, but i don't know where...does anybody know how, and could they possibly take pictures so we can see em?
i think i wont be the only one benefitting form such information.

i oil them every year. rinse them with fresh water after every NaCL excursion...a must for longevity. I could show you. you need a good grease as well. I have some stuff from Abu-Garcia. definitely i will post some pics. BRB.

sweet...should i do that with any saltwater reel?i really got to take better care of my gear...

The SpinfisherSSm mounted to my 8ft. Heavy Ugly Stick. Was in Hillyers this morning and it was calling to me. I was looking for the 760Slammer liveliner to replace my heavy Diawa reel that is shot, but that will have to wait. My wife may well kill me, but I can cast to the Race from Harkness, and think I could probably land a sub with this thing. It will definately take care of anything in the sound, and I can use it for surface casting offshore.

SSm motherfucker!hell yes that reel is giving me a chubby...i want one of those sooooooooooooooooooo bad......which size did you get? i have to get one for my 9ftr...................have you tried a cork tape surf rod yet? your arm will hurt less after casting lures all day...and you can get an ande for less than 50 bucks!!!!

It's the 950. I've got it spooled with the 300/30 as I will be taking it out next spring on some boats as well as for the surf. My 10 ft. US has cork. Have you or anyone you know replaced the foam w/ cork tape? I've got cork wrap I'm going to try on my 7 ft. US. I just want to hook into a big fish now!

no i haven't....i have only seen muskie anglers wrap no slip hockey/fishing tape over flora cork handles on spinners and baitcasters...that is an interesting thought...i would only try to do that on a cheapie rod...just incase it doesn't work out like planned..

I'm going to try it out on an old, cheap rod. You can get cork grip tape from a bike shop. Should be no problem. The other option for upgrading or replacing grips on old rods is simply to go to a site that sells components for people who like to build their rods from blanks and buy some cork grips. I think the genuine cork wrap for a bike handlebar will work best and only costs about $10-12 a pack which will wrap 2 rods. Comes in about any color as well. I'll let folks know how it geos.

cool...would love to see pics of pre and post op surgery, too!

Replacing the grip is easy with several options. I happened to have black cork handlebar tape in the garage. I just cut the old foam grip off and sanded the glue residue off. Then wrapped. There are several sites that sell replacement cork grips or cork grip tape. Most of the tape is natural color. If you go with the bike tape, you can get all kinds of colors. The replacement grips cost anywhere from $10-20, the tape a few bucks. I just need to get an end (few $$). However, I have no advice for anyone whose wife or significant other is asking why you are searching for "butt plugs" on google. Good luck!



http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/rod-building-grips/
http://www.shofftackle.com/steelheadgrips.html

awesome post....+2 viking progress points awarded.............

my wife is probably getting me money toward a penn for father's day...couple more gift certificates, and i am on my way to getting one

didn't go the gift certificate route...the reel i wanted is not found on cabela's or basspro...had to go thru ebay....i got a penn slammer 560L..it's supposed to be the freakin bomb....retails for 160-180...i got it shipped with insurance for 132.95....not bad......if you want to droll at penn reels, look at this site
http://www.pennreels.com/
i fully expect this reel to replace my okuma avenger abf50 in every way and thensome....i expect it to not break...i will take good care of my reels from now on...i will keep them in sacs away from sand and saltwater air..i will only take them out just before i am about to rig and cast the rod....i will do this with all of them...i need to find or make some reel bags/sacs
and i will ask heckler to show me to lube them and wash them

Nice! The boat I was on this weekend had Slammers paired with Shimano Teremar rods. My 950 is definately the bad-ass of my gear, but the 560 Slammer is a lot more versatile for heavy duty surf or on a boat. Hopefully the surf will be picking up. I know Naptha wants to get out for another Harkness trip in the next month.

