Field Test Report - Canyon HS- 16

[MVP]

After fishing the HS-15 for a few years and using it both bottom fishing (Blackfish, seabass, cod) and striper fishing both live bait and jigging with great results. I was hoping Canyon would come out with similiar size reel but with a lower gear ratio. In talking to Don the Owner of Canyon Reels I mentioned to him that it would be great if he came out with a similiar small reel but with a lower gear ratio especially for us bottom fisherman as we prefer lower gear ratio reels rather than the high speed gears you see on many of the new reels coming out.

A few months ago Don left me a message that he had a reel that he thought would be perfect for the type of fishing we like to do here locally and wanted me to put it through the ringer and report back to him what i liked and disliked about it. What he put in my hands was a a small compact tank of a reel. The new model is the HS-16 Blue Water jigging reel. Do not let the name jigging reel limit you to what this reel can do.

The reel is slightly larger than the Avet SX but weighs in at under 15.5 oz. when I loaded it with 50 lb braid and top shot total weight with line was 16.6 oz. For such a little reel it puts out an amazing 66 lbs of drag without loss of free spool. The reason for such high drag out of such a small reel is Don uses much larger drags than reels of similiar sizes. You will probably never get to the point when you would need 66 lbs of drag when fishing for seabass, blacks, stripers. blues, tiles or even tuna. The big advantage is with the larger surface area of the drags used is that they will last you 2-3X longer which means less maintenance and cost. You also get a greater range of drag settings based on type of fishing you plan to do which adds to it's versatility

I have been using this reel for the pass few months Blackfishing, seabass and cod fishing. The reel is an absolute tank. I did not hook any really big blackfish on it but caught several in the 7-9 lb range and fish did not stand a chance as the cranking power and drag was to much for these fish to handle. In fishing deeper water of 200 + ft for cod and seabass the light powerfull reel made it a pleasure reeling up fish after fish from that depth. Drag was super smooth when set at lighter settings as i wanted to test it out on bigger cod (32 lbs) being caught. At higher drag setting fish could not even take out line due to high drag capability of reel. I have not used it for stripers yet but i am positive that they will make a great addition to your chunking and livelining outfits. For blackfishfishing it is an absolute monster. It is actually a little overkill for blacks in my opinion. Would like to see mini version of this reel similiar to the size of Trinidad 10A or 12A. Offshore seabass and cod/pollack fish will not stand a chance. For those looking for a powerful small reel with 400 yd line capacity of 50 lb braid i would think it would be a great choice for tile fish based on how deep you plan on fishing. For you inshore bluefin guys and tuna jiggers with braid backing plus top shot at 66 lbs of max drag you should have no problem reeling in 50 - 100 lb bluefin using lighter outfits. With the trend to fish lighter and smaller reels which cause less fatique on angler this reel makes a great choice.

Even though the reel is very impressive what i like most about Canyon reels is that if you have any issues you can actually call the owner directly with any questions. If you have an issue the maintence can be done locally in Brick, NJ. I own quite a few reels from most manufactures. What keeps my loyality to Canyon is the customer service that I have recieved and having an owner that is local and stands behind his product 110 %.

For those looking for a smaller type reel with with alot of versatility you should give the HS-16 a close look. Enclosed are specs on reel from the Canyon reel website:

Canyon Reels HS-16 Blue Water Jigging Reel

Canyon Reels' HS-16 High Speed Jigging Reel is unmatched in power! Incredible power and super smooth performance make the HS-16 the perfect choice for jigging, bottom fishing, drifting and just about any use that you can think of! A large, deep spool with the capacity to hold 400 yd. of 50# braided line and the extreme free spool performance make the HS-16 a great choice for surf casters.
Weighing only 15.5 oz., the HS-16 is an ultralight powerhouse that is the lightest, most powerful reel on the market! 66lb. of drag with no loss of free spool! Backed up with a 2 year warranty that is twice as long as our competition, the HS-16 is built to last. Every reel is loaded with Cal's Drag Grease to provide the fisherman with one of the smoothest operating drags on the market!
Braking System: Two way braking system for piece of mind when fighting large fish
Gear Ratio: 5:1 ratio is designed for high speed jigging
Line Capacity: Holds 400yds of #50 braided line
Stainless Gears & Springs: For long lasting strength and corrosion resistance
Ultra Lightweight: Only 15.5ozs. The lightest, most powerful reel on the market!

Due to the great customer service I have recieved and my experience using this reel I will be at the Canyon Reel booth at the Somerset Show on Friday March 15, 2013 to answer any questions you have. Feel free to stop buy and say hello.

Alex
MVP