Advice needed - New Large Spinning Reel

[Central Coast Fisherman]

I'm looking at getting a new large spinning reel and am interested in the following reels:

• Daiwa Saltist 6500 - 6.1:1 - 15kg drag
• Daiwa Exceler DA 6500 - 4.7:1 - 15kg drag
• Okuma Salina 3 16000H - 6.0:1 - 24kg drag

All three reels are roughly the same price. I'm going to be using it for chasing big fish off the beach, rocks, spinning and the occasional boat fish.

Can anyone advise which reel they would go for and why?

Cheers,

Phil

[PRED-ATOR]

I have a Daiwa Saltist 6500H and have also had a an Exceller.

Both are excellent reels and great value for money however; both were mainly fished with heavy braid from the boat - I did no casting at all with these reels so i dont no how they will go as a casting reel. Ive heard the saltist casts well.

I just purchased a penn spin fisher V 8500 and it casts a mile. Its got so much 20 lb mono on there its just ridiculous.

The rod you match it up to, and line you use will play a very big part too.

Predator

[abecedarian]

I have a sustain 8000 and am very happy with it. Is there a reason shimano reels haven't made the list? The stradic, sustain and twin power reels are all worth a look I think.

[rockfisherman]

I'm looking at getting a new large spinning reel and am interested in the following reels:

Daiwa Saltist 6500 - 6.1:1 - 15kg drag

Daiwa Exceler DA 6500 - 4.7:1 - 15kg drag

Okuma Salina 3 16000H - 6.0:1 - 24kg drag

All three reels are roughly the same price. I'm going to be using it for chasing big fish off the beach, rocks, spinning and the occasional boat fish.

Can anyone advise which reel they would go for and why?

Cheers,

Phil

You'd probably lean toward a reel with a higher ratio if you want to crank in lures at high speeds, ontop of all the other things you want to use it for... The salina has a massive stock drag, but it would take alot of fish muscle to pull 24kg of drag, personally i think 15kg is heaps. All these reels rank as quality reels that will look after you if you look after them....so it would come down to personal preference...

I think you get it all with the Salina, which has a lifetime warranty also. Looks and practicality.

Harry

[Frantic]

beach rocks, big fish drag wont really make that much difference try holding 20kg of drag with a 60lb jew on the other end its only gunna end with you in the drink youll only need about 20lb line they'll tire themselves out . whats the capacity of those reels id lean as well to salina, ,but like you im in need of a new reel for my rock/ beach outfit but its overhead and ive chosen the saltiga surf , are you going to use braid or mono off the rocks ?

[outdoordan]

beach rocks, big fish drag wont really make that much difference try holding 20kg of drag with a 60lb jew on the other end its only gunna end with you in the drink youll only need about 20lb line they'll tire themselves out . whats the capacity of those reels id lean as well to salina, ,but like you im in need of a new reel for my rock/ beach outfit but its overhead and ive chosen the saltiga surf , are you going to use braid or mono off the rocks ?

You'll be happy with the satiga surf overhead. Mine has dozens of beach jew to 20kg and plenty of big noahs under its belt and still going strong. keep in mind the beach is a pretty harsh place and i suggest you pull apart your reel regularly to give it a good clean and protect your investment. You might want to upgrade the drag too. Mine went to poop after a few good fish. My reel is the older model with no cast control. I'll be interested to hear how the new model casts.

Another good overhead worth considering is the shimano torium. Great reel and half the price of the saltiga.

As for the Salina. I have heard several reports for anti reverse issues with these reels. So do a bit of research before forking out your hard earned.

[Novicefisherman]

I have a Daiwa Saltist 6500H. i use it more as a live bait reel or casting heavy baits. Couldn't imagine casting long hours with this reel

as it is quiet heavy. Just something to think about if you decide to use it for lure fishing.

[aidanhoh]

Agree with novice fisherman. Those are all quite big/heavy which might not be ideal for prolonged spinning.

What are you targeting and what line class are you intending to fish?

My heavy spin reel is a Biomaster 6000 which is probably same as a Daiwa 4500 sized reel, on which I run 30lb braid. I'm confident that I can land most fish I'm likely to encounter spinning on the beach or rocks with it, with the exception of really big kings and longtails, but otherwise, I can't see any fish taking more than 300m at 5kg drag.

As for the reels, I haven't any personal experience with them so can't comment.

[PowerFisher]

I just purchased my self a second reel for beach and rocks. I was after a reel that was in the 600 gram area similar to the 4500 Daiwa or 8000 Shimano. The reel is called a Shimano Ultegra 14000 XSC. This is same model currently in Australia which ends in XTC but instead of being greenish colour it is Silver. The good thing about the reel is that its only 630 grams, 20kg Drag, X Ship, Awesome torque being lower gear but with the large spool has a retrieve of 105cm which is good for spinning metals, Lures. Also comes with a spare spool 10000 size if you don't need all that line capacity. All I can say is that after getting close to 100m long cast I'am very happy with it.

