Spinning reel size

[Redfish12]

I have an avenger 3/0 baitfeeder that I got this fall with an amazon gift certificate I had. I like it. It feels very smooth (like all okumas, until you forget to rinse them a few times) and the baitfeeder seems to be well done. I haven't had a chance to use it for livelining yet, but I like the idea of being able to cast and jig with it and then throw a circle on and live-line. I like conventionals for live-lining, but it'd be nice to have the option to do more.

I got a cabelas salt striker baitfeeder reel used for less than the new Okuma, it's actually really solid. The handle is great and I caught some big fish this fall on it and I did not notice the frame twisting like my other spinners. I had been using a 3/0 regular avenger and it would twist and feel like it was going to snap. I'm hoping the newer version I mentioned holds up better!

Anyway... about the other comments, didn't meant to gearhead so hard, those baitfeeder spinners from shimano have always seemed so huge to me. I think for the bay just about any 3/0 or 4/0 size spinner will work fine, even better if they keep the same profile and add a bf. I had a Penn baitfeeder that was a 5000 and it just felt too big for me and I always grabbed for my conventionals instead. MyT has the reel now and Metro has the rod, I hope you catch a big one live-lining on that rod metro, tip is super soft, but it has some great backbone (or at least the conventional version I use does!).

[surfdog]

i put the 5/0 on my 12' surf rod and it does a good job. i think the 3/0 is a tad small for live lining, good for croakers and spot not big rock. the penn captiva LL i have 4/0 and 5/0 dont even come close to the okumas in quality and durability but they were cheap and i dont care if they get destroyed on the yak

[Tucked In]

Well Surfdog, if you like the reel and recommend it, I might just go with it, the Cedros is about $60 more and I could always use the extra $ for tackle. or maybe a light trolling rod.

[crawdad]

I like the 4000 size reels because they are lighter to fling lures around but I like larger reels to fling live bait around.When you catch a decent size fish the smaller reels can do the job but you feel like your sharpening a small pencil.

[surfdog]

anyone know how to repair reels? i have a penn CLL4000 that the spindle gears are gone i think. took it to anglers and they said that penn would replace it but i didnt keep the recipt so thats out.

[Redfish12]

Crawdad - I agree with the sharpening a pencil part. I wish more reel sizes were standardized. Some 4000 sized reels are like 6000 size.

Surf- Phil at the Rod & Reel in Arlington does great work, not sure how that would go for that model though. CLL is captiva live-liner right? Can you buy parts for those?

[surfdog]

yes, i checked the penn web site and parts are avalible but the LL are pretty complicated inside. regular reels are ok but these have all kinds of springs and cams and gears, i'd leave it to a pro. i made the mistake of opening one to clean and grease and a tiny spring and cam levers popped out, took a while to get it back together

[Redfish12]

If parts are available then this guy can definitely fix it. I'm ok at opening things up and and putting them back together, even on some of my complicated conventionals, but when it comes to knowing which part is bad? I am not there yet. I'm not trying to advertise for this guy, but there aren't many shops like his around and he really knows his stuff. I try to stop in every once in awhile and check out his shop, you never know what you'll find in there!

[surfdog]

yeah i can usually put things back together. the exploded view of th LLers was not very clear so i had to carefully open another one to see how the spring and cam lever went back. i can open them now with out them falling apart on me, but unless its obvious whats broken i cant tell. i'll give him a call and get an estimate, the reel was cheap so im not going to spend a lot on repairing it, the braid cost more than i payed for the reel. i can use the spool as an extra and cannibalize parts as needed

[Redfish12]

703-528-3022

[surfdog]

you are the man

[Redfish12]

Haha I have him in my phone! I referred him to John too. I have 3 reels there now, one was my stepfather's reel when he was a kid and he is trying to clean it up. I got a beat up Abu 5500c for $10 and he cleaned it up, new parts, and it's ready to catch some flounder and croaker this summer!

[Tucked In]

Finally went out and bought a rod, I went with the Okuma coronado 55 baitfeeder and a 6'6" h rod by temple fork,was going back and forth on weather to get the 40 or 55 and decided to go bigger. had the reel backed with 75 yards of mono and then put 30lb braid on top and then I will add a fluro leader.

[Redfish12]

Sounds like you're ready to roll! You'll have to give us a review of the reel after the season, they look nice!

[surfdog]

chris those new coronados look pretty good mine is an older model 65 and looks nothing like the new ones, definatly a beast i dont use it on the kayak only in the surf. i picked up an advenger abf 4000 sunday and loaded it with 30# diamond braid. my avernger abf 5000 should be here friday they were back ordered, going to replace an older reel with it. i'll load the 5000 with 50# PP