Blackfish Reels

[njboarder]

If you've got $450-500 to spend on blackfish reel, saltiga 20 or even 15.
If on a budget, avet sxj works fine too.

[socks]

1/0 Penn Senator

[bulletbob]

believe me, I am NOT trying to be a jackass, but I could never understand the need for a $700 rod and reel combo for bottom fish.. A Penn 65 and a boat rod will catch any blackfish that ever lived, and its 3 to 1 ratio will actually have more pulling power to wrestle a big tog out of the rocks than modern high speed reels..

I use a couple of old Ocean City reels that I got at garage sales for I dunno, 2-3 bucks, and I catch blackfish with them just fine..

Ever see a captain or mate on a headboat grab a decrepit old painted rental rod with an ancient Penn reel , fish between a couple of regulars with high tech , high dollar rod/reel combos and make them look like chumps, or a couple of folks with rental rods standing toe to toe with the regulars using high end gear?. I have.. More than once..

Its only my opinion, but the rod is a lot more important than the reel.. A good graphite rod with some backbone and length for leverage, and a good "boat reel" with a well functioning star drag and 30-40 and braid will be just fine.. I suppose an Avet is a wonderful reel, and thats what makes some fisherman happy, having really special gear.. Thats great, I understand that, and appreciate the fact that it is simply something many fishermen enjoy..

However, it won't catch a single blackfish more than a rental rod, IF you know how to catch blackfish... bob

[Gerry Zagorski]

The Avet SX will handle anything you can throw at it inshore.... People have landed 80 plus pound Black Drums... Nice, small and light so you wont get tired holding it at the rail and the drags are silky smooth.

As with any lever drag reel, it does take some getting used to since you have to enguage the drag manually while some star drag reels you simply reel to enguage the drag.

[PeteyHD]

I agree with many of the guys about the star drag from wreck fishing. Saltist or Saltiga in 20 or 30 size is perfect. I fish the black and gold saltist hard even for haddock and cod with no problems...Probably should service it for once after close to 5 years of salt use

[Richieclip]

I too had the same feelings about the sx for blackfish...so I put a small shimano Torium on my Fish Poison rod and it feels oh so nice!!! Liked it so much I put another one on my older tog rod. The size 14 & 16 are only $179 and the star drag feels good and performs beautifully ...a pig tog May still peel a little drag from the smallest Torium but hey it's fishing. Not knocking Avet (I have 6), I just wish the MX had more drag

[Flukinator]

If you have trouble pulling a 10 lb tog out of her hole with 9-14 lbs of drag, it's not the drag that's the problem, it's the high gear ratio. That inability to "get a few cranks on her", where the handle won't turn, and she's inching her way back down as the drag slips just a bit...that's your high gear ratio. A gear ratio in the 3 or 4-to-one range is going to turn her head more easily as you push that drag up, and allow you to actually gain some line. That 2 or 3 more feet of line you may be able to get immediately after you set the hook will make the difference between a pig lost in a snag, and a trophy in the boat. I find a gear ratios above 5 to cause some issues.

This is why so many guys swear by their old Penn 60's, lower speed Jigmasters, etc etc for blackfish. They've got lower gear ratios, and can turn a fish's head, though it might take them an extra 5-10 seconds to get a fish to the boat, or crank the bait (or bare hook) off the bottom.

That's not to say you won't catch them just fine with that Avet, as obviously plenty of guys do. Best way to find out is to try it!

[MrAC1980]

The reel setup you have is fine, no need to change. But the rod you're using is way underpowered. If you like the trevala, I use the Heavy version tvc-66h and an SX. There are better options, but if you like trevala, I suggest you upgrade to the H, you'll be set. You could even use it offshore for seabass/cod, etc.

[SaltLife1980]

I caught my PB 8lbs with a Avet Sx on a custom Bogan rod..

[shrimpman steve]

I much prefer a glass rod over graphite for tog. My favorite tog stick is a 40 year old hollow glass rod. Makes up for the unforgiving braid. IMHO