[lostproperty]

You'll be happy with the satiga surf overhead. Mine has dozens of beach jew to 20kg and plenty of big noahs under its belt and still going strong. keep in mind the beach is a pretty harsh place and i suggest you pull apart your reel regularly to give it a good clean and protect your investment. You might want to upgrade the drag too. Mine went to poop after a few good fish. My reel is the older model with no cast control. I'll be interested to hear how the new model casts.

Another good overhead worth considering is the shimano torium. Great reel and half the price of the saltiga.

As for the Salina. I have heard several reports for anti reverse issues with these reels. So do a bit of research before forking out your hard earned.

According to Okuma if there is too much grease in the gears the anti reverse becomes faulty, considering my salina 3 was brand new i can only assume that leaving it in the car in the heat caused some disruption to the distribution of grease inside the reel. It works perfectly now and havent bothered sending it back, but I feel confident knowing I can when ever i please. Just look after it you'll be fine.

Pretty sure the 16000 comes in a high speed version too. Super smooth drag, nice handle, line goes on well only thing is the rated capacity was about 100m less on my 10000 than stated. Only got 300yarss of 50Lb power pro super 8 slick braid with barely any backing. So just check because if line capacity is important it might be a problem.

[benm]

I've had a few Okuma reels and they have all crapped themselves. I know I won't be buying any more. Daiwa Saltist and upwards aren't bad. Curious why no Shimano reels made the list? Stradic FJ 5000 maybe?

[Game spin]

Mate I've owned a Daiwa Saltiga surf for years now mated to the matching rod and it's light weight and versatile. You ever thought of that reel?

Pretty well priced these days as its getting on now

[Novicefisherman]

I just purchased my self a second reel for beach and rocks. I was after a reel that was in the 600 gram area similar to the 4500 Daiwa or 8000 Shimano. The reel is called a Shimano Ultegra 14000 XSC. This is same model currently in Australia which ends in XTC but instead of being greenish colour it is Silver. The good thing about the reel is that its only 630 grams, 20kg Drag, X Ship, Awesome torque being lower gear but with the large spool has a retrieve of 105cm which is good for spinning metals, Lures. Also comes with a spare spool 10000 size if you don't need all that line capacity. All I can say is that after getting close to 100m long cast I'am very happy with it.

Interesting reel. How much did you pay for it?

[PowerFisher]

Interesting reel. How much did you pay for it?

$240 shipped. Best value reel I believe for the rocks/beach and long casting. I see no reason why I cant use it off boat as well.

[Pat Williams]

The question can only be answered properly if we know what you're fishing for. I wouldn't limit yourself to just those reels either. The Exceler is a pretty good reel for the money, although the handle did snap off mine under load.. It did last well for a couple of years on the rocks though.The Saltist is overhyped, an OK reel, but Daiwa made out that it was pretty much a Saltiga which just isn't the case - it's got a few crappy componants which are known to cause problems - eg crappy plastic bush instead of ball bearing in the line roller that is known to seize quickly.

I know I wouldn't be spending my hard earned on a Salina. It's not a bad reel, but Okumas quality control is just shocking when compared to Shimano/Daiwa. You're more likely to get one with problems, and after a couple of years the bearings will start to go and it will end up feeling like cranking a coffee grinder. I've used Okuma reels before but will not be in the future.

If you're after a reel for lure casting, the Daiwa Emblem Pro 5500 is a very good option. Really good retrieval rate - over 120cm per crank of the handle. And pretty good value, you can get em for around $250. They won't last forever but they will do the job well as long as they're looked after and are good value.

If you're fishing for kings, I would suggest a big Penn Spinfisher - maybe the 850 size. Everyone will tell you that the new Chinese ones are crap, but they are not that bad. They're built pretty tough and have a good strong, smooth drag. You can get them for less than $100 now which is just crazy. They will serve you well for years and you just can't argue with them when it comes to value for money. You could buy one and replace it a couple of times for the cost of a Saltist/Salina/Exceler...

My $0.02

[Nolongeramember]

I'm looking at getting a new large spinning reel and am interested in the following reels:

• Daiwa Saltist 6500 - 6.1:1 - 15kg drag
• Daiwa Exceler DA 6500 - 4.7:1 - 15kg drag
• Okuma Salina 3 16000H - 6.0:1 - 24kg drag

All three reels are roughly the same price. I'm going to be using it for chasing big fish off the beach, rocks, spinning and the occasional boat fish.