Just noticed the 560"L". Even sweeter! I've got the okuma avenger abf50 as well, and have noticed that after about 5-6 uses the baitfeeder doesn't always work properly.

i am going to write their company...what good is a reel if it doesnt work...are they owned by zebco?...i expect allot more from okuma

management@okumafishing.com


that is their direct email address for unresolved issues and such.

look a this:

no thanks...not worth the effort..i have a friend who had a similar issue with the live liner drag...not worth the effort, or the money...i have bought a penn slammer to replace it, and i will no longer buy any okuma products until you change your slogan or you remove sub-standard models.

--- On Thu, 6/18/09, ronald wrote:


From: ronald
Subject: FW: huge problem
To: blueolive26@sbcglobal.net
Cc: "'Mike Bennett'"
Date: Thursday, June 18, 2009, 3:29 PM

From: Mike Bennett [mailto:mike.bennett@okumafishing.com]
Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 9:55 AM
To: ronald@okumafishing.com
Subject: FW: huge problem



CAN YOU SEND THIS FOR ME I CANT SEND ANYTHING TO A SBCGLOBAL.NET ADDRESS

MIKE

From: Mike Bennett
Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 9:46 AM
To: 'BLUEOLIVE26@SBCGLOBAL.NET'
Subject: RE: huge problem



JOHN I AM SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE PROBLEM YOU ARE HAVING WITH THE REEL. IT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS THE HOLD PLATE OR A BEARING ON THE REEL. I WOULD SUGGEST SENDING THE REEL TO US FOR REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO WAIVE THE RETURN SHIPPING AND HANDLING CHARGE OF 7.95 SINCE IT WAS A BRAND NEW REEL. PLEASE CALL ME AT 800 466 5862 MY EXTENISION IS 151 AND WE’LL GET THIS FIXED FOR YOU.

MIKE BENNETT

From: john gulan [mailto:blueolive26@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 4:58 PM
To: management@okumafishing.com
Subject: huge problem



i own an avenger abf50, and i am sorely disappointed in it's performance...i have other okumas, and i love(d) okuma reels, until now...The 1st time i used it last year(late oct)...i hooked into a big fish shore fishing...the reel began to make strange grinding noises as though it seemed like the drag was disengaging and engaging....enormous malfunction.i lost a huge fish..(not big enough to break a 60 dollar reel)....now mind you, i am an avid and experienced angler...my rod and my skills didn't fail me...your reel did....i do not know if it was a manufacturing defect, or poor workmanship....maybe this reel is entry level and shouldn't be awarded as much praise as your more expensive models...i would expect this type of problem with zebco or some generic junk i would find at wal-mart...now i have a huge problem..i don't think it's worth the shipping to send to you guys and then get a repair bill...i don't think it's worth it to keep this reel or buy a new okuma to replace it..i cannot afford to buy your top of the line stuff...if you advertise "High Performance" on your main webpage or in cabela's, you should deliver that kind of performance in every reel you make. I have many friends that fish, and they all listen to me...and most of them take after me...i have a fishing website/online publication/possible show in the works....i wanted to endorse your reels...now, after this....i think that would be foolish for me...i stand behind my gear that i use..i use the best i can afford(for now)..
I foolishly didnt register my reel...and waited 6+ mnths to use it after i bought it..
shame on me...shame on you for putting out too many different models instead of concentrating on your core good products.

RedneckAngler wrote:Just noticed the 560"L". Even sweeter! I've got the okuma avenger abf50 as well, and have noticed that after about 5-6 uses the baitfeeder doesn't always work properly.

got the reel today...not bad..two days...reel is beautiful and solid..the bail is a little quirky when the crank is in a certain position..(it's physics, it just requires a harder crank to turn it over)....the live liner is the smoothest i have seen/felt yet.


i cannot wait to sleep with it under my pillow and even more so...i cant wait to put in on my 9ft ande...when the two meet, either the entire universe will explode or i shall have a weapon that is stronger than conan's sword.