The 5500 was loaded with 20lb Fireline, with a short wind-on
trace of 80 and 60lb flurocarbon trace (started with 80lb until
e
I ran out, then had to use
h
60lb) and it dealt to fish
l
ranging in size from small
y
coral trout to some pretty
substantial giant trevallys,
and it never skipped a
beat. The drag was
smooth, lump free, and
well able to exert way
more drag than you'd
normally have on 20lb
line... This is lock-andload fishing up here, if a
out
fish can run any distance
Coral tr rs
e
are suck
at all, it will bury you
in coral reef right away,
so I run around 7kg of
Diamond trevally
nailed on a 3500 Sp
power to pull string, but are a curse in a
drag on this reel, which
infisher
saltwater setting, as this stupid little lever, if
is some pretty hirsute
engaged (or dis-engaged, I can never work
stopping power given the line weight.
d ith the
l Best fish
out which) would make handling any decent fish impossible,
I am seriously impressed with th reel. B t fi h was a 15k
15kg
resulting in little more than snapped wrists, massive birds-nests
giant trevally, not a world record, but a pretty substantial fish in
and lost fish as the reel handle flies backwards at many millions
such close quarters skull dragging.
of rpm. Even when never engaged, this lever still let water...
The lighter set, the 3500, loaded with 10lb Fireline with 20lb
Nasty, corrosive salt water, oozing its rusticating way into the
flurocarbon trace, I used for flicking slightly smaller lures around
internals of your reel.
reef bommies, targeting coral fish such as coral trout. Light line
Well, the new versions (to be fair, as do the slightly older SSm
meant I did indeed lose my share of fish and gear, however, the
versions of the Spinfishers) have totally dispensed with this
reel performed faultlessly and the rod I had it matched on, a
lunatic hold-over from the past.
4-8kg Berkley Dropshot 2pce, made it a lovely rig to use.
I could look up the technical specs on the reels, tell you exactly
In that tropical heat, it sure is nice to use such light gear.
how many kilogrammes of drag each reel is capable of, but
Handling heavy rods and reels will get you big fish, but you still
frankly, all you need know is that they have more than enough
get just as many smaller fish which just get skull dragged in on
for anything you are ever likely to need to use.
heavy gear, and you need arms like Popeye to work such gear for
These new Penn Spinfishers are very good. Very good
more than an hour at a time. The lighter sets, the 5500 and 3500,
indeed. And for the price, I have strong reservations about why
you can use all day, no sweat, just sheer bliss.
anyone would want to pay five times as much for the RollsSo, my impressions on the new Penn Spinfisher reels? Simple.
Royce versions.
They are excellent. Great drag, solid, simple construction,
My only slight concern? Perhaps the retrieve speed could be a
rugged. A sane price tag. What more could you want? The
little higher for high-speed poppering, but really, that was easy
improved water resistance is nice and there is a heap of grease
to adjust to, a slightly higher RPM supplied by the two-stroke
liberally applied to the parts necessary inside. Some thought has
Armstrong on the handle fixed that, no problems at all.
been given to this new reel.
I have no qualms whatsoever in recommending these reels as
Old Spinfisher reels used to have those stupid anti-reverse
good solid workhorses. I can't wait to get back to the Solomons
switches that let you wind line onto and off from the spools...
again in August to give them another good thrashing!
Which would be great if catching fresh water tiddlers with no
Welcome to my world, a paradise called
ZIPOLO HABU RESORT
for fishing, diving, surfing or just relaxing in the sun, visit
ZIPOLO HABU RESORT
Munda,Western Province, Solomon Islands.
Visit our website at www.zipolohabu.com.sb
or contact Captain Asparagus
Email StuCawkerCapt.Asp@xtra.co.nz
www.skipper.co.nz
VIP.S79
September/October 2013 Professional Skipper 57