Can anyone advise which reel they would go for and why?

Cheers,

Phil

I always look closely at ratios of reels Im considering purchasing. A 6500 size Daiwa or equivalent size Okuma with a ratio of 6.1 will lack serious cranking power in my opinion. Sure the speed will be quick but it will be difficult to reel in large fish. A ratio of 4.7 is still plently fast in such a large reel.

I have a 20000 Shimano which is about the same size as the 6500 Daiwa. The ratio is 4.4 I think and it cranks hard but still has good line retrieval speed.

[Snagmaster]

I've been looking at the Salina 3 also. I have a friend who swears by them and has a few and they get a workout, believe me. Big kings, GTs, spaniards etc off the rocks. But the point made by Roylo^^^ is a good one...speed isn't everything, sometimes torque is more important for big fish...especially when you're not in a boat that can chase a fish down while tiring it out. 15 kg drag is ample and line capacity??? If you've lost 300yds of 40-50lb line on a reel with 15kg drag...then you're pretty much burnt anyway!

I like the reviews and specs of the Pfleuger Crank and Salt reels....seem like good value for money. I have a 40SW Salt and it's as smooth as butter and spooled with 15lb braid, it's got some gumption too! The Penn Spinfishers have a good rep, but only 4.9kg drag...a little light-on by today's standards. Still, a fairly bulletproof reel.

Shimano Socorro is a good reel, but the drag pins are known to break and I don't think they are covered by the warranty, so it's like a $60-$80 repair...so...good luck in your choice.

My money's on the Salina 3, and they are available at WELL below retail if you know where to look! :-)

[Scienceman]

Have a look at the Ecoda Hornet HS. I purchased for heavy beach, rock and boat work recently. So far the best has been a 10kg whaler off the beach, which it handled easily. At <$200 is excellent value for money. (15kg drag from memory)

[Snagmaster]

Shimano Socorro is a good reel, but the drag pins are known to break and I don't think they are covered by the warranty, so it's like a $60-$80 repair...so...good luck in your choice.

I meant the Shimano Saragosa...Socorro is a cheaper model.

For in depth reel reviews that are not sponsored or biassed...Google Alan Hawk's reel reviews.

[lostproperty]

I've been looking at the Salina 3 also. I have a friend who swears by them and has a few and they get a workout, believe me. Big kings, GTs, spaniards etc off the rocks. But the point made by Roylo^^^ is a good one...speed isn't everything, sometimes torque is more important for big fish...especially when you're not in a boat that can chase a fish down while tiring it out. 15 kg drag is ample and line capacity??? If you've lost 300yds of 40-50lb line on a reel with 15kg drag...then you're pretty much burnt anyway!

I like the reviews and specs of the Pfleuger Crank and Salt reels....seem like good value for money. I have a 40SW Salt and it's as smooth as butter and spooled with 15lb braid, it's got some gumption too! The Penn Spinfishers have a good rep, but only 4.9kg drag...a little light-on by today's standards. Still, a fairly bulletproof reel.

Shimano Socorro is a good reel, but the drag pins are known to break and I don't think they are covered by the warranty, so it's like a $60-$80 repair...so...good luck in your choice.

My money's on the Salina 3, and they are available at WELL below retail if you know where to look! :-)

From memory I paid $169 for me 10000 salina 3, add a $100 gift voucher for Christmas and out of pocket i paid next to nothing for it, so if it craps itself really I'm down $70!

I hooked a decent king on it a few weeks ago and held up really well, dragged it out of about 80m of water, handled perfectly well.

I guess it comes down to expectations and the equipment you have been using. I was using an old busted up penn reel with broken anti reverse and landed my first king on that, then decided a backwinding handle isn't much fun chasing kingys so I went and got a super cheap mkart reel (another penn) and its landed me plenty of kings, and now upgraded to the salina. So based on my previous tackle the okuma reel will be excellent, and I didn't want to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on tackle at the moment, I'm still using a hand me down rod that's cost me a whole $20 on tip replacements nothing more, so I'm quite happy doing it on a budget. It depends what your used to though. If you've used cheaper gear before a saltiga might be wasted on you especially when you could buy 2 okumas spooled up for less than the price of a saltiga

[troutboy]

How about a Finn Nor offshore , slightly on the heavy side but absolutely bulletproof. cheers troutboy

[lostproperty]

How about a Finn Nor offshore , slightly on the heavy side but absolutely bulletproof. cheers troutboy

I was going to buy one of these because they had such good reviews, but didnt like the idea of jigging with them as they didnt have 100% anti-reverse, old school solid design and I doubt you would break it, but the back winding would have annoyed me! Very heavy reel as well compared to the other options.