whats your reel of choice in the bay?

[dtandrade]

Ok so yesterday I recieved my 2 Penn GT2 combos from amazon.com. I knew by looking at the boxes that they had to be damaged and of course they both were. I sent them both back and I am now second guessing purchasing them again. What your favorite reel and why. I am looking for something that has a loud drag so I can hear them when they hit. My spinning tackle didnt make much noise when a fish was on which was a pain when trolling because I was constantly looking back at my rods. Any input is appreciated!

[BassMoore]

check out the light tackle AVET reels... they are american made and the drag power seems load but ive seen an SX which is small land a 500 lb shark on the beach... can cast them or use them to troll.. all around the best reel for everything. and a very small profile

[dtandrade]

Thanks. I will check them out now.

[scorpioreno]

I like the okuma line I just bought a 5000 series bait feeder. I like their reels because of performance and comfort. If you are looking to eliminate looking back you might look into rigging a strike indicator. something like a clip system. Also some of the guys are rigging the rods behind them 45 degrees leaning forward so they can see their rods better.

[dtandrade]

I was experimenting last year with the 2 scotty rocket launchers but didnt really find a comfortable setup. Hopefully I will dial them in this year better. Never thought I would say this but I honestly love trolling in the kayak. I came from bass fishing where I would have to work lures and never thought I would care for just paddling around with some lures in the water. I want a multi purpose setup as far as being able to troll as well as use the rod and reel for other applicatiins. I just have no clue where to go setup wise.

[RavensDfense]

It really depends on what you're trolling for. There are a lot of fish in the bay to troll for that vary in size and having a large reel with a clicker will not be appropriate for most of them. For most bay purposes, I would suggest something on the smaller size. I have the Avet SX MC and only use it for big reds and tog (and even that was a slight overkill). It's a lot of reel that is not needed enough to use as your primary reel. A Shimamo Calcutta 200 (or something comparable) will handle most anything you are going to catch in the bay, especially around the bay bridge where you largeest rock fish likely will not exceed 40 inches.

I know you said you want a to be able to hear a clicker go off. I agree that's nice. But at the same time, it's also nice to have a reel that is more practical for everyday use because they sure as hell aren't cheap. Hopefully you will be more comfortable with the Scotty's.....seeing the fish crush your rod is half the fun!

[dtandrade]

thanks for the reply ravensDfense. I definitely do not want to go with anything thats going to be overkill. I will check out the calcutta 200.

[huizhao85]

I troll with abu garcia ambassadeur 6500. They're relatively inexpensive at 100, has clicker and can handle anything in the bay. They're very versatile and can be used for many applications including brackish waters.

[Redfish12]

The Abu is a good recommendation, you can get a 5500 or 6500 (or the 56/66 if you prefer the thumb bar) and have plenty of line for kayak trolling in the bay. Those GT2s are fine for boat trolling but complete overkill in the kayak for the same fish. You no longer have to fight the drag of the boat that doesn't stop when trolling 3mph and reel in the whole spread (feels like reeling in a 5 gal bucket!) on a kayak.

I have an SX and it is bulletproof and overkill for everything inshore from a kayak. I'm not saying don't get one bc they are awesome, just saying you don't need one. Offshore... it's under-gunned. Go with the Abu's on a MH ugly stick and you should have some nice trolling combos for not a lot of money. Plus, they'll work great for double duty as live-lining rods / eels / etc.

[ronaultmtd]

I have a bunch of combo's- the low profile casting rods with a Revo SX with 30# braid is hard to beat on a kayak- or the Lexa 300 or the Shimano 300E....for really big inshore fish like a 100# Cobia live- lining spot in a chum slick, I would use my 6500 Abu's with 30# braid- for boat trolling hard to beat Penn Squalls on a 6'6" 30-50# rated boat rod loaded with 65# braid...and for light lure tossing a Stradic 2500 on 7 foot medium spinning rod with 15# braid..

[buzz]

I recently purchased a Diawa Millionaire 300. A touch on the heavy side, but very affordable.
They've been making this model for about.... well, forever. So its a tried and true favorite. Of course I can't really give you an opinion yet since I've only tossed it in the backyard a few times.

I got me a 300L so I can crank with the same hand as I do with my spinning rods.

[dsiekman]

check out the light tackle AVET reels... they are american made and the drag power seems load but ive seen an SX which is small land a 500 lb shark on the beach... can cast them or use them to troll.. all around the best reel for everything. and a very small profile

+1

I have an AVET 5.3 MC and love it! The thing is built like a tank. No flashy graphics, no chrome plated junk, no stickers, no plastic parts (at least to the best of my knowledge, other than the handle). It is just a serious piece of fishing equipment. It is more of a battle axe than a swiss army knife if that makes any sense. Pick one up a play with it for a minute and you will understand.

I've had it for several years now and have never had an issue with it. It has a nice loud clicker which can also be shut off. I have mine mounted to a 6'-6" bait casting rod. I know it sounds silly, but it has been awesome for trolling. It is by far my most expensive reel, but it is totally worth it IMO.

[dtandrade]

Looks like you guys have given me no shortage of options and I appreciate all the advice. I will be heading to bass pro this weekend with a list of reels you all recommended.

[DOGFISH]

I also use Calcuttas, a 401 on the left side of the kayak and a 400 on the right side of the kayak. They are great reels. The Avets and Garcias are nice. However, I always seem to default to Shimano. I too like to troll. If you don't need to do any amount of casting, the Tekota 500 level wind will be just fine for kayak trolling. I have used the Tekota 600 on boats and they are also a great reel. The 500 is just a smaller edition. I personally like a level wind for the bay. The Tekota is also nice for live lining, by setting the clicker, with the reel in free spool. Simply adjust the spool control a bit. I also use a Curado 300 and a 301 on the kayak for casting and trolling. Match any of these up with a M to MH, 7 to 7.5' graphite casting rod and you will have a fun kayak trolling set up, except for maybe the spring striper season. Most of the spring trolling for larger fish is in deeper water. I will use a heavier casting rod rated for 30+ line. I use Penn International 975 casting reels for that sort of thing, on a heavy casting rod.

Good luck with your selection.

[dtandrade]

Departing to Bass Pro Shop without a budget (probably not a good idea) and after researching last night I think I will be going with 2 abu garcia ambassadeur 6500 setups. They look very dependable and I like the idea that the 6500 has the clicker. Thanks for all the advice. I knowI will be itching to put them to use if mother nature would straighten up her act!