Deepwater jig reel threadline

[Burbo]

anyone got any good ideas on a which threadline jig reel for yellowtail kingfish under $350?

[Brent_P]

Shimano Spheros 14000 with carbontex drag upgrade and replacement bearing - they're used a lot in WA for jigging for 30kg+ samsons.

Brent.

[spinner]

new or old model Penn Spinfisher 7500 or 8500, no upgrades needed.
Reggy

[isaac]

forget the old model penns, they have no instant anti reverse and thats the first thing thats craps itself, drags good out of the box though. cheers Ben

[net_surfer]

Can the Daiwa Caldia Kix 4000 be use as a deepwater jig????
I am thinking of getting one soon.

Cheers :)

[Burbo]

Thanks for the tips fellas, have used a salist 6.4.1, but want a threadline for my own setup, does the penn have a good enough line retreval rate? , Where can you get the shimano modified?

[Brent_P]

Burbo,
I've heard that you can order Spheros's that are already modified from tackle shops - they'll get them in for you from Shimano with the carbontex washers, the replacement bearing and a Stella handle already installed, but I'm not sure of the price (maybe $350). Bluewater Tackle (www.bluewater.net.au) have upgrade kits with the same things in them for $150. You could always forget about buying the Stella handle and just buy the carbontex washers direct from Jack Erskine (www.jackerskine.com/frames.htm) for about $25 and the replacement bearing direct from Shimano (Shimano parts & service - ph. 02 9526 2144) for about $20. Or you could just buy an unmodified Spheros - Shimano's website states they have a maximum drag of 24lb, which is more than an overhead Saltiga (except for the Saltiga Ishidai) or Saltist. Of course, the drag might lose it's smoothness and be unuseable at it's upper range, I don't know.

net_surfer,
I've got a Daiwa Caldia Kix 4000 myself, and I reckon they're awesome reels - very smooth and solid feeling. I've only used it offshore twice but, along with a few squire, I boated a few 6-8kg mack tuna without any problems. I don't know if I'd use mine for jigging for kingies though. I watched plasticfantastic (Mark) boat two nice kingfish of approx 8kg using a Daiwa Certate 3500HD, but the Certate has a metal rotor, which I think would handle the strain better than the Caldia's graphite rotor. You'd be able to boat good fish, but I reckon you'd wear the reel out pretty quickly.

Brent.

[isaac]

burbo, IMO you dont need a super high speed retrieve rate to catch kings, ambos, sambos, gts on jigs, its more boat placement (ie on the fish!), the rods action and the action you can impart on the jig that will get you the hits. Also a high speed retrieve makes it harder to crank when your hooked up to largish fish. The penn 8500ss retrieve rate of 4.6:1 is fine as is the spheros, you can get the upgrade from http://www.bluewater.net.au/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_209_397 cheers Ben

[banshee]

The Spheros seems to be the entry level reel for those on a budget but I would refrain from throwing more dollars at it by upgrading this and that just use it as intended to start with and replace if needed,also don't see a lot of merit in the handle upgrade,surely if one uses the equipment correctly,that is pump and wind,the stress on the handle would be minimal.

[Burbo]

I think its getting harder to decide! :o :o :o